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There have been a number of modern studies on the history of Tārā worship in India and Tibet. While scholars present varying theories on its origin, they commonly agree that the goddess’s worship gained increasing popularity in India from the sixth century onward. Tibetan histories recount the story of Tārā’s introduction to Tibet in the early seventh century in the form of a sandalwood statue included in the Nepalese princess Bhṛkutī’s dowry when she married the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo (srong btsan sgam po, 617–50). A few texts dedicated to Tārā were translated into Tibetan in the following centuries, but Stephan Beyer (1978, pp. 5–13) argues that the worship of Tārā did not take firm root in Tibet until the eleventh century, when it was actively promoted by Atiśa (982–1054). Rachael Stevens provides a comprehensive introduction to Tārā in her 2010 dissertation.
Skt. Namastāraikaviṃśatistotraguṇahitasahita, Tib. sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa. See Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Toh 438), Samye Translations 2020. The Tibetan translators chose not to translate the praise into Tibetan but instead followed the common practice of rendering a dhāraṇī or mantra in a Tibetan transliteration of the Sanskrit. This untranslated transcription represents an important witness of the Sanskrit manuscript it was based upon, and it was deemed significant enough by Alex Wayman to be used as the basis of his own edition and translation of the praise (Wayman 2002, p. 443). Notably, in this tantra alone, and in no other version of the text, the praise is preceded by the mantra namaḥ sarvatathāgatānāṃ tadyathā oṁ namaḥ sūkasaṃ namas tārāyai pārantāre. Noteworthy also is that the translators treated the concluding colophon that follows the twenty-seventh verse of the praise as part of the incantation and rendered it in transliterated Sanskrit as well.
This translation follows H, K, Y, N, and S in reading dgu po rgyud mang (Skt. śūrpavīṇā). D, C, K, J, and U have gau rgyud mangs.
This translation follows C, D, J, K, Y, and U in reading las so so’i sgo nas (“by means of these different rites”); H, N, and S read so so’i sgo nas (“by individual means”).
Here and below, this translation follows D, H, N, S, and U in reading de bzhin gshegs pa’i yum (“mother of the tathāgatas”). C, J, K, and Y read bde bar gsheg pa’i yum (“mother of the sugatas”).
“Oṁ, an ocean of offering clouds of incense (dhūpa) radiates out to all tathāgatas. Samaya hūṁ.” The same phrasing is then repeated, with the word “incense” replaced with, respectively, flowers (puṣpa), light (āloka), perfume (gandha), food (naivedya), and music (śabda).
What follows is the famous Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage, which the Tibetan translators of The Tārā Tantra elected to preserve in transliterated Sanskrit. That practice has been followed here. In doing so, the standalone Tibetan translation of Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Toh 438; see Samye Translations 2020) has been consulted, as well as the Sanskrit editions of the praise prepared by Wayman and Pandey. Though these witnesses are largely in agreement and without major variants, minor emendations to the Sanskrit text have been made here.
It is unclear what the correct Sanskrit for the Tibetan transliteration sūkasam might have been.
Tāramātā is a conjectural emendation. D, S: tA ra mi tA; N: tA ra ma mi tA; H: tA ra mi mi tA; Y, K: tA ra mi tA ra. This line is not included in the Tibetan translation (Toh 438) or Sanskrit editions of the praise.
Reading kṣana-dyuti-nibhekṣaṇe for kṣanair dyuti-nibhekṣaṇe, as the former rendering appears below and is supported by the published Sanskrit editions.
Buddhaṃ ca dharmaṃ ca saṅghaṃ ca is a conjecture based on D and S: bud+d+ha ni tsa d+har+ma Ni tsa saM g+ha ni tsa.
C, J, K, and Y read yum sgrol ma’i gzugs phun sum tshogs par ’gyur ro/ ’khor phun sum tshogs pa la sogs pa phun sum tshogs pa thams cad thob par ’gyur ro, which would translate as “they will have the perfect form of Tārā and obtain a perfect retinue as well as all other perfect attributes.”
N, H, and S read sdang ba (“hostility”) where C, D, J, K, and Y read ltas ngan pa (“bad omens”).
Trāyate tārate is a conjectural emendation of the Degé reading tre ya te tA ra te: C, J, and KY read tre yaM te tra ra te, N has tre ya te tra ra te, and H has tre ya te tA ra tra. The emended text could be translated as “Homage to all tathāgatas, perfect buddhas! O Tārā, who protects and liberates!”
All the Tibetan editions of this text read taṁ throughout for the seed syllable of Tārā. However, it is consistently found in the Sādhanamālā, other Sanskrit sources, and the Tibetan tradition as tāṁ. Thus, we emend from taṁ to tāṁ when appropriate.
