“He asked, “How should one recite it?” whereupon four ḍākinīs sang the tune in unison. The wisdom ḍākinī then said, “If subsequently one uses this tune for the mantra, then all who hear it will be greatly blessed, and it will be of great benefit to beings.”
—excerpt from ‘The Second Karma Pakshi: Tibetan Mahāsiddha’ (Manson, 2022)
“The reason to recite the Mani mantra and use the prayer wheel is said to have come from the time of Karma Pakshi. The main reason for this is because his main yidam was Red Chenrezig, Gyalwa Gyatso, and he had a vision. In that vision the ḍākinīs of the five families told him he should get large gathering of the public and recite the mani mantras with the melody the public, and everyone who sees and hears it would be blessed.”
–17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje
The Om Mani Padme Hum mantra of the deity of compassion, Avalokiteshvara and the Karmapas’ connection with them was present in Tibet long before the other well-known mantra ‘Karmapa Khyenno’. In fact, it the main origin of it becoming so widespread in Tibet seems to have begun with the 2nd Karmapa, Karma Pakshi (ཀརྨ་པཀྴི་, 1204/6–1283). In my book review of a new biography called ‘The Second Karma Pakshi: Tibetan Mahāsiddha’ (Shambhala, Charles Manson, 2022), I recorded the melody and rhythm of the mantra (as decribed in in said book) with visuals.
After that was published, a reader called Jonathan Njan immediately contacted me and said he wanted combine my vocal track with music, which he has now completed. Here is Jonathan’s new musical piece, which I have combined with visuals and words about how the Mani mantra was made widespread in Tibet by the 2nd Karmapa. For the presence of the Mani mantra in early Tibet see Kapstein (1992) and Avalokitesvara in Early Tibet III: Om mani padme hum, by Van Schaik (2007) who says:
“It does seem that before the 11th century, the six syllable mantra was only loosely associated with Avalokiteśvara in Tibet. Among the many Dunhuang texts devoted to the bodhisattva, only two contain the six syllable mantra, and in both cases it is still not quite the mantra as we know it. In particular, it has more than six syllables.”
So the point is that the 2nd Karmapa was the person who was behind the widespread transmission and practice of the six-syllable mantra.
As I recorded the song, it was inspiring and moving to render the melody and rhythm, said to have been taught by the ḍākinī/s. Like being transported back in time with Karma Pakshi’s gorgeous and powerful mind in the room with me. Apologies for the singing/sound quality, it was done on very basic equipment alone. For more on the origin and background to the six-syllable Mani mantra, see below.
Six-Syllable Mani mantra melody taught by Dakinis to 2nd Karmapa, Karma Pakshi
During the Meditation Development in the first half of Manson’s book (before he was called Karma Pakshi) it mentions Pakshi’s special connection to the Avalokiteśvara practice, and his reports of several visions of this deity associated with compassion practice, in particular the Jinasāgara tantric aspect of Avalokiteśvara. This is not described in great detail though. For more on the inseparability of Karma Pakshi from Jinasāgara/Avalokiteśvara, and information about the practice, see my recent articles here and here. In addition, it was the deity who warned Pakshi not to stay at the Prince Kubilai Khan’s encampment when he first met him:
“After he had invoked Avalokiteśvara in his Buddhist practice, the deity told him, “Do not stay here for a long time. I foresee much greed and anger will occur. Go to the wider plains farther north, where you will be respected by everyone.” (2022: 55).
Manson then cites two textual sources that state how the young man received the melody of the MANI mantra from wisdom ḍākinī/s. This was the first I heard of this and was fascinated to read that:
“As a further indication of the link with the deity of compassion, in the Red Annals (completed 1363), the author Tselpa Künga Dorjé wrote that a wisdom ḍākinī taught Karma Pakshi a special tune for singing the famous six-syllable maṇi mantra (oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ) associated with Avalokiteśvara. Tradition has it that Karma Pakshi promulgated the tune, which came to be used widely in communal singing of the mantra.”
