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Tārā’s root mantra is oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā. The part tāre tuttāre ture addresses the goddess in the vocative. The intended meaning could be that of the conjectured phrase tāre uttāre ture, with the middle word subsequently modified with the initial t for the sake of rhythm and alliteration, to have all three epithets begin with t and end with e. The first of the three epithets is the goddess’s name, Tārā, which is a causative derivation from the root √tṝ, “to cross.” The second is the same prefixed by ud, which modifies the meaning from “one who helps to cross” (fem., tārā) the ocean of saṃsāra, to one who in addition “pulls up” (fem., ut-tārā) from that ocean. As the difference in meaning between these two is merely nominal, we chose to translate them here as “Deliverer” and “Savior” respectively. The third epithet (fem., turā), means “swift.”
See Samye Translations, trans., The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas, Toh 726 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020).
Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen states that the praise was transmitted independently by a certain Nāgārjuna to the Tibetan translator Nyen Lotsawa Darma Drak (late eleventh century). On his identification of Darma Drak as the Tibetan translator of Toh 438, see Drakpa Gyaltsen 2007c, p. 646. The identity of the Nāgārjuna mentioned by Drakpa Gyaltsen remains unclear (see Mabbett 1998, pp. 332–46).
Willson raises some doubts regarding the authorship of the works attributed to Sūryagupta (Willson 1996, pp. 238–41). Noteworthy also is a short story about the origins of the works on Tārā attributed to Sūryagupta that is preserved in the Blue Annals (Roerich 1949, pp. 1050–52).
We also considered the variant readings recorded in Drakpa Gyaltsen’s commentary (2007c) and Willson’s presentation of several Tibetan commentaries (1996, pp. 117–66).
When the Sanskrit editions further clarified the Tibetan, we incorporated that into our translation. Whenever the Sanskrit presented a significantly different reading, we have recorded it in the footnotes. It is difficult, however, to account for all the variants created by the extant Sanskrit editions, the various Tibetan witnesses, and the Tibetan commentaries. Hence, the reader may encounter inconsistencies and other kinds of dissonance when referring to these various sources.
E.g., Beyer 1978; Willson 1986; Tāranātha 1995; Lopez 1997; Wayman 2002; Khenchen Palden Sherab 2004; and Adeu Rinpoche et al. 2015.
Following the Sanskrit (prahasatkiraṇojjvale) this line could also be read as “Smiling and blazing with brilliant light.”
The Sanskrit pāṇipadma metaphorically describes Tārā’s hands as resembling lotus flowers. The Tibetan rendering padmas phyag is understood to refer to the lotus that Tārā holds in her hand (Drakpa Gyaltsen 2007c, p. 638).
Wayman (2002, p. 444) and Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 639) read tuttāre. Following the Sanskrit, Tuttāre in the vocative could also be understood as an epithet of Tārā, that is, Tuttārā. Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 639) explains tuttāre as a mantra syllable.
“Fulfills all wishes” has been translated based on the Sanskrit pūritāśā. Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 639) reads the Tibetan ’dod (“desire”), which translates the Sanskrit āśā (“wish”), as a reference to the desire realm (kāmadhātu, ’dod khams). See also Willson 1996, p. 131.
According to various purāṇas and the Atharvaveda, our world system is divided into fourteen worlds: the seven (higher) worlds (saptaloka or saptavyāhṛti) consist of the earth and the heavenly realms above, and the seven netherworlds (saptapātāla) are subterranean paradises. Here, in verse 1.6, Tārā is praised as ruling the seven higher worlds, while in verse 1.15 she is praised as ruling the seven netherworlds.
The Sanskrit term gaṇa (tshogs) can either express the plurality of the aforementioned spirits, or it can refer to a class of spirits, the gaṇas, who are the attendants of Śiva. The Tibetan suggests the former. Given the position that the word gaṇa takes in the Sanskrit it appears the Sanskrit suggests the latter. We have here translated according to the Tibetan.
