Detailed Introduction
Mantras and scriptures are indispensable elements of Taiwanese religious life. Whether it is the Buddhist practice of reciting mantras and chanting the Buddha's name, Taoist scripture recitation and prayers, or the incantations of folk religion, these sacred words carry millennia of religious wisdom and remain a core part of daily spiritual practice for countless believers.
Namo Amitabha Buddha
"Namo Amitabha Buddha" (Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya) is the most universally known Buddha invocation in Taiwan -- virtually everyone can recite it. "Namo" means "homage to" or "I take refuge in," and "Amitabha" means "Infinite Light, Infinite Life." Pure Land Buddhism teaches that by wholeheartedly reciting this six-syllable Buddha name, Amitabha Buddha will come at the moment of death to guide the practitioner to rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. In Taiwan, "Amitabha" has transcended its religious context to become an everyday greeting -- saying "Amitabha" upon meeting conveys blessings, saying it after a fright expresses a plea for peace, and it has even become a common interjection.
The Great Compassion Mantra (Dabeizhou)
The Great Compassion Mantra, formally titled "The Great Compassion Heart Dharani of the Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva," consists of 84 lines and is the most commonly recited long mantra among Taiwanese Buddhists. Spoken by Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) Bodhisattva, reciting it brings the bodhisattva's blessing and protection, alleviating illness, averting disaster, and increasing wisdom. Many Buddhists include seven or twenty-one recitations of the Great Compassion Mantra in their daily practice. Taiwanese Buddhist temples also chant it regularly during morning and evening services. Additionally, "Great Compassion Water" -- water blessed with the Great Compassion Mantra -- is believed to possess miraculous healing powers.
The Heart Sutra (Bore Boluomiduo Xingjing)
The Heart Sutra is the most familiar scripture among Taiwanese Buddhists. At only 260 characters, it is regarded as the essential distillation of the entire 600-volume Great Prajna Sutra. Its core teaching -- "Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form; form is emptiness, emptiness is form" -- reveals the Buddhist wisdom of "emptiness" (sunyata). The closing mantra, "Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha" (Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond, enlightenment, so be it!), is the summation mantra of the entire Heart Sutra. The Heart Sutra is widely copied (sutra-copying is a common practice among Taiwanese Buddhists), memorized, and chanted, and is also a favored subject for calligraphers.
The Rebirth Mantra (Wangsheng Zhou)
Formally titled "The Dharani for Pulling Out the Roots of All Karmic Obstacles and Gaining Rebirth in the Pure Land," this is one of the most commonly heard mantras in Taiwanese funerary customs. In memorial services, dharma assemblies, and personal practice, the Rebirth Mantra is recited for the deceased, praying that their karmic obstacles are removed and they may be reborn in the Western Pure Land. Many Taiwanese, even if not devout Buddhists, will recite the Rebirth Mantra after a loved one's passing as an expression of remembrance.
The Six-Syllable Mantra (Om Mani Padme Hum)
Om Mani Padme Hum is the heart mantra of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, also known as the "Six-Syllable Great Bright Mantra." Each syllable represents one of Avalokitesvara's compassionate vows. Reciting the Six-Syllable Mantra brings the bodhisattva's protection. In Taiwan, many Buddhists recite it using prayer wheels or mala beads, and it can be practiced anytime, anywhere.
By Supreme Command of Taishang Laojun, Execute Forthwith as Decreed
This is the most common concluding formula in Taoist ceremonies, appearing at the end of virtually every talisman command and incantation. "Taishang Laojun" is one of the highest deities in Taoism (identified with Laozi), and "ji ji ru lu ling" means "execute immediately as if by force of law." This phrase represents the Taoist priest issuing commands by the authority of Taishang Laojun, ordering ghosts and spirits to comply. In Taiwanese folk culture, this phrase is nearly synonymous with Taoism, and Taoist characters in film and television often deliver this line.
Purification Incantations for Mouth and Body
Before conducting a ceremony or reciting scriptures, Taoist practitioners first recite the "Mouth Purification Incantation" and "Body Purification Incantation" to cleanse body and mind. The Mouth Purification Incantation ensures that the mouth is clean so that scripture recitation is not rendered ineffective by impure speech karma; the Body Purification Incantation cleanses the entire energy field so the practitioner faces the deities in the purest state possible. These two incantations are fundamental daily practice for Taoist priests and essential preparatory rituals before opening an altar.
The Medicine Buddha Mantra
The Medicine Buddha Mantra, formally titled "The Consecration Mantra of the Medicine Master of Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata," is recited to pray for physical health and to cure illness. In Taiwan, many worshippers recite the Medicine Buddha Mantra when they or their loved ones fall ill, often combining it with lighting "Medicine Buddha Lamps" before the Medicine Buddha statue to pray for recovery. Some Buddhist temples regularly hold "Medicine Buddha Dharma Assemblies" for collective mantra recitation.
Common Folk Prayer Formulas
Beyond formal mantras and scriptures, Taiwanese folk religion also features many prayer formulas passed down through generations. For example, the standard prayer format used when worshipping at a temple: "Your disciple [name], residing at [address], born on [lunar date], has come here with a sincere heart today to pray for [request], hoping that [desired outcome]..." This standardized self-introduction is the basic courtesy for making oneself known to the deity. Additionally, "Spirits of heaven, spirits of earth" is a common opening phrase used in fright-calming rituals, while "Execute forthwith as decreed, dismissed!" is a simplified version of the Taoist incantation formula widely used in folk practice.