The Living Journal – Om Mani Padme Hum

Every drop of water in the rivers, seas and oceans on this earth can be counted, but not the benefits and merits of reciting the  Om Mani Padme Hum mantra once. Every tree on this earth can be counted, but not the benefits and merits of reciting the compassionate universal mantra of Om Mani Padme Hum

By the Lord Shakyamuni Buddha

The mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is the embodiment of all the Buddhas’ heart, the root of the eighty-four thousand teachings of the Buddha, the essence of the Five Buddhas, and the essence of the secret holders. 

Each word is a pith instruction, the source of the qualities of all the Tathagatas, the root of all goodness and siddhis, the great path to higher realms and complete freedom. To recite this supreme among all mantras, the six syllables, the heart of all the teaching, just once can put you onto a spiritual path of no-turning-back, and you can become a great liberator of other sentient beings.

Even a small insect, if it were to hear the sounds of the mantra just before dying, would be liberated from that body and be born in the pure land of Amitabha Buddha. Just to think of it is like the sun shining on a snow mountain so brightly that bad karmic obscurations and defilements are eliminated, and one can be born in the pure land of Amitabha Buddha.

Just touching the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is receiving empowerment from many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Meditating on it once equals the practices of listening, contemplating, and meditating combined together. In this way the entire experience of phenomena can be transformed into Dharmakaya experience, and great treasure gates of activity can be opened to benefit sentient beings.

By Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava)

Thus the six syllables,Om Mani Padme Hum, mean that in dependence on the practice which is in indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech, and mind of a Buddha.

By His Holiness the Dalai Lama

There is not a single aspect of the eighty-four thousand sections of the Buddha's teachings which is not contained in Avalokiteshvara's six syllable mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum", and as such the qualities of the "Mani" are praised again and again in the Sutras and Tantras. 

Whether happy or sad, if we take the "Mani" as our refuge, Chenrezig will never forsake us, spontaneous devotion will arise in our minds and the Great Vehicle will effortlessly be realized."

By Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

The The six syllables mantra of Om Mani Padme Hum is the most widely used of all Buddhist mantras, and open to anyone who feels inspired to practice it. It does not require prior initiation by a Lama or Guru.

Tibetan Buddhists believe that saying the mantra (prayer), Om Mani Padme Hum, out loud or silently to oneself, appeal to the powerful benevolent attention and blessings of Chenrezig Bodhisattva, the embodiment of compassion. Viewing the written form of the mantra is said to have the same effect, it is often carved into stones, in the prayer wheels etc.

It is said that all the teachings of the Buddha are contained in this mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum can not really be translated into a simple phrase or sentence. It is appropriate, though, to say a little about the mantra, so that people who want to use it in their meditation practice will have some sense of what they are doing, and will understand a little better what the mantra is and why it is so vital to Tibetan Buddhists.

The mantra in the following languages

1] The Sanskrit pronounced as Om Mani Padme Hum 

2] The Tibetan pronounced as Om Mani Peme Hung 

3] The Common Mani Scripts of the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is found written in Tibetan script and ancient Ranjana script.

The significance of the Mantra

Mantras are enlightened compassion and awareness in the form of sound. Through simply coming into contact with the enlightened beings are positively influenced. Tibetan Buddhists recite mantras as a way to connect to positive qualities and protect themselves from negativity, [especially inner negativity]

Through contact with and, especially, meditation on the mantra of compassion "Om Mani Padme Hum" positive qualities are developed and so, happiness naturally increases in one's life. 

By hearing the mantra, one can be liberated from the lower realms and become a master that can liberate sentient beings. One can purify negative karma accumulated from beginningless time, just like the rising sun melting the snow on top of the Snow Mountains and take rebirth in pure land.

Just by touching the mantra, it is like one is receiving empowerment from countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. By reciting the mantra is like practicing the Six Perfections and is able to close the doors to the six realms.

Syllable	Six  Pāramitas	Purifies	Samsaric  realm	Colors	Symbol of the Deity	(Wish them)  To be born in
Om	Generosity	Pride / Ego	God	White	Wisdom	Perfect Realm of Potala
Ma	Ethics	Jealousy	Asuras  (Demigod)	Green	Compassion	Perfect Realm of Potala
Ni	Patience	Desire	Humans	Yellow	Body, speech, mind quality and activity	Dewachen
Pad	Diligence	Ignorance	Animals	Blue	Equanimity	the presence of Protector (Chenrezig)
Me	Renunciation	Greed	Pretas (Hungry ghosts)	Red	Bliss	Perfect Realm of Potala
Hum	Wisdom	Anger / hatred	Naraka (Hell)	Black	Quality of Compassion	the presence of the Lotus Throne (of Chenrezig)

Om [Manifest in white color]   

Increases the wisdom of: tranquility and calmness.    