“Oṁ, the purity of the realm of phenomena, hūṁ! Oṁ aṃ, the purity of the sphere, hūṁ! Oṁ, complete purity, hūṁ! Oṁ, the purity of the full moon, hūṁ! Oṁ, the purity of the revival of what has been damaged, hūṁ! Oṁ, homage to the maṇḍala of all tathāgatas, the complete purity, hūṁ!”
This translation follows S in reading gru chad bzhi dang ldan pa, rather than D: gru tshad bzhi dang ldan pa.
This translation follows H, N, and S in reading phyag g.yas kyis mchog sbyin. C, D, J, K, and Y read phyag g.yas pa mchod sbyin.
The text does not clarify who or what “both” (Tib. gnyis ka) refers to. Willson (1996, p. 66) suggests that it refers to the person who conjures the apparition and the person witnessing it.
Here, Willson (1996, p. 66) conjectures that only the viewer is confused by an illusion, not the one who conjures it.
There is wide variation in this mantra across the versions of the Tibetan translation. This rendering of the mantra and the translation that follows are tentative: “Oṁ, all tathāgatas! I am the vajra, expand! I am the vajra of all tathāgatas, expand! Hūṁ!”
“Oṁ, the blazing wish-fulfilling jewel of all tathāgatas! All tathāgatas, I do this for purification, for complete purification, svāhā!”
This mantra has been emended based on the reading in N and H: kramakrānti; S: kramakranti; as well as a similar reading in D below. Here, D reads tramātrānti.
This line, which is also found in Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage, has been emended based on the Sanskrit editions of that text.
The mantras for enthralling, increasing, rites, and pacifying nāgas begin with the same formula, of which the seed syllable changes for the increasing mantra; this formula is then followed by a phrase appropriate to the activity. The first mantra can be translated as “Oṁ, Tārā, Tārā! Tuttārā! All space is filled with the syllable hūṁ! You who traverse the seven worlds!” The syllable hūṁ is used for the enthralling, rites, and nāga-pacification mantras. It is replaced by svāhā for the increasing mantra. The second part of the mantra for enthralling reads, “You who are able to magnetize all without exception, hṛīḥ!” For increasing, it reads, “Increase all without exception, you who are able to magnetize, ho!” For rites it reads, “Uṣṇīṣa! Alikaraya [?], you who are able to magnetize, phaṭ!” For pacifying nāgas it reads, “Pacify all without exception, you who are able to magnetize, phaṭ!”
The reading jvālākulekṣaṇe is a conjecture and is based on similar readings from Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage.
The reading vibhūṣite bhūṣitāśeṣa follows S: bi b+hU Shi te b+hU Shi tA she Sha. S offers the most intelligible transliteration of the mantra among versions of the Tibetan translation.
The reading udaya-bhūmaye is conjectural. D has u ti a ya bu mi ye, while S reads u ti a ya b+hu mi ye.
This mantra consists of an homage to the guardians of the directions, plus the sun and moon. The deities from Indra to Kubera guard the east, south, west, and north respectively; from here one would expect Agni, Nairṛti, Vāyu, and Īśa/Īśāna to be listed for the southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast respectively. Indrapāla, whose name is unexpected in this list, is perhaps intended to be understood as Īśa/Īśāna. The mantra, including the emendations made here, can be translated as “Oṁ, to Indra! To Yama! To Varuṇa! To the Yakṣa (= Kubera)! To Agni! To Vāyu! To the rākṣasa Nairṛti! Oṁ, to Indrapāla! To the Sun! To the Moon! To the earth from which they arise! The letter a is at the head, as all phenomena are unarisen from the beginning. Oṁ āḥ hūṁ phaṭ svāhā!”
Commonly translated as “single form,” dpa’ mo gcig ma (Skt. ekavīrā) refers to the sole visualization of the chief deity without her accompanying maṇḍala deities. It is translated here as “single heroine” to echo the use of dpa’ mo (“heroine,” Skt. vīrā) in the same context in paragraphs above and below to designate Tārā as the chief deity of the maṇḍala.
C, D, J, K, Y, and U read nyi zla’i steng (“upon sun and moon disks”) where H, N, and S have nyi ma’i steng (“upon a sun disk”).
The ten-syllable mantra referred to here is most likely the one associated with this rite: oṁ tāre ture tuttāre svāhā.
This is a speculative translation of gsal ba’i yi ge gnyis. The two sets of syllables would refer to vowels and consonants, i.e., the ali kali mantra.
This reading follows C, D, J, K, and Y in reading mdung thung (“short spear”). H, N, and S have mdung (“spear”).
