(By Tsem Rinpoche)

52 Beautiful White Taras!

White Tara with Robins

White Tara with Pomegranates

White Tara with Crashing Waves

White Tara with Birds and Islands

White Tara with Chrysanthemums

White Tara with Rock Formation

White Tara with Two Cranes

White Tara with Snow Falling

White Tara with Birds and Blossoms

White Tara with Good Wishes

White Tara with Two Koi Carp

White Tara with Koi Carp

White Tara with Three Trees

White Tara with Cherry Blossoms and Cave

White Tara with Blossoms

White Tara with Fall Leaves

White Tara with Fallen Leaves

White Tara with Bare Trees

White Tara with Waves

White Tara with Waves II

White Tara in Front of Doorway

White Tara in a Lotus Pond

White Tara with Fish

White Tara with Lotuses

White Tara with Trees

White Tara with Snowflakes

White Tara with Birds

White Tara in the Mountains

White Tara with Eight Auspicious Symbols

White Tara with Bees and Tea

White Tara with Poppies

White Tara with Great Egrets

White Tara with Two Islands

White Tara with Cranes by the Water

White Tara with Clouds at Night

White Tara by the Water

White Tara with Purple Flowers and Mountains

White Tara in the Garden

White Tara in the Doorway

White Tara with Herons

White Tara with Cranes

White Tara with Medicine

White Tara in Blue

White Tara with Owl

White Tara with Rain

White Tara with Rainbow

White Tara with Mountains

White Tara with Offerings

White Tara with Moths

White Tara with Whale

White Tara with Stars

White Tara with Purple Irises

(By Tsem Rinpoche)

This artist is spectacular. I wish Tsongkhapa in this style can be painted also. I wanted to share with you the beauty and the unique style of painting by this talented artist. May the artist be blessed. Refreshingly non-traditional for a change.

Source: http://www.lashamutual.com/category/whitetara/

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Dear friends,

I had the great fortune to receive the White & Green Tara empowerments from His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche back in the 80’s. Anything from Kyabje Zong Rinpoche received was and is greatly treasured. Sometimes I think to myself how come I was so lucky to meet one of the tops from Tibet all the way in Los Angeles and being so young also. It’s like a dream now. One of the best times I experienced in this life was my time with His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche. The events and memories forever are fresh in my mind.

Tara is the Yidam of many great Masters, Mahasiddhas of both India, Mongolia, Nepal and Tibet. And now all over the world. Her practices are very well known for their effectiveness. She has 21 principal forms…each form is a complete refuge of the other 20 and all the Three Jewels in fact. If you take Tara as your Yidam (main meditational Buddha) it is a complete practice unto itself…which form you take on depends on the individual…all 21 forms are complete.

White Tara is a complete synthesis of all the Three Jewels including the other 20 Taras. Each Tara is specific for a specific ailment we have. For example, Black Tara can conquer negative spirits. Yellow Tara can overcome financial difficulties. Red Tara can control a certain problem in the environment in an area…and so on. Tara’s benefits are much more than for a specific ailment, but for now, this would suffice.

When we take refuge in White Tara, she is a complete refuge. Her three eyes see into the past, present and future simultaneously. She perceives all knowable/phenomena directly. The third eye represents her complete state of omniscience, in other words, Buddhahood.  Only a Buddha can perceive all there is to know in existence. Her right hand is in the gesture of granting mundane and supermundane boons. These boons can be received based upon our practice of her.

Elegantly her left hand with the fourth finger and the thumb holds a lotus stem leading to an open bloom, a bud and one flower gone to fruit. Open bloom represents the current Buddha Shakyamuni. The bud is Maitreya. The flower gone to fruit is the past Buddha Krukkachanda prior to Shakyamuni. Tara symbolized by her lotus has all the dharmas of the Buddhas of the past, present and future.

Her legs in full lotus posture represent she is directly in full meditative concentration of emptiness…she abides in it and operates from it..another sign of her full enlightenment. It is also a reminder for us that practice of meditation is essential for enlightenment. She wears the five ornaments plus her own body represents the 6 paramitas which are totally necessary for our practice in the beginning, middle and for end. Her body being resplendently beautiful is an ornament in itself…as she has the perfection of Buddhahood.

