MANTRA
Message Amplification Network for Trust Relayed Announcements
"Like prayer wheels spreading mantras across the mountains, messages flow through the mesh, carrying truth to all who listen. Each spin of the wheel propagates the sacred words further, until all travelers on the path have received the message."
What is MANTRA?
MANTRA is YAKMESH's epidemic-style message propagation protocol. Just as Tibetan prayer wheels spread mantras with each rotation, MANTRA spreads messages across the mesh network with each node propagation. The protocol ensures that important announcements reach all nodes efficiently without requiring direct connections to every peer.
Etymology: In Buddhist tradition, mantras are sacred utterances that carry spiritual power. Prayer wheels contain written mantras, and spinning them spreads the mantra's blessing. MANTRA spreads messages with the same viral efficiency.
Core Concepts
The Prayer Wheel Model
| Concept | Himalayan Metaphor | Technical Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Message Propagation | Prayer wheel spin | Rumor mongering with fanout |
| Peer Discovery | Traveler greeting | HELLO/PEERS exchange |
| Message Deduplication | Counting mala beads | Bloom filter tracking |
| State Synchronization | Karma balance | Anti-entropy protocol |
| Hop Limit | Mountain passes | TTL (Time To Live) |
Message Types
HELLO
Announce presence to the network. Like a traveler greeting others on the mountain path.
MantraMessageType.HELLO
PEERS
Share known peers. Helping others find their way.
MantraMessageType.PEERS
RUMOR
New data to propagate. The mantra to spread.
MantraMessageType.RUMOR
SEEN
Acknowledge receipt. The mantra has been received.
MantraMessageType.SEEN
DIGEST
Summary of known state. Karma balance check.
MantraMessageType.DIGEST
DIFF
Request missing data. Balancing the karma.
MantraMessageType.DIFF
Usage
Spreading a Mantra
import { MantraProtocol } from 'yakmesh/gossip/protocol.js';
// Create the MANTRA protocol
const mantra = new MantraProtocol(mesh, identity, {
fanout: 3, // Spread to 3 peers per spin
rumorTTL: 5, // Maximum 5 hops (mountain passes)
helloInterval: 30000, // Greet peers every 30 seconds
});
// Start the prayer wheel
mantra.start();
// Spread a mantra (message) to the network
mantra.spreadRumor('content:announce', {
hash: 'abc123...',
nodeId: 'origin-node',
timestamp: Date.now(),
});
// Get known peers (fellow travelers)
const peers = mantra.getKnownPeers();
// Get statistics (prayer wheel metrics)
const stats = mantra.getStats();
console.log(`Mantras spoken: ${stats.seenMessages}`);
console.log(`Fellow travelers: ${stats.knownPeers}`);Configuration Options
| Option | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
fanout |
3 | Number of peers to spread each mantra to |
helloInterval |
30000ms | Time between HELLO broadcasts |
digestInterval |
60000ms | Time between anti-entropy checks |
peerTTL |
300000ms | Time before peer is considered expired |
rumorTTL |
5 | Maximum hops for message propagation |
The Himalayan Protocol Family
MANTRA is part of YAKMESH's Himalayan-themed protocol stack:
| Protocol | Full Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| NAMCHE | Network Authenticated Mesh Certificate Hub & Exchange | 7-gate verification |
| DOKO | Distributed Ownership & Key Object | Self-sovereign identity |
| SHERPA | Secure Hidden Endpoint Resolution Path Architecture | Peer discovery |
| NAKPAK | Nested Anonymous Kernel for Private Authenticated Komms | Onion routing |
| ANNEX | Autonomous Network Negotiated eXchange | Encrypted P2P channels |
| KHATA | Kryptographic Handshake for Automated Trust Acceptance | Trust distribution |
| MANTRA | Message Amplification Network for Trust Relayed Announcements | Message propagation |