Aum

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Aum, Om, A-Un 阿吽

***** Location: All of India, Japan
***** Season: Non-Seasonal Topic
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation


http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Image:Aum.png


Aum Is All This And Also That Which Is Not All This!
It Is The Primordial Self-Resonance That Created All The Cosmoses.
It Is Also Pre-primordial through Innumerable PathWays.

Om is not a mere word.

In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
John.1.1 Bible

According to eastern traditions OM is the Word in this Revelation. It Is the Beeja Mantram [Seed Mantram] of All Mantrams [Divine Resonances] and Mownams [ Vast Cosmic Silences ] .

Let me quote Mandukyopanishad
"Ometyedakshram idam sarvam ~ tasyopavyaakhyaanam bhootham bhavat bhavshyateti sarvam-omkaara eva ~ yachaanyat trikaalaateetham tadapy-omkaara eva".

"OM The Imperishable is All This. In Elucidations the past present future are verily "Om" Itself. If verily there Exists anything other than these three states of Time even that is OM."

Om is composed of three Sounds Aa U M. "Aa" represnts the waking state of consciousness. "U" represnts the dream state of consciousness and "M" represents the deep sleep state of Consciousness .
"Aum" [OM ]together represents the fourth state of Consciousness called Turiya Avastha when one becomes the Witness of All three states and transcends into Samaadhi[Satori].

OM is used all over in the Vedic Mantrams and Tantric Mantrams too.
It Is The Seed Of All.

Even Buddhist and Jaina scriptures and teachings accept OM unconditionally.

OM mani padma hum
[ OM the jewel lotus blooms ]

OM hrim kleem
[ used by Taantriks in All Indian traditions. ]

Om Hari hi Om
[ OM Hari the All pervasive Vishnu verily OM ]
Is the general Mantram used before any auspicious ritual.

Om Maha Ganapathaye nama:
Om nama Shivaaya
Om namo Naaraayanaaya
Om namo Lakshmi-Narasimhaaya

etc are Mantrams used for meditation and prayer.

Om has innumerable synonyms most important being Pranava
[The Primordial Resonance].

There are cassettes with just OM recited perpetually resonantly~
There are also cassettes with "Om Namo Naaraayanaaya" and "Aum Nama Shivaaya"
etc. recited perpetually resonantly" .

Narayanan Raghunathan

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Some further links

What Does Pranava Mean?
Literally, Pranava in Sanskrit means "humming."
The mantram Aum denotes God as the Primal Sound. This sound can be heard as the sound of one's own nerve system, and meditators and mystics hear it daily, like the sound made by an electrical transformer or a swarm of bees, or a thousand vinas playing in the distance. It is a strong, inner experience, one that yogis hold with great reverence. The meditator is taught to inwardly transform this sound into the inner light which lights up ones' thoughts, and to bask in this blissful consciousness of light. Pranava is also known as the sound of the nadanadi sakti. Hearing it one draws near to God Consciousness.

When we are living in the lower chakras, or when the world too strongly dominates our mind, this sound may, for a time, not be heard. But it returns as awareness withdraws, as the mind becomes perfectly quiescent, silent, still. Listen for this sound in your quietest moments and you will learn to recognize it as a daily encounter with the Divine that lives within all men, within all creatures, within all existence.
Aum Namasivaya!
http://www.himalayanacademy.com/art/aum/pranava.html
... ... ...

Sanathana Dharma Pranava
http://www.sanathanadharma.com/symbol/pranava.htm

Basic Study of Hindu Religion
http://www.bnaiyer.com/vidya/pranava.html

A selection of articles related to Pranava
http://www.experiencefestival.com/pranava

Select sites on the sacred symbol of Aum or Om
http://hinduism.about.com/od/omaum/

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Om - An Inquiry into its Aesthetics, Mysticism, and Philosophy
© by Nitin Kumar, Exotic India



A deeper insight into this mystic symbol reveals that it is composed of three syllables combined into one, not like a physical mixture but more like a chemical combination. Indeed in Sanskrit the vowel 'o' is constitutionally a diphthong compound of a + u; hence OM is representatively written as AUM.

Fittingly, the symbol of AUM consists of three curves (curves 1, 2, and 3), one semicircle (curve 4), and a dot.

The large lower curve 1 symbolizes the waking state (jagrat), in this state the consciousness is turned outwards through the gates of the senses. The larger size signifies that this is the most common ('majority') state of the human consciousness.

