Aum 228026 226036392 2008-07-16T15:23:57Z Utcursch 54809 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/212.85.12.211|212.85.12.211]] ([[User talk:212.85.12.211|talk]]) to last version by Storkk {{Refimprove|date=June 2008}} {{This|the mystical syllable|AUM}} {{redirect|Om|other uses|Om (disambiguation)}} [[Image:Aum.svg|thumb|right|100px|[[Devanagari]] ''Aum'']] [[Image:Kannada OM.png|thumb|right|100px|[[Kannada]], [[Telugu]] ''ಓಂ'']] [[Image:EK ONKAR GURMUKHÎ 0A74.svg|thumb|right|100px|The Symbol [[Omkar]] or Onkar in [[Gurmukhi]] script]] [[Image:Tamil om.png|thumb|right|100px|The symbol Aum in the Tamil script]] [[Image:TibAum.png|thumb|right|100px|The symbol Aum in [[Tibetan script]]]] [[Image:Om siddham.jpg|thumb|right|100px|The symbol Aum in [[Siddham script]]]] [[Image:O3m AryaSamaj.PNG|right|thumb|150px|{{script|Deva|ओ३म्}} {{unicode|[[pluti|O3]]}}m ([[Aum]]), as rendered in [[Devanagari]] by the [[Arya Samaj]]]] '''''Aum''''' (also '''Om''') is a mystical or sacred [[syllable]] in the [[Hinduism|Hindu]], [[Jainism|Jain]] and [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] religions. It is placed at the beginning of most [[Hindu text]]s as a sacred exclamation to be uttered at the beginning and end of a reading of the [[Vedas]] or previously to any prayer or [[mantra]] and also is said in the beginning of any [[puja]] (religious ritual). The [[Mandukya Upanishad]] is entirely devoted to the explanation of the syllable. ==Origin, name and written symbols== {{Unreferencedsection|date=May 2008}} With preceding ''a'' or ''ā'', the ''o'' of ''om'' in [[Sanskrit grammar]] in [[sandhi]] (Sanskrit: संधि, "joining") does not form [[vriddhi]] (''au'') but [[guna]] (''o'') per {{IAST|[[Pāṇini]]}} 6.1.95. The [[Sanskrit]] name for the syllable is ''{{IAST|praṇava}}'', from a root ''{{IAST|nu}}'' "to shout, sound, praise", verbal ''{{IAST|pra-nu-}}'' being attested as "to make a humming or droning sound" in the [[Brahmanas]], and taking the specific meaning of "to utter the syllable ''om''" in the [[Chandogya Upanishad]] and the [[Shrauta Sutra]]s. More rarely used terms are ''{{IAST|[[akṣara]]}}'' or ''{{IAST|ekākṣara}}'', and in later times ''{{IAST|omkāra}}'' becomes prevalent. A popular depiction of the Aum syllable in the Devanagari script ([[Image:Aum.svg|16px|]]) is a [[ligature]] of {{unicode|ओ}}+{{unicode|[[ँ]]}} (''{{IAST|oṃ}}'', encoded in [[Unicode]] at U+0950 {{unicode|[[:wikt:ॐ|ॐ]]}}, the [[Tibetan script]] variant {{unicode|[[:wikt:ༀ|ༀ]]}} at U+0F00, and the Chinese [[:wikt:唵|唵]] at U+5535 or [[:wikt:吽|吽]] at U+543D). It is also believed that after a very long time of meditation the [[Purusha Sukta]] revealed the word AUM as being the truth.{{Fact|date=September 2007}} In [[Tamil language|Tamil]] "Om" (Tamil: ஒம்) literally means "Yes", "Yes, it is". ==In Hinduism== {{Hinduism_small}} The syllable ''Aum'' is first described as all-encompassing mystical entity in the [[Upanishads]]. Today, in all Hindu art and all over India and Nepal, 'Aum' can be seen virtually everywhere, a common sign for [[Hinduism]] and its [[Hindu philosophy|philosophy]] and [[Hindu mythology|mythology]]. ==Viniyog== [[Omkar]] Mantraha, Gayatri Chhand, Parmatma Rishi, Antaryami Devta, Ishwarpraapti arthe, jape viniyogaha.