The mantras of the mothers of the five families share the same formula, replacing the name of the primary buddha of the family, in this instance Akṣobhya, and rearranging the Tārā mantra at the end. The mantra in this section reads, “Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Akṣobhya, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! Homage to noble Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva, the great being of great compassion! It is thus: oṁ tāre ture tuttāre svāhā!”
Translated according to K and Y (’ug pa) and C and J (hu lu’i ’ug pa), which mean “owl.” D and S read hu lu, which Willson misinterpreted as a transliteration of the Sanskrit for “ram” (hulu) in his translation.
The term amukam is meant to serve as a placeholder for the name of the target of the rite. “Oṁ, bring so-and-so under my power, svāhā!” Vaśam ānaya is an emendation based on the Vajratārāsādhana, sādhana no. 110 in the Sādhanamālā (vol. 1, p. 233). C, D, J, and K read ba sha ma na ya; and H, Y, N, and S have sha ma na ya.
“Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Amitābha, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! Homage to noble Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva, the great being of great compassion! It is thus: oṁ tuttāre ture svāhā!”
This mantra has been emended based on close parallels of this mantra found in two Vajratārā sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā, no. 94 (vol. 1, p. 186) and no. 110 (vol. 1, p. 234). Though it is clear the same mantra is intended to be recorded in this text, it has been significantly corrupted by scribal errors. The mantra can be translated as “ Oṁ, may the father of this so-named maiden give her to me in marriage, hūṁ hrīḥ!”
“Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Vairocana, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! It is thus: oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā!”
“Oṁ, kill, kill! Force, force! Stun, stun! Break, break! Hūṁ, hūṁ, hūṁ! Laṃ, laṃ, laṃ, laṃ, laṃ!”
“Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Ratnasambhava, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! Homage to noble Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva, the great being of great compassion! It is thus: oṁ tāre tāre tuttāre ture svāhā!”
“Oṁ, summon, summon so-and-so! Tell her of my desired dream, hūṁ, hrīḥ!” The mantra here is reconstructed based on similar mantras found in the sādhanas to Vajratārā from the Sādhanamālā, no. 94 (vol. 1, p. 187) and no. 110 (vol. 1, p. 238).
“Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Amoghasiddhi, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! Homage to noble Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva, the great being of great compassion! It is thus: oṁ ture tuttāre svāhā!”
Devadatta is a placeholder for the name of the patron or target, depending on the purpose of a specific rite. This is a way of directing the ritualist to insert the relevant name at this place in the mantra.
This is a tentative reconstruction of the corrupt mantra found in the Tibetan editions. It is based in part on similar mantras from the Vajratārā sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā, no. 94 (vol. 1, p. 186) and no. 110 (vol. 1, p. 234). The mantra reconstructed here can be translated as “Move, move at once, O swift one! Extirpate so-and-so! Remove the clothes of this so-named [woman] and summon her here, having destroyed my great enemy! Hrīḥ svāhā!”
It is unclear what the “corresponding color” (Tib. kha dog mthun pa) is. It is possible that the color of the hut is linked to the type of fire pūjā being performed.
H, N, and S read bar chod sel ba’i srung ba’i ’khor lo (“protective circle that dispels all obstacles”).
The Skt. equivalent of the Tib. term mdzo mo could not be identified, so the identification of the final tree in this list as caragana is conjectural.
N and S read dur khrod kyi sol ba (“charnel-ground charcoal”) instead of dur khrod kyi ras here.
See “five acts with immediate retribution.”
Roughly synonymous with abhicāra (assaulting), this broad category of rites includes those ritual practices and magical acts that are used to curse, exorcise malevolent influences, deter, harm, and kill enemies, and otherwise engage in hostile activities directed towards human and nonhuman targets.
A yakṣa, a guardian of the southeast.
One of the five primary tathāgatas, he presides over the vajra family.
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.
One of the five primary tathāgatas, he presides over the karma family.
The ambrosia that prevents death or spiritual death (hence the Tibetan term meaning “crushes spiritual death”). The Sanskrit term literally means “immortality.” It is often used metaphorically to mean the Dharma.
The fire that will destroy the universe at the end of the eon, according to Indic cosmogony.
One of the four primary categories of ritual activities that includes rites for aggressively overcoming adversarial influences, both human and nonhuman.
A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).
One of the “eight close sons of the Buddha,” he is also known as the bodhisattva who embodies compassion. In certain tantras, he is also the lord of the three families, where he embodies the compassion of the buddhas. In Tibet, he attained great significance as a special protector of Tibet, and in China, in female form, as Guanyin, the most important bodhisattva in all of East Asia.
Pentapetes phoenicea.
A wrathful form of the goddess Tārā.
