Mantra – Prayers or repeated holy sounds

(Pronounced man-trah)

It was a praying mantis trap (mantra): she fell into a giant hole and you heard her shout a prayer as she disappeared into the abyss.

Chanting mantras is a way of learning and showing devotion to Buddhist ideas and principles.

Mantras are often linked to meditation – they are considered to be an effective way of focusing the mind.

Buddhists memorise mantras by repeating them many times, then teach them to other people verbally.

Many mantras contain teachings of the Buddha, such as the Three Refuges or the Five Precepts.

One of the best-known mantras is Avalokiteshvara, which contains the words “Om mani padme hum”, meaning “Behold! The jewel in the lotus!”