Part III in our Mantra Series

by Lee Kane

Mantras are effective and important to some Buddhist's practice. We touched on this in parts one and two of our series on mantra:

• Part I: The mystery and marvels of mantra

• Part II: Mantra practice… it is made of emptiness and rhythm

There are many mantras, and many require empowerment—or benefit from empowerment—so always be guided by your teacher and lineage. As promised, here's a short list of mantras that can be effective in your practice—with cautions to read parts I and II of this series and to respect empowerment and your teacher's guidance.

Around the world, in any given moment, millions are chanting mantras. Here's an alphabetical list of mantras. These are all mantras of Buddha's and enlightened beings. 

"Mantras have the power and blessings of each specific Buddha. It is the essence of that enlightened being that we practitioners tap into to invoke their blessings. Daily recitation of the Buddhas mantra helps to focus our minds and to make or maintain a connection with the Buddhas." From the website of HH Tsem Tulku. 

Most of these mantras are recommended on the site of HH Tsem Tulku, and therefore may not require empowerment—although empowerment is important to long term practice and benefits. There may be slight differences (for example "Soha" versus "Svaha" in some of these mantras as Tibetan versions versus strictly Sanskrit).

Below is a video from Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, explaining the merits of mantra practice, and our list of mantras:

Amitayus

OM AMARANI ZEWONG DEYEE SOHA

Avalokiteshvara / Chenrezig / Kuan Yin

OM MANI PEME HUNG    or Sanskrit version OM MANI PADME HUM

Black Manjushri

OM AH RA BA TSA NA DHI HUNG

Dukkar / Sitatapatra

OM SITA TA PA TREY HUM PHET

Dzambala

OM DZAMBALA DZALENDRAYE SOHA

Green Tara

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA

Guru Rinpoche

OM AH HUNG BENZA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG

Hayagriva

HRI PEMA DATRI HAYAGRIVA HULU HULU HUNG PHET

Heart Sutra

TAYATHA OM GATEY GATEY PARAGATEY PARASAMGATEY BODHI SOHA

Kalarupa

OM KALARUPA HUNG PHET

4-faced Mahakala

OM MAHAKALA KALA BIKALA RATRITA DOMBINI CANDALI RAKSHISI SINGHALI DEVI BHYO HUNG PHET

6-armed Mahakala

OM BENZA NARA TRIM TRIM HUNG HUNG PHET PHET SOHA

Manjushri

OM AH RA BA TSA NA DHI

Maitreya

OM MAITREYA MAM SOHA

Marici

OM MARITSE MAM SOHA

Medicine Buddha

TAYATHA OM BEKANZE BEKANZE MAHA BEKANZE BEKANZE RANDZA SAMUGATHE SOHA

Norgyuma / Basudarini

OM BASUDARINI NAKETRA SOHA

Palden Lhamo

JO RAMO JO RAMO JO JO RAMO TUNJO KALA RACHENMO RAMO AJA DAJA TUNJO RULU RULU HUNG JO HUNG

Saraswati

OM SARASIDDHI HRING HRING

Sengdongma

AH KHA SAMA RANZA SHANDA RASA MARAYA PHET

Setrap

OM MAHA YAKCHA TSA SOHA

Shakyamuni

TAYATHA OM MUNI MUNI MAHA MUNI SHAKYAMUNI YE SOHA

Sosodrolma

OM MANI DARI BENZINI MAHA PARTI SARI HUNG HUNG PHET PHET SOHA

Je Tsongkhapa Heart Mantra

OM AH GURU BENZA DHARA SUMATI KIRTI SIDDHI HUNG HUNG

Je Tsongkhapa Long Life Mantra

OM AH GURU SUMATI KIRTI APARAMEDA AYU JANA SIDDHI HUNG HUNG

Trakpo Sumtril

OM BENZAPANI HAYAGRIVA GARUDA HUM PHET

Usnivijaya / Namgyalma

OM DROOM SOHA

Vaisravana / Namtose

OM VAISHRAVANA YE SOHA

Vajrakilaya / Dorje Phurpa

OM AH HUM VAJRAKILI KILAYA HUM PEY 

Vajrapani

OM BENZAPANI HUNG

Vajrasattva

OM BENZASATTO HUNG

Vajrasattva 100-syllable mantra

OM BENZASATTO SAMAYA MANU PALAYA / BENZASATTO TENO PATITA  / DIDRO MAY BHAWA / SUTO KAYO MAY BHAWA / SUPO KAYO MAY BHAWA / ANU RAKTO MAY BHAWA / SARWA SIDDHI ME PAR YATSA / SARWA KARMA SUT TSA ME / TISHTAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BHAGAWAN SARWA TATAGATA / BENZA MA MAY MUN TSA / BENZA BHAWA MAHA SAMAYA SATTO / AH HUM PHET

White Tara

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAMA AYUH PUNYA JANA PUTRIM KURUYE SOHA