The Vajra Guru mantra is a popular Buddhist mantra in Tibet, possibly second only to the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra. Its origins can be traced back to the legendary tantric master Padmasambhava, who is believed to have received this mantra from the great Buddha himself.
The mantra is said to possess immense transformative power, capable of purifying the mind, speech, and body, and unlocking the potential for spiritual enlightenment. In this article, LotusBuddhas will share with you useful information about Padmasambhava, the meaning and benefits of chanting his mantra.
Who is Padmasambhava?
Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, is a legendary figure in Tibetan Buddhism. He is considered one of the most important figures in the development of Tibetan Buddhism and is revered as a great master and tantric guru.
According to legend, Padmasambhava was born in the Swat Valley of what is now Pakistan in the 8th century. He was said to possess miraculous powers and was invited by the Tibetan king Trisong Detsen to help establish Buddhism in Tibet. Padmasambhava is said to have conquered the local demons and spirits that opposed the spread of Buddhism and to have founded the first monastery in Tibet.
Padmasambhava is credited with bringing many tantric teachings to Tibet and with developing the practice of Dzogchen, a form of meditation that emphasizes the natural state of awareness. He is also said to have concealed numerous texts and teachings in secret places throughout Tibet, which were later discovered by his disciples and other great masters.
The scripture teaches that Padmasambhava and the Shakyamuni Buddha and Avalokiteshvara are of the same essence. It was Buddha Shakyamuni who prophesied that after a thousand years following his Parinirvana, Padmasambhava would manifest in the form of the Guru Rinpoche. He is often depicted in Tibetan art holding a vajra (thunderbolt) and a skull cup, symbolizing his mastery over the destructive and transformative forces of the universe.
In Tibetan Buddhist art, Padmasambhava is represented in eight different images (incarnations):
- Guru Tsokye Dorje: Born in the Lotus, blue face, 3 eyes, crowned with five wisdoms (or 5 skulls), holding Vajra mace, Vajra Bell,
- Guru Shakya Sengé: Lion of the Sakya clan, this incarnation has Buddha’s face, hair in a bun, yellow Sangha, holding a bowl, Padmasambhava is said to be the incarnation of Shakyamuni Buddha. Ni.
- Guru Nyima Özer: Yellow face, yellow robe, blue beard, holding a magic weapon like the rays of the sun.
- Guru Padmasambhava: White face, monk’s robe, meditative hat,
- Guru Loden Choksé: Red face, hair in a bun, crowned head, red clothes, drum in hand.
- Guru Pema Gyalpo: White face, crowned king, holding drum and vajra bell.
- Guru Sengé Dradrok: Blue face, 3 powerful general eyes, blue clothes, holding Vajra mace.
- Guru Dorje Drolö: Red face with 3 powerful eyes, holding Vajra mace and 1 Khata scarf tied at the end of the mace.
The Origin of Vajra Guru mantra
The Vajra Guru mantra, also known as the Guru Rinpoche mantra, is a powerful mantra in Tibetan Buddhism that is associated with Padmasambhava, the legendary 8th-century master who played a key role in establishing Buddhism in Tibet.
The mantra is said to contain the essence of Padmasambhava’s teachings and blessings, and is considered to be a very effective means of purifying negative karma and obstacles, and of invoking the blessings of the Guru.
According to tradition, the Vajra Guru mantra was revealed by Padmasambhava himself as a means of invoking his blessings and protection. The story goes that Padmasambhava was approached by King Trisong Detsen, who asked him to subdue the demons that were hindering the construction of the Samye Monastery in Tibet. Padmasambhava is said to have recited the Vajra Guru mantra and subdued the demons, allowing the construction of the monastery to continue.
The Vajra Guru mantra is also said to have been transmitted through various lineage masters and has been practiced by many great masters throughout Tibetan history.
It was originally concealed during the time Guru Rinpoche lived and taught in Tibet and it was later rediscovered by Karma Lingpa in the 14th century, who wrote it on golden sheets. Of course, we are talking about the famous mantra OM AH HUM VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM.
The text is called “The explanation of the twelve syllables and the benefits of chanting the Vajra Guru mantra”. Padmasambhava spiritual consort, Yeshe Tsogyal said:
“Great master, you have spoken of the vast and immeasurable benefits of this mantra’s spiritual energy for the benefit of sentient beings in the future, however, a detailed explanation would bring more positive effect, so I ask your permission to briefly describe the different syllables of this mantra.”
