The Dattātreyayogaśāstra , ( Sanskrit : दत्तात्रेययोगशास्त्र) a Vaisnava text probably composed in the 13th century CE, is the earliest text which provides a systematized form of Haṭha yoga under that name, and the earliest to place its yoga techniques under the name Haṭha.
83-409: The Dattātreyayogaśāstra is the first text to describe and teach yoga as having three types, namely mantra yoga, laya yoga , and hatha yoga . All three lead to samadhi , the goal of raja yoga . Mantra yoga consists simply of repeating mantras until powers ( siddhis ) are obtained. Laya yoga dissolves the mind by methods such as raising Kundalini , though neither this nor the chakras are named in
166-596: A metaphysical soteriology such as a state of "heaven" or "nirvana." Nevertheless, in Sikhism, both karma and liberation are "modified by the concept of God's grace" ( nadar, mehar, kirpa, karam , etc.). Guru Nanak states that "the body takes birth because of karma, but salvation is attained through grace." To get closer to God, Sikhs: avoid the evils of maya ; keep the everlasting truth in mind; practice shabad kirtan (musical recitation of hymns); meditate on naam ; and serve humanity. Sikhs believe that being in
249-510: A syntactic structure and a literal meaning, while others do not. ꣽ, ॐ (Aum, Om) serves as an important mantra in various Indian religions . Specifically, it is an example of a seed syllable mantra ( bijamantra ). It is believed to be the first sound in Hinduism and as the sonic essence of the absolute divine reality. Longer mantras are phrases with several syllables, names and words. These phrases may have spiritual interpretations such as
332-460: A Sikh should perform constant Bhakti. Some scholars call Sikhism a Bhakti sect of Indian traditions, adding that it emphasises " nirguni Bhakti ", i.e. loving devotion to a divine without qualities or physical form. While Western scholarship generally places Sikhism as arising primarily within a Hindu Bhakti movement milieu while recognizing some Sufi Islamic influences, some Indian Sikh scholars disagree and state that Sikhism transcended
415-457: A doctrine that has been practiced in Sikh religion since the seventeenth century. The doctrine of the "Mir" (social and political aspects of life) and the "Pir" (guides to spiritual aspect of life) was revealed by the first guru of Sikhism, Guru Nanak , but propounded by the sixth guru of Sikhism, Guru Hargobind , on 12 June 1606. After the martyrdom of his father , Guru Hargobind was elevated to
498-477: A feat, suggests Staal, that was made possible by the strict mathematical principles used in constructing the mantras. These saman chant mantras are also mostly meaningless, cannot be literally translated as Sanskrit or any Indian language, but nevertheless are beautiful in their resonant themes, variations, inversions, and distribution. They draw the devotee in. Staal is not the first person to view Hindu mantras in this manner. The ancient Hindu Vedic ritualist Kautsa
581-432: A later period of Hinduism, mantras were recited with a transcendental redemptive goal as intention, such as escape from the cycle of life and rebirth, forgiveness for bad karma, and experiencing a spiritual connection with the god. The function of mantras, in these cases, was to cope with the human condition as a whole. According to Alper, redemptive spiritual mantras opened the door for mantras where every part need not have
664-497: A literal meaning, but together their resonance and musical quality assisted the transcendental spiritual process. Overall, explains Alper, using Śivasūtra mantras as an example, Hindu mantras have philosophical themes and are metaphorical with social dimension and meaning; in other words, they are a spiritual language and instrument of thought. According to Staal, Hindu mantras may be spoken aloud, anirukta (not enunciated), upamsu (inaudible), or manasa (not spoken, but recited in
747-482: A literal meaning. He further notes that even when mantras do not have a literal meaning, they do set a tone and ambiance in the ritual as they are recited, and thus have a straightforward and uncontroversial ritualistic meaning. The sounds may lack literal meaning, but they can have an effect. He compares mantras to bird songs, that have the power to communicate, yet do not have a literal meaning. On that saman category of Hindu mantras, which Staal described as resembling
830-420: A mantra simultaneously with in-breath and out-breath to help develop tranquility and concentration. Mantra meditation is especially popular among lay people. Like other basic concentration exercises, it can be used simply to the mind, or it can be the basis for an insight practice where the mantra becomes the focus of observation of how life unfolds, or an aid in surrendering and letting go." The "Buddho" mantra