The female form of the epithet commonly applied to buddhas and other awakened beings. The Sanskrit word bhaga means, among other factors, “good fortune,” “happiness,” “prosperity,” and “excellence.” The suffix -vat indicates possession. A common English translation is thus “blessed one” or “fortunate one.” The three syllables of the Tibetan translation mean that the being has “overcome” or “conquered” (Tib. bcom), is “endowed [with qualities]” (Tib. ldan), and has “gone beyond [saṃsāra]” (Tib. ’das).
The male form of the epithet commonly applied to buddhas and other awakened beings. The Sanskrit word bhaga means, among other factors, “good fortune,” “happiness,” “prosperity,” and “excellence.” The suffix -vat indicates possession. A common English translation is thus “blessed one” or “fortunate one.” The three syllables of the Tibetan translation mean that the being has “overcome” or “conquered” (Tib. bcom), is “endowed [with qualities]” (Tib. ldan), and has “gone beyond [saṃsāra]” (Tib. ’das).
Literally “the mind of awakening,” but more technically a person’s aspiration to become fully awakened for the specific purpose of liberating all sentient beings. This is the necessary and sufficient condition to be a bodhisattva.
Gesture in which the arm is extended down and the palm faces outward.
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).
Literally “The Eye of the Buddha,” a female deity in the esoteric Buddhist pantheon.
A piece of cloth that covers corpses being carried to a cremation ground and that remains draped over them on the funeral pyre.
Chel Lotsāwa Chökyi Sangpo (d. 1216) was a Tibetan translator active in the thirteenth century.
Cloud formations that look like elaborate celestial cities, one classical example of illusory phenomena.
A kettledrum played horizontally that is wider in the middle, with the skin at both ends played by the hands. One drumhead is smaller than the other. A South Indian drum, it maintains the rhythm in Karnatak music.
A word that can refer, in different formulations, to the fundamental constituents of material and/or mental phenomena, or to the realms of existence. It also has the general meaning of the nature of something.
Crystalized bile deposits of cattle.
An incantation, spell, or mnemonic formula that distils essential points of the Dharma and is used by practitioners to attain mundane and supramundane goals. It also has the sense of “retention,” referring to the special capacity of practitioners to memorize and recall detailed teachings.
In distinction to the rūpakāya, or form body of a buddha, this is the eternal, imperceivable realization of a buddha. In origin it was a term for the presence of the Dharma, and it has since become synonymous with the true nature.
An Indian paṇḍita active in the eleventh century.
Eight manifestations of the female buddha Tārā who grant protection from the eight fears, which are commonly enumerated as the fear of lions, elephants, fire, snakes, water, imprisonment, thieves, and cannibals.
Dangers posed by lions, elephants, fire, snakes, drowning, bondage, thieves, and demons.
Circumstances that do not provide the freedom to practice the Buddhist path, i.e., being born in the realms of (1) the hells, (2) pretas, (3) animals, and (4) long-lived gods; in the human realm (5) among barbarians, (6) among extremists, and (7) in places where the Buddhist teachings do not exist; and (8) without adequate faculties to understand the teachings where they do exist.
One of the four primary categories of ritual activities, it involves summoning and controlling a desired target. Though the target is often a person, this category of rite also includes “magnetizing” (ākarṣaṇa; dgug pa) objects, wealth, and so forth.
The ultimate nature of things, the way things are in reality as opposed to the way they appear to beings who have not awakened.
The casting of a prescribed offering into a ritual fire. The practice of homa is first attested in pre-Buddhist Vedic literature and serves as a core, pervasive ritual paradigm in exoteric and esoteric rites in both Buddhist and non-Buddhist traditions into modern times. In Buddhist esoteric rites, the ritual offerings are made repeatedly, with each throw accompanied by a single repetition of the respective mantra.
Five actions that bring immediate and severe consequences at death, such that the person who commits them will take rebirth in the lower realms directly after they die. The five are patricide, matricide, killing an arhat, intentionally injuring a buddha, and causing a schism within the saṅgha.
The vajra family, lotus family, tathāgata family, jewel family, and karma family.
Fragrances, flowers, incense, lamps, and food items.
Fragrances, flowers, incense, lamps, and food items.
Here the five are listed as gold, pearl, crystal, coral, and sapphire.
A subsidiary set of actions that bring immediate and severe consequences at death, such that the person who commits them will take rebirth in the lower realms directly after they die. These five are damaging a caitya, killing a bodhisattva, violating a woman who has exhausted her afflictions, killing a novice student, and stealing from the saṅgha.
Milk, yogurt, clarified butter, cow urine, and cow dung.
The four primary categories of ritual activities: pacifying, increasing, enthralling, and assaulting.
