To promote Mani Dhang Rim or prayers with extended vocal tone, a group of elderly people recited Mani Dhang Rim during the Kanjur Oral Transmission at Kuenselphodrang yesterday. It was recited mainly for the well-being of late people.
After the recess, elderly man like Ugyen and his friends gathered aside to begin their mani recitation. Devotees while circumambulating Buddha statue, offered money to Manips in the name of their late parents and relatives.
“Since we have many lay monks today, not many recite mani. In the past, when people die, monks conduct funeral rites while ordinary people chant prayers until 21 days,” said Ugyen.
In the past, Mani Dhang Rim was also recited during the Nyungney for the well-being of all sentient beings. He said that the Mani Dhang Rim has more merits than the normal prayer which people chant with the help of prayer beads.
“The mani recitation has lots of merits. Even if we recite a single prayer, it is believed that blind, deaf, and other disabled people who fail to take part in prayers can hear it and help them to get enlightenment. Moreover, in the past it was said that if one recites mani on hilltops, near river, it has more merits,” added Ugyen.
Although there was no written script for Mani Dhang Rim, yesterday, Manips started writing scripts when the head manip recited prayers.
