Tibetan Mantra Cymbals – Tingsha 7 cm, Om Mani Padme Hum (280 g)

Kunsang

"These cymbals have an ancient quality – this color, this patina. When I strike them, I always think: this sound has filled many rooms, accompanied many people. The mantra on them is not an ornament. It is the prayer itself."

Tibetan Mantra Cymbals – Tingsha 7 cm with Om Mani Padme Hum (280 g)

These Tingsha cymbals have a diameter of 7 cm and weigh 280 grams. They bear the Tibetan mantra Om Mani Padme Hum (ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པདྨེ་ཧཱུྃ) as an elevated engraving around the dome – the six syllables of the compassion mantra, significantly larger and more deeply impressed than on the 6 cm variant. The dome is adorned with a lotus blossom motif, the inside smooth and deeply curved. The leather strap is black.

What immediately distinguishes these cymbals from the others is their patina: the brass has taken on a warm, dark-golden hue – not a bright, polished-new, but a material that knows time and touch. This color results from natural oxidation and is not a flaw, but character. At 280 grams, these cymbals are heavier and fuller in sound than the 6 cm mantra variant – the sustain is longer, deeper, more meditative.

Om Mani Padme Hum – the mantra of compassion

Om Mani Padme Hum is the most famous mantra in Tibetan Buddhism – the mantra of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion. The six syllables represent the purification of the six realms of existence and the cultivation of compassion, wisdom, and inner liberation. In Tibet, one encounters this mantra everywhere: on prayer flags, Mani stones, prayer wheels – and, indeed, on cymbals. When the cymbals are struck, the sound becomes the carrier of the mantra.

6 cm vs. 7 cm Mantra Cymbals – what's the difference?

Both variants carry the same mantra – the difference lies in size, weight, sound, and character. The 6 cm mantra cymbals are brighter and fresher in appearance, lighter in weight. The 7 cm mantra cymbals are darker, heavier, with a deeper, longer sustain and a patina that suggests long use. Those seeking a warm, grounding sound with a strong visual presence should opt for the 7 cm variant.

Application – how it works

• Hold the leather strap in one hand, both cymbals hanging freely downwards.
• Gently strike the edges of the two cymbals against each other – not the flat sides, but the edges.
• Immediately release and let the sound resonate – with 7 cm, the sustain can last 25–35 seconds.
• For a softer sound, strike at an angle; for a clearer, fuller tone, strike edge to edge directly.

Care

• The patina is part of the character of these cymbals – it does not need to be polished.
• Remove dust from the elevated engraving with a soft cloth or fine brush.
• Do not use aggressive cleaning agents; keep the leather strap dry.

Come by Kramgasse 63 in Bern – I'll play both mantra variants for you so you can hear the sound difference directly. Or order conveniently online.