Seemingly the four families cited in this section; namely the lotus, tathāgata, jewel, and karma families.
The meditations on love (maitrī), compassion (karuṇā), joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekṣā), as well as the states of mind and qualities of being that result from their cultivation. They are also called the four abodes of Brahmā (caturbrahmavihāra).
In the Abhidharmakośa, Vasubandhu explains that they are called apramāṇa—meaning “infinite” or “limitless”—because they take limitless sentient beings as their object, and they generate limitless merit and results. Love is described as the wish that beings be happy, and it acts as an antidote to malice (vyāpāda). Compassion is described as the wish for beings to be free of suffering, and acts as an antidote to harmfulness (vihiṃsā). Joy refers to rejoicing in the happiness beings already have, and it acts as an antidote to dislike or aversion (arati) toward others’ success. Equanimity is considering all beings impartially, without distinctions, and it is the antidote to both attachment to pleasure and to malice (kāmarāgavyāpāda).
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.”
In Indian mythology, the garuḍa is an eagle-like bird that is regarded as the king of all birds, normally depicted with a sharp, owl-like beak, often holding a snake, and with large and powerful wings. They are traditionally enemies of the nāgas. In the Vedas, they are said to have brought nectar from the heavens to earth. Garuḍa can also be used as a proper name for a king of such creatures.
Possibly a poisonous plant of the Ranunculaceae family, known more commonly by names such as wolfsbane and monkshood.
Cognate with the English term divine. The devas are most generically a class of divine, celestial beings who populate the narratives of Indian mythology. The term can also be used to refer to the major gods of the brahmanical pantheon.
A class of nonhuman beings able to enter and possess the human body. They have a harmful effect on physical and mental health, and are specifically said to cause seizures and insanity. Often this term is used to broadly refer to multiple classes of beings who can affect a person’s physical and mental health.
Bhattacharya, Benoytosh, ed. Sādhanamālā. 2 vols. Gaekwad’s Oriental Series 26. Baroda: Central Library, 1925.
Namaskaraikaviṃśatistotra. GRETIL edition input by Klaus Wille, based on the edition by Godefroy de Blonay: Matériaux pour servir à l’histoire de la déesse Tāra. Bibliothèque de l’École des Hautes Études 107. Paris: Émile Bouillon, 1895: 58–60.
Namaskaraikaviṃśatistotra. GRETIL edition input by members of the Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Input Project, based on the edition by Janardan Shastri Pandey: Bauddha Stotra Saṁgraha. Varanasi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1994: stotra no. 5.
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.
de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi yum sgrol ma las sna tshogs ’byung ba zhes bya ba’i rgyud (Sarvatathāgatamātṛtārāviśvakarmabhavanāmatantra). Toh 726, Degé Kangyur vol. 94 (rgyud, tsha), folios 202.a–217.a.
de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi yum sgrol ma las sna tshogs ’byung ba zhes bya ba’i rgyud. 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), 2006–9, vol. 94, pp. 517–54.
de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi yum sgrol ma las sna tshogs ’byung ba zhes bya ba’i rgyud. Toh 726, Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 107 (rgyud, ma), folios 195.a–237.a.
sgrol ma’i gzungs (Tārādhāraṇī). Toh 729, Degé Kangyur vol. 94 (rgyud, tsha), folio 222.a. English translation in Samye Translations 2021.
sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa (Namastāraikaviṃśatistotra) [Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage]. Toh 438, Degé Kangyur vol. 81 (rgyud, ca), folios 42.b–43.b. English translation in Samye Translations 2020.
chab mdo sa khul sman rstis khang. khrungs dpe dri med shel gyi me long [Mirror of stainless crystal]. Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1995.
Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos kyi ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Phangthangma (dkar chag ʼphang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.
Beyer, Stephan. The Cult of Tara: Magic and Ritual in Tibet. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978.
Bokar Rinpoche. Tara: The Feminine Divine. Translated by Christiane Buchet. San Francisco: ClearPoint Press, 2007.
Ghosh, Mallar. Development of Buddhist Iconography in Eastern India: A Study of Tārā, Prajñās of the Five Tathāgatas and Bhṛikuṭī. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1980.
Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lhan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.
Landesman, Susan. “Goddess Tārā: Silence and Secrecy on the Path to Enlightenment.” Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 24, no. 1 (Spring 2008): 44–59.
Samye Translations, trans. (2020). Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Namastāraikaviṃśatistotra, Toh 438). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020.
Samye Translations, trans. (2021). The Dhāraṇī of Tārā (Tārādhāraṇī, Toh 729). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021.
Martin, Dan. “Tibetan Vocabulary.” THL Tibetan to English Translation Tool. Version April 14, 2003.