Guru Rinpoche replied:
“O Daughter of good family!, the Vajra Guru mantra is not only my mantra, but it is the quintessence or life force of all the deities of the four tantras, of all nine yanas, and all 84,000 collections of teachings.
The essence of all Buddhas, all experienced masters, yutams, dakas, and dakinis, guardians of dharmas…the essence of all is contained and perfected in this mantra. Listen to it and keep in mind. Read it again and again. Write it down for the benefit of sentient beings, teach it or demonstrate it to all sentient beings in the future.”
This mantra considered to be a very important practice in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Today, the Vajra Guru mantra is recited by practitioners around the world as a means of invoking the blessings and protection of Padmasambhava, and of connecting with his profound wisdom and compassion.
The Meaning of Vajra Guru mantra
OM AH HUM VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM (Sanskrit – Ancient Language of India)
OM AH HUNG BENZA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG (Tibetan)
OM AH HUM helps defeat the army of the five poisons of the mind.
VAJRA helps to defeat anger.
PADMA helps to defeat desires in the mind.
SIDDHI helps to defeat attachment and jealousy.
HUM helps defeat the army of bad gods, demons and humans.
OM AH HUM helps the practitioner to attain the six spiritual virtues.
VAJRA helps practitioners achieve peace in life.
GURU helps practitioners achieve wealth in life.
PADMA helps practitioners to achieve attraction to others.
SIDDHI helps the practitioner to attain enlightenment in general.
HUM helps the practitioner to gain the power to subdue bad people and demons.
Through OM AH HUM, deitys, demons and humans all revere the practitioner.
Through VAJRA one has power over the negative forces of certain deity or demons.
Through GURU one can control the evil forces of Death and the demons who specialize in capturing human souls.
Through PADMA one can control the bad effects of water and wind elements.
Through SIDDHI one can control the bad influences of demonic forces and ghosts, control the negatives in life of the practitioner.
Through HUM the practitioner controls the ill effects of the planetary fabric and earth spirits.
Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche explained the meaning of Vajra Guru mantra as follows:
OM AH HUM:
The sounds OM AH HUM have outer, inner, and secret meanings. Each level of meaning represents a different aspect of the Buddhas’ power to transform body, speech, and mind. Specifically, at each level, OM represents the body, AH represents speech, and HUM represents the mind.
In the outer sense, OM purifies negative karma of the body, AH purifies negative karma of speech, and HUM purifies negative karma of the mind. Through this purification, OM AH HUM brings the blessings of the Buddhas’ body, speech, and mind. Moreover, OM represents the essence of form, AH represents the essence of sound, and HUM represents the essence of mind. When chanting this mantra, the practitioner purifies not only their own perception but also the perceptions of the people around them.
In the inner sense, OM purifies the subtle acupuncture points, AH purifies the inner wind or qi, and HUM purifies the creative essence.
At the deepest level, OM AH HUM represents the three kayas of the Lotus family. OM is the Dharma body, represented by Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. AH is the Sambhogakaya, represented by Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Great Compassion. HUM is the Nirmanakaya, represented by Padmasambhava. This means that Padmasambhava embodies all three kayas of the Buddhas, making the Vajra Guru mantra a particularly potent invocation of their transformative power.
VAJRA GURU PADMA:
VAJRA is often likened to a diamond, the hardest and most precious stone. Just as a diamond can cut through anything, yet itself is indestructible, so the unchanging wisdom of the Buddhas can never be destroyed by ignorance and can cut through all obstacles.
The qualities and activities of the body, speech, and mind of the Buddhas can be of immeasurable benefit through their diamond-sharp teaching power. The light of wisdom shines everywhere like the essence of Amitabha Buddha.
The term GURU means “weight” and refers to a person who is filled with wondrous virtues, exhibiting unmatched wisdom, understanding, compassion, and skillful means. GURU is equivalent to Sambhogakaya and to Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Great Compassion. As Padmasambhava taught the tantric path, symbolized by the Vajra, and through tantric practice attained supreme enlightenment, he is known as Vajra Guru.
PADMA, which means “lotus”, represents the Lotus family of the five families, and especially the aspect of the Enlightened Language of the Buddhas. People belong to the Lotus family, which is the Buddha family. Padmasambhava is the direct incarnation of Amitabha Buddha, the original Buddha of the Lotus family. Therefore, he is called “PADMA“, the lotus. His title, Padmasambhava, actually refers to the story of his birth on a blooming lotus.
Reciting this mantra grants us the grace of the enlightened mind and the noble qualities such as the wisdom and compassion of Padmasambhava and all the Buddhas.
SIDDHI HUM:
SIDDHI is achievement, attainment, grace and realization. There are two kinds of achievement: relative and absolute. By receiving relative grace, all obstacles in life such as illness are eliminated, all good wishes are fulfilled, benefits such as long life, money growth and all circumstances are auspicious, helping to practice easier.
Absolute success or grace brings about full enlightenment, the fully realized state of the Padmasambhava from which to benefit the world.
HUM represents the enlightened mind of the Buddhas, and is the divine catalyst of the mantra. Like declaring the power and truth of the mantra: “Be so!” The essential meaning of the Vajra Guru mantra: “I request you, Vajra Guru, by your grace, to grant me mundane and supramundane achievements.”
The Benefits of chanting Vajra Guru mantra
Chanting a mantra Vajra Guru also grants a physical body and brings us into this world. Any being who sees, hears or thinks about this mantra will surely be reborn as a human.
The Vajra Guru mantra is the word of truth; if what you want doesn’t happen as I promised, I, Padma, have deceived sentient beings – that’s absurd! I am not lying to you – it will happen just as I promised.
Trulshik Rinpoche said:
“We should chant Guru Rinpoche’s mantra 1,200,000 times. If we can complete these 1,200,000 chants, we will receive Guru Rinpoche’s blessing.” With ten million siddhis, we will be reborn in vidyadharas.”
Even if we chant 1,200,000 accumulated seven times, we will become like Guru Rinpoche in this very life. Reciting the Vajra Master Mantra the benefits are truly unimaginable.”
If this mantra is chanted a hundred times a day, only a hundred times a day without interruption, you will become attractive to others and will benefit in work, wealth and necessities weak in life.
If you read thousands or ten thousand times a day, you can overwhelm others with your brilliance, in the sense of becoming very charismatic and influential in influencing others positively, and you will get blessings and spiritual strength.
If you repeat the mantra one hundred thousand or one million times on a regular basis, you will be able to perform a tremendous benefit to sentient beings, just as you desire. If you chant the mantra three or seven million times, you will never be separate from the buddhas. All gods and demons will bow before you, admiring you.
In the best case, you will emit rainbow light, and the final level attained in this lifetime. On a more average level, at the time of death, you will see the Buddha light in the bardo state and will be reborn in the Ngayab realm, able to achieve immeasurable benefit to sentient beings.
Above is all useful information about Vajra Guru mantra for your reference. This is a very famous mantra of Tibetan Buddhism.
How to Chant the Vajra Guru mantra
When you’re looking to chant the Vajra Guru mantra, a sacred phrase in Tibetan Buddhism, it’s important to approach it with a sense of reverence and understanding.
First, find a quiet and comfortable place where you can sit undisturbed. Traditionally, it is best to sit cross-legged on a cushion, but you can choose a position that is comfortable for you. Ensure your back is straight to allow the energy to flow freely through your body.
Before you start chanting, take a few deep breaths to center yourself. It’s important to clear your mind and focus your intention on the mantra. Some practitioners recommend visualizing Guru Rinpoche or a symbol that resonates with the mantra’s essence.
Now, you are ready to chant the mantra. Recite “Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum” clearly and steadily. “Om” represents the body, speech, and mind of the Buddha; “Ah” symbolizes the pure speech of the dharma; “Hum” signifies the purity of the sangha. “Vajra” denotes the diamond-like clarity and durability of the enlightened mind, while “Guru” refers to the teacher or guide. “Padma” is the lotus, representing wisdom, and “Siddhi Hum” signifies the attainment of supernatural powers or spiritual realizations.
As you chant, you can keep a gentle rhythm. It’s not necessary to rush; the pace should be one where you can comfortably pronounce each syllable with clear intention. With each repetition, imagine the mantra’s vibrations cleansing and purifying your body, speech, and mind, bringing you closer to enlightenment.
It’s common to chant the mantra for a set number of repetitions, often using a mala (a string of prayer beads) to keep count. A full mala is typically 108 beads, so you might aim to recite the mantra 108 times in a sitting.
As you finish your chanting session, take a moment to sit in silence. Feel the effects of the mantra and carry this sense of peace and clarity into your daily life.
Remember, the power of the Vajra Guru mantra is not just in the words but in your intention and devotion. Regular practice can deepen your spiritual journey and strengthen your connection to the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism.
