The Six-Syllable Mantra is a mantra that radiates illumination. It symbolizes that the humans are one with the Heaven and Earth. For the first time, Grandmaster JinBodhi teaches us how to chant The Six-Syllable Mantra. Following the guidance of Grandmaster, listen to and learn to chant these celestial sounds. Bathe in purity, ease and illumination; be joyful, happy and free from illnesses and afflictions.
The Meaning and Significance of the Six-Syllable Mantra
The Six-Syllable Mantra is one that radiates illumination. It promotes the integration of humans with Heaven and Earth. Each chant will reach countless beings in the world, sending them great blessings. Let’s listen to the celestial sound together. May the energy, full of warmth and love, reach every corner of the world to allow all beings to be joyful, happy, and bathed in illumination.
Today we learn to chant the Six-Syllable Mantra. First, the Six-Syllable Mantra has six words or sounds. “Da-ming” means greater illumination. It is the Six-Syllable Mantra of the Greater Illumination. It is the Six-Syllable mantra that radiates illumination. Imagine that our bodies are illuminated. Some may wonder, “If the body is illuminated, what about the head?” The head is illuminated; so is the chest, abdomen, legs, and arms. There are many schools of chanting this mantra.
One method I have often practiced is like this. Look at my body. Visualize there is a tube of illumination in the center. It is like a fluorescent tube. With chanting, the light intensifies. The illumination of one tube spreads to the entire body. With further chanting, some see their head, heart, and throat become illuminated. And some stated that even their reproductive organs are also illuminated.
Let me leave the reason aside and just give you the outline of this practice. Few people can succeed with this method, as it is complex and mysterious. So, according to my realization and understanding, I will teach you to visualize and learn the Six-Syllable Mantra. Usually, the illumination at the head represents wisdom; the heart, kindness and compassion; the reproductive organs, precepts keeping, diligence, and the absence of greed. The illumination of the three parts is extremely important. I visualize illumination extending to the limbs, especially the legs, as they support the visceral body. Despite the importance of other internal organs, without legs, we cannot walk. When your arms cannot function, you start suffering, as life will be burdensome.
The six parts of illumination also mean the Six Perfections and the integration of humans with the Universe and Nature. In ancient Chinese practice, there is the concept of integrating Heaven, Earth, and humans. When I was young, I started believing that our body can be one with the sky and Earth. This thought is correct, but the understanding is not enough. As I grew up, I came to realize how big the sky is. Who can tell me how big it is? (Boundless.) Boundless. If we fly a plane, how far must we fly to reach the brim of the Universe? Even if the plane is durable, your life is long, and you fly for a billion years, you cannot reach the brim, as the Universe is boundless.
However, the human body is limited. Except for the sky, the visible with forms are all limited. With sound, they are limited. Be the forms beautiful or not, they are limited. If it is formless, it is limitless. For the idea of human-Universe integration, how big is the Universe? We don’t know. Thus, we believe that it is limitless.
How do we Chant this Mantra?
What is the best method of chanting this mantra? Our body is illuminated entirely. Not partial illumination, which is wrong, and when practiced in this way, there will be more problems. However, visualizing the illumination of the entire body cannot lead you astray. In our dharma practice, the body is like the glass, in fact, there is no color. This means it is very transparent. Simply put, a very transparent person is healthy. This person has neither affliction nor joy.
Remember, if you always joke, today you have joked for one hour, you may be angry for two hours tomorrow. The world is balanced. The more you joke, the more quarrels you have at home. Think about it. If you smile a lot in front of others, you may be gloomy when you are back home, thinking you had great loss when joking. Also, other annoying things are awaiting you. When we are as transparent as glass, colorless, we are not afflicted. These Buddha statues and car ornaments bring us the protection of the Buddha and bodhisattvas.
This method I am teaching today is that our body is as transparent as pure glass or a diamond. Transparency means not tainted. How can we be untainted? Only if free of greed, anger, or the desire for wealth, sex, fame, and personal interests, can we be untainted. Isn’t each of us greedy for wealth? If you are not, please raise your hand. You can raise one finger, which means you are ninety percent greedy; this also counts. If you raise two fingers: “Yeah! I’m really greedy.” Raising a hand shows if you are not greedy, you feel you are losing something. Living in this material world, if we are not greedy, we cannot survive. But if we are overly greedy, problems arise. This transparent Buddha statue symbolizes the transparent body and spiritual being, which is not greedy.
OK, let us start chanting. Pay attention to the pronunciation. Om, Ma, Ni, Pad (sounds “bei”), Me (sounds “mei”), Hum… Now we are learning how to correctly pronounce the mantra. OK. Again. Om, Ma, Ni, Pad (sounds “bei”), Me (sounds “mei”), Hum… Everyone is learning conscientiously. After pronouncing quite correctly, we now learn how to chant. It is like the sound comes up from the bottom of your buttocks. While saying the first syllable Om…, we are visualizing our body and life are illuminated and without greed or affliction. We are also thinking the mantra is compassion and sending it to a far place. What can be sent far is low-frequency sound; the farther, the better, with the hope that all beings can hear it.
