Mantras

A mantra is a series of syllables, most often in Sanskrit, that is the subject of recitation, meditation, or other spiritual practice. While mantras also exist in the sutras, most are recited in conjunction with the practice of a particular tantric meditational deity, whose qualities they also embody. The term “mantra” means “mind protection,” because mantras function to protect the mind from ordinary impure appearances. Thus, in the context of deity yoga, mantras are indispensable as they not only function as a vehicle for a practitioner to develop the attainments of a deity, but also aid in training the mind to view all phenomena, including all sound, as pure.

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:

Mantras - All Deities

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

  • Amitabha Pure Land Prayers and Mantra | PDF | Audio
  • Click here for more

Amitayus

  • Praise and Mantras | PDF
  • Click here for more

Amoghapasha – Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha Mantra

  • Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha Mantra | PDF | Audio
  • Ten Condensed Benefits | PDF
  • Click here for more

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

King of Naga Lords

  • King of Naga Lords | PDF

Kunrig / Vairochana 

  • Kunrig Mantra | PDF | Audio
  • Vairochana Mantra – Protection from Fire and Other Harm | PDF

Ksitigarbha

Lama Tsongkhapa

  • Lama Tsongkhapa – Migstsema and Name Mantra | PDF | Audio
  • Click here for more

Maitreya

  • Arya Maitreya’s Promise Dharani | PDF | Audio

Manjushri

Medicine Buddha

Mitrugpa

Namgyalma

Padmasambhava

  • Padmasambhava – Mantra | PDF | Audio

Prajnaparamita 

  • The Perfection of Wisdom Praise and Mantra | PDF | Audio

Rinchen Tsugtor Chen

  • Rinchen Tsugtor Chen – The Holy Name of Buddha Rinchen Tsugtor Chen | PDF | Audio

Sadzin Gyalpo

  • Tathagata Earth-Holder King – Mantra that Fulfills Wishes | PDF | Audio

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

  • Tathagata Earth-Holder King – Mantra that Fulfills Wishes | PDF | Audio

White Umbrella (Sitatapatra)

  • White Umbrella – Praise and Mantra | PDF
  • Click here for more

Vairochana / Kunrig

  • Kunrig Mantra | PDF | Audio
  • Protection from Fire and Other Harm | PDF

Vajra Armor

  • Vajra Armor Protection Wheel Mantra | PDF | Audio

Vajrasattva

  • Mantras and Meaning of the Long Mantra | PDF
  • Click here for more

Vimaloshnisha

  • Mantra of Great Wisdom Vimaloshnisha (Mantra Taught by Buddha Droden Gyälwa Chhö) | PDF
Mantras - All Others

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 | EnglishVietnamese | 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:

Blessings & Consecration

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 | EnglishVietnamese | 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:

Death & Dying
  • 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

Visit Death and Dying: Practices and Resources page

Holy Names & Name Mantras
  • 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
Just by Seeing Mantras
  • Phagpa Chulung Rolpai Do Mantra | PDF | Audio | eCard
  • Purifying the Cause of Samsara | PDF
  • Six Syllables of Clairvoyance Mantra | PDF
Long Life
Healing & Protection
  • 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

Purification
  • Amoghapasha 
    • Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha Mantra | PDF | Audio
    • Ten Condensed Benefits | PDF
  • 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
Success & Wealth
  • 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.


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