She has seven eyes representative that she sees into the 6 realms of rebirth and the 7th eye is that she sees the way out or direct cause of samsara. Seeing this direct cause of samsara she acts according to each sentient beings’ aptitude to liberate them of their inner/outer samsaras.

She is white in colour as in this form she is most ‘potent’ to heal diseases (inner/outer) and its root causes. When we take on this form for our practice we can increase our life span effortlessly to further our practice, gain tremendous amounts of merit towards liberation, and increase our wisdom (7 types) exponentially.

She has blue-black hair half tied up in three knots and half falling freely around her shoulders/back. The hair tied up shows us she has reached the highest goal-Nirvana. The hair falling down is, although liberated, she does not remain in Nirvana, but emanates constantly to benefit others. She returns to Samsara willingly to assist those karmically ready always. She abides in samsara without any samsara abiding in her. She is youthful and young like that of a sixteen year old maiden reminding us that  Enlightenment is permanent and does not fade. She has budding breasts filled with ambrosia like a mother ready to nurse her child. Her budding breasts signify she is ever ready to bestow the profound 84,000 dharmas as taught by Shakyamuni like a mother giving life-sustaining milk. The ‘milk’ is dharma and we if fortunate are her children. Her back rests on a full moon as she has accomplished complete bodhicitta. She also sits on a full moon as she operates from emptiness. The moon is representative of aspirational and completed emptiness. Under the moon is a lotus, being she has attained full bodhicitta.

Aeons ago, during the time of the previous Buddha (Kyabje Zong Rinpoche relayed)…there was a princess with the name of Moon…or Dawa…she was very virtuous and beloved by her father the King. She had open access to her father’s treasury. She was gentle, kind, compassionate and very spiritual in nature. Unlike other young girls, she was not interested in the meaningless affairs of youth such as games, garments, princes, foods, walks. She was an ardent follower of the then Buddha and attended his teachings, sponsored the talks, foods, resting villas, sangha and whatever needs arose. She was his student and benefactor. One day she happened upon an old, but very sincere monk who rejoiced in Moon Princess’ virtues and sponsorship. He addressed her with respect and said she should dedicate all her virtues to obtaining a body of a man as in a woman’s impure form, enlightenment was not possible. She gently folded her hands and replied to the senior monk with great respect and said that the Perfect Buddha said all can obtain liberation irregardless of being in male or female bodies. There and then, the noble Moon Princess took a vow and prayed to take rebirth as a female. And that she would when enlightened take on a female form always to liberate others…in her lifetime, she did intense practices…she gained the much treasured goal of liberation. The earth shook, animals came near, gentle winds blew, the gods blew conch shells, rainbows appeared, supernatural beings such as nagas, gods, demigods, yakshas all paid homage to this magnificent noble lady as TARA WAS BORN…

If we have the great merits, fortune and affinity for Tara to be our Buddha, we should devote all our energies into her practice. We should set up a  magnificent shrine to this Noble Lady Buddha, make vast offerings, and engage in our practices with full confidence. All the Mahasiddhas and Mahapanditas such as Nagarjuna, Atisha, Tsongkapa fully relied upon her..so we should have full confidence in this magnificent Lady…we should obtain as many as we can holy images of her and pass to people as gifts. Last year, one of the pujas for my long life/health was to make one Tara statue for each year of my life and gift it to other people. Even creating a statue of this Lady Buddha has such benefits. I did make the statues in fact…I was very happy to do so.

Many statues of Tara in Tibet, Nepal and India have spoken. For curious reasons, her statues are easier to manifest speech. I came across two very holy statues in temples that my teachers said they have spoken on a few occasions. They did not speak to me, but all the same, I made offerings to these holy statues with great reverence and joy. Many pilgrims visited these holy images monthly…

In Nepal, in the middle of Kathmandu, there is a very sacred image of White Tara around two feet in height that Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche always recommends for us to visit and make offerings. She is said to have manifested miracles in the past and is very blessed. I had the fortune to bring many friends to visit this Tara. It is also said, if karmically you do not have the merits, it will be very hard to find the location of this image…

I have included some prayers we can do daily to Mother Tara. We can do all of it..or some of it..or one of it or however we like. No hard and fast rules. The prayers are very powerful and it includes her sacred mantra. We can recite her long mantra or her short mantra. It is up to us. What is important is to do it daily and from our hearts.

