The-Tibetan-Book-of-Living-and-Dying

APPENDIX FOURTwo MantrasThe two most famous mantras in Tibet are the mantra ofPadmasambhava, called the Vajra Guru Mantra, OM AH HUMVAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM, and the mantra of Avalokiteshvara,the Buddha of Compassion, OM MANI PADME HUM.Like most mantras they are in Sanskrit, the ancient sacred languageof India.THE VAJRA GURU MANTRAThe Vajra Guru mantra, OM AH HUM VAJRA GURU PADMASIDDHI HUM, is pronounced by Tibetans: Om Ah Hung BenzaGuru Péma Siddhi Hung. This exploration of its meaning is based onexplanations by Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.OM AH HUMThe syllables OM AH HUM have outer, inner, and "secret" meanings.At each of these levels, however, OM stands for the body, AHfor the speech, and HUM for the mind. They represent the transformativeblessings of the body, speech, and mind of all the buddhas.Externally OM purifies all the negative actions committed throughyour body, AH through your speech, and HUM through your mind. 1By purifying your body, speech, and mind, OM AH HUM grants theblessing of the body, speech, and mind of the buddhas.393