Increases transcendent: kindness, generosity.   

Purifies: arrogance, egotism.

Closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the god’s realm.

The suffering of the gods arises from foreseeing one’s fall from the god’s realm and these suffering come from pride.

Ma [Manifest in green color]   

Increases the wisdom of activity   

Increases transcendent: ethics and moral principles.   

Purifies: resentment, envy and jealousy. 

Closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the Semi-god Asura’s realm.

The suffering of Demi-god Asura is constant fighting and these suffering come from jealously.

Ni [Manifest in yellow color]   

Increases the wisdom of self-arisen wisdom   

Increases transcendent: patience and tolerance.  

Purifies: confused attachment.

Closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the human realm.

The sufferings of humans are birth, sickness, old age and death and these suffering come from desire.

Pad [Manifest in blue color]   

Increases the wisdom of all-encompassing space   

Increases transcendent: enthusiasm   

Purifies: bewilderment, ignorance and prejudice.

Closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the animal realm.

The sufferings of animals are being preying upon one another, or being killed for meat and these suffering come from ignorance.

Me [Manifest in red color

Increases the wisdom of discrimination   

Increases transcendent: meditation   

Purifies: greed and possessiveness

Closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the hungry ghost realm.

The sufferings of hungry ghost are hunger and thirst and these suffering come from greed.

Hum [Manifest in black color]  

Increases the wisdom of clarity   

Increases transcendent: wisdom   

Purifies: anger.

Closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in the hell realm.

The suffering of hell is heat and cold and these suffering come from hatred.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta
For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen
May it arise and not decrease
But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note
I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.
Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

The Living Journal - Reflections

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

However many holy words you read, however many holy words you speak, what good will they do, if you do not act upon them ? 
Quoted by the Lord Buddha.

Love yourself and be awake,
Today, tomorrow, always,
Then teach others and so defeat sorrow.
To straighten the crooked, 
You must first do a harder thing - Straighten yourself.
You are only the master. Who else?
Subdue yourself,  and be your master.
Quoted by His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

Reflection, look at ourselves in the mirror and observe what you see. See yourself the way others see you. Sense and feel what you see.

How can we applying the Dharma in our daily life?

How do we recognize that we all have drifted away from the precious Dhama once taught by our Guru?  

How should we respond and react to the self reflections?

REFLECTIONS

Reflection is the art of thinking on one's virtues and faults. It is also the ability to reflect on your feelings and thoughts. This also includes reflecting on the thoughts, emotions and the feelings of others. This can help to improve oneself as you assess and reflect upon the decisions you made in life.

Use our reflections as an opportunity to make profound and positive change in your life. This will depend greatly on the outcome of your reflections, also on the correctness and spontaneous feelings of these reflections.

Seek a place of solitude and silence and to relax yourself you need to be in an unperturbed state of mind in order to reflect or look back through your thoughts on both the positive and negative actions that you had done of the day. 

Feel the sensations strongly and revive these experiences. Understand why you were feeling sad or happy at the time, and contemplate on the reasons behind these feelings. This will help put things in perspective and also clear your mind on future actions and changes you need to make.

Increase your awareness and observation of events around you. This can be easily accomplished by being conscious of the “here and now", living in the moment so to speak.  Reflections are also an ideal way of helping improve on your sensing and feeling skills. You will become better with time but try not to drive yourself into a depression if the realities you encounter become too difficult to bear.

At least once a day, I reflect on my day, on my life, on what I have been doing right, and what isn’t working. I reflect on some aspect of my life, and from this habit of reflection, I am able to improve. One of my favorite times to reflect is during my exercise. Some of my post ideas come during exercise and meditation at the end of the day.

If you post on a website, or a forum that viewable to friends. Your reflections are shared with others, and once people start to read them and expect them, you will feel that positive public pressure to keep it up. Self-reflection is a humbling process. It's essential to find out why you think, say, and do certain things. That is what has happened and it’s been a great thing for me.

Thank you for reading and may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

May the precious Bodhichitta arise

Where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note*

I do not own or infringe any copyright of these pictures.

Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.

