Schools > Students > Ages 15-16 > Worship and celebration > mantraThe Chanting of Mantras
A mantra is a series of sounds that put together make a kind of sound picture. An example is the famous mantra OM MANI PADME HUM pictured on the right. Perhaps you can see the 6 syllabuses in the Tibetan script for Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum?
Each mantra is a kind of sound symbol for an enlightened Buddhist figure. This one represents Avalokitesvara (pronounced Avalo-kit-esh-vara), the bodhisattva of compassion, who wants to help people who are suffering. When we chant his mantra, we are reminded of how important it is to help people. Man-tra means mind-protector. Chanting his mantra protects us from being too wrapped up with ourselves which isn't too good for us in the long run.
Lots more information on the meaning of this mantra.
Tibetan Buddhism in particular is full of colourful archetypal Buddha figures, like Avalokitesvara, who each have their own mantra. Some of them are in the pictures section.