Sanskrit vowel/consonant mantra

[Zenji]

I've noticed that in the practice for the Medicine Buddha that there is a part where you recite the sanskrit vowel set, and consonant set.  I was wondering if anyone could elucidate as to why this is?  As I am not Tibetan, should I recite the ABC's instead? (that was a joke, a bad one at that.)  Is this a common practice among sadhanas?

[SharpPudding]

There are different reasons for reciting the ali kali.


 If I remember right, there is a enhancing of the mantra by reciting the ali kali,.. my thinking is that it is because it clears the various channels in the body.
 Medicine Buddha has a lot of variations of the sadhana and auxillary things like rubbing spit at the base of the nose(Padmasambhava) or propitiating the spirit kings as per the sutra instructions.

 The ali kali is also recited to bless the speech in regard to,.. umm,.. Manjushri if I remember right..


 The ABC's are not sufficient because they lack many sounds.

 I remember reading a version of the Medicine Buddha sadhanna some time ago composed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche,.. I believe in the colophon there is an explanation.

 Zenji, sometimes you will get interesting instructions for one practice that really come from another tantra all together. This is probably one of them and is used in respect, for some purpose, as is stated in a tantra because a lama thought it would be useful to even people without that tantra.

[Joey]

I've noticed that in the practice for the Medicine Buddha that there is a part where you recite the sanskrit vowel set, and consonant set.  I was wondering if anyone could elucidate as to why this is?  As I am not Tibetan, should I recite the ABC's instead? (that was a joke, a bad one at that.)  Is this a common practice among sadhanas?

usually we just recite the romanized sanskrit syllables. When it is required to visualize the syllable AH for example, we're told that its okay to visualize it as AH (in english).

im not sure if that is what you mean.