913-435: A means to feel God's presence ( simran ), which can be expressed musically through kirtan or internally through naam japna ( lit. ' meditation on God's name ' ). Baptised Sikhs are obliged to wear the five Ks , which are five articles of faith which physically distinguish Sikhs from non-Sikhs. Among these include the kesh (uncut hair). Most religious Sikh men thus do not cut their hair but rather wear
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#1732793141711996-841: A name of a deity, a longing for truth, reality, light, immortality, peace, love, knowledge, and action. Examples of longer mantras include the Gayatri Mantra , the Hare Krishna mantra , Om Namah Shivaya , the Mani mantra , the Mantra of Light , the Namokar Mantra , and the Mūl Mantar . Mantras without any actual linguistic meaning are still considered to be musically uplifting and spiritually meaningful. The use, structure, function, importance, and types of mantras vary according to
1079-477: A result, there is a long history of scholarly disagreement on the meaning of mantras and whether they are instruments of mind, as implied by the etymological origin of the word mantra . One school suggests mantras are mostly meaningless sound constructs, while the other holds them to be mostly meaningful linguistic instruments of mind. Both schools agree that mantras have melody and a well designed mathematical precision in their construction and that their influence on
1162-481: A spell or weapon of supernatural power. Zimmer defines mantra as a verbal instrument to produce something in one's mind. Agehananda Bharati defines mantra, in the context of the Tantric school of Hinduism, to be a combination of mixed genuine and quasi-morphemes arranged in conventional patterns, based on codified esoteric traditions, passed on from a guru to a disciple through prescribed initiation. Jan Gonda ,
1245-559: A spiritual union with the Akal , which results in salvation or jivanmukti ('enlightenment/liberation within one's lifetime'), a concept also found in Hinduism . Guru Gobind Singh makes it clear that human birth is obtained with great fortune, and therefore one needs to be able to make the most of this life. Sikhs accept reincarnation and karma concepts found in Buddhism , Hinduism , and Jainism , but do not necessarily infer
1328-571: A subject of controversy among scholars. Tantra usage is not unique to Hinduism: it is also found in Buddhism both inside and outside India. Other important Hindu mantras include: Apart from Shiva Sutras , which originated from Shiva's tandava dance, the Shiva Sutras of Vasugupta are a collection of seventy-seven aphorisms that form the foundation of the tradition of spiritual mysticism known as Kashmir Shaivism . They are attributed to
1411-546: A turban . The definition of a Sikh, according to the Rehat Maryada , the Sikh code of conduct, is any human being who faithfully believes in the following: The religion developed and evolved in times of religious persecution , gaining converts from both Hinduism and Islam . The Mughal emperors of India tortured and executed two of the Sikh gurus— Guru Arjan (1563–1605) and Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675)—after they refused to convert to Islam . The persecution of
1494-526: A widely cited scholar on Indian mantras, defines mantra as general name for the verses, formulas or sequence of words in prose which contain praise, are believed to have religious, magical or spiritual efficiency, which are meditated upon, recited, muttered or sung in a ritual, and which are collected in the methodically arranged ancient texts of Hinduism. By comparing the Old Indic Vedic and Old Iranian Avestan traditions, Gonda concludes that in
1577-422: Is a monotheistic and panentheistic religion. Sikhs believe that there exists only one God and that God is simultaneously within everything and is all-encompassing. The oneness of God is reflected by the phrase Ik Onkar . In Sikhism, the word for God is Waheguru ( lit. ' wondrous teacher ' ). The Waheguru is considered to be Nirankar ("shapeless"), Akal ("timeless"), Karta Purakh ("
1660-523: Is claimed to purify the mind and spirit. Kirtan is a more musical form of mantric practice. It is a common method in the bhakti traditions , such as Gaudiya Vaishnavism . Kirtan includes call and response forms of chanting accompanied by various Indian instruments (such as the tabla , mrdanga and harmonium ), and it may also include dancing and theatrical performance. Kirtan is also common in Sikhism . Tantric Tantric Hindu traditions see
