Does chanting minimize the effects of bad karma?

Chanting of tantra/mantra is popular among those who follow Mahayana and Nichiren Buddhism.I myself have found peace within by meditating with Om Mani Padme Hum and Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. I have heard that chanting minimizes the effects of bad karma and I wish to know whether it is true. I have heard that chanting of Om Mani Padme Hum not only helps the person who chants but whoever he is surrounded by . Any experiences?

Just imagine the scientific laws of motion: -

1. A constant force of kamma would yield a constant responsive force of vipaka.
2. An accelerating force of kamma would yield a decelerating responsive force of vipaka.
3. A decelerating force of kamma would yield an accelerating responsive force of vipaka.

From the above definitions, one should realise how the law of kamma would work for oneself and the others. The chanting of any mantras, if it is being carried out properly, should fall into the third category as mentioned above. Nevertheless, the end result of kamma is unconjecturable. It is mainly due to the myriad of vibrational forces being involved in one’s daily activities. One can only do and hope for the best, always.

[Ground]

During life starting with birth one acquires many psycho-mental habits or 'conditionings'. These conditionings can repeatedly become active when responding to sense impressions, feelings, thoughts etc. in a certain 'non-mindful' way.
When focusing the mind on objects like e.g. mantras these conditionings can be temporarily suppressed just because nothing else than the object focused on is the mind.
It is also possible to turn the mind away from objects that would activate conditionings in order to temporarily suppress the conditionings.
However the most sustainable method to not fall pray to one's conditionings is to directly perceive the emptiness of all phenomena arising in mind, i.e. to recognize that everything that arises does not inherently exist and therefore is similar to an illusion (but not identical with an illusion!).

[Shaunc]

Nothing really minimises the effects of bad karma but by chanting, meditation, offering dana etc you'll also accumulate some good karma. So when the bad karma finally ripens hopefully so will some of the good karma and therefore the bad karma hopefully won't seem as bad.

[Imzadi]

I think chanting and meditation opens up the mind to the universal consciousness where the label of good or bad karma no longer matters so much. When you have a realization of yourself as Buddha nature itself, you no longer feel swept away by the outcomes of either bad or good karma. You simply accept and allow reality to be as it is.

[shiningstars]

In Buddhism, it's far more skilful to cultivate mindfulness, self awareness and virtue through meditation and the Eightfold Path.

Chanting is an established and respected practice, but does not ultimately replace Buddha's teachings, in my opinion.

shiningstars

[mulyo13]

Originally Posted by FrankieJG

Chanting of tantra/mantra is popular among those who follow Mahayana and Nichiren Buddhism.I myself have found peace within by meditating with Om Mani Padme Hum and Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. I have heard that chanting minimizes the effects of bad karma and I wish to know whether it is true. I have heard that chanting of Om Mani Padme Hum not only helps the person who chants but whoever he is surrounded by . Any experiences?

If you found peace from it, then keep doing.
Chanting NOT minimizes the effects of bad karma, but when you found peace from it, than you produce good karma.

[jonesboy]

Yes it can help.

One method is Yidam Deity practice.

"What is the purpose of Vajrayana practice? Purifying one’s impure perception of all appearances and experiences.” —— His Eminence Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche the Third"

“…Every time you do any of these practices, first you meditate on emptiness. You start with the Sanskrit mantra, Om Svabhava Shuddo and so on, “every thing becomes voidness.” Then you visualize your consciousness arising as a seed syllable, then the deity. So, when you do these practices, this “I” — ordinary man or woman ego — is already gone. You transform the I, or ego, by meditating on emptiness. When there is no self, who is there to be angry? Who is there to be terrified?”

Green Tara represents the active method of pursuing wisdom, compassion and enlightenment. Her practices help people who require an active method. Yet, we can turn to Tara for healing in times of sickness, or to purify karma, if She is our deity—without need to seek out Medicine Buddha practice for healing or Vajrasattva Practice for purification of negative karma.

A Yidam may project a very specific quality. For example, Ekajati may be your Yidam because She projects the quality of having a singleminded focus on Dharma above all else. Ekajati is the protector of secret mantras and “as the mother of the mothers of all the Buddhas,” represents ultimate unity.

Others, might be drawn to Vajrakilaya as your Yidam because of His fierce ability to quash negative karma. Since practice in most Yidams requires initiation or empowerment it is best to work with your teacher to determine your best Yidam.

http://buddhaweekly.com/the-lightnin...wer-of-yidams/

[Gem]

Originally Posted by FrankieJG

Chanting of tantra/mantra is popular among those who follow Mahayana and Nichiren Buddhism.I myself have found peace within by meditating with Om Mani Padme Hum and Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. I have heard that chanting minimizes the effects of bad karma and I wish to know whether it is true. I have heard that chanting of Om Mani Padme Hum not only helps the person who chants but whoever he is surrounded by . Any experiences?

According to Buddhism, volition is karma. "Volition" as Buddhists use the word regards anything that is a mental formation, and so there isn't really a distinction between 'willful action' and 'mental reactivity'. What one should understand about karma is there is no past karma because the the volition of mental formation only happens 'now' - the cessation of volition, which is mental formation/action/reaction is the cessation of karma.

The other aspect is the karma one carries with them, which is not in the past, but of a past still held on to, such as grudge, trauma or other emotional block. These are also produced by reactivity but the feeling remains caught in the life form because every time it wants to come into conscious awareness where it would dissolve, one avoids or resists, which itself is karma, and the re-perpetuation of that older karma. These retained issues, which are initially caused by strong reactivity, are referred to in Buddhism as sankara.

What I say is, meditation is cessation of volition, that is, cessation of the mental formations, activity/reactivity. The sankara which are already held will start to come to the surface of conscious awareness, but this time there is no reaction of avoidance, resistance etc, and they are dissolved and resolved as they 'come to light'. In this way, the cessation is both the goal, and also what enables the healing or purification process...

[dianamadalina]

By chanting we choose by free will to surrender to God and as our free will takes control over the subconsious mind the center about karma or destiny can be overcame and as our impression of chanting gets bigger. We get divine conciousness from God and ability to make better decisions by free will.

I feel very protected when chanting and also saying gratitude to God meanwhile that sadness was taken away from the mind and intelect