Beautiful Tibetan Mala Beads

The mala beads are made from a variety of materials, most commonly wood. Preferred woods are sandalwood or sacred wood from the bodhi tree. More expensive rosaries beads are made of precious and semi-precious stones, including pearls, rubies, crystal, amber, coral, or jade, or precious metals such as gold. They can also be made of seeds, animal bone (most commonly yak).

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The Living Journal - The Tibetan Mala Beads

The mala bead or the rosary beads in Sanskrit known as the “Japa Malas” are typically made with 18, 27, 54 or 108 beads. The important of Mala beads it gives you that focus and concentration on the mantras we are reciting, prostrations and meditation.

Mala beads or Buddhist rosary beads is a tool that we used for keeping count while reciting, chanting the number of times, counting the number of prostrations or mentally repeating a mantra of the name or names of a Buddha, Bodhisattva or deity. 

Tibetans also use their mala for blessing others, as it is believed the mala absorbs great power through deity mantra practice. The 108 mala beads is represents the words or the statements of the Buddha. In some other schools of Buddhism it means 108 account for human passions or human mistakes. 

The mala bead used in various methods and purposes depend on the mantras used, and mala beads are made from a variety of materials, most commonly wood. Preferred woods are sandalwood or sacred wood from the bodhi tree.

More expensive rosaries beads are made of precious and semi-precious stones, including pearls, rubies, crystal, amber, coral, or jade, or precious metals such as gold. They can also be made of seeds, animal bone (most commonly yak), and sometime even human skull. 

Mala beads that made of skull have the important principle and function. While the wrathful skull images in Tibetan Buddhism may seem scary, and the skulls are simply reminders of our mortality. Tibetans use skull beads and jewelry to remind them of impermanence. 

Skull mala beads help users contemplate the meaning of life and death during meditation. The Skull is reflects on death and impermanence and know that death is a fact and the closer that we can relate to death and embrace it the sooner we can start living with love and compassion and realizing that in this cyclic existence death will certainly when it is time. Live life  and embrace death. Recognition is the answer to the unavoidable passing of time and body.

In general, the traditional mala beads are used for all kind of purposes and for all kinds of mantras. The string that holds the beads together is usually made of silk, but is sometimes made of human hair. The materials and colors of the beads can relate to a specific practice. 

Mantras and chants are typically repeated hundreds or even thousands of times. The mala bead is used so that one can focus on the meaning or sound of the mantra rather than counting its repetitions.

One repetition is usually said for each bead while turning the thumb clockwise around each bead, when arriving at the Guru bead or the center bead; Tibetan Buddhists traditionally turn the mala around and then go back in the opposing direction. [I don’t cross over the Guru bead as advised by my Guru] but, some emphasize that this is not important. 

This repetition of the beads serves to remind practitioners of the teaching that it is possible to break the cycle of birth and death. Recite a very large number of mantras, Tibetan Buddhist males have bell and dorje counters (a short string of ten beads, usually silver, with a bell or dorje at the bottom). 

These counters are placed at different points on the mala depending on tradition, sometimes at the 10th, 21st or 25th bead from the Guru bead. Traditionally, one begins the mala in the direction of the dorje (skillful means) proceeding on to the bell (wisdom) with each round. 

In the Vajrayana traditions, the Tibetan Buddhists generally used the left hand for reciting or using the mala beads, and as well using a certain fingers, and either pushing or pulling each bead has a specific purpose and characteristic – whether for healing, protection, wealth, etc. 

Prayer beads are the attributes of certain Buddhist deities, an example is the four arms Chenrezig is often depicted holding a lotus and another hand is holding the rosary of 108 mala beads that representing the Bodhisattva's wish to help sentient beings conquer the 108 passions and attain enlightenment.

Thank you for reading and may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

May the precious Bodhichitta arise

Where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note*

I do not own or infringe any copyright of these pictures.Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.

Spinning The Prayer Wheels With - Om Mani Padme Hum

The prayer wheels was introduced to Tibet by the renowned eight century Indian Buddhist teacher Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava, and later practiced by the great Indian tantric Buddhist masters Tilopa and Naropa. Naropa’s disciple Marpa later renewed the lineage in Tibet and passed it on to Tibet’s most well known yogi, Milarepa. 

In Tibet, Prayer Wheels have been made for many centuries in a wide range of sizes and styles - from hand-held and table-top wheels, all the way up to giant eight or twelve foot Prayer Wheels with diameters of five to six feet and it is very often built around Buddhist Stupas and Monasteries.

