I've been wanting to write something about the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum for some months now. This started for me as merely something nice to listen to on my train commute about three years back, and has since evolved for me into the whole path in its entirety.

What is it?

The Mani, or the six syllable mantra, is perhaps the most widely practiced mantra in Asia and perhaps even the world.

I remember going to Nepal about 10 years ago and hearing it everywhere. In hindsight I find it funny how many times the mantra has popped up throughout my life.

The Mani might be extremely common, but that doesn't mean its benefits are superficial. In fact, they are extremely profound.

In 'The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones' Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoch writes:
 

Similarly, in the Karandavyuha Sutra - where the mantra originates - says that a person who practices the Mani completes the six perfections every day (generosity, morality, patience, energy, meditation and wisdom).

 

The benefits

The Mani is the "innermost heart" mantra of Avalokitesvara, known in male form in Tibet as Chenrezig and in female form in China as Guan Yin, and Kannon in Japan.

Avalokitesvara is the manifestation of the aspect of all Buddhas that is enlightened compassion. He is often described as one who has already attained buddhahood, but took on the aspect of a boddhisattva again with a vow to lead all sentient beings to salvation. Therefore he is often placed in an exalted position in the Buddhist pantheon. He sits at the right hand of Buddha Amitabha, in the pure land of Sukhavati, but he also has his own pure land - the Potala mountain - within the domain of Sukhavati.

Om Mani Padme Hum literally translates as 'homage to the jewel in the lotus', which may be a reference to the idea that devotees of Avalokitesvara and Amitabha are reborn in lotus flowers in the realm of Sukhavati following their deaths.

The mantra itself comes from the Karandavyuha Sutra. The sutra lists an impressive array of benefits. Chiefly among them is the accumulation of vast merit.
 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche adds detail based on the benefits recounted in the tantras.
 

Prayer wheels

Alongside the recitation of the Mani there is the complementary practice of the prayer wheel. This is where it gets really powerful. Modern prayer wheels typically contain millions of mantras on microfilm. Therefore it is said that turned the wheel once generates equivalent merit to having recited the mantra millions of times. 

I first read in depth about prayer wheel practice in a book called 'Wheel of Great Compassion' by Lorne Ladner. The book is full of rare tantras containing details on the benefits of prayer wheel practice.

According to one of the tantras in the book:
    The book also contains a tremendous meditation when using a prayer wheel, which is very similar to tonglen, in which you visualise rays of light from the wheel purifying the karma of sentient beings in each of the six realms of reincarnation.    That's now my main practice. I don't claim any great attainment from the short time I have practiced. I remain without doubt a very flawed person, suffering from many huge attachments. But I find I'm a better person on days when I practice this than when I don't. I find that being kinder to others comes more naturally on those days, and I feel more peaceful and comfortable. 

There's a lot more that I could say about this practice. Because of my poor attainment I have probably made many mistakes above. But I hope it can be of some use nevertheless.    Here's the mantra. Close your eyes and give it a listen when your brain is fried from work. It might just do for you what it did for me.      

https://www.holylandprayerwheels.com

http://www.purifymind.com/Om29.htm

https://fpmt.org/education/teachings/lama-zopa-rinpoche/the-benefits-of-chanting-om-mani-padme-hum/