The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones

Om Mani Pädme Hum is the compassionate wisdom of all the Buddhas manifested as sound. Within it is contained the essential meaning of all eighty-four thousand sections of the Buddha's teachings. Of all the many mantras of various kinds, such as awareness mantras... and secret mantras... not one is superior to the six syllables of Chenrezi. The great benefits of reciting this mantra, commonly known as the mani, are described again and again...

There’s no time, no time!

There’s no time to rest!

When suddenly death is upon

you, what will you do?

Now you’d better start practicing

the sublime Dharma right away;

Now, quick, hurry-recite the six-syllable mantra.

Not long ago your conciousness

was wandering alone.

Swept by karma,

it took its present birth.

Soon, like a hair pulled out of butter,

Leaving everything behind,

you’ll go on alone.

The mantra Om Mani Pädme Hum is easy to say yet quite powerful, because it contains the essence of the entire teaching. When you say the first syllable Om it is blessed to help you achieve perfection in the practice of generosity, Ma helps perfect the practice of pure ethics, and Ni helps achieve perfection in the practice of tolerance and patience. Pä, the fourth syllable, helps to achieve perfection of perseverance, Me helps achieve perfection in the practice of concentration, and the final sixth syllable Hum helps achieve perfection in the practice of wisdom.

Recitation of the mantra helps achieve perfection in the six practices from generosity to wisdom. The path of these six perfections is the path walked by all the Buddhas of the three times. What could then be more meaningful than to say the mantra and accomplish the six perfections?"

If you continue investigating, you will find that there is nothing anywhere, not even a single atom, that has a verifiable existence.

This body of ours, which we cherish so dearly, will turn into a corpse that our friends and family will only want to dispose of as quickly as possible.