The syllable traṭ differs (traḍ, trad, trat, and traṭ) in the Sanskrit and Tibetan manuscripts and editions. Here our translation uses traṭ as suggested also by Wayman (2002, p. 447) and Willson (1996, p. 134).
“The most powerful demons” is a translation of māravīra (bdud kyi dpa’ bo). Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 64) explains the term to refer to the “demon of afflictions” (kleśamāra, nyon mongs kyi bdud) of the four demons (caturmāra, bdud bzhi), which, when destroyed, makes the other three demons crumble.
The last two lines of this verse could be understood as (1) Tārā graces all points and bearings of the compass, and (2) Tārā bears the marks of thousand-spoked wheels on her hands and feet. See also Willson’s discussion of this point (1996, pp. 139–40).
The Sanskrit compound māraloka (’dud dang ’jig rten) could be read as “the realm of demons” instead of “the world and demons.” De Blonay (1895) reads bhayaṃkari (’jigs pa mdzad ma) instead of vaśaṃkari (dbang du mdzad ma). Accordingly, the line could also be read as “you strike fear in the world and demons” or “realm of demons.”
The Sanskrit editions read khaṇḍendu (zla ba’i dum bu), a sliver of moon. The Comparative Edition notes that the Degé, Lithang, and Choné editions read zla ba’i rtse mo, lit. “lunar peak” (p. 140 and p. 143).
According to Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 643) this refers to Tārā’s root mantra oṁ tā-re tu-ttā-re tu-re svā-hā.
The Sanskrit editions vary and read either meru-mandara (Willson 1996, p. 153; Wayman 2002, p. 444) or meru-maṇḍala (de Blonay 1895, Pandey 1994). The Tibetan editions agree with the former, according to which the first two mountains in question are Mount Meru and Mandara. Regarding the third mountain, the Sanskrit editions read Kailāsa, which refers to Mount Kailash. However, the Tibetan editions seem to disagree and read ’bigs byed, which suggests that the mountain in question is Vindhya (see also Willson 1996, p. 153). Here we are following the Tibetan editions. Interestingly, Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 643) reads ’bigs byed as the verb “to pierce.” According to Drakpa Gyaltsen’s explanation, it is the light radiating from Tārā’s seed syllable hūṁ that pierces Meru and Mandara.
According to Drakpa Gyaltsen’s (2007c, p. 644) explanation, Tārā has the power to pacify (zhi ba) the afflictions. The Sanskrit editions employ the Śaiva term śivaśakti (“Śiva’s power”), which is rendered into Tibetan as zhi ba’i mthus (“the power to pacify”).
Tibetan commentators understand “the three true natures” (tritattvā, de nyid gsum) to be these: the awakened body, speech, and mind; deity, mantra, and samādhi; and the syllables oṃ, āḥ, and hūṁ (Drakpa Gyaltsen 2007c, p. 644; Khenchen Palden Sherab 2004, p. 161).
We have translated rab tu brjod pas (paṭhet prayata) as “recited in earnest.” The Comparative Edition notes that the Yongle and Lhasa versions read rab dad brjod pa, the Kangxi version reads rab dung brjod pas, and the Narthang reads rab pa tu rjod (Comparative Edition, p. 143). Like the Yongle and Lhasa versions, the Stok Palace reads rab dad brjod pa (fol. 436.b.2).
The Vedic deity of fire. The name can also mean fire, particularly the sacrificial fire.
The buddha of the western buddhafield of Sukhāvatī, where fortunate beings are reborn to make further progress toward spiritual maturity. Amitābha made his great vows to create such a realm when he was a bodhisattva called Dharmākara. In the Pure Land Buddhist tradition, popular in East Asia, aspiring to be reborn in his buddha realm is the main emphasis; in other Mahāyāna traditions, too, it is a widespread practice. For a detailed description of the realm, see The Display of the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī, Toh 115. In some tantras that make reference to the five families he is the tathāgata associated with the lotus family.