I was inspired to write and share all this when I came across the 52 SPECTACULAR paintings of Lady Buddha Tara.

I wish everyone well. I wish all of you happiness. I wish all are under the protection of this noble being called Tara.

Tsem Rinpoche

 

P.S. The three prayers I’ve included below can be done one after the other daily (that would be beautiful and most beneficial), or just two of them, or just pick one. See your time and commitments. They can be used to bless one’s car, new house, land, or before a journey. We can recite this to bless even our pendants, water, food, environments, gifts, thangkas, rosaries…etc. They can be recited if we feel uneasy or in an area/place with negative energy. They can be recited for healing, fulfilling of wishes or simply to supplicate Tara for someone we care about. Her prayers and mantras are excellent to be recited for the sick or our pets. Let the mantras be blown onto our pets…excellent. If someone is sick, we can recite these prayers (Being vegetarian is best for Tara practice. If not, if we are going to do the prayers and perhaps mantra 100,ooo times for example, we take a vow to Tara to refrain from meat and dedicate to the healing of a person or pet during that time) as much as possible. It is excellent to do these prayer for our parents whether they are living or passed. Excellent to do these prayers and dedicate to our teachers’ lives and work..It automatically increases our lifespan. Tara helps dharma projects or beneficial projects to manifest much faster. Her practice has so many incredible benefits

 

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A GEM TO INCREASE LIFE AND WISDOM
A PRAISE OF WHITE TARA

By GYALWA GENDUN DRUB
The First Dalai Lama (1391 – 1474)

Homage to the Female Buddha beautiful with youth / Who sits on seats of white lotus and moon in nature / Spreading with stainless compassion and knowledge, / Who captures the radiance of snow mountains.

Homage to the Youthful One with budding breasts, / Who has one face and two arms, sits in the Vajra posture, / Is bold with grace and calm, has a full moon as backrest / And is filled with great bliss.

Homage to the Ultimately Generous One whose right hand, / Showing the mudra Supreme Giving / Easily releases boundless karmas of peace, increase, power and wrath / As well as the eight siddhis and even supreme Buddhahood.

Homage to the Spiritual Mother who gives birth to Buddhas / Past, present and future; whose left hand / Supporting a blue lotus, grants protection / From lions, elephants, fires and all eight terrors.

Homage to the Refuge of the World, who has eyes / In hands and feet gazing at the four doors of freedom / And who leads all living creatures / Toward the isle of blissful liberation.

Homage to she whose face unites / The beauty of a million autumn moons, / Whose wide eyes gaze with compassion / Whose Joyous mouth smiles equally on all.

Homage to she with head adorned by Amitayus, Boundless Life, / The mere thought of whom grants life and wisdom / Whose hand, in the contemplative mudra, / Hold a vase filled with ambrosia of immortality.

Homage to the All-Beautiful One whose crown / Steals the light of sun and moon, / Whose sapphire hair is half-knotted on top, / And half falling freely over her shoulder.

Homage to the Majestic One of precious ornament blazing, / Whose crown, earrings, necklaces, arm-bands, / Bracelets, anklets and belt so elegantly arranged / Surpass the ornaments of men and gods.

Homage to she of celestial raiment, / Whose shoulder-sash and skirt / Hug her body like rainbows / Hug the crystal mountains.

Homage to the goddess before whose lotus feet / Vishnu, Indra, Shiva, the anti-gods, spirits, / Men, semi-humans and all the world / Submit themselves in devotion.

Merely by reciting your mantra, / Those who make offering at your lotus feet / Gain immortality, wisdom and merit / And attain all desired siddhis; to you I bow down.

The knowledge, compassion and perfect actions of all Buddhas / Appear in the form of the beautiful goddess / I take refuge in you and offer you my prayers; / Pray eliminate all my obstacles and fulfil all my aims.

Quickly release your perfect action of peace, / Calming all interferences to my practices for enlightenment; / Interferences such as the eight terrors, / Sickness, demons and other harmful agents, inner and outer.

Quickly release your perfect action of increase which multiplies / All good qualities, such as life, merit, unapprehending compassion, / The stainless wisdom of learning, contemplation and meditation, / And the three higher trainings.

Quickly release your perfect action of power, / Which causes gods, men and spirits / To humbly bow before you / And which fulfils all wishes of the mind.

