In the Chungnan Mountains south of Sian, I once met a Buddhist master who had founded four Buddhist colleges before finally retiring to spend her last years in a mountain hut. She told me in all seriousness that mantras were taught to humans by beings from another world. No doubt their authors were from another world. At the very least, it was a

“Om Mani Padme Hum.”

The word mantra means “protector of thought.” Thus, a mantra is like an amulet or talisman, but one that protects its user’s mind rather than their body.