Dear little_blackant,

If you ask several persons the reason for reciting mantras,
you will get different answers, such as
to have good graces, to have good results,
to protect you from frightening things,
not to get angry, and lots of other reasons.
But all will agree that it is good and useful to do so.
 

If grown ups tell you to or make you recite mantras
it would not be for their own good
but because they believe it would be good for you.

Have you ever noticed
how you feel when you are reciting mantras?
While you are reading or reciting the words,
you would probably have samathi (concentration, focus)
with your mind on the words which have an agreeable rhythm, nice sounds.
At that moment you wouldn't be thinking of anything bad, nor feel sad,
afraid, or angry, would you?

Mantras are generally in Pali, with meanings,
like: "Buddham saranam gacchami" which means
"I take the Buddha (or his teachings) as refuge (help, support, shelter).
To recite this is to show that you mean to do this.

You should ask grown ups or someone who knows
what each mantra means
then you would know that each one has good meanings,
good words, and when you recite them,
you should always think of the meanings
and then really try to do what you recite too, all right?

Amara-Varee
Nov. 18, 1999
 
 
 

December 11,1999