THE KOMYO SHINGON
The Mantra of Light
Copyright © 2003 James Deacon

"on abokya beiroshano maka-bodara mani
handoma jimbara harabaritaya un"

"Om - infallible Vairocana of the great mudra!
The radiant flame of the Jewel and the Lotus - Hum"

The Komyo Shingon or 'mantra of Light' is comprised of 23 written bonji (i.e. Sanscrit characters of the Siddham script).

In these 23 characters, the Komyo Shingon encompasses the entire power of Dainichi Nyorai - the omnipresent central Buddha of the Shingon faith.

(OK, so the observant will have noticed that there appears to be 24 bonji characters in the circular Komyo Shingon image above. The extra character - just to the left of the '12-o'clock' position - is a punctuation mark [period/full stop] ).

It is believed that when the Komyo Shingon is recited with single-minded focus and concentration - and egoless intent - the Great Radiant Light of Wisdom of the Buddha will embrace the recitor (or the person for whom one recites it), dispersing the illusions that hinder our development, and returning the mind to its 'unborn'' state of purity and essential Buddha-nature.

It is said to be most effective if chanted 3, 7, or 21 times daily.