Avalokitesvara Mantra

 

 

 

Oṃ Mani Padme Hūṃ / Om Mani Padme Hum

Avalokiteshvara (or Avalokiteśvara) is a Bodhisattva who represents compassion, and his mantra also symbolizes that quality. 

Avalokiteshvara means “The Lord Who Looks Down (in compassion)”.

There are various forms of Avalokiteśvara (Chenrezig in Tibetan). The four-armed form is shown here. There is also a 1000-armed form — the many arms symbolizing compassion in action. And in the far east, Avalokiteshvara turned into the female Bodhisattva, Kuan Yin.

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The Sūtra on the Heart of Realizing Wisdom beyond Wisdom

 

Avalokiteshvara, who helps all to awaken, moves in the deep course of realizing wisdom beyond wisdom, sees that all five streams of body, heart, and mind are without boundary, and frees all from anguish.

 

O Shāriputra, [who listens to the teachings of the Buddha], form is not separate from boundlessness; boundlessness is not separate from form.

 

Form is boundlessness; boundlessness is form.

 

The same is true of feelings, perceptions, inclinations, and discernment.

 

O Shāriputra, boundlessness is the nature of all things.

 

It neither arises nor perishes, neither stains nor purifies, neither increases nor decreases.

 

Boundlessness is not limited by form, nor by feelings, perceptions, inclinations, or discernment.

 

It is free of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind; free of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and any object of mind; free of sensory realms, including the realm of the mind.

 

It is free of ignorance and the end of ignorance.

 

Boundlessness is free of old age and death, and free of the end of old age and death.

 

It is free of suffering, arising, cessation, and path, and free of wisdom and attainment.

 

Being free of attainment, those who help all to awaken abide in the realization of wisdom beyond wisdom and live with an unhindered mind.

 

Without hindrance, the mind has no fear. Free from confusion, those who lead all to liberation embody profound serenity.

 

All those in the past, present, and future, who realize wisdom beyond wisdom, manifest unsurpassable and thorough awakening.

 

Know that realizing wisdom beyond wisdom is no other than this wondrous mantra, luminous, unequaled, and supreme.

 

It relieves all suffering. It is genuine, not illusory.

 

So set forth this mantra of realizing wisdom beyond wisdom. Set forth this mantra that says:

 

Gaté, gaté, paragaté, parasamgaté, Bodhi! Svaha!

Gaté, gaté, paragaté, parasamgaté, Bodhi! Svaha!

Gaté, gaté, paragaté, parasamgaté, Bodhi! Svaha!

 

Translated by Kazuaki Tanahashi and Joan Halifax Rōshi