[Buddha-l] Buddhist mantras for imperfections made in practice

[Jion Prosser]

Greetings,

I was quite interested in Alex W's insight below:

>This is said to compensate for any imperfections in whatever has just
>preceded it.

In our Japanese Tendai tradition, we have a (similar?) mantra used to make
up for such imperfections and mistakes in one's practice.  Does anyone else
on the list from diverse traditions have experience with such a mantra?

Gassho-
Rev. Jion Prosser
www.tendai-lotus.org


>Tuesday, July 25, 2006 5:18 PM

>Although it does not satisfy the classical criteria of a mantra, it is very
>commonly used after, for instance, reciting a whole bunch of mantras. In
>that context, there are three things recited one after each other, treated
>almost as a single item: 1) the Sanskrit alphabet (in some sort of
>pronunciation) 2) the 100-syllable mantra of Vajrasattva and 3) the verse
>in question.
>This is said to compensate for any imperfections in whatever has just
>preceded it. In this usage there in not much focus on its meaning, though I
>think the serious practitioner would be expected to know. It has, therefore
>(and again I say *in this context*) at least some things in common with a
>mantra. Perhaps it would be thought of as a dharani?
>All the best
>Alex W