Manson then backs this up with a slightly more elaborate account written by the Second Zhamarpa, a generation after the Red Annals, in which:
“An esoteric-wisdom ḍākinī appeared in a dream, surrounded by an ocean of dancing ḍākinīs, and said to Karma Pakshi, “You do not know how to recite the maṇi mantra.” He asked, “How should one recite it?” whereupon four ḍākinīs sang the tune in unison. The wisdom ḍākinī then said, “If subsequently one uses this tune for the mantra, then all who hear it will be greatly blessed, and it will be of great benefit to beings.”
I quickly checked the Red Annals, and this instruction from the ḍākinī was said to have happened before Karma Pakshi became a Getsul/Novice monk.
Furthermore, in a song attributed to Karma Pakshi, named in the colophon as “Melody of Karmāpa’s Intention, he extols five “necessities”, one of which is the MANI mantra and its benefits:
“All buddhas in all times
As miraculously compassionate Avalokiteśvara
With the six-lettered superb speech mantras
Act for the benefit of beings—that is a necessity.”
However, Manson then explains that the melody that Karma Pakshi would chant the mantra is not the same as the one today, and furthermore has its origins with the dakinis.
“The singing of the maṇi mantra in communal settings is a tradition whose origins have been credited to Karma Pakshi’s vision, but the simplified tune that is currently promulgated widely is apparently not the same as the tune received by Karma Pakshi.
In the twenty-first century the late Lama Norlha—known as a skillful chanter at Pelpung Monastery—at this author’s request did sing the tune in the tradition of Karma Pakshi. From the recording (made in 2006), the contemporary composer Dirk de Klerk notated the tune.”
The recording of Lama Norlha is available online. However, as he is quite a controversial lama when it comes to sexual misconduct towards women (reported by Lion’s Roar here), I (daringly, or disastrously who knows!) decided to record it myself as a video/visual Youtube track for those who cannot read musical notation, and who might like to hear it in a female voice (like the ḍākinī!). [1]
I have lowered the pitch of the notes for my voice, but the melody and timing remains the same. As you will hear, the tones, melody and rhythm do not follow a straight beat and are slightly dissonant, like a Tibetan singing bowl (which I added in the background). Resulting in some kind of mysterious almost Celtic/John Cage atmosphere to it. Even though it is eight hundred years old, it has a timeless resonance to it. As I recorded the song, it was inspiring and moving to render the melody and rhythm, said to have been taught by the ḍākinī/s. Like being transported back in time with Karma Pakshi’s gorgeous and powerful mind in the room with me.
17th Karmapa on 2nd Karmapa’s connection to the MANI mantra
In 2012, the 17th Karmapa composed and directed a three-part play about the life of Karma Pakshi. which can be watched on Youtube here: Karma Pakshi and a Jataka tale : A play with dance and a Tibetan opera – Tibetan Language Only.
Recently, the 17th Karmapa (February 2021), in an online teaching (which I wrote up in detail here), spoke about the deep connection between the Mani mantra and its melody and the 2nd Karmapa and subsequent Karmapas (in particular the 5th Karmapa). He explained that:
“The reason to recite the Mani mantra and use the prayer wheel is said to have come from the time of the Karma Pakshi. The main reason for this is because his main yidam was Red Chenrezig, Gyalwa Gyatso, and he had a vision. In that vision the dakinis of the five families told him he should get large gathering of the public and recite the mani mantras with the melody the public, and everyone who sees and hears it would be blessed. So Karma Pakshi had this vision and would wear the black crown and sing the mantra with the melodies. This is described in many Dharma histories, particularly the Feast for Scholars. In more recent histories, when Drogon Chophag [5th Sakya Trizin, 1235-1280] went to Mongolia, some people would say ‘Oh Karma Pakshi is nothing but a Mani reciter’. The Hor Emperors really respected Drogon Chophag but not Karma Pakshi. However, the point is that the tradition of reciting mantra and mani prayer wheels in Tibet is because Karma Pakshi spread them. As the 7th Panchen Tenpai Nyitsten, and other scholars and masters have also said.”