1743-622: Is found in the Vedas of ancient India and the Avesta of ancient Iran . Both Sanskrit mántra and the equivalent Avestan mąθra go back to the common Proto-Indo-Iranian *mantram , consisting of the Indo-European *men "to think" and the instrumental suffix *trom . Due to the linguistic and functional similarities, they must go back to the common Indo-Iranian period , commonly dated to around 2000 BCE. Scholars consider
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#17327931417111826-405: Is more general: a word or phrase that is often repeated and expresses a particularly strong belief. For instance, a football team can choose individual words as their own "mantra." Louis Renou has defined mantra as a thought. Mantras are structured formulae of thoughts, claims Silburn . Farquhar concludes that mantras are a religious thought, prayer, sacred utterance, but also believed to be
1909-968: Is more loosely rendered 'the one supreme reality', 'the one creator', 'the all-pervading spirit', and other ways of expressing a diffused but unified and singular sense of God and creation. The traditional Mul Mantar goes from ik onkar until Nanak hosee bhee sach. The opening line of the Guru Granth Sahib and each subsequent raga , mentions ik onkar : ੴ ikk ōankār ਸਤਿ sat (i) ਨਾਮੁ nām (u) ਕਰਤਾ karatā ਪੁਰਖੁ purakh (u) ਨਿਰਭਉ nirabha'u ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ niravair (u) ਅਕਾਲ akāl (a) ਮੂਰਤਿ mūrat (i) ਅਜੂਨੀ ajūnī ਸੈਭੰ saibhan ਗੁਰ gur (a) ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥ prasād (i) {ੴ} ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥ {ikk ōankār} sat (i) nām (u) karatā purakh (u) nirabha'u niravair (u) akāl (a) mūrat (i) ajūnī saibhan gur (a) prasād (i) "There
1992-399: Is one supreme being, the eternal reality, the creator, without fear and devoid of enmity, immortal, never incarnated, self-existent, known by grace through the true guru." Māyā , defined as a temporary illusion or " unreality ", is one of the core deviations from the pursuit of God and salvation: where worldly attractions give only illusory temporary satisfaction and pain that distracts from
2075-527: Is recited or chanted during a ritual. Staal presents a non-linguistic view of mantras. He suggests that verse mantras are metered and harmonized to mathematical precision (for example, in the viharanam technique), which resonate, but a lot of them are a hodgepodge of meaningless constructs such as are found in folk music around the world. Staal cautions that there are many mantras that can be translated and do have spiritual meaning and philosophical themes central to Hinduism, but that does not mean all mantras have
2158-430: Is the premise that before existence and beyond existence is only One reality, Brahman, and the first manifestation of Brahman expressed as Om. For this reason, Om is considered as a foundational idea and reminder, and thus is prefixed and suffixed to all Hindu prayers . While some mantras may invoke individual gods or principles, fundamental mantras such as Shanti Mantra , the Gayatri Mantra and others ultimately focus on
2241-777: Is the tantric phase of Mantrayana . In this tantric phase, mantras are at the very center of the path to Buddhahood, acting as a part of the supreme method of meditation and spiritual practice. One popular bija (seed) mantra in Mahayana Buddhism is the Sanskrit letter A (see A in Buddhism ). This seed mantra was equated with Mahayana doctrines like Prajñaparamita (the Perfection of Wisdom), emptiness and non-arising . This seed mantra remains in use in Shingon , Dzogchen and Rinzai Zen. Mahayana Buddhism also adopted
2324-518: Is to solemnize and ratify rituals. Each mantra, in Vedic rituals, is coupled with an act. According to Apastamba Srauta Sutra , each ritual act is accompanied by one mantra, unless the Sutra explicitly marks that one act corresponds to several mantras. According to Gonda, and others, there is a connection and rationale between a Vedic mantra and each Vedic ritual act that accompanies it. In these cases,
2407-447: Is what matters to the devotee. A mantra creates a feeling in the practicing person. It has an emotive numinous effect, it mesmerizes, it defies expression, and it creates sensations that are by definition private and at the heart of all religions and spiritual phenomena. Traditional During the early Vedic period , Vedic poets became fascinated by the inspirational power of poems, metered verses, and music. They referred to them with
2490-849: Is widespread in the Thai Forest Tradition and was taught by Ajahn Chah and his students. Another popular mantra in Thai Buddhism is Samma-Araham , referring to the Buddha who has 'perfectly' ( samma ) attained 'perfection in the Buddhist sense' ( araham ), used in Dhammakaya meditation . In the Tantric Theravada tradition of Southeast Asia, mantras are central to their method of meditation. Popular mantras in this tradition include Namo Buddhaya ("Homage to
