Mantras & Sacred Scriptures
Discover the essential mantras, dharanis, and sacred scriptures of Taiwanese Buddhism and Taoism -- their origins, meanings, and methods of practice.
The Great Compassion Mantra (Dabeizhou)
An 84-line dharani spoken by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the most commonly recited long mantra among Taiwanese Buddhists, renowned for its healing and protective power.
The Heart Sutra (Bore Boluomiduo Xingjing)
The most essential Buddhist scripture, distilling the wisdom of prajna (transcendent wisdom) into just 260 characters. Its teaching that 'form is emptiness' resonates deeply across cultures.
The Six-Syllable Mantra (Om Mani Padme Hum)
The heart mantra of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva -- a mantra of compassion that can be recited anytime, anywhere.
The Green Tara Mantra
'Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha' -- the mantra of Tibetan Buddhism's most beloved female bodhisattva, dispelling fear and removing obstacles.
The Cundi Dharani (Zhunti Zhou)
'Homage to the seven million Buddhas. Om Cale Cule Cundi Svaha.' The core mantra of Cundi Buddha Mother, capable of eliminating sins, increasing blessings, and fulfilling all wishes.
The Medicine Buddha Mantra
The mantra of the Medicine Master of Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata, recited to pray for physical health, cure illness, and extend life.
The Rebirth Mantra (Wangsheng Zhou)
The 'Dharani for Pulling Out the Roots of All Karmic Obstacles and Gaining Rebirth in the Pure Land' -- the most commonly recited mantra in Taiwanese funerary customs.
The Shurangama Mantra (Lengyan Zhou)
The longest mantra in Buddhism, revered as the 'King of Mantras,' possessing supreme power for dharma protection and exorcism.
The Scripture of Constant Clarity and Stillness (Qingjing Jing)
One of the most important daily recitation scriptures in Taoism, expounding the cultivation ideal of clarity, stillness, and effortless action (wu wei) to settle the mind.
Treatise on Response and Retribution (Taishang Ganying Pian)
The most widely circulated Taoist moral tract. Its teaching that 'calamity and fortune have no gate; they are summoned by people themselves' has profoundly shaped the concept of karmic cause and effect.