english.newslab.ru, September 11, 2006

Tuva -- Gyudmed Tantric Monastery monks, who are on a visit in Tuva, have finished their work at the world's biggest Buddhist mantra. The mantra of Chenrezig, (Tibetan: Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva), "Om mani padme hum" is made of huge stones on the side of Dogee Mountain, known as Lenin Peak. One can have a picturesque view on Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva, from the top of this mountain, IA Tuva-Online reports.

The length of the holy mantra is 120 m. It took 500 kilos of white paint to paint the stones. 'Tibetan Buddhists usually engrave holy mantras on the stones. A great many of them can be seen on the mountainous slopes and passes, as Tupten Shakia, the monk group leader, explained. However, there is hardly such a huge mantra made of big stones even in Tibet, he noted.

The tradition of writing of stones on the mountainous slopes was spread in the Soviet times. Schoolchildren and students wrote the motto "Glory to the Communist Party!" on the even slopes. One could have read the name of Lenin on the top of the mountain, which could be seen well from any place in Kyzyl, recently. In the 90s the word "Lenin" was changed into "Dogee", which was the real name of the mountain, as Tuvan perestroika apologists believed.

The mantra "om mani padme hum" is not a mere prayer to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. In accordance with Buddhist holy texts, it has the holy power of his blessing and love. In this sense a mantra, either written or pronounced, is the Bodhisattva itself, which revealed itself in this world to help all the sentient beings. "Everyone who can see, hear or read this holy mantra gets blessing from Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva," Tupten Shakia says, "And the wind, which touches the stones making the mantra on Dogee slope will carry its blessing further as a gift to all the life forms on its way."