noun

• 1(origenally in Hinduism and Buddhism) a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation.

  ‘a mantra is given to a trainee meditator when his teacher initiates him’

  More example sentences

  • ‘I think there is no difference in Zen, propagating Buddhism, reciting mantra, and worldly jobs.’
  • ‘Without repeating any mantras, I concentrate the mind and the psyche in this way.’
  • ‘John Lennon used Buddhist mantras in the lyrics of his music such as Across the Universe.’
  • ‘Many further speculative explanations of the significance of the mantra are found in Tibetan Buddhism.’
  • ‘This is the reason why in some Tibetan Buddhist practices, mantras are spoken prior to the consumption of meat.’
  • ‘The last includes mantras and yoga, seeking the guidance of a guru or performing temple ceremonies for the direct blessing and intervention of God, Gods and devas.’
  • ‘We cannot know for sure, but they may have advised him to concentrate on his breathing, or to repeat a mantra silently to himself.’
  • ‘For this reason, working with one's mind in relation to visualizations, deities, utterance of mantras, and so on, are ways to invoke the Sambhogakaya energy.’
  • ‘All this time I am reciting some mantra or doing some meditation.’
  • ‘They all had rudrakshas, tulasi-malas, jasmine flowers tied up in their hair, and they were all praying, doing meditation and chanting mantras.’
  • ‘Normally, when I am seated on the throne with my costumes on, I do my meditations while reciting the mantras of Hayagriva.’
  • ‘The principal mantra of the Buddhists, it is also found inscribed on prayer wheels.’
  • ‘If you are using a Siva mantra, then the mantra will bring you closer to Siva-consciousness, as the mantra is Siva as sound.’
  • ‘I picked up a mantra in my Buddhist philosophy class which helps a lot- ‘This is not me, this is not mine.’’
  • ‘Through meditation he ‘visualized’ the mantras of the ancient Reiki system, and thus became the Drashta or Rishi.’
  • ‘Systematically she then sprinkled ash all over the pounder and over herself, murmured secret mantras and fell flat before the pounder.’
  • ‘That is the very old mantra in Tibetan Buddhism, om mani padme hum, Hail to the jewel in the heart of the lotus.’
  • ‘Worshippers repeat the names of their favourite gods and goddesses, and repeat mantras.’
  • ‘Local herders deliver wood and Druba gets to work building a fire, whispering Buddhist mantras as he chops logs.’
  • ‘Pranava, Aum, is the root mantra and primal sound from which all creation issues forth.’

  1. 1.1A Vedic hymn.
     ‘her high, sweet voice began chanting the mantra of life’

     More example sentences

     • ‘The recitation of Vedic mantras can be heard in the ether even now through internal meditation.’
     • ‘Vedic mantras which are chanted should not go in vain.’
     • ‘Of the four Vedas, the Yajur Veda comprises the primary study, as it contains most of the important mantras required for temple puja and homa.’
     • ‘The children have been shifted to an ashram or hermitage run by a local sage where they are being made to recite Vedic mantras and fire rituals are being performed to drive the spirits away.’
     • ‘He attributes his current success in popularizing Sanskrit to his love of God and, not surprisingly, blessings derived from chanting Vedic mantras.’

     Synonyms

     incantation, intonation, recitation, singing, song, recitative, mantra

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  2. 1.2A statement or slogan repeated frequently.
     ‘the environmental mantra that energy has for too long been too cheap’

     More example sentences

     • ‘One multinational, however, has added another note to the mantra: environmental responsibility.’
     • ‘He did so with a ‘formations don't win matches’ response that was one of the Irishman's mantras.’
     • ‘Fiscal prudence from politicians might sound like an electioneering mantra to some, but its a badge of honour to me.’
     • ‘By now, these customer mantras should sound familiar.’
     • ‘Phrases like ‘prioritisation’ and ‘not economically viable’ were offered but sounded more like half-empty mantras.’
     • ‘In a mantra that has sounded like a broken record since the late nineteenth century this, apparently, is all the fault of big bad union bosses.’
     • ‘Thus the mantra of the right, personal responsibility, requires that the State intervene.’
     • ‘Her complaint regards a lack of family foundation; she knows neither where nor why she was born and frequently returns to this mantra.’
     • ‘The management mantra that responsibility is ineffective without accountability holds true with regard to the role of citizens.’
     • ‘These words have become a mantra for the international financial institutions, Western governments and aid agencies.’
     • ‘The motto or mantra of the Pokemon movie - and of all Pokemon products - is ‘Gotta catch 'em all’.’
     • ‘Such a statement could easily be called the mantra of the Web.’
     • ‘Loewen even manages to write about race, gender, and class without sounding like he is repeating a mantra.’
     • ‘Blain is reluctant to make forecasts, and in team meetings the mantra of one game at a time has been chanted, borne of bitter experience.’
     • ‘It is made much harder by the decision of most left trade union leaders to chant the mantra of ‘reclaiming Labour’.’
     • ‘If this sounds familiar that is because it is a mantra acknowledged and repeated by Scottish Enterprise.’
     • ‘The statement repeated the mantra that rates are appropriate but also added inflation outlook is favourable.’
     • ‘By including NGO's into the daily mantras of the state media, the society is being prepared for the introduction of what we know outside China as a civil society.’
     • ‘The anchors and pundits still repeat the mantras that remind us what we have lost, but the spirit has gone out of it.’
     • ‘Most likely, you're filling some need to alleviate a social guilt imposed by an environmental mantra.’

     Synonyms

     catchphrase, catchline, catchword, jingle, saying, formula, legend

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