Mitra, Debala. “Aṣṭamahābhaya Tārā.” Journal of the Asiatic Society: Letters 23, no. 1 (1957): 19–22.
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.
Roberts, Peter Alan. The White Lotus of the Good Dharma (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, Toh 113). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2018.
Roerich, George N., ed. The Blue Annals. 2 vols. Calcutta: Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1949–53.
Sánchez, Pedro M. C. “The Indian Buddhist Dhāraṇī: An Introduction to Its History, Meanings and Functions.” MA diss., University of Sunderland, 2011.
Shaw, Miranda. Buddhist Goddesses of India. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006.
Shin, Jae-Eun. “Transformation of the Goddess Tārā with Special Reference to Iconographical Features.” Indo Koko Kenkyu: Studies in South Asian Art and Archaelogy 31 (2010): 17–31.
Stevens, Rachael. “Red Tārā: Lineages of Literature and Practice.” PhD diss., Oxford University, 2010.
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, MA: Wisdom, 1996.
C Choné
D Degé
H Lhasa (Zhol)
J Lithang
K Kangxi (Peking late 17th c.)
N Narthang
S Stok Palace
U Urga
Y Yongle
In this scripture of the Action Tantra genre, the Buddha gives instructions to the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī on the rituals and mantras associated with the goddess Tārā. The tantra includes a description of Tārā, a nine-deity maṇḍala and related initiations, and a litany of ritual practices associated with the four activities.
Translated by Samye Translations under the guidance of Phakchok Rinpoche. The translation was produced by Laura Dainty with the assistance of Khenpo Tsöndrü Sangpo. Oriane Lavolé checked the translation against the Tibetan and edited it. Paul Thomas checked all the mantras and their variants. Stefan Mang and Oriane Lavolé wrote the introduction.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas (hereafter The Tārā Tantra), is a tantra of the Action Tantra (Kriyātantra) class that offers a wealth of instructions on the rites associated with the goddess Tārā. Tārā, whose name can be translated as “Savior,” is revered in diverse Buddhist communities for her ability to quickly respond to the needs of supplicants facing worldly and spiritual dangers. The worship of Tārā in India can be traced to at least the sixth century
In the Degé Kangyur, The Tārā Tantra is part of a set of eight action tantras specifically dedicated to the goddess Tārā. In his Introduction to the Buddhist Tantric Systems (rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par gzhag pa rgyas par brjod pa), Khedrup Jé (mkhas grub rje, 1385–1438), a close disciple of Tsongkhapa (tsong kha pa, 1357–1419), singles out The Tārā Tantra as the most important Tārā tantra of the genre in Tibet at the time.
The Tārā Tantra is framed as a dialogue between the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī and the Buddha Śākyamuni that is divided into thirty-five chapters on specific themes and ritual topics. Chapter 1 opens with a description of the location and audience, followed by the invocation of the goddess Tārā and her arrival. Chapter 2 focuses on the initial worship of Tārā, which is followed in chapter 3 by a presentation of the famous Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage. Chapters 4 and 5 describe a maṇḍala of nine Tārās and their respective initiations. Chapter 6 presents a veritable catalog of ritual instructions and a long list of mantras. Chapters 7 to 11 are concerned with the rituals for accomplishing the four activities: pacifying (śānti), increasing (pauṣṭika), enthralling (vaśīkaraṇa), and assaulting (abhicāra). Chapters 12 to 16 establish Tārā as the mother of each of the five buddha families, and chapter 17 describes a fire offering ritual. The following seventeen chapters (18–34) provide brief instructions on making talismanic circles (cakra) for such purposes as protection, enhancement, and the expulsion of enemies. The final chapter (35) provides a versified list of the samayas and vows for these rites. Taken together, the topics of The Tārā Tantra serve as a comprehensive collection of rites that take Tārā as their primary deity. As the Tibetologist Stephan Beyer pointed out in his overview of the cult of Tārā, The Tārā Tantra “is the closest thing we have to a complete textbook on the practice of Tara’s [sic] cult.”
There is, at present, no known Sanskrit witness for The Tārā Tantra, nor is there an extant Chinese translation. It is also not recorded in the Denkarma (ldan dkar ma) or Phangthangma (’phang thang ma) inventories of translations compiled in ninth-century Tibet. According to its colophon, The Tārā Tantra was translated by the Tibetan translator Chökyi Sangpo (chos kyi bzang po) and the Indian scholar Dharmaśrīmitra. Stephan Beyer argues that the name of this Tibetan translator corresponds to the translator Chel Lotsāwa Chökyi Sangpo (dpyal lo tsā ba chos kyi bzang po, d. 1216), a contemporary of Śākyaśrībhadra (1127–1225) during the latter’s sojourn in Tibet (1204–13). The English translation presented here is based on the Tibetan version in the Degé Kangyur, in consultation with the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace Kangyur edition. The text has previously been introduced and translated into English by Martin Willson.
