Om Mani Padme Hum

Om Mani Padme Hum. I love what it means. I have been looking for mantras that I can live by or at least I can utter & try to live by and I came across this tibetan mantra that I really, really can appreciate the meaning. The six syllables are said to be blessed to help people achieve perfection of the following virtues. Although most of us believe that there's no such thing as a perfect person, in Buddhism, it is taught that we all can be buddha and be enlightened, thus this mantra, helps in achieving perfection to these practices. The Dalai Lama condensed the meaning of this mantra into this "Thus the six syllables, Om Mani Padme Hum, mean that in dependence on the practice which is in indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech, and mind of a Buddha." I am no expert on this but I just wanna share these very nice practices that even non-buddhists like me can practice in their daily lives.

Om- generosity
Ma- pure ethics
Ni- tolerance & patience
Pad-perseverance
Me - concentration
Hum - Wisdom

Although I am a Catholic, born & raised as one, my family, especially my mom had always been open to other types of religion, we were once part of a born-again christian congregation, and once we did not have any church we belong to. When we were young, we've heard about karma, Buddha, reincarnation, among other things. As a kid, I was already curious about what it means and so I started reading stuff about it, once I can grasp what they mean. It does not hurt as well, that I have an aunt & uncle who practices hinduism, both of them, I dearly love. And eventhough I dont have a crucifix on my room, I have however, a Hindu god, guiding me while Im asleep, given to me by my uncle.

I think what I'm just saying is that, maybe, we should not put God in a box, I think He/She is powerful enough to materialize into different beings to reach out to different cultures in our world. Maybe it's just His way to "fit in" and be "accepted" to billions of people all over. But then again, that is just what I think, you really dont have to agree with me. Hehe =)

So for now, I think I'll be reciting this mantra everytime I can. I may not become a Buddha one day, but I just may become a better person. I think, that's not so bad.

Om Mani Padme Hum