Let us try again. Om, Ma, Ni, Pad (sounds “bei”), Me (sounds “mei”), Hum… Obviously, it is different. Now everyone can feel energy. The sound of your chanting is sent out like one sea wave after another. It is like that. Very good. Let us continue chanting. Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum… When your are visualizing your body and life as illuminated and pure, and when you cannot achieve this visualization, open your eyes and look at the transparent Buddha statue at my side. The true purpose of our Buddha statues is for dharma practice. Because of his compassion, we revere and worship him. So they make us aware when we are practicing dharma.
When you cannot visualize illumination, open your eyes to look at this. Even chanting sincerely can be very good. After chanting awhile, your body will be light and relaxed. OK, let us continue. Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum… Wishing all sentient beings health, happiness, wisdom, abundance, peace, and safety. Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum… When we are chanting, our body is one with the mantra.
Blessing Benefits of the Six-Syllable Chanting
While chanting the mantra, besides a beautiful, compassionate thought, let our body be free of any defilement and attachment. This is the best relaxation. Without greed, with relaxation, and bringing all beings in the world compassion and love, we are relaxed mentally. If we chant more, our compassionate true self will appear in the Universe.
This process is exceptionally auspicious and peaceful. Even if we chant just for a while, the merit and energy will spread to the whole world. It can allow many people to feel happy. Many people may find a job today or tomorrow. Natural disasters may pass without killing or injuring. These are all related to our sincere, compassionate chanting today. This is a great aspiration, if you can visualize allowing all sentient beings to gain health and happiness, not only the purity and illumination of yourself.
Combining compassion, aspiration, and wisdom is the most effective cultivation. By continuing to practice this way, one will experience the illumination of the body, mind or consciousness, then the voice, behavior, and wisdom. The next will be the illuminated world. Everyone will be happy and joyful. One person’s practice induces a tremendous, limitless energy field of compassion. It allows all beings on Earth to resonate with us. This is not only our thought. In fact, this energy exists, being one with the Universe. Each chant will reach countless beings in the world, sending them great blessings.
In such chanting practice, everyone benefits. Even objects in the field benefit. All things in the field become treasures. Even when a piece of paper here is put on the painful part, the pain may disappear. Hearing your chanting, in 10 minutes, afflictions will disappear; in an hour, age spots may disappear. When we chant, volume doesn’t matter, but sincerity does. You all know the method. Let us continue chanting for a while. Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum…
Take a deep breath. Next, bend your body and touch your forehead to the floor. The arms stretch to the front or the sides, and stretch the spine. You are pure and at ease. You desire nothing. You let go of all afflictions, illnesses, excess fat and debts. Raise your body. Repeat. Bend your body down to the right side. You are pure, at ease, illuminated, and free of afflictions and illnesses. Bend your body down to the left side. You are relaxed and at ease. All your illnesses, afflictions, excess fat, tumors, and obstacles disappear. Raise your body. Raise your arms and stretch your spine and back. Raise your hands in your own way. The spine and back are stretched and open. Lengthen your arms. After that, cross your fingers and pull up and to the sides. Try to stretch open. Your arms reach very far. OK, put your arms down.
This way, our body and life are free-flowing, pure, and undefiled. All illnesses and afflictions disappear automatically. If we chant for a longer time, the effect will be better. We can do it when we get back home or when we have a rest at work. If I lead you to chant together, the effect and merit will be greater. As per my way of chanting and visualization, if we chant once, we can eliminate the negative karma of many lives. Because we visualize others the best, wishing all beings in the world happiness, auspiciousness, health, joy, and abundance.
This mental state and spirit is the core thought of the Medicine Buddha and the Six-Syllable Mantra. It fills the world with compassion and love, so this merit of chanting is tremendous. Because it induces more people to become better and join such chanting. Not many people know to chant this way. From now on, we start to chant like this. Everyone is filled with purity and compassion, free of greed. We only think of allowing all beings in the world to become better. This is actually the spirit of The White-Gown Guanyin Bodhisattva. In fact, it is the transparent body without the color, defilement, or attachment. Then we have the image of Guanyin in the white gown. This is actually the esoteric dharma practice.
Without attachment, we can generate infinite wisdom and energy. So we invite the Buddha statue home and practice following it. Especially the transparent, glass ones are very important. For our dharma school, this is the most important step. I will put this video online to allow all people in the world to practice together. Then everyone’s afflictions will be gone, and their illnesses may disappear. They will become happier and free-flowing. This merit and blessing power is tremendous.