Homage to noble Mañjuśrī!
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing in Tuṣita with Maitreya, Mañjuśrī, Kurukullā, Parṇaśavarī, Brahmā, Śakra, and countless other bodhisattvas, gods, and goddesses, who circumambulated him clockwise while holding up an array of offerings beyond count, including heavenly flowers such as lotuses, water lilies, and mandārava flowers, heavenly instruments such as conches, vīṇās, drums, clay drums, and śūrpavīṇās, and heavenly parasols, banners, flags, and the like. They worshiped him with clouds of diverse offerings.
The Blessed One then entered the vajra-like samādhi that vanquishes all opponents. The entire earth shook immediately, the maṇḍala of māras was defeated, and the Blessed One radiated intense light in a spectrum of different colors—white, red, yellow, green, dark blue, and a combination of colors—that purified everyone who was suffering. Tārā, the mother of all the buddhas, then descended to the goddess Kurukullā’s crown. At that very instant, rain showered down from the offering clouds, and the goddess became like the orb of the sun unobscured by clouds. The Blessed One then lauded her with this verse of praise:
At that moment, the bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī draped his shawl over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and addressed the Blessed One: “Blessed One, the buddhas of the three times are so profound. How are they produced? Who says that Tārā is their mother?”
The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, what you say is indeed true. The buddhas of the three times are not born and do not cease; they are neither defiled nor free of defilement, they do not increase or decrease, and are by nature nirvāṇa. Thus, they are the very nature of all things.”
The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, if the buddhas of the three times are not born and do not cease, are neither defiled nor free of defilement, do not increase or decrease, and are by nature nirvāṇa, how do they take birth?”
The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, nirvāṇa is the ultimate; nirvāṇa is the realm of phenomena. These are all synonyms for the very limit of reality. Great compassion and relative essence are synonyms for saṃsāra. Beyond these is the mother who gives birth to the buddhas of the three times. Thus, she is beyond saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. Mañjuśrī, this is why she is considered a mother.”
“Therefore, Mañjuśrī,” the Blessed One continued, “knowing the essential nature of all things, meditate upon her. Recite the following dhāraṇī-mantra, practice assiduously, know her qualities, and make offerings to her. Receive instructions and rid yourself of all doubt. Apply yourself to her rites, keep her praise in mind, and reach accomplishment by means of these different rites.”
Thus, the Blessed One taught the bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī.
This was the first chapter, “Providing an Introduction.”
The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how should I meditate? How should I assiduously practice this?”
“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “apply your mind as follows. Mañjuśrī, you should meditate on the fact that all phenomena are unborn, all phenomena are unceasing, all phenomena are undefiled, and all phenomena are nirvāṇa and naturally pure.
“Mañjuśrī, to that end, recite this mantra:
“oṁ svabhāvaśuddhāḥ sarvadharmāḥ svabhāvaśuddho ’ham.”
The Blessed One continued, “Cultivate loving kindness while reflecting on those who are born from the womb, from eggs, and from heat and moisture, and those born miraculously. Generate great compassion focusing on birth, aging, illness, and death. Cultivate joy and equanimity in emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the naturally unconditioned. Mañjuśrī, the four immeasurables thus are the cause that produces bodhicitta, so take this earnestly to heart.
“Furthermore, Mañjuśrī, recite the following mantra:
“oṁ bodhicittam utpādaya aham.”
The Blessed One continued, “You should offer worship with the following offerings:
“Mañjuśrī, to this end, recite the following offering mantra:
“oṁ sarva-tathāgata-dhūpa-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-puṣpa-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-āloka-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-gandha-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-naivedya-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-śabda-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ.”
This was the second chapter, “Offering.”
The Blessed One again addressed the bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī, “Mañjuśrī, this mother is the mother of all the buddhas of the three times. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, memorize this praise used by all the buddhas of the three times.”
The Blessed One then recited this dhāraṇī-mantra of praise:
“Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī was blessed by all the buddhas of the three times. It extols Tārā, the mother of all the buddhas of the three times, by vanquishing all evil. Its benefits are inconceivable. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, recite it!
“The person who recites this dhāraṇī will never be reborn as a hell being, as a hungry ghost, as an animal, or in any other such miserable state. They will never be reborn in borderlands, as a barbarian, with impaired faculties, or the like. They will be freed from the dangers of fever, boils, infectious diseases, and all other illnesses, and such perils will not reoccur. They will be freed from the eight great dangers and the like.
