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Mantra
Mantra (Skt., ‘instrument of thought’; Chin., chou; Jap., ju; Korean chu). A verse, syllable, or series of syllables believed to be of divine origin, used in a ritual or meditative context in Indian religions. Mantras are used for the propitiation of the gods, the attainment of power (siddha), and identification with a deity or the absolute, which leads to liberation from saṃsāra. First appearing in the Vedic Saṃhitās (2nd millennium BCE), mantras take on a central role in sectarian Hinduism, and Buddhist and Hindu Tantrism, especially in the Buddhist Mantrayāna school (7th/8th cents. CE).
There are three kinds of mantra: linguistically meaningful, such as namaḥ śivāya, ‘homage to Śiva’; linguistically meaningless, the bīja or ‘seed’ mantras, such as oṃ aḥ huṃ; and combined, such as the Buddhist oṃ mani padme huṃ, ‘om jewel in the lotus huṃ’. Mantras are only endowed with transformative power if given in initiation (dīkṣa) from the mouth of a guru. It is not so much correct pronunciation, but rather the power with which the mantra is endowed that gives it transforming capability. |
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JOHN BOWKER. "Mantra." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Mantra." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Mantra.html JOHN BOWKER. "Mantra." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Mantra.html |
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mantra
mantra (Skt.). Sacred sounds, thought to be imbued with supernatural powers. These range from single syllables (bīja-mantra) to lengthy combinations that, according to tantric Buddhism, are manifestations of the speech aspect of enlightenment (bodhi) both in the form of various deities and also as the sounds and letters which reveal the qualities embodied by them. Traditionally the word is understood as that which ‘protects’ (tra) the ‘mind’ (man), although scholars analyse it as a ‘device for thinking’ (man). Through using mantras in creative imagination and meditation, one is able to access and develop the power of the various qualities they represent, whether for self-transformation or to accomplish various aims.
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DAMIEN KEOWN. "mantra." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAMIEN KEOWN. "mantra." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-mantra.html DAMIEN KEOWN. "mantra." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-mantra.html |
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mantra
mantra , in Hinduism and Buddhism, mystic words used in ritual and meditation. A mantra is believed to be the sound form of reality, having the power to bring into being the reality it represents. There are several types of mantras. Sanskrit verses used in the Vedic sacrifice are known as mantras. Bija-mantra or "seed-sounds," used mainly in Tantra , are syllables without semantic value having an occult affinity for particular deities or forces; use of such mantras usually requires initiation by a guru. Extremely common is the repetition ( japa ) of the name of a deity and the singing of devotional phrases ( mahamantra ); for those mantras initiation is not required. |
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"mantra." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "mantra." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-mantra.html "mantra." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-mantra.html |
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mantra
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"mantra." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "mantra." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-mantra.html "mantra." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-mantra.html |
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mantra
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "mantra." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "mantra." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-mantra.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "mantra." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-mantra.html |
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mantra
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"mantra." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "mantra." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-mantra.html "mantra." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-mantra.html |
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mantra
mantra •jarrah, para, Tara
•abracadabra, Aldabra
•Alhambra • Vanbrugh
•Cassandra, Sandra
•Aphra, Biafra
•Niagara, pellagra, Viagra
•bhangra, Ingres
•Capra • Cleopatra
•mantra, tantra, yantra
•Basra
•Asmara, Bukhara, carbonara, Carrara, cascara, Connemara, Damara, Ferrara, Gemara, Guadalajara, Guevara, Honiara, Lara, marinara, mascara, Nara, Sahara, Samara, samsara, samskara, shikara, Tamara, tiara, Varah, Zara
•candelabra, macabre, sabra
•Alexandra • Agra • fiacre
•Chartres, Montmartre, Sartre, Sinatra, Sumatra
•Shastra • Maharashtra • Le Havre
•gurdwara
•Berra, error, Ferrer, sierra, terror
•zebra • ephedra • Porto Alegre
•belles-lettres, Petra, raison d'être, tetra
•Electra, plectra, spectra
•Clytemnestra • extra
•chèvre, Sèvres
•Ezra
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"mantra." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "mantra." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-mantra.html "mantra." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-mantra.html |
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