Chanting and mantras
chantRepeating religious phrases or quotations from sacred texts. and mantraA sacred (holy) prayer or word which often is chanted or sung rather than just spoken. are ways of learning and showing devotion to Buddhist teachings. They are linked to meditationThinking quietly as a spiritual or religious exercise. Connection of the mind and soul with the Divine using breathing and other techniques. In Buddhism, using one of a set of techniques or exercises for calming the mind, developing positive emotions and understanding the way things are. as they are another way of focusing the mind.
Chanting involves speaking certain sayings over and over again. These sayings are known as mantras. Mahayana BuddhismOne of the major schools of Buddhism, it includes Tibetan and Zen Buddhism. sometimes speak mantras while they are using prayer beads, called malaA string of beads used by some Sikhs and Buddhists as an aid to prayer.. The malas help them to count the number of times they have repeated the saying.
What do mantras contain?
Mantras often contain the teachings of the BuddhaThe founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, after his enlightenment. It is a title which means the enlightened or awakened one., such as the Three RefugesThe three most important features of the Buddhist life, recited as an expression of belief and commitment: I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Sangha, I take refuge in the dhamma (teaching). or the Five PreceptsFive moral principles that are observed by Buddhists.. By using the Buddha’s teachings as mantras, Buddhists try to copy the characteristics of the Buddha and therefore get closer to reaching enlightenmentThe realisation of the truth about life. In Buddhism it releases a person from the cycle of rebirth..
Because Buddhists repeat mantras many times, they often learn them off by heart. Buddhists memorise these mantras and then teach them to other people verbally. One of the most well-known mantras is Avalokiteshvara, which contains the words “Om mani padme hum”. This mantra means “Behold! The jewel in the lotus!”
Buddhists also sometimes use a prayer wheel, which is spun around to show the prayers to be chanted. As well as speaking mantras, Buddhists give offerings and bow to show their dedication to the Buddha. Bowing three times shows respect to the Three Refuges.
Mahayana and Theravada mantras
Mahayana BuddhismOne of the major schools of Buddhism, it includes Tibetan and Zen Buddhism. recite a mantra called Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, which contains the concept that everyone has the ability to deal with and overcome any problems they encounter in their life. This concept means that, as humans, we have the ability to transform any suffering into non-suffering. This is because the Buddha was a human who was able to achieve enlightenment and stop the suffering in his own life. The Buddha believed that everyone has the ability to do this.
TheravadaMeaning ‘teachings of the elders'. It is primarily focused on the Arhat path to enlightenment. This branch of Buddhism can be found in Sri Lanka and South East Asia. Buddhists believe in Namo Buddhaya. This means “homage to the Buddha”. It is one of the Three Refuges, through which Buddhists acknowledge the importance of the Buddha. The other two refuges are the SanghaThe Buddhist community of people who practice the faith, usually used to mean the community of monks and nuns. and Dhamma (Dharma)Dhamma is Buddhist doctrine about the nature of existence and includes the teachings of the Buddha..