Amitābha, “Infinite Light,” is also known in many Indian Buddhist works as Amitāyus, “Infinite Life.” In both East Asian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions he is often conflated with another buddha named “Infinite Life,” Aparimitāyus, or “Infinite Life and Wisdom,”Aparimitāyurjñāna, the shorter version of whose name has also been back-translated from Tibetan into Sanskrit as Amitāyus but who presides over a realm in the zenith. For details on the relation between these buddhas and their names, see The Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra (1) Toh 674, i.9.
This term in its broadest sense can refer to any being, whether human, animal, or nonhuman. However, it is often used to refer to a specific class of nonhuman beings, especially when bhūtas are mentioned alongside rākṣasas, piśācas, or pretas. In common with these other kinds of nonhumans, bhūtas are usually depicted with unattractive and misshapen bodies. Like several other classes of nonhuman beings, bhūtas take spontaneous birth. As their leader is traditionally regarded to be Rudra-Śiva (also known by the name Bhūta), with whom they haunt dangerous and wild places, bhūtas are especially prominent in Śaivism, where large sections of certain tantras concentrate on them.
A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).
A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”
An evil spirit that causes seizures and insanity.
One of the five Sakya patriarchs. He was the son of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (sa chen kun dga’ snying po, 1092–1158) and the younger brother of Sönam Tsemo (bsod nams rtse mo, 1142–82).
A class of nonhuman beings that resemble humans to the degree that their very name—which means “is that human?”—suggests some confusion as to their divine status. Kinnaras are mythological beings found in both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature, where they are portrayed as creatures half human, half animal. They are often depicted as highly skilled celestial musicians.
A sacred diagram that is drawn or constructed for ritual use. The Sanskrit word is derived from the Sanskrit root √yam, “to control.”
Mandara is a mountain that appears in various purāṇas describing the origin of amṛta, the drink of immortality. In these, Mount Mandara is used by the gods as a churning rod to churn the ocean of milk, whereby amṛta is produced.
The Vedic gods of wind.
According to ancient Buddhist cosmology, this is the great mountain forming the axis of the universe. At its summit is Sudarśana, home of Śakra and his thirty-two gods, and on its flanks live the asuras. The mount has four sides facing the cardinal directions, each of which is made of a different precious stone. Surrounding it are several mountain ranges and the great ocean where the four principal island continents lie: in the south, Jambudvīpa (our world); in the west, Godānīya; in the north, Uttarakuru; and in the east, Pūrvavideha. Above it are the abodes of the desire realm gods. It is variously referred to as Meru, Mount Meru, Sumeru, and Mount Sumeru.
A Indian author who presumably lived in the ninth century or later. He composed two practices of Tārā preserved in the Degé Tengyur.
The translator of Nyen, Darma Drak. He accompanied Ra Lotsawa (rwa lo tsā ba, 1016–1128?) to India where he stayed twelve years. Darma Drak is credited with translating Prajñākaramati’s commentary on the Bodhicaryāvatāra, as well as texts on Kālacakra and Tārā, and other works.
The lord of the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (trāyastriṃśa). Alternatively known as Indra, the deity that is called “lord of the gods” dwells on the summit of Mount Sumeru and wields the thunderbolt. The Tibetan translation brgya byin (meaning “one hundred sacrifices”) is based on an etymology that śakra is an abbreviation of śata-kratu, one who has performed a hundred sacrifices. Each world with a central Sumeru has a Śakra. Also known by other names such as Kauśika, Devendra, and Śacipati.
The seven netherworlds are the seven subterranean realms inhabited by nāgas and asuras.
According to various purāṇas and the Atharvaveda, our world system is divided into fourteen worlds: the seven (higher) worlds consist of the earth and the heavenly realms above, and the seven netherworlds are subterranean realms.
Major deity in the pantheon of the classical Indian religious traditions. He is sometimes portrayed as one part of the divine triad, which also includes Brahmā and Viṣṇu.
