Hip Glossary: Mantra

mantra Sanskrit: mantra  Chant used primarily to aid concentration, to reach enlightenment. The most well-known Buddhist mantra being Om mani padme hum.

The Sanskrit word mantra- consists of the root man- "to think" (also in manas "mind") and the suffix -tra meaning, tool, hence a literal translation would be "instrument of thought". Mantras are interpreted to be effective as sound (vibration), to the effect that great emphasis is put on correct pronunciation (resulting in an early development of a science of phonetics in India). They are intended to deliver the mind from illusion and material inclinations. Chanting is the process of repeating a mantra.

source:wikipedia