manta (pali), mantra (sanskrit)
To be clear, 'Mantra’as it is commonly understood, is not a term or concept in
EBT. But its adoption in later schools of Buddhism, and in modern common English usage, requires comment on how we use that term.
In the EBT, ‘manta/mantra’ when used is usually referring to Brahmins reciting their sacred texts.
how ‘mantra’ is used on lucid24.org
A mantra can be done in an
EBT appropriate way, for examine in
MN 20 method one of five replaces an unskilful thought with a skillful thought (represented by mantra).
Thai forest tradition uses ‘Buddho’ in the sense of definition (1), as a vocally or mentally recited word to aid in sati
7🐘 and samādhi
8🌄.
Loose usage of the term ‘mantra’ in the sense of (3), a slogan, phrase to be vocally or mentally recited as a way for sati (memory) to trigger reflection on the relevant Dharma recollections associated with that mantra.
For example:
This is an excellent
maraṇa-s-sati 💀 mantra: ‘appamatta viharissama...marana sati bhavessama’. Frequently recollected, it reminds us to prioritize and maximize the use of our limited life time, and also seamlessly connects to the sutta from which it originated,
AN 6.19.
PED manta
Manta [cp. Vedic mantra, fr. mantray] orig. a divine saying or decision, hence a secret plan [cp. def. of mant at Dhtp 578 by "gutta -- bhāsane"], counsel hence magic charm, spell. In particular a secret religious code or doctrine, esp. the Brahmanic texts or the Vedas, regarded as such (i. e. as the code of a sect) by the Buddhists.
1. with ref. to the Vedas usually in the pl. mantā (the Scriptures, Hymns, Incantations) D i.96; M ii.166 (brahme mante adhiyitvā; mante vāceti); Sn 249 (=devā SnA 291), 302 (mante ganthetvā criticised by Bdhgh as brahmanic (: heretic) work in contrast with the ancient Vedas as follows "vede bhinditvā dhammayutte porāṇa -- mante nāsetvā adhamma -- yutte kūṭa -- mante ganthetvā" SnA 320) 1000 (with ref. to the 32 signs of a Mahāpurisa), 1018 Dh 241 (holy studies); J ii.100; iii.28 (maybe to be classed under 2), 537. -- Sometimes in sg.: mantaŋ parivattenti brahma -- cintitaŋ Pv ii.613 (=veda PvA 97)=Vv 6316 (=veda VvA 265); -- n. pl. also mantāni meaning "Vedas": Miln 10. -- 2 (doubtful, perhaps as sub group to No. 3) holy scriptures in general, sacred text, secret doctrine S i.57 (mantā dhīra "firm in doctrine" K.S. thus taking mantā as instr.; it may better be taken as mantar); Sn 1042 (where Nd2 497 expls as paññā etc.); Mhvs 5, 109 (Buddha˚ the "mantra" of the B.), 147 (id.).
3. divine utterance a word with supernatural power, a charm, spell, magic art, witchcraft Miln 11 (see about manta in the Jātakas: Fick, Sociale Gliederung 152, 153). At PvA 117 m. is combined with yoga and ascribed to the devas while y. is referred to men. -- J i.200 (+paritta) iii.511 (˚ŋ karoti to utter a charm, cast a spell); DhA iv.227. There are several special charms mentioned at var. places of the Jātakas, e. g. one called Vedabbha by means of which under a certain constellation one is able to produce a shower of gems from the air J i.253 (nakkhatta -- yoge laddhe taŋ mantaŋ parivattetvā ākāse ulloki, tato ākāsato satta -- ratana -- vassaŋ vassati) Others are: paṭhavī -- jaya m. (by means of which one conquers the earth) J ii.243; sabba -- rāva -- jānana˚ (of knowing all sounds, of animals) iii.415; nidhi -- uddharana˚ (of finding secret treasures) iii.116; catukaṇṇa (four -- cornered) vi.392, etc.
4. advice, counsel, plan design Vin iv.308 (˚ŋ saŋharati to foil a plan); J vi.438
5. (adj.) ( -- ˚) parivattana˚; a charm that can be said an effective charm J i.200; bahu˚; knowing many charms very tricky DhA ii.4; bhinna˚; one who has neglected an advice J vi.437, 438.
-- ajjhāyaka one who studies the Mantras or Holy Scriptures (of the Brahmins) J i.167; DhA iii.361 (tinnaŋ vedānaŋ pāragū m. -- a. brāhmaṇo). -- ajjhena study of the Vedas SnA 314. -- pada=manta 1. D i.104 (=veda -- sankhāta m. DA i.273. -- pāraga one who masters the Vedas; in buddh. sense: one who excels in wisdom Sn 997. manta in this sense is by the Cys always expld by paññā, e. g., Nd2 497 (as mantā f.) DhA iv.93 (id.), SnA 549 (mantāya pariggahetvā) -- pāragū one who is accomplished in the Vedas Sn 251 (=vedapāragū SnA 293), 690 (=vedānaŋ pāragata SnA 488), 976. -- bandhava one acquainted with the Mantras Sn 140 (=vedabandhū SnA 192); Nd1 11 (where Nd2 455 in same connection reads mitta˚ for manta˚: see under bandhu). -- bhāṇin reciter of the Holy Texts (or charms) Th ii.281; fig. a clever speaker Sn 850 (but Nd1 219 reads manta˚; see mantar) Dh 363 (cp. DhA iv.93; paññāya bhaṇana -- sīla) Th 1, 2 -- yuddka a weird fight, a bewitched battle Mhvs 25, 49 ("cunningly planned b." trsl. Geiger; "diplomatic stratagem," Turnour).
mantra: oxford and cambridge dictionary definition
In Oxford Living Dictionary mantra is defined as
1. a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation.
Cambridge Dictionary provides two different definitions.
2. The first refers to Hinduism and Buddhism: a word or sound that is believed to have a special spiritual power.
3. The second definition is more general: a word or phrase that is often repeated and expresses a particularly strong belief. For instance, a football team can choose individual words as their own "mantra."