A Kashmiri scholar (paṇḍita) who is well known for his commentaries on Tārā.
A deity (lit. “Deliverer”) known for giving protection. She is variously presented in Buddhist literature as a great bodhisattva or a fully awakened buddha.
An epithet (lit. “Swift One”) of the deity Tārā.
An epithet (lit. “Savior”) of the deity Tārā.
A harmful spirit that haunts charnel grounds and can take possession of corpses and reanimate them.
The Vindhya Mountains are a complex, broken chain of mountain ridges, hill ranges, highlands, and plateau escarpments in west-central India.
A class of nonhuman beings who inhabit forests, mountainous areas, and other natural spaces, or serve as guardians of villages and towns, and may be propitiated for health, wealth, protection, and other boons, or controlled through magic. According to tradition, their homeland is in the north, where they live under the rule of the Great King Vaiśravaṇa.
Several members of this class have been deified as gods of wealth (these include the just-mentioned Vaiśravaṇa) or as bodhisattva generals of yakṣa armies, and have entered the Buddhist pantheon in a variety of forms, including, in tantric Buddhism, those of wrathful deities.
de Blonay, Godefroy, ed. Namaskaraikaviṃśatistotra. GRETIL. Input by Klaus Wille based on the edition by Godefroy de Blonay: Matériaux pour servir à l’histoire de la déesse Tāra, Paris 1895 (Bibliothèque de l’École des Hautes Études, 107), 58–60.
Pandey, Janardan Shastri, ed. Namaskaraikaviṃśatistotra. GRETIL. Text number 5 in the Collection of 108 Buddhist Stotras. Input by members of the Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Input Project based on the edition by Janardan Shastri Pandey: Bauddha Stotra Samgrahah. Varanasi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1994.
Wayman, Alex. “The Twenty-One Praises of Tārā, A Syncretism of Śaivism and Buddhism.” In Buddhist Insight, edited by George Elder, 441–51. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2002.
sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa (*Tārānamaskāraikaviṃśatistotraguṇahitasahita). Toh 438, Degé Kangyur vol. 81 (rgyud, ca), folios 42.b–43.b.
sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa (*Tārānamaskāraikaviṃśatistotraguṇahitasahita). bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–2009, vol. 81, pp. 139–44.
sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa (*Tārānamaskāraikaviṃśatistotraguṇahitasahita). Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 95 (rgyud, nga), folios 435.a–437.a.
sgrol ma las sna tshogs ’byung ba’i rgyud (*Tārāviśvakarmabhavatantra). Toh 726, Degé Kangyur vol. 94 (rgyud, tsha), folios 202.a–217.a.
Nāgārjuna. sgrol ma’i sgrub thabs (Tārāsādhana). Toh 1683, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 1.b–5.b.
Nāgārjuna. thugs rje chen po ’phags ma sgrol ma’i sgrub thabs spyi’i mngon par rtogs pa (*Mahākāruṇikāryatārāsādhanasāmānyābhisamaya). Toh 1684, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 6.a–6.b.
Sūryagupta. lha mo sgrol ma’i bstod pa nyi shu rtsa gcig pa’i sgrub thabs (*Tārādevīstotraikaviṃśatikasādhana). Toh 1685, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 6.b–10.a.
Sūryagupta. rje btsun ma ’phags ma sgrol ma’i sgrub thabs nyi shu rtsa gcig pa’i las kyi yan lag dang bcas pa mdor bsdus pa. Toh 1686, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 10.a–24.b.
Sūryagupta. sgrol ma’i sgrub thabs man ngag gi rim pa. Toh 1687, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 24.b–25.b.
Sūryagupta. bcom ldan ’das ma sgrol ma la bstod pa nyi shu rtsa gcig pa’i sgrub thabs. Toh 1688, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 25.b–35.a.