2573-695: The Mangala Sutta , Ratana Sutta , and the Metta Sutta . According to the American Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield : The use of mantra or the repetition of certain phrases in Pali is a highly common form of meditation in the Theravada tradition. Simple mantras use repetition of the Buddha's name, "Buddho", [as "Buddho" is actually a title rather than a name] or use the "Dhamma", or
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2656-712: The Ratana Sutta for apotropaic reasons. Even at this early stage, there was an idea that these spells were somehow connected with the Dharma in a deep sense. Conze argues that in Mahayana sutras like the White Lotus Sutra , and the Lankavatara Sutra , mantras become more important for spiritual reasons and their power increases. For Conze, the final phase of the development of Buddhist mantras
2739-491: The Buddha's Teaching . It was a popular Buddhist verse and was used as a mantra. This mantra is found inscribed on numerous ancient Buddhist statues, chaityas , and images. The Sanskrit version of this mantra is: ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgato hyavadat, teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃvādī mahāśramaṇaḥ The phrase can be translated as follows: Of those phenomena which arise from causes: Those causes have been taught by
2822-471: The Guru Granth Sahib , which is the central religious scripture in Sikhism, as his successor. This brought the line of human gurus to a close. Sikhs regard the Guru Granth Sahib as the 11th and eternally living guru. The core beliefs and practices of Sikhism, articulated in the Guru Granth Sahib and other Sikh scriptures, include faith and meditation in the name of the one creator ( Ik Onkar ),
2905-504: The Om mantra, which is found incorporated into various Mahayana Buddhist mantras (like the popular Om Mani Padme Hum ). Sikhism Sikhism ( / ˈ s iː k ɪ z əm / SEEK -iz-əm ), also known as Sikhi ( Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖੀ Sikkhī , [ˈsɪk.kʰiː] , from Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ , romanized: Sikh , lit. 'disciple'), is an Indian religion and philosophy that originated in
2988-549: The Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religions and among the largest in the world with about 25–30 million adherents (known as Sikhs ). Sikhism developed from the spiritual teachings of Guru Nanak (1469–1539), the faith's first guru , and the nine Sikh gurus who succeeded him. The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), named
3071-629: The Tathāgata ( Buddha ), and their cessation too - thus proclaims the Great Ascetic. Early Buddhist texts also contain various apotropaic chants which have similar functions to Vedic mantras. These are called parittas in Pali (Sanskrit: paritrana ) and mean "protection, safeguard". They are still chanted in Theravada Buddhism to this day as a way to heal, protect from danger and bless. Some of these are short Buddhist texts, like
3154-448: The "Sangha", the community, as mantra words. Other used mantras are directed toward developing loving kindness. Some mantras direct attention to the process of change by repeating the Pali phrase that means "everything changes", while other mantras are used to develop equanimity with phrases that would be translated, "let go". "In contemporary Theravada practice, mantra practice is often combined with breathing meditation, so that one recites
3237-455: The ' meru ', or ' guru ' bead); the devotee using their fingers to count each bead as they repeat the chosen mantra. Having reached 108 repetitions, if they wish to continue another cycle of mantras, the devotee turns the mala around without crossing the head bead and repeats the cycle. Japa-yajna is claimed to be most effective if the mantra is repeated silently in mind (manasah). According to this school, any shloka from holy Hindu texts like
3320-463: The Buddha") and Araham ("Worthy One"). There are Thai Buddhist amulet katha : that is, mantras to be recited while holding an amulet. The use of mantras became very popular with the rise of Mahayana Buddhism . Many Mahayana sutras contain mantras, bijamantras ("seed" mantras), dharanis and other similar phrases which were chanted or used in meditation. According to Edward Conze , Buddhists initially used mantras as protective spells like