Quickly release your perfect action of wrath, / Which with punishments befitting the evils done / Destroys demons, interferences and hindrances / Hateful opposing Buddhadharma and its holders.

Pray, bestow quick and easy attainment of siddhis / Such as the magic sword, mystic eye-medicine, fast walking, / The food pill and the precious vase; / And even mahamudra, the highest siddhi.

In brief, from now until enlightenment / I respectfully make offering at your lotus feet. / I need seek no other refuge / Out of compassion gaze upon me and quickly grant protection.

By the meritorious energy of this practice / May the transcended, perfect Tara / Look upon me forever with pleasure / And never leave me, even for a moment.

May all sentient beings after death take rebirth / Before Amitayus in Sukhavati, Land of Pure Joy; / May they live in the ways of the great Bodhisattvas / And come to equal Avalokiteshvara, Lord of Compassion.

May I realize the oceans of Sutras and Tantras / To be able to pass them on to others; / And until samsara be emptied may I strive / To uphold the victory banner of practicing exactly as taught.

Colophon: this praise of exalted White Tara, supreme mother of all Buddhas, was written by the monk Gyalwa Gendun Drub while he was residing in the Hermitage of Great Awakening at the Tegchen Potreng.

Can recite this once a day for someone sick, for someone who has passed, an animal/pet or for ourselves followed by the mantra. Very excellent to recite this mantra and blow on our pets also or into a fish tank. We can even blow into bottled water and pour the water into lakes, streams, rivers to bless the environment. If we are moving into a new house, we can recite this prayer to bless it or even the land.

White Tara Long Mantra: OM TARE TUTTARE TORE MAMA AYUH PUNYE JANA PUTRIM KURU YE SOHA

PRAISES TO THE 21 TARAS

Recite them once and/or offer prostrations or folding ones’ hand and think like this: Praising and prostrating each time, like a spark of fire comes from another, a replica of the respective Tara manifests and sinks into you.

Prayer
CH’AK-YÄ CH’OK-JIN CH’AK-GYA-NYI / /
Let me and all who need protection
KYAP-JIN CH’AK-GYAR GY’UR-WÄI OK / /
Enter beneath Your right-hand mudra
DAK-D’ANG SUNG-J’A KÜN TS’Ü-NÄ / /
Of granting boons, the Refuge mudra,
JIK-PA KÜN-LÄ UK-YUNG-GY’UR / /
And be relieved from every fear!

From your sublime abode at the Potala
O Tara – born from the green letter TAM
Your crown adorned with Amitabha,
Action-mother of the Buddhas of the three times,
Come with your retinue, I beg you.

The gods and demi-gods bow
To your lotus feet, O Tara,
You who rescue all who are destitute
To you, Mother Tara, I pay homage.

OM JE TSUN MA PAG MA DROL MA LA CHAG TSEL LO
OM Homage to the Venerable Arya Tara

-1-
CHAG TSEL DROL MA NYUR MA PA MO
CHEN NI KAY CHIG LHOK DANG DRA MA
JIG TEN SUM GON CHU KYE SHEL GYI
KE SAR JE WA LAY NI JUNG MA

Homage to Tara, the swift heroine,
Whose eyes are like an instant flash of lightning,
Whose water-born face arises from the blooming lotus,
Of Avalokiteshvara: Protector of The Three Worlds.

-2-
CHAG TSEL TON KAY DA WA KUN TU
GANG WA GYA NI TSEG PAY SHEL MA
KAR MA TONG TRAG TSOG PA NAM KYI
RAB TU CHE WAY O RAB BAR MA

Homage to you, Tara, whose face is like
One hundred full autumn moons gathered together,
Blazing with the expanding light,
Of a thousand stars assembled

-3-
CHAG TSEL SER NGO CHU NAY KYE KYI
PAY MAY CHAG NI NAM PAR GYEN MA
JIN PA TSON DRO KA TUB SHI MA
SO PA SAM TEN CHO YUL NYI MA

Homage to you, Tara, born from a golden blue lotus,
Whose hands are beautifully adorned with lotus flowers,
You, who are the embodiment of giving, joyous effort, and ascetism,
Pacification, patience, concentration and all objects of practice

-4-
CHAG TSEL DE SHIN SHEG PAY TSUG TOR
TA YAY NAM PAR GYAL WA CHO MA
MA LU PA ROL CHIN PA TOB PAY
GYEL WAY SAY KYI SHIN TU TEN MA

Homage to you Tara, the crown pinnacle of Those Thus Gone,
Whose deeds overcome infinite evils,
Who have attained transcendent perfections without exception.,
And upon whom the sons of the Victorious Ones rely.

