Meaning of Om Mani Padme Hum
Om mani padme hum is one of the most commonly chanted mantras in yoga. This phrase is an ancient Buddhist mantra. In English, this chant literally translates to “The jewel is in the lotus”. The lotus flower represents purity in mind and spirit in Asian and Buddhist society. I don’t consider myself a Buddhist yet but I am on the way to, so to speak. I am impressed with the benefits of meditation that I wanted to know more about it, and that led me to some introductory zen books(“The power of now” - Eckart Tolle, “Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy” - Sadhguru).
The six syllables contain the essence of the six perfections of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, joyous effort, meditation, and wisdom. According to the Dalai Lama, Om Mani Padme Hum has the power to:
“transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech and mind of a Buddha.”
If we take each word, according to Tibetan culture, then their meaning is:
- Om - is the primordial sound of all creation
- Mani - is associated with dissolving jealousy and the attachment to fleeting pleasures
- Padme - dissolves our attachments to the many prejudices and judgmental notions
- Hum - dissolves our attachments to aggression and hatred
People who practice yoga choose to chant this powerful mantra because it clears the mind, it empties the body of everything but an awareness of the inside. These words can send a message about the kind of life you want to manifest. I started yoga because offers a wonderful way to center and ground myself through rhythmic breathing and stretching. It is a structure of habit and routine that improves both mind and body. What is motivating and appealing about yoga is that its practice is layered. In other words, it’s not just about breathing and stretching, but also a way of life.
Daily meditation helps us to realize the true nature of things. The idea of anything existing as itself is an illusion. A chair does not exist as a chair, it is made up of parts (the legs, glue ) which are made up of parts (wood) which are made up of conditions (a carpenter put the pieces together, a tree had to grow, the rain had to fall). This philosophy applies to everything, including the idea of “self”. By following the teachings of Buddha and by training our mind we can realize the true nature of our minds and end the cycle of suffering. I like that in Buddhism there’s no guilt, no commandments, only suggestions. It’s based on common sense and we have multiple chances to improve ourselves.
If you want to listen this mantra, I added here a link (longer version here).