
Mantras
While mantras are also used in prayer wheels and painted over doorways in order bring as much benefit as possible to all who see, touch, hear, or recite them, prerequisites exist for the recitation of certain Vajrayana mantras. As the lamas often explain, receiving an initiation into a deity’s mandala is a prerequisite for engaging in the practice of that specific deity. However, mantras often may be recited without having received an initiation, especially in the case of the mantras of kriya (action) tantra deities, or if one has the permission of one’s teacher. Many lamas, out of their infinite kindness, give the oral transmissions (lung) of some common mantras, as reciting mantras on the basis of having received the transmission makes the recitations more powerful. However, an initiation into the mandala of a deity is strictly required in order to practice the self-generation of that deity.
Complete list of mantras in alphabetical order:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Some mantras are contained in the practice booklets or sadhanas, under “Click here for more.”
Akashagarbha
- Akashagarbha Mantra for Success | PDF
Amitabha
Amitayus
Amoghapasha – Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha Mantra
Arya Avalokitesvara Simhanada
- Visualization and Mantras| PDF
Chenrezig
- The Holy Name Mantra of Chenrezig – Longest Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Eleven-Faced Chenrezig Dharani – Long Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Mantra and Request – Six-syllable Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Click here for more
Dzambhala
- White Dzambhala mantra | PDF
Hayagriva
- Most Secret Hayagriva Praise and Mantra | English | Chinese | Portuguese
- Click here for Most Secret Hayagiva (Tamdrin Yangsang)
King of Naga Lords
- King of Naga Lords | PDF
Kunrig / Vairochana
Ksitigarbha
Lama Tsongkhapa
Maitreya
Manjushri
- Mantras | PDF | Audio
- Black Manjushri | PDF | Audio
- Click here for more
Medicine Buddha
- Medicine Buddha Mantras | PDF | Audio
- Click here for more
Mitrugpa
- Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Click here for more
Namgyalma
- Long and Short Mantras | PDF | Audio | Video | Image
- Click here for more
Padmasambhava
Prajnaparamita
Rinchen Tsugtor Chen
Sadzin Gyalpo
Sarvanivaranaviskhambhin
- The Exalted Zung Called “Eliminating Obscurations” | PDF
Shakyamuni
Tara
- Names and Mantra of the Twenty-One Taras | PDF | Audio
- Mantra Promised by Arya Tara Herself | PDF
- Green Tara – Praise and Mantra | PDF | Audio
- White Tara – Visualization and Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Click here for more
Tathagata Earth-Holder King
White Umbrella (Sitatapatra)
Vairochana / Kunrig
Vajra Armor
Vajrasattva
Vimaloshnisha
- Mantra of Great Wisdom Vimaloshnisha (Mantra Taught by Buddha Droden Gyälwa Chhö) | PDF
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
- The Arya Wisdom Mantra of Six Syllables | PDF
- To Avert the Pollution from Consuming Offerings | PDF
- Benefits of Three Buddhas’ Holy Names | PDF
- Benefits of Two Name Mantras | PDF
- Celestial Mansion Extremely Secret Sublime Success Mantra | PDF | Audio | Image
- Clouds of Offerings Mantra: Eight Benefits | English | Vietnamese | Audio
- Five Powerful Mantras | PDF | Audio
- Four Dharmakaya Relic Heart Mantras | PDF | Audio
- The Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras and their Benefits | PDF
- The Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras – formatted for rolling | PDF
- The Exalted Zung Called “Thoroughly Pacifying Hatred” | PDF
- The Great Wisdom Mantra – Lankavatara Sutra | PDF
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Request and Holy Name Mantra | PDF
- Holy Name and Mantra for Offering Flowers | PDF
- Holy Objects to Place on the Body at the Time of Death | PDF
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche Holy Name Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Mantra from the Sutra of Great Liberation | PDF | Audio
- Mantra of Great Wisdom Vimaloshnisha (Mantra Taught by Buddha Droden Gyälwa Chhö) | PDF
- Mantras to Recite for the Dying | PDF
- Microfilm Mantras for Stupas and Prayer Wheels | Webpage
- Miscellaneous Mantras | PDF
- Name Mantra that Multiplies Virtue by A Hundred Thousand | PDF
- Name Recitations that Reap the Same Benefit as Reading the Kangyur | PDF
- Norbu Zangpo Zung | PDF | Audio
- Perfection of Wisdom Praise and Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Phagpa Chulung Rolpai Do Mantra | PDF | Audio | eCard
- Powerful Mantras for the Body at Death Time | PDF
- Prayer and Mantra of Marici for Important Work | PDF
- Recognizing the Clear Light of Sleep Mantra and Commentary | PDF
- Ten Powerful Mantras for the Time of Death | PDF | Audio
- Wish-Fulfillment for All Animals: Their Happiness and Liberation—Powerful Buddha Names and Mantras and the Benefits of Reciting Them | PDF
- Zung of the Completely Pure Stainless Light – Mantra and Commentary (aka Exalted Stainless Beam Totally Pure Light) | PDF
