Posted on Leave a comment

Vajra Yogini | Vajravarahi | Buddhism | The Powerful Divine Red Lady

Bajrayogini |Vajrayogin| |Handmade Thangka on cotton canvas

Vajra yogini is defined as Vajravarahi, the women manifestation of the cognitive function ultimately rises to spiritual enlightenment in Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism). Vajrayana emphasizes experience before speculation, although it does so in a novel way, employing words from scholarly philosophical Buddhism. Such technique entails using pictures from one’s everyday life to develop a better understanding of man’s existence, that is both deed (upaya) and awareness (prajna), which together strengthens each other.

Vajra yogini is frequently described in a frightening shape, grasping a skull as well as a sword in her hands, her right leg extended outside, and her left leg bend the knees in archetypal representations. She is encircled on all sides by crematoriums, suggesting that the ordinary world has expired in comparison to the rich world of inner consciousness and its undistorted perception of reality. Although she can be visualized alone, she is usually shown in partnership (yab-yum) with Heruka, who is recognized as Hevajra when he is joined with Vajra yogini. As a result, he is incredibly popular in Tibet, particularly among the Bka’-brgyud-pa (a significant Buddhist sect), for whom he is the patron deity.

Vajravairocani (She Who Reveals), a yellow-colored symbolic representation of the all-illuminating sun, or Vajravarnani (She Who Colours), a green-colored manifestation of the broadest range of interpretation and the fact that man’s view is “colored,” may involve Vajra yogini as an affirmation of the multiplicity of psychic phenomena. Vajra yogini is often addressed to as Vajradakini in her primary form (She who roams over the Void). Vajra yogini is not the major deity of a tantra despite her centrality in Vajrayana Buddhism (literary work). Her various forms are described in four sadhanas (visualization procedures).

Vajra yogini is a Vajrayana Buddhist mindfulness deity and a Dakini. She is believed as a female Buddha. In Sanskrit, Vajra yogini signifies “diamond female yogi.” Her approach involves strategies for preventing ordinary mortality, transitional realms, and reincarnation (by transforming them into spiritual roads) and transforming all mundane daily events into spirituality journeys. Vajra yogini, commonly known as Vajravarahi, is a prominent Tantric female deity who can be found in all Tibetan Buddhist lineages. She wears a single boar’s face, two or more boar’s faces, two or more hands, and red, yellow, or black legs, standing in a dance position, or both legs downwards.

Vajravarahi Vajra yogini is accompanied by 24 Dakin’s, Sahaja Chakrasamvara to the left, and two monastic figures to the right. Vajravarahi, along with Vajra yogini and the Fierce Black One, have all been variations of Vajravarahi. Vajravarahi Vajra yogini one of the most prominent and unique patron deity rituals originating from the Chakrasamvara cycle of tantras from the Anuttarayoga Tantra’s enlightenment class. All the Sarma Schools, including such Sakya, Kagyu, and others, practice these different forms.

Vajra Yogini Mantra:

The Vajra yogini Mantra is Om Vajra Yo Gi Ni Hum Phat Sva Ha.

VAJRAYOGINI MANTRA | वज्रयोगिनी मन्त्र

Tibetan Name:

The Tibetan name for Vajravarahi, Vajra yogini is Dor je phag mo, dor je nal jor ma

Passion to Compassion Metamorphosis

Vajra yogini is a prominent female tantric dakini who epitomizes the feminine enlightenment power of hollowness. Her bare body is a vivid scarlet, signifying the ability to transform desire, sensual, and egoistical desire into boundless empathy for all sentient creatures. She is Chakrasamvara’s opposing half, portrayed here by the khatvanga pole resting on her left shoulder. Vajra yogini reveals that they are eternally united but never separated within that way.