<br> ॐ कार मन्त्रः, गायत्री छ्न्दः, परमात्मा ऋषिः, अंतर्यामी देवता, इश्वरप्राप्ति अर्थे, जपे विनियोगः ===Upanishads and Sutra literature=== {{see|Mandukya Upanishad}} The syllable is mentioned in all the [[Upanishads]], specially elaborated upon in the [[Taittiriya]], [[Chandogya]] and [[Mandukya Upanishad]] set forth as the object of profound religious meditation, the highest spiritual efficacy being attributed not only to the whole word but also to the three sounds ''a'' (''a-kāra''), ''u'' (''u-kāra''), ''m'' (''ma-kāra''), of which it consists. The [[Katha Upanishad]] has: :"The goal, which all [[Vedas]] declare, which all austerities aim at, and which humans desire when they live a life of continence, I will tell you briefly it is ''Aum''" :"The one syllable [''{{IAST|evākṣara}}'', viz. ''Aum''] is indeed [[Brahman]]. This one syllable is the highest. Whosoever knows this one syllable obtains all that he desires. :"This is the best support; this is the highest support. Whosoever knows this support is adored in the world of Brahma." (1.2.15-17)<ref>:''{{IAST|sarve vedā yat padam āmananti / tapām̐si sarvāṇi ca yad vadanti / yad icchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti / tat te padaṃ saṃgraheṇa bravīmy / om ity etat}} //'' :''{{IAST|etad dhy evākṣaraṃ brahma / etad dhy evākṣaraṃ param / etad dhy evākṣaraṃ jñātvā / yo yad icchati / tasya tat}} //'' :''{{IAST|etad ālambanaṃ śreṣṭham / etad ālambanaṃ param / etad ālambanaṃ jñātvā / brahmaloke mahīyate}} //'' </ref> The [[Chandogya Upanishad]] (1.1.1-1) states: :''{{IAST|om ity etad akṣaram udgītham upāsīta / om iti hy udgāyati / tasyopavyākhyānam}}'' :"The ''udgitha'' ["the chanting", that is, the syllable om] is the best of all essences, the highest, deserving the highest place, the eighth." The [[Bhagavad Gita]] (8.13) has: :''Uttering the monosyllable ''Aum'', the eternal world of Brahman, One who departs leaving the body (at death), he attains the superior goal. '' The [[Yoga Sutras of Patanjali]] states in verse (1:27): :"''tasya vacakah pranavah''" which translates as, ''"God's voice is Aum."'' In the following [[sutra]] it emphasizes, "The repetition of Om should be made with an understanding of its meaning". <ref> [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/yogasutr.htm Yoga Sutras of Patanjali], English translation by Bon Giovanni. (sacred-texts.com)</ref> ===Puranic Hinduism=== In Puranic Hinduism, ''Aum'' is the mystic name for the Hindu [[Trimurti]], and represents the union of the three gods, viz. ''a'' for [[Brahma]], ''u'' for [[Vishnu]] and ''m'' for Mahadev which is another name of [[Shiva]]. The three sounds also symbolize the three [[Vedas]] ([[Rigveda]], [[Samaveda]], [[Yajurveda]]). According to Hindu philosophy(see [[Mandukya Upanishad]]), the letter A represents creation, when all existence issued forth from [[Brahma]]'s golden nucleus; the letter U refers to [[Vishnu]] the god of the middle who preserves this world by balancing [[Brahma]] on a [[lotus]] above himself, and the letter M symbolizes the final part of the cycle of existence, when Vishnu falls asleep and [[Shiva]] has to breathe in so that all existing things have to disintegrate and are reduced to their essence to him. More broadly, Aum is said to be the primordial sound that was present at the creation of the universe. It is said to be the original sound that contains all other sounds, all words, all languages and all mantras. ====Dvaita==== [[Vaishnava]] [[Dvaita]] philosophies teach that 'Aum' is an impersonal sound representation of Vishnu/Krishna while Hari Nama is the personal sound representation. A represents [[Krishna]], U Srimati [[Radharani]] and M [[jiva]]s. According to Sridhara Svami the pranava has five parts: A, U, M, the nasal bindu and the reverberation (nada). Liberated souls meditate on the Lord at the end of that reverberation. For both Hindus and Buddhists this syllable is sacred and so laden with spiritual energy that it may only be pronounced