While mantras are of many types and can be used in almost any situation, here are some common ways to use them:
To Make Charity of Contaminants of the Body – Miscellaneous Mantras | PDF
For Blessing:
- Feet – FPMT Essential Prayer Book, p. 59 | PDF | Audio
- Rosary – FPMT Essential Prayer Book, p. 21 | PDF | Audio
- Speech – FPMT Essential Prayer Book, p. 17 | PDF | Audio
- Meat – FPMT Essential Prayer Book, p. 62 | PDF
- Offerings – Clouds of Offerings Mantra: Eight Benefits | English | Vietnamese | Audio
- Body – Powerful Mantras for the Body at Death Time | PDF
For Consecration:
- Heart Mantra of Dependent Relation – FPMT Essential Prayer Book, p. 19 | PDF
- Mantra of Great Wisdom Vimaloshnisha (Mantra Taught by Buddha Droden Gyälwa Chhö) | PDF
Mantras for Holy Objects:
- Alleviating Fear or Pain Mantra | Audio
- Amitabha Pure Land Prayers and Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Chenrezig – Mantra and Request (Six-syllable Mantra) | PDF | Audio
- Four Dharmakaya Relic Heart Mantras | PDF | Audio
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Request and Holy Name Mantra | PDF
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche Holy Name Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Medicine Buddha Mantras | PDF | Audio
- Mantras to Recite for the Dying | PDF
- Arya Maitreya’s Promise Dharani | PDF | Audio
- Padmasambhava – Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Powerful Mantras for the Body at Death Time | PDF
- Rinchen Tsugtor Chen – The Holy Name of Buddha Rinchen Tsugtor Chen | PDF | Audio
- Sarvanivaranaviskhambhin – The Exalted Zung Called “Eliminating Obscurations” | PDF
- Shakyamuni – Holy Name Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Mantra from the Sutra of Great Liberation | PDF | Audio
- Ten Powerful Mantras for the Time of Death | PDF | Audio
Five Powerful Mantras
- Five Powerful Mantras | PDF | Audio
- Kunrig Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Amoghapasha
- Mitrugpa – Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Namgyälma – Long and Short Mantras | PDF | Audio | Video | Image
Visit Death and Dying: Practices and Resources page
- Benefits of Three Buddhas’ Holy Names | Download | Make a donation
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Request and Holy Name Mantra | PDF
- Lama Tsongkhapa – Migstsema and Name Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche Holy Name Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Name Recitations that Reap the Same Benefit as Reading the Kangyur | PDF
- Rinchen Tsugtor Chen – The Holy Name of Buddha Rinchen Tsugtor Chen | PDF | Audio
- Shakyamuni Buddha Holy Name Mantra | PDF | Audio
- The Arya Wisdom Mantra of Six Syllables | PDF
- To Avert the Pollution from Consuming Offerings | PDF
- The Great Wisdom Mantra – Lankavatara Sutra | PDF
- Manjushri – Black | PDF | Audio
- Medicine Buddha Mantras | PDF | Audio
- Vairochana Mantra – Protection from Fire and Other Harm | PDF
- Vajra Armor Protection Wheel | PDF | Audio
- White Umbrella | PDF
- Zung of the Exalted Completely Pure Stainless Light (aka Exalted Stainless Beam Totally Pure Light) | PDF
- Amoghapasha
- Celestial Mansion Extremely Secret Sublime Success Mantra | PDF | Audio | Image
- Five Powerful Mantras | PDF | Audio
- Four Dharmakaya Relic Heart Mantras | PDF
- Mantra of Great Wisdom Vimaloshnisha (Mantra Taught by Buddha Droden Gyälwa Chhö) | PDF
- Kunrig Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Mantra to Avert the Pollution from Consuming Offerings | PDF
- Miscellaneous Mantras | PDF
- Mitrugpa Mantra | PDF | Audio
- Namgyälma – Long and Short Mantras | PDF | Audio | Video | Image
- Phagpa Chulung Rolpai Do | PDF | Audio
- Powerful Mantras for the Body at Death Time | PDF
- Mantra from the Sutra of Great Liberation | PDF | Audio
- Vajrasattva – Mantras and Meaning | PDF
- Zung of the Exalted Completely Pure Stainless Light (aka Exalted Stainless Beam Totally Pure Light) | PDF
- Akashagarbha Mantra for Success | PDF
- Celestial Mansion Extremely Secret Sublime Success Mantra | PDF | Audio | Image
- White Dzambhala mantra | PDF
- Flower Offering Mantra | PDF
- Great Wisdom Vimaloshnisha Mantra (aka Mantra Taught by Buddha Droden Gyälwa Chhö) | PDF
- Norbu Zangpo Zung | PDF | Audio
- Increase the Power of Recitation – FPMT Essential Prayer Book, p. 59 | PDF
- Multiplying Virtue Mantra – page 21 of FPMT Essential Prayer Book, p. 21 | PDF
- Tathagata Earth-Holder King – Mantra that Fulfills Wishes | PDF | Audio
- Zung of the Exalted Completely Pure Stainless Light | PDF
For extensive advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche about the benefits of reading, writing or reciting particular mantras, or how to engage with mantras to eliminate or reduce potential or ongoing obstacles, please visit the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Online Advice Book and fpmt.org for Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Visit our Distributing FPMT Education Materials page for information about our distributing, licensing and copyright guidelines.