-5-
CHAG TSEL TUTTARA HUM YI GE
DO DANG CHOG DANG NAM KA GANG MA
JIG TEN DUN PO SHAB KYI NEN TE
LU PA MAY PAR GUG PAR NU MA

Homage to you, Tara, who with the letters TUTTARA HUNG
Fill the realms of desire, direction and space,
Whose feet trample on the seven worlds
And who are able to draw all beings to you.

-6-
CHAG TSEL GYA CHEN MAY LHA TSANG PA
LUNG LHA NA TSOG WANG CHUK CHO MA
JUNG PO RO LANG TI SA NAM DANG
NO JIN TSOG KYI DUN NE TO MA

Homage to you Tara, Venerated by Indra,
Agni, Brahma,Vayu, and Ishvara.
Praised by the assembly of spirits, raised corpses,
Ghandaravas and all yakshas.

-7-
CHAG TSEL TRED CHE CHA DANG PHET KYI
PA ROL TUL KOR RAB TU JOM MA
YAY KUM YON KYANG SHAB KYI NEN TE
MAY BAR TUG PA SHIN TU BAR MA

Homage to you, Tara, whose TRAD and PHAT
Destroy entirely the magical wheels of others.
With your right leg bent and left outstretched and pressing,
You burn intensely within a whirl of fire.

-8-
CHAG TSEL TURE JIG PA CHEN PO
DU KYI PA WO NAM PAR TOM MA
CHU KYE SHEL NI TRO NYER DEN DZE
DA WO TAM CHE MA LU SO MA

Homage to you, Tara, the great fearful one,
Whose letter TURE destroys the mighty demons completely,
Who with a wrathful expression on your water-born face
Slays all enemies without an exception.

-9-
CHAG TSEL KON CHOG SUM TSON CHAG GYE
SOR MO TUG KAR NAM PAR GYEN MA
MA LU CHOG KYI KOR LO GYEN PAY
RANG GI O KYI TSOG NAM TRUG MA

Homage to you, Tara, whose fingers adorn your heart.
With the gesture of the Sublime Precious Three,
Adorned with a wheel striking all directions without exception
With the totality of your own rays of light.

-10-
CHAG TSEL RAB TU GA WA JI PAY
U GYEN O KYI TRENG WA PEL MA
SHAY PA RAB SHAY TUTARA YI
DU DANG JIG TEN WANG DU DZE MA

Homage to you, Tara, whose radiant crown ornament, joyful and magnificent,
Extends a garland of light,
And who, by your laughter of TUTTARA
Conquer the demons and all of the worlds.

-11-
CHAG TSEL SA SHI KYONG WAY TSOG NAM
TAM CHE GUG PAR NU MA NYI MA
TRO NYER YO WAY YI GE HUM KI
PONG PA TAM CHE NAM PAR DROL MA

Homage to you, Tara, who are able to
Invoke the entire assembly of local protectors,
Whose wrathful expression fiercely shakes,
Rescuing the impoverished through the letter HUNG.

-12-
CHAG TSEL DA WAY DUM DU U GYEN
GYEN PA TAM CHE SHIN TU BAR MA
REL PAY TRO NA O PAG MAY LAY
TAG PAR SHIN TU O RAB DZE MA

Homage to you, Tara, whose crown is adorned with the crescent moon,
Wearing ornaments exceeding bright.
From your hair-knot the Buddha Amitabha
Radiates eternally with great beams of light.

-13-
CHAG TSEL KEL PAY TA MAY MAY TAR
BAR WAY TRENG WAY U NA NE MA
YAY KANG YON KUM KUN NE KOR GAY
DRA YI PUNG NI NAM PAR JOM MA

Homage to you, Tara, who dwell within a blazing garland that resembles
The fire at the end of this world age,
Surrounded by joy, you sit with your right leg extended and left withdrawn,
Completely destroying all the enemies.