The upper curve 2 denotes the state of deep sleep (sushupti) or the unconscious state. This is a state where the sleeper desires nothing nor beholds any dream.

The middle curve 3 (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state (swapna). In this state the consciousness of the individual is turned inwards, and the dreaming self beholds an enthralling view of the world behind the lids of the eyes.

These are the three states of an individual's consciousness, and since Indian mystic thought believes the entire manifested reality to spring from this consciousness, these three curves therefore represent the entire physical phenomenon.

The dot signifies the fourth state of consciousness, known in Sanskrit as turiya. In this state the consciousness looks neither outwards nor inwards, nor the two together. It signifies the coming to rest of all differentiated, relative existence This utterly quiet, peaceful and blissful state is the ultimate aim of all spiritual activity. This Absolute (non-relative) state illuminates the other three states.

Finally, the semi circle symbolizes maya and separates the dot from the other three curves. Thus it is the illusion of maya that prevents us from the realization of this highest state of bliss. The semi circle is open at the top, and does not touch the dot. This means that this highest state is not affected by maya. Maya only affects the manifested phenomenon. This effect is that of preventing the seeker from reaching his ultimate goal, the realization of the One, all-pervading, unmanifest, Absolute principle. In this manner, the form of OM represents both the unmanifest and the manifest, the noumenon and the phenomenon.

As a sacred sound also, the pronunciation of the three-syllabled AUM is open to a rich logical analysis.

Read the rest of the story, look at some great photos here:
http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/om

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Things found on the way

Japan

A-UN 阿吽　is the Japanese pronunciation; usually we know this sound as the holy mantram OM or AUM.

A-Un-Ring
http://www.rakuten.co.jp/beyondcool/273773/273740/416353/#415759

The most famous rendering of A-Un are probably the huge statues of the Nioo-Deities of the gate of the temple Todai-Ji.

The statue A has his mouth open, the beginning of all things.
The statue UN has his mouth shut, the end of all things.



http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~kotonara/niouzou.htm


Look at more of them here:
Nio Protectors of Japan - Japanese Buddhism Photo Dictionary



Sometimes the eyes of Daruma are painted
with the two Sanskrit letters for A and Un.



. Temple Jindai-ji 深大寺の達磨市と梵字 .

in the beginning
in the end
Daruma san

Gabi Greve
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/happyhaiku/message/1892

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Alpha and Omega Α α Alpha / Ω ω Omega
In Jewish Theology and In Christian Usage
"the first and last; signifies God's eternity"
The fourth Gospel, after stating that the "Word was God", says, "and the Word dwelt among us full of grace and truth".

Read an interesting article on the subject here:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01332b.htm

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HAIKU

white-floral path
spreads into infinity ~
resonant Aum ~~

... ... ...

pranavam mahaadhbutham
idam pratyaksham sarvam

Pranava is great wonder
all that is revealed here ~

... ... ...

Om sahasradala
padma-sambhavam
padma paani [ Sanskrit]

Om, the infinite
petalled lotus becomes
the lotus Buddha

... ... ...

white-floral path
spreads into infinity ~
resonant Aum ~~

(look at the photo which inspired this haiku here
http://home.alc.co.jp/db/owa/PH_detail?photo_sn_in=1579)

Narayanan Raghunathan

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"Om... "burp"
a butterfly takes flight from Buddha's nose

The Great Buddha in Kamakura, Japan, is a sight to behold. There were many butterflies there on the day I first saw the statue.

"chibi" (pen-name for Dennis M. Holmes)

..... ..... .....

Kamakura twilight ~
sound of the mountain
echoes luminous Aum ~

Note~
" Sound of the mountain" Yasunari Kawabata's Novel. He lived in Kamakura.

Narayanan Raghunathan

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"What is truth?"
No words can answer but
the Word

Maatkara
http://allpoetry.com/Poem/952287

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tantric position―
in the cave of the ancient
throat-singing of aum

- Shared by Santíago Víllafanía -
Joys of Japan, 2012



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OM resonates
through the Buddhist monastery
deepens the silence

- Shared by Kristjaan Panneman -
Joys of Japan, August 2012


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Quietly humming OM
I walk through a herd of cattle
Disturbing none

- Shared by Res John Burman -
Joys of Japan, 2012


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Om --
the spring blossoms
with resonance

- Shared by Pravat Kumar Padhy -
Haiku Culture Magazine, 2013




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