<p>The pure Sanskrit is the best from my subjective experience. Remember Padmasambhava was Indian and although he was an Indian Buddhist,  he came from the Brahmin caste, was a sadhu , and he carries Rudra / Shiva's  Trishula ( Trident ) and an Aghori skull cap. Both very powerful symbols  of Himalayan Shaivism.  There is something very unique about Padmasambhava , for my intuition tells me his Ishta Dev was Rudra.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-12T11:05:16.653Z
2019-10-12T11:05:16.653Z
Oz Astrapaios
<p>Alexander is correct on the Tibetan and you are close on the other Sanskrit version, but the words are out of order.  OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG is the order of the one you refer to in your question. However, both are actually Sanskrit. It is just a different arrangement of essentially the same words. Both are equally correct, just from different cultural aspects.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-02T22:55:38.793Z
2016-05-02T23:05:35.100Z
2016-05-02T23:05:35.100Z
Bonnie Topits
<p>The Sanskirt version is best one to practice. The other ones sound too nasally and the feeling in my body when I practice different.</p>

<p>"Ohm a hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum" x3</p>

<p>That being said, it is a mantra referring to a Tibetan saint/reincarnation of Gautama... so maybe the Tibetan pronunciation would be more powerful.. I haven't practiced that one long enough to know.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-02T20:15:48.757Z
2016-06-02T20:15:48.757Z
Med
<p>First, the spelling of the mantra in Devanagari ("Sanskrit") and Tibetan scripts:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/AL9i3.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/AL9i3.png" alt="Devanagari Vajra Guru Mantra"></a></p>

<p>Transliteration: <strong><em>oṃ āḥ hūṃ vajra-guru padma-siddhi hūṃ</em></strong></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/clPYh.gif" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/clPYh.gif" alt="Tibetan Vajra Guru Mantra"></a></p>

<p>Transliteration: <strong><em>oṃ āḥ hūṃ badzra-guru padma-siddhi hūṃ</em></strong></p>

<p>The following two characters differ (Tibetan script followed by IPA): བ = /ba/, ཛ = /dza/. Why is that? There's no व "va" in the native Tibetan alphabet, so the options are ཝ "wa" or བ "ba". In this case, "ba" has been chosen. Letter ཛ /dza/, instead of the native "ja" ཇ /dʒa/, is commonly used to transliterate the Devanagari ज "ja", being phonetically closer (although not identical). The spelling of <em>"padma"</em> is identical, however in Tibetan the pronunciation becomes <em>"pema"</em>. Likewise "<em>badzra</em>" becomes "<em>benza</em>", non-native Sanskrit conjuncts like "dzr" often morph like that. The literal spelling "pema" has also entered some Tibetan texts, though I haven't seen it used for this particular transliteration.</p>

<p>There are also variations (regional/lineage/historical) of the actual pronunciation in Tibetan, so the answer to your question, "<em>which version is more authentic</em>", depends largely on "<em>according to whom</em>". Undoubtedly each Tibetan lineage will hold that their version is the preferred one. If you should find an Indian Vajrayana practitioner from a native lineage, they would probably prefer the Sanskritic version. If you happened to find a heir to the Mahasiddhas of early medieval Bengal, chances are they'd prefer you muttering "<em>bojro-guru podmo-siddhi</em>" instead. To each their own, I say, and all success.</p>

<p><em>"Is it up to the individual?"</em> Again, it depends. If you follow a traditional Lama who has inherited a certain version, then that's probably what you are expected to emulate. (Be aware that Roman transliterations in Tibetan writings available in English are often approximate, if not crude, and non-standardized. Find a recording and follow that if you want to have it 100% per the source.) If you follow your own lead, then yes, surely it is up to you, and your experience, which variant you may prefer.</p>

<p>If you're a lonely rider on the path to nowhere, you will want to burrow into the effects of each version and try to pin down the mind-space and energy impact conjured by each variant, along with the syllables when individually uttered. (This is worthy practice with any mantra and in any case.)</p>

<p><em>The greatest benefit</em> follows from no particular pronunciation, but from the skill of entering the mantra and deploying it as a medium for entering the "lotus-born diamond-master" space of awareness, flanked by the energies of the seed-syllables — and in due course embodying all that yourself.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-19T10:11:33.897Z
For anyone needing it, the unicode devanagiri is ॐ आः हूं वज्र गुरु पद्म सिद्धि हूं
Jonathan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-30T18:40:04.213Z
2016-12-30T18:47:14.263Z
2016-12-30T18:47:14.263Z
Markus AO
<p>I see "Om ah hung vajra guru pema siddhi hung" but also "Om ah hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum". </p>

<p>I know the first is Sanskrit mixed with Tibetan and the latter is pure Sanskrit. I also am aware that it is about how the Tibetans pronounce Sanskrit. </p>

<p>Is one preferred or more authentic? Is it up to the individual?</p>

<p>Any elucidation on this matter is greatly appreciated. Thank you.</p>

<mantra>
What is the proper Vajra Guru mantra?
# What is the proper Vajra Guru mantra?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-26)

I see "Om ah hung vajra guru pema siddhi hung" but also "Om ah hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum".