-14-
CHAG TSEL SA SHI NGO LA CHAG GI
TIL GYI NUN CHING SHAB GYI DUNG MA
TO NYEN CHEN DZE YI GAY HUM KI
RIM PA DUN PO NAM NI GEM HA

Homage to you, Tara, with hand on the ground by your side,
Pressing your heel and stamping your foot on the earth;
With a wrathful glance from your eyes you subdue
All seven levels through the syllable HUNG.

-15-
CHAG TSEL DE MAY GAY MA SHI MA
NYA NYEN DE SHI CHO YUL NYI MA
SOHA OM DANG YANG DAG DEN PAY
DIG PA CHEN PO JOM PA NYI MA

Homage to you, Tara, virtuous and peaceful one,
The very object of practice passed beyond sorrow.
You are completely endowed with SOHA and OM,
Overcoming completely all the great evils.

-16-
CHAG TSEL KUN NE KOR RAB GA WAY
DRA YE LU NI NAM PAR GEM MA
YI GAY CHU PAY NGAG NI KO PAY
RIG PA HUM LAY DROL MA NYI MA

Homage to you, Tara, surround by the joyous ones,
You completely subdue the bodies of all enemies;
Your speech is adorned with the ten syllables
And you rescue all through the knowledge letter HUNG.

-17-
CHAG TSEL TURE ZAB NI DAB PAY
HUM GI NAM PAY SA BON NYI MA
RI RAB MAN DA RA DANG BIG JE
JIG TEN SUM NAM YO WA NYI MA

Homage to you, Tara, stamping your feet and proclaiming TURE;
Your seed-syllable itself is the aspect of HUNG
Causes Meru, Mandhara and the Vindhya mountains
And all three worlds to tremble and shake.

-18-
CHAG TSEL LHA YI TSO YI NAM PAY
RI DAG TAG CHEN CHAG NA NAM MA
TARA NYI JO PEY KYI YI GAY
DUG NAM MA LU PA NI SEL MA

Homage to you, Tara, who hold in your hand
The hare-marked moon like the celestial ocean;
By uttering TARA twice and the letter PHAT,
You dispel all poisons without exception.

-19-
CHAG TSEL LHA YI TSOG NAM GYAL PO
LHA DANG MI AM CHI YI TEN MA
KUN NE GO CHA GA WAY JI KYI
TSO DANG MI LAM NYEN PA SEL MA< Homage to you, Tara, upon whom the kings of the assembled gods,
The gods themselves and all Kinnaras rely
Whose magnificent armour gives joy to all,
You who dispel all disputes and bad dreams.

-20-
CHAG TSEL NYI MA DA WA GYE PAY
CHEN NYI PO LA O RAB SEL MA
HARA NYI JO TUTARA YI
SHIN TU DAG PO RIM NE SEL MA

Homage to you, Tara, whose eyes –
The sun and the moon – radiate an excellent illuminating light;
By uttering HARA twice and TUTTARA,
You dispel all violent epidemic diseases.

-21-
CHAG TSEL DE NYI SUM NAM KO PAY
ZHI WAY TU DANG YANG DAG DEN MA
DON DANG RO LANG NO JIN TSOG NAM
JOM PA TURE RAB CHOG NYI MA

Homage to you, Tara, adorned by the three suchness
Perfectly endowed with the power of serenity,
You, who destroy the host of evil spirits, raises corpses and yakshas
O TURE, most excellent and sublime!

TSA WAY NGAG KYI TO PA DI DANG
CHAG TSEL WA NI NYI SHU TSA CHIG

Thus concludes this praise based on the root mantra and the offering of the twenty-one homages. Can recite this in Tibetan phonetics or English. It is very beneficial to recite this as much as possible if we wish to fulfill a long heartfelt wish. Those wishing a child will get one, those wishing a son will get one, those wishing a daughter will receive one…those wishing sustenance will receive or before a long journey to be safe, this 21 praises is very potent. All of our wishes can be fulfilled when we recite this with faith and diligently. When one takes refuge in Tara, all does go right.

A SONG OF LONGING FOR TARA, THE INFALLIBLE

By Lozang Tanpa Gyalts’an

Homage to Guru Arya-Tara!

1. Three Infallible Jewels of Refuge combined
In one, Divine Mother Whose nature is Compassion,
I bow to You from my heart! Till I’m enlightened,
Support me, I pray, with the hook of Your Compassion!