She feeds from the kapala, a half-skull filled of blood, that she carries in her left hand. She encroaches Kalarati (the red figure) and Bhairava with her feet (the blue figure). They symbolize the clinging, anger, and ignorance illusions that Vajra yogini’s wisdom has shattered. Vajrayogini extends her gaze to the Holy Dakini Land to symbolize because she has the power to lead sincere practitioners directly to this celestial region free of suffering.

History and Genealogy

Between the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Nepal evolved Vajrayogini (Vajra yogini). It emerged from the Cakrasavara Tantra, wherein the Vajrayogini appeared as his yab-yum companion, to be a distinct Anuttarayoga Tantra discipline. Vajrayogini is member of the Anuttarayoga Tantras’ Mother Tantra class, which further encompasses tantras much like Cakrasavara and Hevajra Tantras. The two stages of Vajrayogini technique (formation stage and consummation stage), as per Vajrayana, have been originally imparted by Vajradhara. He emerged in the avatar of Heruka to elucidate Chakrasavara’s Root Tantra, it was in this tantra that he explained Vajrayogini technique. This initial revelation can be traced all the way back to the different branches of Vajrayogini instructions. The Narokhachö tradition, which was transferred from Vajrayogini to Naropa; the Maitrikhacho lineage, which has been transmitted from Vajrayogini to Maitripa; and the Indrakhachö lineage, which has been transmitted from Vajrayogini to Indrabodhi, are the three most often practiced.

Enactment

In Vajrayana Buddhism, Vajrayogini is a meditating divinity or the yab-yum partner of a mindfulness god. She manifests in a mala that the devotee glimpse in compliance with sadhana defining the tantra’s practice. There seem to be numerous compilations of Vajrayogini sadhanas, which includes solely Vajrayogini sadhanas and comprises forty-six compositions by various authors.

Vajrayogini is the yidam that a meditator identifies practicing the Six Yoga’s of Nropa, and she is a substantial deity for tantric emergence, especially for new commences, as Vajrayogin’s profession is shown to be well-suited to those with powerful desirous adhesion, as well as those living in the current “perverted age.” Chakrasavara (Tib. Khorlo Demchog), her consort as Vajravrh, is often depicted symbolically as a khavga on her left shoulder. She is also the consort of Jinasagara (Tib. Gyalwa Gyatso), the crimson Avalokitevara, in this form (Tib. Chenrezig). Vajrayogini occurs in Tibetan Buddhism’s Kagyu school’s versions of Guru yoga. In one popular approach, the learner demonstrates oneself as Vajrayogini while worshipping their guru in the avatar of Milarepa. The intention of visualizing Vajrayogini is to accomplish generation stage tantra realizations, in which the practitioner depicts themselves as their yidam or meditational deity, and their circumstances as the Deity’s mala (A string of beads or knots). The intention of the generation stage is to eliminate ordinary perceptions and ordinary ideas, which are shown to be barriers to nirvana in Vajrayana Buddhism.

  1. Vajrayogini
  2. Vajrayogini
  3. Vajravarahi Thangka

Online Store

Posted on Leave a comment

Aarya Tara | Vasya Tara | Boddhisattva

Green Tara

Tara is an analogue of bodhisattva (“Buddha-to-be”) widely renowned in Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia, and other Buddhist regions. Her Tibetan name is “Sgrol- ma” meaning “she who saves” with many avatars. Tara is a completely enlightened Buddha who made a vow in the distant past that after reaching complete enlightenment she would always appear in female form for the benefit of all beings. By iconographic category and hierarchy Tara is a meditational deity (ishtadevata, yidam) and her appearance is that of a peaceful deity, a Devi or “bodhisattva appearance.” – Vajrayana Buddhism.

Tara was born from a tear of solicitude of Avalokiteshvara. It is said that when Avalokiteshavara wept his tear while looking upon the planet filled with suffering beings, tear fell to the bottom and formed a lake. Out of its waters rise a lotus, which, on opening, revealed the goddess, Tara. She is a compassionate deity who helps human being in a state of enlightenment where everyone wants to reach.

There is a story concerning the traditional Bodhisattva Tara. A decade ago, Tara was a young princess names Yeshe Dawa, which suggests ‘Wise Moon’. Buddha at that point was named Tonyo Drupa. From him Yeshe Dawa received special instructions concerning bodhicitta (Today it can only be harvested in Kavre, Nepal) and shortly achieved some great results. Seeing her remarkable achievements, a fellow monk suggested that she should now pray to be reborn as a male to progress further within the practice. “However, it’s true that there have been very few who crave to work for the wellbeing of sentiment in a female form. It is believed that after this Yeshe Dawa moved to the state of meditation and stayed in that position for ten million years. Buddha Tonyo Drupa envisioned, in future she will palpable the supreme enlightenment as the Goddess Tara in contrasting world.

One of the opposite stories regarding Tara is, in Tibet she is believed to be incarnate in every pious woman, and therefore the two wives—a Chinese princess and a Nepali princess—of the first Buddhist king of Tibet, Srong-brtsan-sgam-po, were identified with the two major avatar of Tara.

The White-Tara (Sanskrit: Sitatara; Tibetan: Sgrol-dkar) was incarnated as the Chinese princess. She symbolizes purity and is usually represented standing at the right hand of her consort, Avalokiteshvara, or seated with legs crossed, holding a full-blown lotus. She is usually shown with a third eye. Tara is additionally sometimes shown with eyes on the soles of her feet and the palms of her hands (then she is called “Tara of the Seven Eyes,” a form of the goddess popular in Mongolia).

The Green Tara (Sanskrit: Shyamatara; Tibetan: Sgrol-ljang) was believed to be incarnated as the Nepali princess. She is considered by some to be the original Tara and is the female consort of Amoghasiddhi, one of the “self-born” buddhas. She is generally shown seated on a lotus throne with right leg hanging down, wearing the ornaments of a bodhisattva and holding the closed blue lotus (utpala). Green Tara, commonly recognized as Arya Tara or Vasya Tara, has been the most renowned of the Taras.

Though Tara has multiple origin stories and myths, she is the goddess of universal compassion, representing virtuous and enlightened actions. She brings longevity protects earthly travel, guards her followers on their spiritual journey to enlightenment.

Mantra- Om Tare Tuttare Ture Savha.

Tara as a manifestation of enlightened qualities

A second way Tara can be understood is as a manifestation or embodiment of enlightened qualities. A Buddha’s mind is beyond our limited perceptual or conceptual abilities. All those who are awakened practiced for eons to purify their minds and enhance their capabilities to benefit us. But they need a way to communicate with us to lead us on the path out of suffering to full awakening. Since we are embodied beings who relate to color, shape, and other objects of the senses, the compassionate Buddhas appear in various forms to communicate with us. Tara, like all other meditational deities, is one of those forms.

Each deity is a manifestation of the same enlightened qualities -love, compassion, joy, equanimity, generosity, ethical discipline, patience, enthusiasm, concentration, wisdom, and so forth—although each manifestation may emphasize a particular quality. For example, Tara symbolizes awakened activity, while Avalokiteshvara embodies compassion. Among the diverse forms of Tara, Green Tara, who will be described below, eliminates obstacles, and brings success. White Tara counteracts illness and bestows long life. Among the 21 Taras and the 108 Taras, each has her own specialty, symbolized by her color, implements, and physical posture.

In another way of speaking, Tara is an emanation of bliss and emptiness. Within the sphere of emptiness—the absence of inherent existence—the blissful wisdom realizing emptiness appears in the form of Tara. By appearing in this physical form of Tara, the minds of bliss and emptiness of all the Buddhas inspire us to cultivate constructive attitudes and actions. By understanding the symbolic meaning of Tara’s physical characteristics, we gain confidence in and are moved to follow the path she teaches, generating her qualities within ourselves.

Her female form draws us into spiritual life. My teacher, Lama Thubten Yeshe, who practiced Tara meditation daily, often referred to her as “Mummy Tara.” Just as most of us worldly beings feel affinity for our mothers and rely on their constant, compassionate help, we are naturally attracted to Tara. We can relax in her presence and look at ourselves honestly, knowing that Tara will not judge, reject, or abandon us due to our shortcomings. Like any mother, she sees her child’s potential—in this case, our spiritual potential or Buddha nature—and wants to nurture it. We feel that we can easily entrust ourselves to the path she teaches. In this way her female form functions to increase our confidence in the Three Jewels and to feel supported in our practice.

Her female form represents wisdom, the essential element needed to remove the ignorance which misconstrues reality and is the root of all our suffering. Women tend to have quick, intuitive, and comprehensive understanding. Tara represents this quality and consequently can help us to develop such wisdom. Thus, she is called “the mother of all the Buddhas,” for the wisdom realizing reality that she embodies gives birth to full awakening, the state of freedom from narrow, dualistic discriminations and its attendant, self-centeredness.

Green Tara’s color symbolizes activity and success. Although she possesses the same qualities as all other manifestations of the omniscient ones, she specifically embodies the enlightening influence by which the Buddhas act to benefit and guide us. Also, she represents the purified aspect of the element of air, which activates growth in the world. Just as the air element generates the growth of green plants, which consequently brings the uplifted spirit of springtime after the dreariness of winter, Tara’s enlightening influence makes our good qualities bloom and leads us to the freshness of liberation after the oppression of cyclic existence. Lush green plants that grow easily are a farmer’s delight. Similarly, her green color represents success—in worldly affairs as well as in spiritual development—giving us a sense of delight, hope, and optimism. Aspirations made in the presence of Green Tara may easily grow into results, and requests made to her may be actualized quickly. One reason for this is that by visualizing and praying to Tara, we are energized to create causes for happiness and to eliminate interferences in our Dharma practice.

Video

Mantra
  1. Arya Tara
  2. Arya Tara: A star by which to navigate

Online Store

Posted on Leave a comment

Tara in Bodhisattva

Tara in Bodhisattva

Across both Buddhism and Hinduism, Tara is a feminine deity who epitomizes compassion and offers liberation from the sufferings of reincarnation and mortality. She is often invoked for security, wisdom, and escape from difficult situations and therefore is considered to have been created out the of tenderness for the struggling world. Tara is regarded as the female embodiment of avalokitesvara who himself is understood as the embodiment of compassion & compassionate wisdom.

She is the second of ten Mahavidyas, or incarnations of the great Mother Goddess Mahadevi, in Hinduism (also known as Adi Parashakti as well as other names). The goddess Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati constitute the Adi Parashakti trinity, and the Mahavidyas are more specialized incarnations of these three. As Hinduism is henotheistic, she is an ishta-devi, one’s absolute favorite deity (the male version is an ishta-deva) (a belief in a single deity with many manifestations). Tara is a manifestation of Parvati as a devoted mother caring for and protecting her children and is thought to be the mother of Sakyamuni Buddha (l. c. 563 – c. 483 BCE) who is understood in Hinduism as an avatar of the god Vishnu. Her major cult center is Tarapith in West Bengal.

Tara is a Buddhist savior deity who liberates souls from suffering. In Buddhist Practice, she is renowned as a bodhisattva (“spirit of enlightenment”), and in Esoteric Buddhism, particularly Vajrayana Buddhism, she is recognized as a buddha and the mother of lord buddha (also known as Tibetan Buddhism). According to one legend, she emerged from the tear of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, who grieved as he contemplated the suffering world. She is therefore associated especially with compassion, but she can take on a range of shapes to advise and protect her devotees, along with a vengeful deity imitating Kali, the Hinduism deity of death and integration.

The earliest fully attested documented evidence of Tara’s devotion derives from the 5th century CE, but the goddess has long been acknowledged, since she is mentioned in the Rig Veda (c. 1500-1100 BCE) and then was well throughout the Vedic Period (c. 1500 – c. 500 BCE). She is also connected to the deity Prajnaparamita, who appears in the Buddhist compilation Completion of Wisdom, which has been written around c. 50 BCE and c. 600 CE. Tara is considered as a central piece of light that can traverse by.  She is however documented in the 8th century CE Tibetan Book of the Dead, the Bardo Thodol.

Her title means “savories” in Sanskrit, but it can also be interpreted as “star,” and she is invoked for guidance in life in general, as well as by those that are wandering and having difficulty finding their way. Tara, like a star, is thought to provide a single point of light which can be used to navigate. She is connected to divine feminine figures in Buddhist schools from all around the world, and yet she is probably best renowned in the West as Guanyin, the Chinese deity of compassion. She still is venerated in both Hinduism and Buddhism today, and she is among the most successful and influential goddesses in Esoteric Buddhist schools.

Historical Development

It is unclear when the veneration of Tara began, but she is associated with the Shakti sect of Hinduism which worships the feminine divine principle of the Mahadevi as the source of all creation rather than the male principle of Brahman. Shakti does not deny the male principle, recognizing the importance of both male and female, but elevates the Mahadevi to the most prominent position. It is likely this sect was established by the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 7000 – c. 600 BCE) and influenced the development of the popular sects of Vaishnavism (centered on the god Vishnu) and Shaivism (emphasizing Shiva). All three recognize the importance of balance between male and female energies as well as the elevating effect of personal devotion to the deity of one’s choice.

As noted, textual evidence for Tara comes first from the Rig Veda and physical evidence of her worship from her temple at Tara pith, established in c. 1225 BCE. The site of Tara pith was formerly (and part of it still is) a charnel ground where corpses were left to decompose (or were cremated) as part of mortuary rituals. These grounds were frequented by religious ascetics known as siddhas as well as those who were considered even more spiritually advanced known as mahasiddhas (“great” or “perfected” siddhas) who claimed to be able to commune with the eternal spirits and powers of the place as well as the souls of the dead.

Tara pith (as the name makes clear) is a pith (plural, pitha, “abode” or “seat”) of Tara, a place where her power and presence are most accessible. As she is associated with death and symbols of mortality such as skulls in some of her forms, she may have been developed by mahasiddhas sometime before 1225 BCE as their ishta devi, probably as part of the Shakti sect. Whatever part purely religious considerations played in this, their devotion to Tara would have self-identified the group, differentiating it from others in the Shakti sect, and helping to develop a specific form of worship of the goddess.

Tara in Hinduism

There are several origin tales for Tara in Hinduism but one of the best-known concerns the goddess Sati, consort of Shiva. Sati’s father, Daksha, insulted Shiva by not inviting him to participate in a sacred fire ritual. Sati felt personally responsible for this slight and, unable to live with the shame of her father’s actions, threw herself into the fire during the ritual. Shiva went mad with grief and, to help him, Vishnu gathered up the parts of Sati’s body and scattered them across India. Wherever a part fell, it bloomed into a manifestation of another goddess, and so Sati continued to live through them. Each of these sites was then recognized as a pith – the home or “seat” of a particular goddess.

One of Sati’s eyeballs is said to have fallen at Tarapith, making that her seat, and the temple was later raised in her honor. The site was obviously associated with Tara before the construction of the temple and especially its charnel grounds where the siddhas and mahasiddhas would engage in their rituals. Scholars Robert E. Buswell, Jr. and Donald S. Lopez, Jr. comment.

[Pitha] appear commonly in scenes from the lives of the mahasiddhas. Many of the sites can be linked to geographical locations on the Indian subcontinent, although some remain unidentified, and the location of others shifts according to different traditions. They are considered, however, to form a network, both in the external world and inside the body of the tantric practitioner. In both their external and internal forms, the pitha are presumed to form a mandala.

The mandala (Sanskrit for “circle”) is a geometric shape expressing spiritual meaning and interpreted by those who view it as a kind of map of their inward journey. It can also be understood as a representation of Divine Order, which is how it would be understood regarding the pitha. Hinduism is known to adherents as Sanatan Dharma (“Eternal Order”), and the universe is understood to operate according to the rules of that order created and maintained by Brahman. When Vishnu scattered the parts of Sati’s body, therefore, Divine Order directed where they would land for its own purposes; these purposes were later understood as the creation of a mandala to aid human beings in their spiritual work.

The pitha became pilgrimage sites and Tarapith one among many. Tarapith honors Tara in her form as compassionate mother while also recognizing her fierce protective nature. Accordingly, blood sacrifices were made (and still are in the present) to the cult statue of the goddess inside the temple. Participation in the rituals at Tarapith are believed to be restorative, curing illnesses (both physical and psychological) and even bringing the newly dead back to life.

Tara in Buddhism

Tara pith is a Hindu temple and, specifically, of the Shakti sect, but it is honored by Buddhists who recognize Tara as not only the mother of Sakyamuni Buddha but of all buddhas before and after him. She is said to have been born of the compassion of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (also known as a buddha) when he wept over the suffering world. Avalokitesvara is an important figure in both Hinduism and Buddhism and, in the latter, is associated with the sacred number 108 as he is said to have 108 avatars which appear to people in their various forms to help them most effectively.

In Tibetan Buddhism, he is known as Chenrezig who, upon looking down upon the world from the summit of a mountain, saw how people endlessly suffered through ignorance, which trapped them in their own fears and bound them to the cycle of rebirth and death (samsara) on which they would suffer eternally unless awakened. His tears formed a pool at his feet which expanded into a lake, and, at its center, a lotus appeared and then opened, revealing Tara in her complete form and power. She is therefore regarded as the female embodiment of Avalokitesvara/ Chenrezig who himself is understood as the embodiment of compassion and compassionate wisdom.

Modern-day scholars continue to debate whether Tara emerged first in Hinduism or Buddhism which may seem a senseless argument since it is clear, historically, that Hindu texts and the temple honoring her predate the establishment of Buddhism. Buddhists, however, claim an eternal spiritual history for their belief system comparable to that claimed by Hinduism, and according to this understanding, Avalokitesvara, and therefore Tara, predate institutionalized Hinduism. In this Buddhist cosmography, there are many different world systems operating in different spheres of time simultaneously, and in one of these, according to another origin tale, Tara was born.

Moon of Primordial Awareness”), daughter of a king, who lives in the realm of Multicolored Light and makes sacrifices for centuries in her pursuit of wisdom until she is taken on as a student by The Drum-Sound Buddha, the Buddha of that world, who instructs her in the path of enlightenment. Having attained a high degree of spiritual insight, she takes the vow of the bodhisattva and is blessed by the Buddha. The monks rejoice at her accomplishment and tell her she should now pray to be reborn as a male so she can advance further in her next life.

She then vows to always be incarnated as a female for as long as she continues in the realm of samsara because there were many men who served as role models of the enlightened path but, owing to human ignorance and male arrogance, few women. She continued to advance in spiritual wisdom, power, and compassion, meditating continuously, and by so doing she freed infinite numbers of souls from the suffering of rebirth and death, finally becoming the goddess Tara, the savioress, always ready to respond to the cries of those who call upon her.

Tara as Symbol of Transformation

She is believed to quickly respond to adherents who recite her mantra, “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha” (pronounced Ohm Tahray Too-Tahray Turay So-ha), which cannot be literally translated but essentially praises the goddess for her role as savior and asks for her speedy assistance. The mantra is often chanted or sung to musical accompaniment and repeated during private meditation or public worship. The mantra is thought to not only bring Tara into the physical and spiritual presence of the one reciting it but also encourage growth and change.

Tara herself can manifest in 21 forms and so embodies the value of transformation. Aside from her mantra, adherents also recite the prayer known as Praises to the Twenty-One Taras which, names each of her forms, what that form protects against, asks for her help, and praises her for salvation from rebirth and death.