I know the first is Sanskrit mixed with Tibetan and the latter is pure Sanskrit. I also am aware that it is about how the Tibetans pronounce Sanskrit.

Is one preferred or more authentic? Is it up to the individual?

Any elucidation on this matter is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

**Tags:** mantra


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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-12-30. Score: 5

First, the spelling of the mantra in Devanagari ("Sanskrit") and Tibetan scripts:

[![Devanagari Vajra Guru Mantra](https://i.sstatic.net/AL9i3.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/AL9i3.png)

Transliteration: ***oṃ āḥ hūṃ vajra-guru padma-siddhi hūṃ***

[![Tibetan Vajra Guru Mantra](https://i.sstatic.net/clPYh.gif)](https://i.sstatic.net/clPYh.gif)

Transliteration: ***oṃ āḥ hūṃ badzra-guru padma-siddhi hūṃ***

The following two characters differ (Tibetan script followed by IPA): བ = /ba/, ཛ = /dza/. Why is that? There's no व "va" in the native Tibetan alphabet, so the options are ཝ "wa" or བ "ba". In this case, "ba" has been chosen. Letter ཛ /dza/, instead of the native "ja" ཇ /dʒa/, is commonly used to transliterate the Devanagari ज "ja", being phonetically closer (although not identical). The spelling of *"padma"* is identical, however in Tibetan the pronunciation becomes *"pema"*. Likewise "*badzra*" becomes "*benza*", non-native Sanskrit conjuncts like "dzr" often morph like that. The literal spelling "pema" has also entered some Tibetan texts, though I haven't seen it used for this particular transliteration.

There are also variations (regional/lineage/historical) of the actual pronunciation in Tibetan, so the answer to your question, "*which version is more authentic*", depends largely on "*according to whom*". Undoubtedly each Tibetan lineage will hold that their version is the preferred one. If you should find an Indian Vajrayana practitioner from a native lineage, they would probably prefer the Sanskritic version. If you happened to find a heir to the Mahasiddhas of early medieval Bengal, chances are they'd prefer you muttering "*bojro-guru podmo-siddhi*" instead. To each their own, I say, and all success.

*"Is it up to the individual?"* Again, it depends. If you follow a traditional Lama who has inherited a certain version, then that's probably what you are expected to emulate. (Be aware that Roman transliterations in Tibetan writings available in English are often approximate, if not crude, and non-standardized. Find a recording and follow that if you want to have it 100% per the source.) If you follow your own lead, then yes, surely it is up to you, and your experience, which variant you may prefer.

If you're a lonely rider on the path to nowhere, you will want to burrow into the effects of each version and try to pin down the mind-space and energy impact conjured by each variant, along with the syllables when individually uttered. (This is worthy practice with any mantra and in any case.)

*The greatest benefit* follows from no particular pronunciation, but from the skill of entering the mantra and deploying it as a medium for entering the "lotus-born diamond-master" space of awareness, flanked by the energies of the seed-syllables — and in due course embodying all that yourself.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: For anyone needing it, the unicode devanagiri is ॐ आः हूं वज्र गुरु पद्म सिद्धि हूं  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2019-10-12. Score: 1

The pure Sanskrit is the best from my subjective experience. Remember Padmasambhava was Indian and although he was an Indian Buddhist, he came from the Brahmin caste, was a sadhu , and he carries Rudra / Shiva's Trishula ( Trident ) and an Aghori skull cap. Both very powerful symbols of Himalayan Shaivism. There is something very unique about Padmasambhava , for my intuition tells me his Ishta Dev was Rudra.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2016-05-02. Score: 0

Alexander is correct on the Tibetan and you are close on the other Sanskrit version, but the words are out of order. OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG is the order of the one you refer to in your question. However, both are actually Sanskrit. It is just a different arrangement of essentially the same words. Both are equally correct, just from different cultural aspects.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-06-02. Score: 0

The Sanskirt version is best one to practice. The other ones sound too nasally and the feeling in my body when I practice different.

"Ohm a hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum" x3

That being said, it is a mantra referring to a Tibetan saint/reincarnation of Gautama... so maybe the Tibetan pronunciation would be more powerful.. I haven't practiced that one long enough to know.


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