Sound is a form of vibration. Actually, everything in the creation vibrates at a certain frequency. Therefore, by saying a mantra we introduce the vibrational frequency of that mantra into our mind and body so that we too begin to resonate with the vibration and words of the mantra.
More importantly, when we select a word or series of words to repeat in the form of a mantra, we are affirming it to ourselves and allowing its meaning to permeate below the surface, into our subconscious mind, helping to shift our negative patterns and habits into positive ones.
Below you can find 3 Buddhist chants for meditation:
#1 Lama Tsongkhapa Mantra
Je Tsongkhapa, whose ordained name was Losang Dragpa, was a great Tibetan Buddhist Master from the 14th century who developed and promoted the Kadampa Buddhism that Atisha had introduced 3 centuries earlier.
Lama Tsongkhapa is visualized as a kind and wise guru, beautiful and smiling, with a tall yellow pandit’s hat, seated on a lotus throne, with all the signs and marks of a Buddha.
Lyrics:
„Mig-me tze-wai ter-chen Chen-re-zig
Dri-me kyen-pai wang-po Jam-pel-yang
Dü-pung ma-lü jom-dze Sang-wai dag
Gang-chen kay-pai tzug-gyan Tsong-Khapa
Lo-zang Drag-pai zhab-la sol-wa deb.”
#2 Metta Prayer
Shakyamuni Buddha gave a beautiful teaching on the development of loving kindness called the Metta Sutta (also known as the Karaniya Metta Sutta).
According to post-canonical Sutta Nipata commentary, the background story for the loving kindness prayer is that a group of monks was frightened by the spirits in the forest where the Shakyamuni Buddha had sent them to meditate.
When the monks sought the Shakyamuni Buddha’s aid in dealing with the spirits, the Buddha taught the monks the loving kindness prayer as an antidote for their fears. The monks chanted the prayer and felt better. Their good cheer then happened to quiet the spirits as well.
Moreover, this prayer is frequently said as part of religious services in the Theravada tradition but is also popular within the Mahayana tradition.
#3 Avalokiteshvara’s Ten Prayers
Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara has great powers and can help all sentient beings.
His skillful means are limitless and the Bodhisattva can appear in any form in all the 6 realms of existence to relieve the suffering of the sentient beings who live there.
The Sanskrit name “Avalokiteshvara” literally translates as “the lord who looks upon the world with compassion”.
JE LAMA NAMLA SOLWA DEB, GOE KADRIN CHENGYI JINGYI LOB
DIR TSOKPEI KALDEN PHOMO NAM, WANG CHOEDHI DONDANG DENPAR ZHU
OM MANI PADME HUM HRI OM MANI PADME HUM
DENG JALWI TSENDEN LAMA DI, JE SANGYEY YERMED CHIWOR GOM
LHA THUKJE CHENPO CHIWOR GOM, GNAG YIGEY DRUKMEI SOLDEB ZOD
OM MANI PADME HUM HRI OM MANI PADME HUM
SEM JAMDANG NYINGJE CHENPO GOM, CHOE JETSED DROWEI DONDU ZOD
JIG GEYDANG NEDDON GANGJUNG YANG, JIG KYOBKYI YIGEY DRUKMA YANG
OM MANI PADME HUM HRI OM MANI PADME HUM
LUE MITAK PANI NGONSUM LA, YONG KHORWA DILA NYINGPO MED
CHOE GEWA CHUPO DRUPA DANG, DIG MIGEY CHUPO PANGWAR JA
OM MANI PADME HUM HRI OM MANI PADME HUM
DE TARDU ZEDPI PHENYON GYI, TSE DIDANG CHIMA DELEK JUNG
CHIR GYALKHAM YONGLA TRASHI SHOG, GOE DIRTSOK THROMLA TRASHI SHOK
OM MANI PADME HUM HRI OM MANI PADME HUM.”