2. I call the Jewels as witness – from not just my mouth,
But the depth of my inmost heart and bones, I pray –
Think of me somewhat! Show me Your smiling face!
Loving One, grant me the nectar of Your Speech!

3. Others cheat us with their made-up teachings,
Selling Dharma for money that’s marked by impermanence,
Proclaiming ignorance knowledge, puffed up with pride
Through the eight worldly Dharmas, gurus great and small.

4. Since I cannot trust such Friends of degenerate times,
The principal Guru of mine is You Yourself.
Inspire me, Mother of the nature of love!
Arouse Your great power of Compassion! Think of me!

5. Relied on as Refuge, none of them will deceive us;
But, seeing the ways of this degenerate age,
Most Buddhas sink down into the bliss of Nirvana;
Some, though compassionate, have weak karmic connection.

6. Since I have no other Yidam deity,
My principal Deity is You Yourself.
Grant me siddhis, Mother of loving nature!
Arouse Your great power of compassion! Think of me!

7. Most protectors don’t show their powers and skills –
Disgusted with their practitioners, they do not act.
Others, proud of worldly fame, may be
Good for a while, but cheat us in the end.

8. Since I cannot trust protectors such as these,
My principal Protector is You Yourself.
Fulfil the Activities, Mother of loving nature!
Arouse Your great power of Compassion! Think of me!

9. Common worldly riches, the meaning like the name,
Arouse defilements and bind one in Samsara.
What jewels, except the Aryas, though they grant wishes,
Can let me take even a sesame seed when I die?

10. Since I cannot trust illusory riches,
The principal wealth I have is You Yourself.
Grant my desires, O Mother of loving nature!
Arouse Your great power of compassion! Think of me!

11. Not fit to be trusted even for one day,
Their thoughts determinedly set on misbehaviour,
Just acting friendly, these friends of no virtue
Play the friend when they wish, the enemy when they don’t.

12. Since I cannot trust these friends of degenerate times,
The principal friend of mine is You Yourself.
Be close to me, O Mother of loving nature!
Arouse Your great power of compassion! Think of me!

13. In short, my Guru, my Deity and Protector,
My Refuge, dwelling, food, wealth, friends and all-
Everything whatsoever I wish, You are;
So make me accomplish everything easily!

14. Let me stop also my present stubborn mind,
And rouse the Compassion that even on coming to give
A billion times for every being’s sake
My body and life tires not – inspire me thus!

15. The uprooter of Samsara’s maker, self-grasping,
The deep Middle Way, so hard to understand,
Avoiding all errors of the two extremes,
Pure Right View – Please inspire me to realise it!

16. Wishing, for sentient beings’ sake, to win Buddhahood,
Let me not think for a moment of my own pleasure,
But dedicating all virtues to beings and Doctrine,
Perfect my renounced Bodhi-mind – inspire me thus!

17. Rich in the Aryas’ Treasures, faith and the rest,
Let me become the best of Buddha-sons, able
To keep the smallest precept taught by the Conquerors,
Never contemptuous of it – inspire me thus!

18. In outward behaviour keeping the Hearer’s conduct,
Let me, in inward belief, revere the Profound
Vajrayana, and practice the Two-Stage Path,
So winning Enlightenment swiftly – inspire me thus!

19. Whether I’m happy or troubled, whether things
Go well or badly for me, whatever I do
You know about it, Venerable Tara, so
Think of me lovingly, my only Mother!

20. Myself and all the beings with hopes of me
I offer to You, Venerable Tara!
Make us Your own, and to the highest Pure Land
Make us go quickly, with no births intervening!

21. My mothers, who do not follow the Conquerors’ teachings,
All mother sentient beings, whoever they are –
With Your hook of compassionate skilful Means
Please transform their minds into Dharma!

22. Reciting this at morning, noon and night,
And bearing in mind Venerable Tara,
Let all sentient beings with hopes of me
Be born in whatever Pure Land they desire!

23. May every member of the Three precious Jewels,
Especially the Venerable Mother, compassionate-natured,
Look after me till I reach the point of Enlightenment
Letting me conquer quickly the four Maras’ hosts!

If we can, we can recite this prayer of the Infallible to Tara immediately upon waking, at noon and at night before sleeping. If we recite this from our hearts and the very core of our beings, it is said we will see Mother Tara’s face directly. But if anything we should recite when we can…it is beneficial.

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