OM MANI PADME HUM (Mantra) by His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. Reciting the mantra "OM MANI PADME HUM" is beneficial when its profound meaning is contemplated. The syllable OM represents the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind, balanced by the pure form of a Buddha. The next four syllables—MANI (jewel) symbolize altruistic intention and compassion, while PADME (lotus) signifies wisdom, illustrating how wisdom can thrive amid imperfections. The final syllable, HUM, represents the unity of method and wisdom, symbolizing unshakeable consciousness. Together, the mantra signifies that through practice, one can transform impure aspects into the pure forms of a Buddha, emphasizing that the path to Buddhahood lies within oneself. (From a lecture given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet at the Kalmuck Mongolian Buddhist Center, New Jersey.)