3403-541: The Guru's teaching remembrance of nām (the divine Name of the Lord) leads to the end of egotism. Guru Nanak designated the word Guru ('teacher') to mean the voice of "the spirit": the source of knowledge and the guide to salvation. As ik onkar is universally immanent , Guru is indistinguishable from Akal and are one and the same. One connects with Guru only with accumulation of selfless search of truth. Ultimately
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3486-530: The Guruship and fulfilled the prophecy that was given by the primal figure of Sikh, Baba Buddha , that the guru will possess spiritual and temporal power. Guru Hargobind introduced the two swords of Miri and Piri symbolizing both worldly (social and political) and spiritual authority. The two kirpan of Miri and Piri are tied together with a khanda in center, so the combination of both is considered supreme. This means that all action informed or arising out of
3569-481: The One reality. Japa Mantra japa is a practice of repetitively uttering the same mantra for an auspicious number of times, the most popular being 108 , and sometimes just 5, 10, 28 or 1008. Japa is found in personal prayer or meditative efforts of some Hindus, as well during formal puja (group prayers). Japa is assisted by malas (bead necklaces) containing 108 beads and a head bead (sometimes referred to as
3652-624: The Sikhs triggered the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 as an order to protect the freedom of conscience and religion , with members expressing the qualities of a sant-sipāhī ("saint-soldier"). The majority of Sikh scriptures were originally written in the alphabet of Gurmukhī , a script standardised by Guru Angad out of Laṇḍā scripts historically used in present-day Pakistan and North India . Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs , meaning "students" or "disciples" of
3735-407: The Tantric school, with numerous functions. From initiating and emancipating a tantric devotee to worshiping manifested forms of the divine. From enabling heightened sexual energy in the male and the female to acquiring supernormal psychological and spiritual power. From preventing evil influences to exorcizing demons, and many others. These claimed functions and other aspects of the tantric mantra are
3818-573: The Vedas, Upanishads , Bhagavad Gita , Yoga Sutra , even the Mahabharata , Ramayana , Durga saptashati or Chandi is a mantra, thus can be part of the japa , repeated to achieve a numinous effect. The Dharmasāstra claims Gāyatri mantra derived from Rig Veda verse 3.62.10, and the Purușasūkta mantra from Rig Veda verse 10.90 are most auspicious mantras for japa at sunrise and sunset; it
3901-535: The ability to overcome the strongest animals, whether tigers, buffaloes, gayals , elephants, or lions. The text classifies meditation as being of two types, with and without attributes. Meditation with attributes gives the yogi powers such as becoming very small. That without attributes, such as by meditating on space, confers liberation . The Dattātreyayogaśāstra teaches mahāmudrā , mahābandha, khecarīmudrā , jālandharabandha , uḍḍiyāṇabandha , mūlabandha , viparītakaraṇī, vajrolī, amarolī, and sahajolī . The goal
3984-406: The arias of Bach 's oratorios and other European classics, he notes that these mantras have musical structure, but they almost always are completely different from anything in the syntax of natural languages. Mantras are literally meaningless, yet musically meaningful to Staal. The saman chant mantras were transmitted from one Hindu generation to next verbally for over 1000 years but never written,
4067-400: The company of the satsang (association with sat , 'true', people) or sadh sangat is one of the key ways to achieve liberation from the cycles of reincarnation. The Sikh community may be seen to correspond to A.D. Smith's definition of a politicized community, sharing common ancestry myths and historical memories of martyrdom and persecution under successive rulers. Miri Piri is
4150-408: The congruence between spiritual development and everyday moral conduct. Its founder, Guru Nanak, summarized this perspective as: "Truth is the highest virtue, but higher still is truthful living." Sikhism lays emphasis on Ėk nūr te sab jag upjiā , 'From the one light, the entire universe welled up.' Guru Nanak also emphasized his teachings to his disciples by giving them real-life examples. Sikhism
4233-413: The creator being "), Akaal Purkh ("beyond time and death") and Agam Agochar (" incomprehensible and invisible"). In a literal sense, God has no gender in Sikhism, but, metaphorically, God is presented as masculine and God's power as feminine. For example, Guru Gobind Singh refers to God as his father, and God's creative power as his mother. Similarly, another example is that the Guru Granth Sahib ,
