Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum

‘Om’ symbolizes the practitioner’s impure body, speech and mind. It also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech and mind of a Buddha.

‘Ma Ni’ meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method: The altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion and love.

‘Pad Me’ meaning lotus, symbolizes wisdom.

‘Hum’ meaning indivisibility, indicates that purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom.

Thus the six syllables, ‘Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum’, means that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure exalted body, speech and mind of a Buddha.

-- H.H. 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso