Tara Meditation

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This is a notecard from Fem in Second Life.

Sky Singh wrote:: Instructions on Tara Meditation
[http//www.medicinebuddha.org/tara.htm]

Composed by Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche
Tushita Retreat Centre, March 1986

Look at an image of Tara and see it as really her, not as a mere representation. In the middle of a calm and tranquil nectar ocean is a lotus, seated on which is Tara. She is the omniscient mind, the great compassion, and the power of all Buddhas. Through her power she liberates sentient beings from suffering and leads them to the peerless happiness of enlightenment, manifested in the female aspect of Buddha Tara. She has the appearance of a smiling sixteen year old girl.

[images of Tara, examples of different styles:]
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Make the following request to Tara:

"May every living being who merely hears me, sees me, remembers me, touches me, or talks to me, immediately be purified of all his or her problems and their causes -- the three poisonous minds rooted in the ignorance that does not realize the nature of the self or of phenomena, and the ignorance that does not understand the cause of happiness or of suffering. And may they achieve temporal happiness as well as the ultimate happiness. May I be able to lead them to the peerless happiness of enlightenment by showing the various means that are suitable for them, just as you Mother Tara guide the sentient beings."

Breath in slowly and think of all the obstacles: the three poisonous minds, the actions called karma accumulated with disturbing thoughts that harm yourself and do not allow you to have temporal happiness or especially the peerless happiness of enlightenment, and which also harm others and interfere with their experiencing temporal and ultimate happiness. Besides the true cause of suffering, think of the remaining true suffering - every problem. All this, in the form of filthy, foul-smelling pollution comes out through your nostrils, from your heart, as you breath out slowly. Think that it goes beyond this earth and ceases to exist. Do this several times. Feel purified and empty of all the negativities within you.

Recite the mantra: OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA and visualize that from Tara's heart white nectar flows down through your crown and is absorbed through the pores of your body, entering your body and mind.

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The first contemplation

Think that the essence of the nectar is Tara's omniscient mind, her great compassion for all sentient beings, and her power.

While continuously reciting the mantra, think that the essence of the nectar is the wisdom, the fully knowing mind. Then think that you receive all of Tara's wisdom. Your mind is completely in the nature of being able to guide sentient beings. Concentrate on this. Your mind is the nature of every single wisdom possessed by Tara.

The second contemplation

Again, while still reciting the mantra, nectar enters your heart from Tara and the essence is the great power to perfectly guide sentient beings. Place your mind single-pointedly on having the power to perfectly guide all sentient beings.

The third contemplation

Again visualize the nectar entering your body and mind from Tara; this time its essence is her great compassion. Single-pointedly concentrate on your mind being the nature of great compassion for every suffering sentient being. Feel that their suffering is unbearable and you want to liberate them from it this very second. Concentrate single-pointedly on your mind being completely transformed into the nature of Tara's great compassion.

The fourth contemplation

Again, reciting the mantra, the nectar enters your body, speech and mind altogether. Feel incredible bliss, so great that if it materialized it could not be contained in the sky. It completely fills your body and mind, and especially feel it at your heart. Every atom of your body from your head to your feet is filled with unceasing bliss. This has no comparison to ordinary pleasures. Single-pointed concentrate on the sensation of bliss.

Think: "My life is not to harm others. Just as I do not wish harm from others, all beings do not wish to receive harm from me. Just as I wish every sentient being to help me, to benefit me by giving temporal and ultimate happiness, all sentient beings wish me to benefit and give temporal and ultimate happiness to them. This is the purpose of my life. My responsibility is not only to not give harm, it is especially to give benefit; every capacity I have I give to others."

Because of this attitude to not harm and to benefit others, Buddha Mother Tara is extremely pleased and happy. She dissolves into you and your body, speech and mind become identical with Mother Tara's holy body, speech and mind. Concentrate on this for as long as you can.

Think: "Due to all the merit that I have accumulated, may I achieve the enlightenment of Mother Tara and immediately lead every single being to her peerless happiness."

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Tara Prayer & Commentary
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
[with Tibetan phonetics & English translation]

om chom.den.day.ma phag.ma drol.ma chag.tsel.lo

Om I and all prostrate to the liberator, the transcendental bhagawati

chag.tsel drol.ma ta.re pel.mo

You are the glorious mother who liberates with TARE

tut.ta.ra.yi jig.kun sel.ma

You are the mother who eliminates all fears with TUTTARE

tu.re don.nam tham.che ter.me

You are the mother who grants all success with TURE

so.ha yi.ker che.la rab.tu

To the syllables SOHA and all we offer the greatest homage.

Firstly to help you understand the meaning of the prayer, it could be glossed as follows:

OM contains three sounds: AH, O and MM, and signifies the immeasurable qualities of the enlightened beings' holy body, speech and mind. According to the tantric teachings, the paths contained in the mantra OM TARE TUTTURE TURE SOHA lead to the omniscient state of mind. Through actualizing these paths in our mind we purify our impure body, speech and mind, transforming them into Arya Tara's vajra holy body, speech and mind. In this mantra, OM stands for the goal and TARE TUTTURE TURE the path.

TARE (Tibetan: Drolma): the liberating female. Usually Tara connotes liberating or releasing us from the suffering of the three lower realms, the general sufferings of samsara and the bondage of nirvana, the blissful state of peace. If we gain freedom from samsara but simply attain arhantship and fall into the blissful state of peace for ourselves alone, it takes us an incredibly long time to escape from that and do extensive work for sentient beings. Compared with the motivation of achieving the omniscient state of mind in order to extensive work for the benefit of other sentient beings, the idea of attaining nirvana for oneself alone is extremely limited and mistaken because it represents concern for only our own peace. Thus Tara not only liberates us from the bondage of samsara, she also liberates us from the blissful state of peace, leading us to the omniscient state of mind. This is the usual meaning of the first TARA: it represents everything from which we should be liberated, the liberating path ? the entire method ? and the goal to which Tara leads us, the omniscient state of mind.

However, the meaning of TARE here is explained as being liberation from samsara, indicating the first of the Four Noble Truths, the Truth of Suffering.

TUTTURE : dispelling all fears. "Fears" is the translation of the Tibetan word used here ? the main fear dispelled is that of the delusions;

the suffering of attachment, which is like a great flood;

the suffering of hatred, which is like fire;

the suffering of ignorance, which is like an elephant;

the suffering of jealousy, which is like a snake;

the suffering of pride, which is like a lion;

the suffering of miserliness, which is like a chain;

the suffering of wrong views, which is like a thief;

the suffering of doubt, which is like a spirit.

Thus an example is given for each delusion. If we take refuge in Tara, recite her mantra and practise her method, she will release us from not only the internal suffering of the delusions but also from external dangers such as floods, fires and thieves.

Hence TUTTURE means that Tara liberates us from the true cause of suffering -- karma and the unsubdued mind from which the karma arises. By reciting this our fears are dispelled, which shows that Tara leads us to the true path of the three vehicles, according to our level of mind, and to the absolute Dharma -- the real remedy for the cause of suffering.

TURE: she who grants all success. Here success refers to the goals of those of the three levels -- lowest, intermediate and highest -- of capability: the bodies of the happy transmigrators, arhantship or nirvana, and the great nirvana, the omniscient state of mind. Furthermore, as it is taught here, all success also refers to success in all the pursuits of this life ? business, other worldly activities, finding perfect conditions for our Dharma practice and accomplishing our Dharma goals.

SOHA. Each word of the mantra -- from OM to SOHA -- performs the functions explained above; each brings incredible benefit. Thus to the letters SOHA and the rest we pay homage.

SOHA: "May the blessings of Tara, which are contained in the mantra OM TARE TUTTURE take root in our hearts." If we want to harvest fruit in our garden, that is where we should plant the roots of the tree. Similarly, if we want to attain the omniscient state of mind, we should plant the root of the complete path, which is contained in the mantra OM TARE TUTTURE TURE SOHA, in our hearts. By praying to Tara and reciting her mantra we receive her blessings; as SOHA implies, through the blessings of Tara entering our heart we are able to generate the entire path to the omniscient state of mind. By generating the path -- method and wisdom -- in our own minds, our impure body, speech and mind are purified and transformed into Tara's vajra holy body, speech and mind.

The Visualization

When you recite this prayer, visualize that light beams with nectar running down them -- like rain-drops running down a wire -- emanate from the point where Tara's left thumb and ring finger touch each other. These reach you and all other sentient beings. Visualize in particular the people you dislike or who dislike you, in front of you. The rays and nectar flow constantly, purifying the hindrances to Dharma practice and the two obscurations of yourself and all other sentient beings. Remember, too, all those with specific problems for whom you are praying to Tara.

The rays and nectar flow to all sentient beings: narak beings, pretas, animals, humans, asuras, devas, intermediate state beings, arhants and bodhisattvas. In the midst of whatever suffering they are experiencing -- you can visualize, for example, humans fighting in wars, or full of anger, pride and jealousy -- rays and nectar enter their bodies and minds and pacify completely all their true cause of suffering and the true sufferings themselves. All sentient beings become totally liberated. Recite the prayer with this meditation.

You can also visualize the person for whom you are praying, yourself and all other sentient beings under Tara's right hand, which is in the mudra of granting refuge, completely covered and protected by it.