Sūryagupta. lha mo sgrol ma nyi shu rtsa gcig la bstod pa rnam dag gtsug gi nor bu. Toh 1689, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 35.a–38.b.
Drakpa Gyaltsen (grags pa rgyal mtshan). (2007a). nyi ma sbas pas mdzad pa’i rgya gzhung gi las tshogs kyi bsdus don. In gsung ’bum grags pa rgyal mtshan, vol. 3, 601–11. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2007.
Drakpa Gyaltsen (grags pa rgyal mtshan). (2007b). phyag ’tshal nyer gcig gi bstod pa sa bcad. In gsung ’bum grags pa rgyal mtshan, vol. 3, 637–38. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2007.
Drakpa Gyaltsen (grags pa rgyal mtshan). (2007c). bstod pa’i rnam bshad gsal ba’i ’od zer. In gsung ’bum grags pa rgyal mtshan, vol. 3, 638–46. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2007.
Beyer, Stephan. The Cult of Tārā: Magic and Ritual in Tibet. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978.
Khenchen Palden Sherab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal. Tara���s Enlightened Activity: An Oral Commentary on the Twenty-One Praises to Tara. Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2007.
Samye Translations, trans. The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2022.
Lopez, Donald S. “A Prayer Flag for Tara.” In Religions of Tibet in Practice, edited by Donald S. Lopez, 548–52. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1997.
Mabbett, Ian. “The Problem of the Historical Nāgārjuna Revisited.” Journal of the American Oriental Society 118, no. 3, 1998: 332–46.
Obermiller, Eugéne, trans. and ed. History of Buddhism (Chos ḥbyung) by Bu-ston. Vol 2, The History of Buddhism in India and Tibet. Materialien zur Kunde des Buddhismus 19. Heidelberg: O. Harrassowitz, 1932.
Roerich, George N., ed. The Blue Annals. Calcutta: Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1949.
Tāranātha. The Origin of the Tārā Tantra. Translated and edited by David Templeman. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1995.
Willson, Martin. In Praise of Tara: Songs to the Saviouress. Somerville: Wisdom Publications, 1996.
Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage is a liturgy that consists of twenty-seven verses of praise and reverence dedicated to the deity Tārā. The first twenty-one verses are at once a series of homages to the twenty-one forms of Tārā and a poetic description of her physical features, postures, and qualities. The remaining six verses describe how and when the praise should be recited and the benefits of its recitation.
Translated by Samye Translations. The translation was produced by Stefan Mang and Peter Woods, and the introduction was written by Stefan Mang. Wiesiek Mical compared the translation with the available Sanskrit editions.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
For Tibetan Buddhists, the Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage is undoubtedly the most popular prayer to the deity Tārā. It is recited on a daily basis by many monks, nuns, and lay practitioners alike. The first twenty-one verses praise Tārā by drawing upon the three epithets that also form the core of her root mantra—Tārā (Deliverer), Tuttārā (Savior), and Turā (Swift One). In doing so, they invoke Tārā’s twenty-one forms that vary in aspect from peaceful to wrathful. These twenty-one verses both pay homage to Tārā and provide a poetic description of her physical features, postures, qualities, abilities, mantras, and hand gestures. The concluding six verses of the liturgy describe how and when the praise should be recited and the benefits of its recitation.
The praise has been preserved in the Kangyur in two forms. First, the praise was translated into Tibetan and preserved as an independent text in the Kangyur (Toh 438). It is this text that we present in English translation here. Second, it is also found in transliterated Sanskrit as part of the larger tantra The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas (Toh 726). In this tantra, the Buddha reveals the praise in the form of an incantation (dhāraṇī), a circumstance that prompted the Tibetan translators to transliterate the Sanskrit text of the praise rather than translate it into Tibetan. The relationship between these two versions in the Kangyur is not clear. The colophons to some Kangyur editions suggest that the Tibetan translation (Toh 438) was prepared based on the transliterated Sanskrit, but this is disputed by the Tibetan commentator Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147–1216), who mentions that the praise was transmitted from India and translated as an independent text.