There may be long rows of prayer wheels which the Tibetan people will spin as they walk clockwise around the sacred holy places such as; the holy caves,holy lakes, Stupa, and Monasteries. The Tibetans will recite what is believed to be one of the most profound and beneficial mantra of all times the six syllables of Om Mani Padme Hum.

According to the Amitabha Buddha sutra it says - Anyone who recites the six syllables of Om Mani Padme Hum and while spinning the prayer wheels at the same time is equal in fortune to the Thousand Buddhas.  The Shakyamuni Buddha said that – by spinning the prayer wheel once is better than having done one, seven, or nine years of retreat.  The prayer wheel is a very powerful merit field; one accumulates immeasurable of merits and purifies obstructions and obstacles.

In the Vajrayana practice, it's says that the prayer wheel practice is a remarkably swift, easy and profound method for developing compassion and wisdom. Buddhist teachers and the ancient texts explained the benefits of the Prayer Wheel for its ability to quickly harmonize the environment, increase compassion, develop a peaceful state of mind, and help practitioners on their journeys to enlightenment.

It is suggested that when we recite the six-syllable mantra – Om Mani Padme Hum while spinning the prayer wheel and the benefits of merits doing so are immeasurable.  This is the mantra of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, and it is recited continually by many Tibetans. 

Many of us also find that the six-syllables holy mantra of Om Mani Padme Hum carved on rocks, written on prayer flags, embossed on jewelry, and inside of most prayer wheels.  Among the Tibetans it is commonly known as the mani mantra, and therefore, the prayer wheels are often referred to among Tibetans as mani wheels.

Mantras are strings of syllables empowered by enlightened beings to benefit others. How can a mantra can bring so much benefit to those who recite it? We might as well ask, how  can a simple thoughtless word make you angry, upset and a kind word can make us feel happy? 

So, if spoken words such as these have so much power to create harm or good. Why not mantras that have blessed by the Buddhas? In Buddhism, mantras are sacred sounds that are believed to possess supernatural powers. 

By chanting mantras, we will purify the impurities of our body, speech and mind caused by  ignorance, hatred, lust, desire, attachment, jealousy and so forth, as the wisdom, power or blessings of the Buddha, Bodhisattva, deity exists within the mantra itself. 

Different mantras are said to bring different benefit, with regard to the six-syllable holy mantra of Om Mani Padme Hum, many enlightened beings and high lamas had often mentioned that it is particularly powerful and can be used by one and all to speed their path to enlightenment.  

The six-syllable holy mantra of Om Mani Padme Hum is not just a string of ordinary words.  It contains all the blessings and compassion of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.

It is important that the prayer wheels be properly made. We have found that many of the prayer wheels available for sale these days in Asia and the West are rarely filled or made properly. They are usually being sold as tourist items. Often the prayer wheels are filled incorrectly, with mantras printed unclearly, upside down or inside out.

As the Buddhist commentaries explain, the use of such improperly filled wheels is unlikely to bring about the desired effects. Thus, it is important to be sure that your prayer wheel has been verified to be properly filled with the proper mantras, including the earth and sky wheel mantras that go on the top and bottom of all authentic prayer wheels.

Furthermore, there is a tremendous benefit when we recite with our genuine sincere heart, devotion and concentration, accompanied by a visualization of the deity as visualization is an integral part of the Vajrayana practices. There are people who recite mantra without faith, devotions, confidence and concentration, it like a parrot singing a song. If this how one is practice, you will achieve nothing, even in a million years! 

Thank you for reading and may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world. 

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

May the precious Bodhichitta arise

Where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note*
I do not own or infringe any copyright of these pictures.

Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.

Tibetan Losar New Year Offerings Gifts To The Lamas

Tibetan Losar New year, is the most important festival in the Tibetan calendar. This year the Tibetan New Year is scheduled on the February 09, 2016 and it will last for 15 days. 

Losar is celebrated by Tibetan people. It is marked with ancient ceremonies that represent the struggle between good and evil. There is chanting and passing of fire torches through the crowds.

Losar Day 1 - During the last two days of the old year, which is called Gutor, people in Tibet begin to prepare for the New Year. The first day of Gutor is spent doing the house cleaning.

Losar Day 2 - During the Gutor, religious ceremonies are held. People go to visit the local monastery to worship and offering gifts to the Rinpoche,Lamas and nuns. As we all knew that one by giving offerings to the monks will receive immeasurable of merits.

We, Tibetan Handicraft Company are very pleased and with a special price for you to offer a new year gifts, a Monk bags to your beloved Rinpoches, Lamas or nuns this coming Losar.

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