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#17327931417114316-491: The divine unity and equality of all humankind, engaging in selfless service to others ( sevā ), striving for justice for the benefit and prosperity of all ( sarbat da bhala ), and honest conduct and livelihood. Following this standard, Sikhism rejects claims that any particular religious tradition has a monopoly on absolute truth. As a consequence, Sikhs do not actively proselytize, although voluntary converts are generally accepted. Sikhism emphasizes meditation and remembrance as
4399-473: The entire work is meaningless. Alper lists numerous mantras that have philosophical themes, moral principles, a call to virtuous life, and even mundane petitions. He suggests that from a set of millions of mantras, the devotee chooses some mantras voluntarily, thus expressing that speaker's intention, and the audience for that mantra is that speaker's chosen spiritual entity. Mantras deploy the language of spiritual expression, they are religious instruments, and that
4482-507: The environment it emerged from. The basis of the latter analysis is that Bhakti traditions did not clearly disassociate from Vedic texts and their cosmologies and metaphysical worldview, while the Sikh tradition clearly did disassociate from the Vedic tradition. Some Sikh sects outside the Punjab region of India, such as those found in Maharashtra and Bihar , practice aarti (the ceremonial use of lamps) during Bhakti observances in
4565-472: The exonym term Sikhism as they claim the word was coined by the British colonists rather than by Sikhs themselves, and they instead prefer the endonym Sikhi . They argue that an "-ism" connotes a fixed and immutable worldview which is not congruent with the internally fluid nature of the Sikh philosophy. The basis of Sikhism lies in the teachings of Guru Nanak and his successors. Sikh ethics emphasize
4648-462: The form of udana arises in susumna , and then just as flame arises out of kindled fire and gets dissolved in the sky, so also atma (Self) like a flame having burnt down the fuel of the body, gets absorbed in Shiva. One of the most ancient Buddhist mantras is the famous Pratītyasamutpāda-gāthā , also known as the dependent origination dhāraṇī . This phrase is said to encapsulate the meaning of
4731-536: The function of mantras was to be an instrument of ritual efficacy for the priest, and a tool of instruction for a ritual act for others. Over time, as the Puranas and Epics were composed, the concepts of worship, virtues and spirituality evolved in Hinduism and new schools of Hinduism were founded, each continuing to develop and refine its own mantras. In Hinduism, suggests Alper, the function of mantras shifted from
4814-458: The guru. The English word Sikhism derives from the Punjabi word for the religion Sikhi ( Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖੀ Sikkhī , [ˈsɪk.kʰiː] , from Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ , romanized: Sikh , lit. 'disciple'), which connotes the "temporal path of learning" and is rooted in the verb sikhana ( lit. ' to learn ' ). Some Sikhs oppose
4897-423: The inverted posture of viparītakaraṇī , sometimes considered an asana, sometimes a mudra. Its account of pranayama calls for the yogi to sit in lotus position (padmasana) and practice what it calls breath-retention ( kumbhaka ), now called anuloma or nadi shodhana , alternate nostril breathing. It states that this gives the yogi the power of levitation, followed by a range of powers such as great strength and
4980-446: The light of Supreme I-consciousness is a mantra. The divine Supreme I-consciousness is the dynamo of all the mantras. Deha or body has been compared to wood, "mantra" has been compared to arani —a piece of wood used for kindling fire by friction; prana has been compared to fire. Sikha or flame has been compared to atma (Self); ambara or sky has been compared to Shiva. When prana is kindled by means of mantra used as arani, fire in
5063-427: The mind). In ritual use, mantras are often silent instruments of meditation. For almost every mantra, there are six limbs called Shadanga . These six limbs are: Seer (Rishi), Deity (Devata), Seed (Beeja), Energy (Shakti), Poetic Meter (chanda), and Lock (Kilaka). The most basic mantra is Om , which in Hinduism is known as the "pranava mantra," the source of all mantras. The Hindu philosophy behind this
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#17327931417115146-573: The most ancient layer of the Vedas, and contain numerous mantras, hymns, prayers, and litanies . The Rigveda Samhita contains about 10552 Mantras, classified into ten books called Mandalas . A Sukta is a group of Mantras. Mantras come in many forms, including ṛc (verses from the Rigveda for example) and sāman (musical chants from the Sāmaveda for example). In Hindu tradition, Vedas are sacred scriptures which were revealed (and not composed) by