Regarding the Indian commentarial literature on the praise, there are seven related texts preserved in the Degé Tengyur. These comprise two sādhanas attributed to Nāgārjuna (Toh 1683–84) as well as two sādhanas (Toh 1685–86) and three commentaries attributed to Sūryagupta (Toh 1687–89). Sūryagupta’s commentaries, rather than explaining the meaning of the words in the praise, focus on the iconography of each of Tārā’s twenty-one forms, describing her color, seat, posture, number of faces and arms, implements, and hand gestures. In Tibet, many scholars composed a variety of commentaries and sādhanas related to this praise.
This translation has been prepared based on the Degé Kangyur with reference to the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace Kangyur. We also consulted the Sanskrit editions prepared by de Blonay (1895), Pandey (1984), Willson (1996), and Wayman (2002). The interested reader may also wish to compare our translation to some of the other published translations of the praise in English.
This completes the praise to the Blessed Tārā as spoken by the completely perfect Buddha.
Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage is a liturgy that consists of twenty-seven verses of praise and reverence dedicated to the deity Tārā. The first twenty-one verses are at once a series of homages to the twenty-one forms of Tārā and a poetic description of her physical features, postures, and qualities. The remaining six verses describe how and when the praise should be recited and the benefits of its recitation.
Translated by Samye Translations. The translation was produced by Stefan Mang and Peter Woods, and the introduction was written by Stefan Mang. Wiesiek Mical compared the translation with the available Sanskrit editions.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
For Tibetan Buddhists, the Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage is undoubtedly the most popular prayer to the deity Tārā. It is recited on a daily basis by many monks, nuns, and lay practitioners alike. The first twenty-one verses praise Tārā by drawing upon the three epithets that also form the core of her root mantra—Tārā (Deliverer), Tuttārā (Savior), and Turā (Swift One). In doing so, they invoke Tārā’s twenty-one forms that vary in aspect from peaceful to wrathful. These twenty-one verses both pay homage to Tārā and provide a poetic description of her physical features, postures, qualities, abilities, mantras, and hand gestures. The concluding six verses of the liturgy describe how and when the praise should be recited and the benefits of its recitation.
The praise has been preserved in the Kangyur in two forms. First, the praise was translated into Tibetan and preserved as an independent text in the Kangyur (Toh 438). It is this text that we present in English translation here. Second, it is also found in transliterated Sanskrit as part of the larger tantra The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas (Toh 726). In this tantra, the Buddha reveals the praise in the form of an incantation (dhāraṇī), a circumstance that prompted the Tibetan translators to transliterate the Sanskrit text of the praise rather than translate it into Tibetan. The relationship between these two versions in the Kangyur is not clear. The colophons to some Kangyur editions suggest that the Tibetan translation (Toh 438) was prepared based on the transliterated Sanskrit, but this is disputed by the Tibetan commentator Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147–1216), who mentions that the praise was transmitted from India and translated as an independent text.
Regarding the Indian commentarial literature on the praise, there are seven related texts preserved in the Degé Tengyur. These comprise two sādhanas attributed to Nāgārjuna (Toh 1683–84) as well as two sādhanas (Toh 1685–86) and three commentaries attributed to Sūryagupta (Toh 1687–89). Sūryagupta’s commentaries, rather than explaining the meaning of the words in the praise, focus on the iconography of each of Tārā’s twenty-one forms, describing her color, seat, posture, number of faces and arms, implements, and hand gestures. In Tibet, many scholars composed a variety of commentaries and sādhanas related to this praise.
This translation has been prepared based on the Degé Kangyur with reference to the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace Kangyur. We also consulted the Sanskrit editions prepared by de Blonay (1895), Pandey (1984), Willson (1996), and Wayman (2002). The interested reader may also wish to compare our translation to some of the other published translations of the praise in English.
This completes the praise to the Blessed Tārā as spoken by the completely perfect Buddha.