with complete concentration. ====Advaita==== [[Image:Temple elephant 2.jpg|thumb|right|Aum symbol on a [[temple elephant]]'s forehead]] In [[Advaita]] philosophy it is frequently used to represent three subsumed into one, a common theme in Hinduism. It implies that our current existence is ''mithyā'' and ''maya'', "falsehood", that in order to know the full truth we must comprehend beyond the body and intellect the true nature of infinity. Essentially, upon [[moksha]] ([[mukti]], [[samadhi]]) one is able not only to see or know existence for what it is, but to become it. When one gains true knowledge, there is no split between knower and known: one becomes knowledge/consciousness itself. In essence, ''Aum'' is the signifier of the ultimate truth that all is one. Examples of Three into One: * Creation ([[Brahma (god)|Brahma]])- Preservation ([[Vishnu]])- Destruction ([[Shiva]]) into [[Brahman]] * Waking- Dreaming- Dreamless Sleep into [[Turiya]] (transcendental fourth state of consciousness) * [[Rajas]] (activity, heat, fire) - [[Tamas (philosophy)|Tamas]] (dullness, ignorance, darkness) - [[Sattva]] (purity, light, serenity/[[shanti]]) into [[Brahman]] * Body, Speech and Mind into Oneness ===In proper names=== When ''Aum'' is a part of a place name (for example [[Omkareshwar]]), or is used as a man's name, it is spelled phonetically using ordinary letters of whatever Indian alphabet is used in the area. The adherents of [[Arya Samaj]] always use the ordinary letters अ, ऊ and म to write Aum. ==In Jainism== [[Image:Jainaum.JPG|thumb|This is how the Jain om is depicted in Jain scriptures]] In [[Jainism]], Aum is regarded to be a condensed form of reference to the five [[parameshthi]]s, by their initials ''A+A+A+U+M'' (''{{IAST|o[[pluti|3]]}}{{IAST|m}}''). The [[Dravyasamgrah]] quotes a [[Prakrit]] line: :{{lang|sa|ओम एकाक्षर पञ्चपरमेष्ठिनामादिपम् तत्कथमिति चेत "अरिहंता असरीरा आयरिया तह उवज्झाया मुणियां"}} :''{{IAST|oma ekākṣara pañca-parameṣṭhi-nāmā-dipam tatkabhamiti ceta "arihatā asarīrā āyariyā taha uvajjhāyā muṇiyā"}}'' :"Aum" is one [[akshara|syllable]] made from the initials of the five parameshthis. It has been said: "Arihanta, Ashiri, Acharya, Upadhyaya, [[Muni]]" . Thus, {{lang|sa|ओं नमः}} ({{IAST|oṃ namaḥ}}) is a short form of the [[Navkar Mantra]]. ==In Buddhism== Buddhists place om at the beginning of their ''Vidya-Sadaksari'' or mystical formulary in six syllables (viz., [[om mani padme hum]]) As a seed syllable (''[[bija]] [[mantra]]''), it is also considered holy in [[Esoteric Buddhism]]. With [[Buddhism]]'s evolution and breaking away from Vedic/Hindu tradition, Aum and other symbology/[[cosmology]]/philosophies are shared with the Hindu tradition. This character often appeared as "[[:wikt:唵|唵]]" in Buddhist scripts in [[East Asia]]. == See also == *[[Mandukya Upanishad]] *[[Pranava yoga]] *[[Sound symbolism]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.atmajyoti.org/med_om_in_upanishads.asp Aum in the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Yoga Sutras] *[http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa022200.htm About.com on Aum in Hinduism] [[Category:Brahmic graphemes]] [[Category:Hindu symbols]] [[Category:Jain symbols]] [[Category:Mantras]] [[Category:Sanskrit words and phrases]] [[ar:أُم]] [[bn:ওঁ]] [[cs:Óm]] [[da:Aum]] [[de:Om]] [[es:Om]] [[fr:Om̐]] [[is:Om]] [[it:Aum]] [[he:אום (הינדו)]] [[kn:ಓಂ]] [[ka:აუმ]] [[lt:Om]] [[hu:Aum]] [[ml:ഓം]] [[nl:Om (mantra)]] [[ja:オーム (聖音)]] [[no:Om]] [[nn:Aum]] [[pl:Om (mantra)]] [[pt:Om]] [[ru:Ом (индуизм)]] [[simple:Aum]] [[sk:Óm]] [[fi:Om-tavu]] [[sv:Aum]] [[ta:ஓம்]] [[tr:Om]] [[zh:唵]]