Then in another teaching on the 5th Karmapa (March 2021), the 17th Karmapa continued that:
“Thus, at the time of the earlier Karmapas, people were primarily benefitted by the mani mantra and the mani melody, as that was the melody sung at that time. When 5th Karmapa, Dezhin Shegpa performed the ceremonies and rituals, and every day so many auspicious signs occurred, that people of all ranks, ordinary people also naturally developed faith and belief, and would recite the mani mantras, day and night.”
What is the relationship between having faith in the Karmapa and reciting the six-syllable mani mantra? Isn’t that the mantra of Avalokiteshvara? In this text there are 126 Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and the 26th is the 5th Karmapa. In the Chinese it clearly reads: “The mantra of Guru Karmapa, the Precious King of Dharma, OM MANI PADME HUM”. The Tibetan text is not so clear and reads: “I prostrate to the Lord of Dharma, Karmapa, OM MANI PADME HUM.” At that time, he explained, there was no tradition of chanting “Karmapa Khyenno.” As we do these days. Because the Karmapa was considered an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, there was the tradition of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM, the mantra of Avalokiteshvara. What is more, Karma Pakshi had emphasized the mani practice so much, and when Dezhin Shegpa went to China, he also recited it as well. Thus, the six-syllable mantra also spread widely in China under the influence of the Yongle emperor There seems to be a profound connection here.”
Since the Karmapa is considered an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, the Karmapa explained, it is not surprising to find the six-syllable mantra associated with him. There was also a tradition of people (known as maniwa, the mani people) putting the mantra to a melody and singing it to benefit others as they traveled around Tibet. This custom dates from the time of the Second Karmapa, as does the tradition of mani wheels. This is confirmed, the Karmapa stated, in a history by the sixth or seventh Panchen Lama, in which he discussed the benefits of mani wheels and traced them back to Karma Pakshi. So, there is a special connection between the Karmapas and the six-syllable mantra. The 17th Karmapa also described how the 5th Karmapa was pictured in an old Chinese text with the Mani mantra written below him.
Endnotes
[1] Last month, a court case was newly launched against the ‘enablers’ of Lama Norlha’s conduct, the staff at Kagyu Thubten Choling (KTC) centre (now called Palpung Thubten Choling) in the USA: See here: https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/ktc-monastery-buddhist-leader-rape-lawsuit-18519994.php and here: https://openbuddhism.org/blog/2023/complaint-filed-against-palpung-thubten-choling/ The case bears strong similarities to my own case when it comes to the enablers who ignored their complaints.
Sources
Kapstein, Matthew. 1992. “Remarks on the Mani bka ‘bum and the Cult of Avalokitesvara in Tibet”. Goodman & Davidson (eds.), Tibetan Buddhism, Reason and Revelation. 79-93.
Van Schaik, Sam. 2007. Avalokitesvara in Early Tibet III: Om mani padme hum.
Also, the 17th Karmapa teachings here:
THE BRAVE ‘KAGYU FOX’: Meaning and origin of the name ‘Karmapa’, the ‘midnight-blue crown’ and ‘Karmapa Khyenno’ mantra: ‘Good Deeds of 8th Karmapa’ by 17th Karmapa (Day One)
THE 5TH KARMAPA WHO SAID ‘NO’ TO WORLDLY POWER: 5th Karmapa’s refusal to take control of Tibet; Je Tsongkhapa; famous Chinese translators, Zhiguang and Palden Tashi; the Chinese ‘Marco Polo’ explorer, Zhenghe; and a $45 million thangka. Good Deeds teaching by 17th Karmapa (Day 10: Part I).