5229-522: The most effective path. Ritual initiation ( abhiseka ) into a specific mantra and its associated deity is often a requirement for reciting certain mantras in these traditions. However, in some religious traditions, initiation is not always required for certain mantras, which are open to all. The word mantra is also used in English to refer to something that is said frequently and is deliberately repeated over and over. The earliest mention of mantras
5312-541: The name of a deity; for example, Durga yields dum and Ganesha yields gam . Bija mantras are prefixed and appended to other mantras, thereby creating complex mantras. In the tantric school, these mantras are believed to have supernatural powers, and they are transmitted by a preceptor to a disciple in an initiation ritual. Tantric mantras found a significant audience and adaptations in medieval India, Southeast Asia and numerous other Asian countries with Buddhism. Majumdar and other scholars suggest mantras are central to
5395-478: The oldest texts, mantras were "means of creating, conveying, concentrating and realizing intentional and efficient thought, and of coming into touch or identifying oneself with the essence of the divinity". In some later schools of Hinduism, Gonda suggests a mantra is sakti (power) to the devotee in the form of formulated and expressed thought. Frits Staal , a specialist in the study of Vedic ritual and mantras, clarifies that mantras are not rituals, they are what
5478-425: The primary Sikh scripture, says that all humans are soul-brides who long to unite with their husband Lord. In addition, the gurus also wrote in the Guru Granth Sahib that there are many worlds on which the transcendental God has created life. The Sikh scripture begins with God as Ik Onkar ( ੴ ), the 'One Creator', understood in the Sikh tradition as monotheistic unity of God. Ik onkar (sometimes capitalized)
5561-413: The process of the devotion of God. However, Nanak emphasized māyā as not a reference to the unreality of the world, but of its values. In Sikhism, the influences of ego , anger , greed , attachment , and lust , known as the pānj chor (' Five Thieves '), are believed to be particularly distracting and hurtful. Sikhs believe the world is currently in a state of Kali Yuga ('age of darkness') because
5644-428: The quotidian to redemptive. In other words, in Vedic times, mantras were recited a practical, quotidian goal as intention, such as requesting a deity's help in the discovery of lost cattle, cure of illness, succeeding in competitive sport or journey away from home. The literal translation of Vedic mantras suggests that the function of mantra, in these cases, was to cope with the uncertainties and dilemmas of daily life. In
5727-446: The reciter and listener is similar to that is observed in people around the world listening to their beloved music that is devoid of words. In Oxford Living Dictionary mantra is defined as a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation. Cambridge Dictionary provides two different definitions. The first refers to Hinduism and Buddhism: a word or sound that is believed to have a special spiritual power. The second definition
5810-401: The root dhi- , which evolved into the dhyana (meditation) of Hinduism , and the language used to start and assist this process manifested as a mantra. By the middle vedic period (1000 BC to 500 BC), mantras were derived from all vedic compositions. They included ṛc (verses from Rigveda for example), sāman (musical chants from the Sāmaveda for example), yajus (a muttered formula from
5893-456: The sage Vasugupta of the 9th century C.E. Sambhavopaya (1-1 to 1–22), Saktopaya (2-1 to 2–10) and Anavopaya (3-1 to 3–45) are the main sub-divisions, three means of achieving God consciousness, of which the main technique of Saktopaya is a mantra. But "mantra" in this context does not mean incantation or muttering of some sacred formula. The word "mantra" is used here in its etymological signification. That which saves one by pondering over
5976-536: The school and philosophy of Jainism , Buddhism , Hinduism , Zoroastrianism , and Sikhism . A common practice is japa , the meditative repetition of a mantra, usually with the aid of a mala (prayer beads). Mantras serve a central role in the Indian tantric traditions , which developed elaborate yogic methods which make use of mantras. In tantric religions (often called "mantra paths", Sanskrit : Mantranāya or Mantramarga ), mantric methods are considered to be
6059-476: The seeker realises that it is the consciousness within the body which is the seeker/follower of the Word that is the true Guru . The human body is just a means to achieve the reunion with Truth. Once truth starts to shine in a person's heart, the essence of current and past holy books of all religions is understood by the person. Guru Nanak's teachings are founded not on a final destination of heaven or hell, but on
6142-531: The seers ( Rishis ). According to the ancient commentator and linguist, Yaska , these ancient sacred revelations were then passed down through an oral tradition and are considered to be the foundation for the Hindu tradition. Mantras took a center stage in Tantric traditions, which made extensive ritual and meditative use of mantras, and posited that each mantra is a deity in sonic form. One function of mantras
6225-550: The sense of "an exact mantra which reveals the truth of the dharmas", and is the path of mantras. According to Bernfried Schlerath, the concept of sātyas mantras is found in Indo-Iranian Yasna 31.6 and the Rigveda , where it is considered structured thought in conformity with the reality or poetic (religious) formulas associated with inherent fulfillment. There is no generally accepted definition of mantra. As
6308-496: The spiritual heart completes one's purpose and meaning in the world of action: spirituality . Guru Nanak , the first Sikh guru and the founder of Sikhism, was a Bhakti saint. He taught that the most important form of worship is Bhakti (devotion to Waheguru ). Guru Arjan , in the Sukhmani Sahib , recommended the true religion as one of loving devotion to God. The Guru Granth Sahib includes suggestions on how
6391-423: The text. The work teaches an eightfold yoga identical with Patañjali's 8 limbs ( aṣṭāṅgayoga ) that it attributes to Yajnavalkya and others, and as an alternative, ten exercises, later called mudras, that it attributes to teachers including Kapila . It claims there are 8,400,000 asanas , though it only describes one or two non-seated postures including Shavasana , corpse pose (as a method of Laya yoga), and
6474-543: The universe as sound. The supreme (para) brings forth existence through the Word ( shabda ). Creation consists of vibrations at various frequencies and amplitudes giving rise to the phenomena of the world. Buhnemann notes that deity mantras are an essential part of Tantric compendia. The tantric mantras vary in their structure and length. Mala mantras are those mantras which have an enormous number of syllables. In contrast, bija mantras are one-syllabled, typically ending in anusvara (a simple nasal sound). These are derived from
6557-654: The use of mantras to have begun in India before 1000 BC. By the middle Vedic period (1000 BC to 500 BC) – claims Frits Staal – mantras in Hinduism had developed into a blend of art and science. The Chinese translation is 真言 ; zhenyan ; 'true words', the Japanese on'yomi reading of the Chinese being shingon (which is also used as the proper name for the Shingon sect ). According to Alex Wayman and Ryujun Tajima, "Zhenyan" (or "Shingon") means "true speech", has
6640-406: The world is led astray by the love of and attachment to māyā . The fate of people vulnerable to the five thieves is separation from God, and the situation may be remedied only after intensive and relentless devotion. According to Guru Nanak, the supreme purpose of human life is to reconnect with Akal ('The Timeless One'). However, egotism is the biggest barrier in making this connection. Using
6723-567: The yajurveda for example), and nigada (a loudly spoken yajus). During the Hindu Epics period and after, mantras multiplied in many ways and diversified to meet the needs and passions of various schools of Hinduism. In the Linga Purana , Mantra is listed as one of the 1,008 names of Lord Shiva . Numerous ancient mantras are found in the Saṃhitā portion of the Vedas . The Saṃhitās are
6806-413: Was one of the earliest scholars to note that mantras are meaningless; their function is phonetic and syntactic, not semantic. Harvey Alper and others present mantras from the linguistic point view. They admit Staal's observation that many mantras do contain bits and pieces of meaningless jargon, but they question what language or text doesn't. The presence of an abracadabra bit does not necessarily imply
6889-425: Was to halt, or to put into reverse, the movement of the vital fluid bindu. Mantra A mantra ( Pali : mantra ) or mantram ( Devanagari : मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes , or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan ) believed by practitioners to have religious, magical or spiritual powers. Some mantras have
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