Green Tara

Green Tara: “Tara Who Protects from the Eight Fears” (lions, elephants, fire, snakes, thieves, water, imprisonment, demons), representing protection from misfortune generally. Green Tara is the most often depicted and best-known image of the goddess.

Mantra of Green Tara

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA


White Tara

White Tara: She is not always depicted as white but recognized by eyes on the palms of her hands, soles of her feet, and a third eye on her forehead symbolizing her attentiveness. The White Tara embodies compassion and is invoked for healing (physical, spiritual, and psychological) and the hope of longevity, for good fortune in any enterprise, protection, and spiritual progress.

Mantra of White Tara

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA

TUTT Means to be liberated of SAMSARA. TARE illustrates that Mother Tara relieves living beings from samsara, or actual sorrow. TUTTARE empowers you from unwanted anxieties. TURE, the third word, enables you from sickness.

Red Tara

Red Tara (Kurkula): She depicted with eight arms, each hand holding a different object associated with warning against and protection from danger. She is associated with the attraction of positive energies, spiritual focus, and psychological/spiritual victory. She is often invoked by those trying to break bad habits.

Mantra of Red Tara

OM TARE TAM SOHA (It is for love and attraction.)

Yellow Tara

Yellow Tara (Golden Tara): She depicted with eight arms, hands holding jewels or a single hand holding a jewel believed to grant wishes. She symbolizes prosperity, physical comfort, and wealth and is always either a shade of yellow or gold. She is invoked for financial gain but also for the granting of wishes having to do with the welfare of one’s family, friends, and oneself.

It contributes in the manifestation and fulfillment of one’s goals. You are urging (kuru) Tara to boost (pushtam) your life energies (ayur) and merit (punye), your contributions to imparting positive energy to creatures all throughout the planet, near and far, when you chant the Golden Tara mantra. Recitations of mantras do not have to be limited to formal practice. Use them throughout the day to help you calm down and concentrate on whatever activity you’re working on

Mantra of Yellow Tara

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA AYUR PUNYE PUSHTAM KURU SOHA

PHOTO OF YELLOW TARA FROM : https://traditionalartofnepal.com/shop/masterpieces/gold-tara-thangka-painting/

Black Tara

Black Tara: She is associated with personal spiritual power, she is depicted with an open mouth and wrathful expression as though yelling, seated on a sun disc sometimes alive with flames, holding a black urn containing the essential forces necessary to overcome negative energies and destructive forces, whether internal or external. She is invoked to clear obstacles one has created or those placed in one’s path by others or circumstance.

All of her forms are transformative in nature and, as noted, encourage transformation in adherents. Tara continues in this role after one’s death as she serves as a protector and a guide in the afterlife. In the work known as Bardo Thodol (“Liberation Through Hearing in the Intermediate State”), better known as The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Tara is invoked for protection and called on in the concluding Prayer for Guidance. In the prayer, she is invoked in her various forms and colors to assist the soul in finding peace.

Whatever her color or form, she is always shown as a young, slim, healthy woman ready to spring into action on behalf of her devotees. Tara’s ability to address the needs and concerns of virtually every aspect of a believer’s life makes her among the most popular, if not the most popular, goddess in the Buddhist pantheon in the present day, just as she has been regarded in the past.

Her appeal to women who know they are equally as capable of spiritual enlightenment as men adds to her popularity. Theravada Buddhism and some other schools of Buddhist thought hold that to reach the highest spiritual plane and be free of rebirth as well as death, one must be incarnated as a male, but Tara shows clearly in her story of enlightenment in the realm of multi – colored light that “male” and “female” are illusory distinctions clung to by superficial minds unable to recognize the true nature of reality.

  1. World History Encyclopedia – Tara
  2. Tara (Buddhism) – Wikipedia
  3. Tara | Description & Facts | Britannica