Think repeatedly, with deep conviction, that Tara has accepted your request and answers your prayers. You can do one rosary of the prayer with the purifying meditation, and another where you and all sentient beings become one with Tara. With each prayer identical Taras emanate from the principal Tara you are visualizing and dissolve into you and all other sentient beings. You become one with Tara's holy body, speech and mind.

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Praise to the 21 Taras & Benefits of Recitation
Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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1. Quick Heroine is red. Her right hand, in the mudra of granting sublime realizations, holds a red vase that bestows the power of controlling - [Sanskrit mantra to recite/chant:] Om Tare Tuttare Ture Washam Kuru Soha

2. The Great Peaceful One is white and holds a white vase which grants his action- Om Tare Tuttare Ture Shintim Kuru Soha

3. Increasing One is yellow and holds a vase bestowing the power of increase- Om Tare Tuttare Ture Pushtim Kuru Soha

4. Tara for Long Life holds a vase that grants this action- Om Tare Tuttare Ture Ayu Gnana Shriye Dhrum Soha

5. Tara with the Hung Voice is orange. She holds a vase bestowing you the power of attraction. The main purpose of which is to bring Dharma to the person whom you want to subdue and lead that person to liberation and enlightenment - Om Tare Tuttare Ture (your name or person's name) Akar Chaya Hrih Soha

6. Victory Over the Three World is dark red, holding a vase that carries the power to intoxicate the yaksha - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Sarwa Tutti Churu Soha

7. Destroying Others' Black Magic is black, slightly wrathful, holding a vase which bestows the power to destroy black magic - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Bedye Buddho Waranaya Zhu Soha

8. Destroyer of the Mara is dark red. She holds a vase which grants the power of this action - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Amagashatrum Maraya Hung Phet Soha

9. The Three Rare Sublimer is white, holding a vase which carries the power to protect others from fears and dangers - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Nu Pa Sarwa Rakka Soha

10. Destroyer of the Mara is red, holding a vase which grants the power to destroy the maras that control the world - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Sarwa Mara Prama Taya Hung Phet Soha

11. Eliminating Poverty is orange, holding a vase which has the power to eliminate poverty - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Basu Dare Soha

12. Making Everything Auspicious is orange, holding a vase that bestows auspiciousness - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mangalam Pushtim Kuru Soha

13. The Blazing One is red, holding a vase that carries the power to destroy your enemy. The main purpose of which is for you to actualize the path to enlightenment for all beings and spread Buddha's teachings, as well as preventing your enemy from creating more negativities, bringing Dharma to him, and eventually leading him to liberation and enlightenment - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Putaya Bemi Kuru Soha

14. Wrathful Wrinkled One is black, holding a vase that grants the power to suppress the interferers that create obstacles - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Bandzra Maha Putaya Bemi Kuru Soha

15. Great Peaceful One is white, holding a vase that grants this action - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Sarwa Pahpam Puta Manaye Soha

16. Wisdom Liberating from Hung is red, holding a vase which grants the action to increase the power of the mantra - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Sarwa Dharma Prati Shuddha Ya Soha

17. Shaking the Three Worlds is orange, holding a vase which carries the power to destroy the power of black mantra - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Sarwa Tam Bane Dele Soha

18. Eliminating the Poison is white, holding a vase which gives you that power - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Sarwa Naga Bika Shanting Kuru Soha

19. She is white, holding a vase which bestows the power to eliminate quarrels, like court cases, as well as nightmares - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mutsa Naya Soha

20. Eliminating Epidemic Diseases is orange, holding a vase which has the power to destroy all contagious diseases - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Bisare Soha

21. For All the Actions is white, holding a vase which grants the power to complete various activities - Om Tare Tuttare Ture Sarwa Siddhi Soha

Dedication

Due to all the merits of the three times collected by me, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and all other sentient beings, may bodhicitta, which is the source of all the happiness and success of me and all other sentient beings, be generated within my own mind and in the minds of all sentient beings without even a second's delay. May that which has already been generated increase. Due to all the merits of the three times collected by me, buddhas, bodhisattvas and all other sentient beings, which are totally empty from their own side, may the I, who is also totally empty from its own side, achieve Tara's enlightenment, which is also totally empty from its own side, and lead all sentient beings, who are also totally empty from their own side, to that enlightenment, which is also totally empty from its own side, by myself alone, who is also totally empty from its own side. Dedicating in this way makes the merit inexhaustible. Even after enlightenment, we can still continuously benefit sentient beings with our merit. It is extremely important to make such a dedication as this can prevent our merit from finishing after experiencing the result.

[http://www.medicinebuddha.org/tara.htm]