A resource for visualising and calligraphy of
Buddhist mantras and seed syllables.

Mantras are the mysterious sound symbols associated with Indian spiritual practice. We often ask what does a mantra mean, but a better question is what does it do? A Buddhist mantra evokes and invokes qualities of the Awakened mind. Mantras bring us into relationship with Enlightenment, and are a vehicle by which our consciousness can awaken to the way things really are. They are rooted in age old traditions emphasising the interconnectedness of all things. For Buddhists a mantra may also be an expression of devotion towards, or faith in, the Three Jewels.

As writing encapsulates sounds, so a written mantra captures something of the symbolism of the mantric sound. Visible Mantra presents calligraphy of the seed syllables or bījas and mantras used in the most common Buddhist visualisation and devotional practices performed in the Western Buddhist Order. Additional mantras from the Shingon School and Tibetan lineages are included. The main script used on Visible Mantra is Siddhaṃ, but it also features Tibetan, and Lantsa/Ranjana examples.

Select from the menu for various mantras along with notes on each, and background information on Indian writing systems, or search the site below.

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For mantra meditation, and meditation in general, try the wildmind.org Mantra Meditation page.

Visible Mantra is listed in the following authoratative sites: about.com | omniglot.com | mandalar.com | wikipedia.org/siddham | Indian Scripts | Wildmind Meditation