Padmasambhava was a historical teacher who is said to have converted Tibet to Buddhism. He was a renowned scholar, meditator, and magician, and his mantra suggests his rich and diverse nature.
In Tibetan Buddhism the mantra is pronounced differently. There it’s Om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung. The difference arises solely because Tibetan and Sanskrit are from different language groups, and the sounds of Sanskrit are not easily pronounced by Tibetans. This doesn’t mean that the Tibetan form is wrong; Om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung is the official and correct form of the mantra in Tibetan.
The three syllables Oṃ Āḥ Hūṃ have no conceptual meaning. They’re symbolic, and have symbolic meanings.
Oṃ is often regarded as being the primeval sound, and in fact the sound-symbol of reality itself. It represents the universal principle of enlightenment. You can read about Om in more detail on the page about the Om Shanti mantra.
Āḥ, in traditional explanations, is usually said to be connected with speech (more about that in a moment) but in Sanskrit “ah” is a verb meaning “to express , signify ; to call (by name).” So it suggests evoking, or calling forth, the manifestation of enlightenment.
Hūṃ is often thought of as representing the manifestation of enlightenment in the individual human being. This may be a complete coincidence, but hum is similar to the first person singular “aham,” which means of course “I.”
Often these three syllables are associated with body, speech, and mind respectively (i.e. the whole of one’s being). So there’s a suggestion that we are saluting the qualities that Padmasambhava represents with all of our hearts (and minds, and bodies).
Vajra means thunderbolt, and represents the energy of the enlightened mind. It can also mean diamond. The implication is that the diamond/thunderbolt can cut through anything. The diamond is the indestructible object, while the thunderbolt is the unstoppable force. The vajra also stands for compassion. While it may seem odd to have such a “masculine” object representing compassion, this makes sense in esoteric Buddhism because compassion is active, and therefore aligned with this masculine symbol. (The term “masculine” does not of course imply that compassion is limited to males!)
Guru, of course, means a wise teacher. It comes from a root word, garu, which means “weighty.” So you can think of the guru as one who is a weighty teacher. Padmasambhava is so highly regarded in Tibetan Buddhism that he is often referred to as the second Buddha.
And Siddhi means accomplishment or supernatural powers, suggesting the way in which those who are enlightened can act wisely, but in ways that we can’t necessarily understand. Padmasambhava is a magical figure, and in his biography there are many miracles and tussles with supernatural beings.
Many Buddhist mantras start with Oṃ and end with Hūṃ.
One way you can think of this is that Oṃ represents the abstract principle of enlightenment, or the potential for awakening that exists in the world and in our minds. Hūṃ on the other hand represents our individual selves (hūṃ may be an ancient and non-standard equivalent of ahaṃ, which is the Pali and Sanskrit word for “I” (the first person singular pronoun). The middle part of the mantra is the invocation that connects us, as individuals, with enlightenment. In other words we’re inviting enlightenment to transform us.
In this case it’s the qualities of Padmasambhava (as “the thunderbolt teacher” and the “lotus realized one”) that are our bridge to enlightenment.
To hear the pronunciation of the Padmasambhava mantra, Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum, click below to hear a recorded version chanted by Bodhipaksa:
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Hi, Mondo.
Siddhi is a word meaning "success" or "attainment," but it's used also as a term for "magical power." There are traditional lists of siddhis (or iddhis, in Pali):
"Having been one, he becomes many; having been many, he becomes one; he appears and vanishes; he goes unhindered through a wall, through a rampart, through a mountain as though through space; he dives in and out of the earth as though it were water; he walks on water without sinking as though it were earth; seated cross-legged, he travels in space like a bird; with his hands he touches and strokes the moon and sun so powerful and mighty; he exercises mastery with the body as far as the brahmā world."
Although the idea of siddhis was present (even common) in early Buddhism, it really took off in Mahayana and Tantric Buddhism. Those who have mastered the siddhis are known as siddhas, and there's a traditional list of 84 Mahasiddhas that includes some well-knowns like Santideva, Naropa, and Tilopa. The mahasiddhas were very unconventional and didn't practice monastic Buddhism. Instead they lived in forests, or mountains, or in cremation grounds, and they liked to shock. I think it was Naropa who encountered Tilopa frying live fish. Naropa was shocked, but it turned out that Tilopa was using his magic powers to send the fish off to better rebirths. You get the idea! Downman's book, "Masters of Mahāmudrā: Songs and Histories of the Eighty-Four Mahasiddhas" is worth dipping into.
Padmasambhava is seen as a Mahasiddha (although he's not on the list of 84). Throughout his biography (The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava) he demonstrates a mastery of the siddhis, such as surviving being burned at the stake, taming demons, flying through the air, etc. Of course the ultimate siddhi is Enlightenment, and Padmasambhava masters that as well.
I wasn't aware about the 12 million recitations. As far as I knew, sets of 100,000 were standard. 12 million seems a bit like overkill!
Overkill over and over again and again. I can tell you once you get around the 3 million range they become much faster. At first you just do the recitations using the mala a few times a day. Sacred times sort of. Then it comes to you Padmasambhava does not sleep and is always with you. So you can then recite at all times of the day transforming the entire day into 'Sacred Time'. The key is visualizing your master on His lostus seat on top of your head. The lenth from your elbow to the tip of your fingers is the size of the visualization. Instead of reflecting on His being there a few times in the turn of the mala, He is there all the time. Around the 3 millionth time you invoke the word/idea: fast or quick. 25,000 a day is no problem then.
Now the Siddhi's have always been with you. It is just a matter of recognition as so much of your self is. The skillful means of mantra using the sacred syllables reverberates these 'latent' or dormant features of The Real Self causing us to return to awareness. In so doing the 'accomplishments' become our natural way of being. Think about it. To even hear of The Gurr Rinpoche Mantra is rare. To be initiated into reciting it is incredibly amazing. This means you are on the 'fast track', or 'One lifetime' express. Why? To me in the Prajnaparamita when The Tathagata says, "The reason you love to hear The Prajanparamita Sutra is because you have sat at the feet of many Buddhas before in lifetimes uncountable and all you want to hear is The Prajnaparamita Sutra over and over again." This same 'in-struction' goes without saying also for The Guru Rinpoche Mantra and the many other mantras. We have been doing The Mantrayana for uncountable lifetimes already and can look forward to more of The Same.
There are Rinpoche's who have done over 100 million recitations of The Guru Rinpoche Mantra...really. Hey, walking through mountains, flying across the sky, the Siddhi's accomplish much more than we can imagine. Just letting the Siddhis get it on and enjoying the trip doiing what you gotta do...have fun.
Wonderful stories - perhaps we need these super-hero characters to look up to, to inspire us - it certainly appeals to my imagination. And that helps with successful meditations I feel. But I do take it all with a pinch of salt too!
I'm inspired and I look forward to Padmasambhava being with me always :-)
Quite a site you have there Nick. When I get news of my friend Ryan's work on the video of Padmasambhava's Life I'll post it here too. James, it is just a matter of coming to know what already is. Padmasambhava has always been with you. The Buddha is within. A Buddha by any other name is still The Buddha. The is only one Buddha. Some say Padmasambhava and others say Samantabhadra... Padmasambhava was the Nirmanakaya for over 1,000 years. Even then He met with Garab Dorje also a Nirmanakaya. I once heard a great professor say, "Only a Master can truely understand another Master." We have the task of setting aside our 'selfishness' in order to let our Self see, hear, speak, etc. The Parinirvana Sutra is so incredibly parallel to Socrates' last dialogue. We never die, we just transform...on and on.
On Siddhis: Bodhipaksa, great job. Been wondering about 'The Waters of the Deep' and how Nargajuna dived into the ocean and found The Prajnaparamita Sutras at The Great Naga's. My Master's name: LongYang in Tibetan means Ocean in English. As an emanation of Manjusri The Perfection of Wisdom and The Great Perfection go smoothly together. This tankha I have of the Goddess of The Perfection of Wisdom has a vajra suspended on the palm of her right hand and of course she holds The Prajnaparamita in her left hand...it seems The Vajra is the key to the perfection of wisdom as it is the key to the great perfection. The vajra is held in Guru Rinpoche's right hand. Could you elaborate more extensively about the meaning(s) of The Vajra? I'd sure appreciate it man.
"Naga" was term used for Arhants, so it's possible that when people say Nagarjuna got the PP Sutras from the Nagas he was really going into the forest to record sayings that had been preserved by solitary renunciates. There are certain sections of the Pali canon that are strikingly similar to the early PP literature.
I was always fascinated by the 'arjuna' aspect in Nagarjuna at first I guess because of his role in Bhagavad Gita. Then seeing how in so many sutras there are the 'openings' listing so many different 'beings' present with nagas being so prevalent along with arhants, bodhisattvas etc. But good to know the association of nagas and arhants. Solitary, in the forests, renunciates, yes...'we' are the 'waters of the deep' and 'the ocean' along with being nagas too I guess. In Conze's Saptasatika The Buddha kind of finishes it up with a concentration focusing on stillness of body and mind and says at a 'moment' you will hear a Buddha say his name. At that time, turn in his direction and he will tell you more sutras than have ever been recorded. These forest renunciates no doubt go into this concentration from which PP comes along with so much more.
The Ocean is deep. Thanks for your immediate response.
When was Padmasambhava born? You ask me this question, Mondo on my site... and that pleases me no end! You write beautifully, engagingly, tellingly. Thank you.
Mondo, When I asked Lama Ole to define 'Naga' I was thinking Nagajuna, lizard kings and snakes, he replied: think High Finance!
High Finance??? Lizard is the lesser of 3 animal representatives for the sign Scorpio which has something to do with 'other peoples money'. The other two reps for Scorpio are scorpion of course and the Eagle/Garuda. Nagarjuna going into the forest or diving into the depths...all brings me to the solitary renunciate view of stillness...The Vajra Family. Following Avalokitesvara and Manjusri in The Surangama Sutra 'looking' at the path of Hearing requires complete stillness so that one can clearly reflect. In such a way the Diamond is a great metaphore yet its essence, its 'light' is emptiness. Both Avalokitesvara and Manjusri had to 'Leap Over' the void to arrive on the other shore of Englightenment. The 'Leap Over' feature is the ultimate yoga of Dzogchen whereby one arrives in The Pure Land of Samantabhadra; Akinistha which is also the central buddha family of Vairocana: The Tathagata Family. Thereupon both Avalokitesvara and Manjusri were emmersed in an ocean of compassion and had to return for the sake of those remaining behind.
perhaps the way things are we need to leap over the world of High Finance - yeah his response puzzled me too - at the time I was mantra-sculling for hours and hours every day so was in a highly energized-receptive state and living on next to nothing... just a few dollars from busking in Perth, West Australia - and cycling mantra many clicks a week too... perhaps he was just getting me look at things the way I didn't want to... High Finance!!! Not my world... thanks for the response. Perhaps I just need to get back in a boat... interested by the Dalai Lama's renouncing 'political' power announced here in UK on BBC this morning... strange times... new thinking