“Mañjuśrī, the person who memorizes this praise used by all the buddhas of the three times makes offerings to all of them. All the acts with immediate retribution and other misdeeds of the person who memorizes this will be purified, and that person will see all the buddhas. They will not meet an untimely death, and, when the time of death comes, they will see Tārā, the mother of all the buddhas of the three times. The person who memorizes this will be able to accomplish whatever they have in mind. They will obtain a perfect body, a perfect complexion, and all other perfect attributes. Nightmares, bad omens, and interference by nonhumans will all be pacified. They will come to see the truth of the three times and behold Tārā’s form in person.
“One should recite this:
“namaḥ sarva-tathāgata-samyak-sambuddhāya trāyate tārate tu tāra.”
This was the third chapter, “Praise.”
The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then asked the Blessed One, “In what way should I earnestly focus on this dhāraṇī-mantra?”
The Blessed One replied, “You should earnestly focus on this dhāraṇī while wishing to be free of suffering and pursuing the profound. You should then visualize light rays, streaming forth from the syllable tāṁ, that transform everything above and below into vajra. Next, Mañjuśrī, you should recite the mantra oṁ vajra jvala vajra tana hūṁ phaṭ. Then, visualize a white syllable e appearing from tāṁ. Above that, visualize a blue vaṁ, on top of which is a yellow laṁ, on top of which is a green yaṁ, on top of which is a red raṁ. All of these syllables emanate and reabsorb light rays.
“oṁ dharmadhātu-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ aṃ dhātu-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ samanta-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ pakṣa-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ kṣata-vyutthāna-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ namaḥ sarva-tathāgata-maṇḍala samanta-viśuddha hūṁ.
“Mañjuśrī, while reciting this mantra generate the maṇḍala mansion: a square building sitting on a four-petaled, multicolored lotus and encircled by a fence of vajras. It has four gateways with eight pillars and is beautified by short and long garlands, tassels of jewels, and other festooned decorations. Generate the maṇḍala mansion in this way.
“In the center of the mansion, on the anthers of the lotus, sits a moon and lotus. Atop this lotus is a green syllable tāṁ, from which appears an utpala flower marked by tāṁ. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. Tārā appears from the utpala flower, green bodied and with one face and two arms. Her right hand makes the boon-granting gesture, and her left hand holds an utpala flower by the stem. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus in the east, visualize the syllable tāṁ transforming into a dark blue utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears a dark blue Tārā with two arms. She holds a trident in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus in the south, visualize the syllable re transforming into a yellow utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. The Tārā who appears from this utpala is the color of molten gold and has two arms. She holds a sword in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus in the west, visualize the syllable tu transforming into a red utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears a red Tārā with two arms. She holds a wheel in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus in the north, visualize the syllable tāṁ transforming into a green utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears a green Tārā with two arms. She holds a parasol in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus seat with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus at the eastern gate, visualize the syllable tāṁ transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Hook Tārā, white bodied and holding hooks in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a slightly wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with one leg extended and the other drawn in.
“On a moon and lotus at the southern gate, visualize the syllable re transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Lasso Tārā, yellow bodied, one faced, and holding lassos in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a slightly wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with one leg extended and the other drawn in.
“On a moon and lotus at the western gate, visualize the syllable tu transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Shackles Tārā, red bodied and holding shackles in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus seat with one leg extended and the other drawn in.
“On a moon and lotus at the northern gate, visualize the syllable re transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Bell Tārā, green-blue in color and holding bells in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with one leg extended and the other drawn in.
“Mañjuśrī, visualize the circle of deities in this way.”
Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, what is meant by ‘apparition’ and so forth?”
The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, being afflicted is the basic constitution of the six classes of beings. Therefore, understand them to be like apparitions, illusions, rainbows, mirages, reflections in water, and images in a mirror.”
This was the fourth chapter, “The Deities.”
Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, how are these deities to be empowered by deities?”
The Blessed One replied, “In the manner, Mañjuśrī, of apparitions, illusions, rainbows, mirages, reflections in water, and images in a mirror.”
Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, what is an ‘apparition’?”
The Blessed One replied, “An ‘apparition’ is something unreal that is mistaken by both. An ‘illusion’ is something mistaken by others. A ‘rainbow’ is empty. A ‘mirage’ is a mistaken, empty appearance. A ‘reflection in water’ is causal. An ‘image in a mirror’ is like a city of gandharvas. Mañjuśrī, this is delusion; this is the constitution of the afflicted. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, the empowerment of deities by deities is similar to this.
“Mañjuśrī, apparitions, illusions, rainbows, mirages, reflections in water, and images in a mirror are unimpeded; they are free of all impediments. They are not differentiated and lack differentiation. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, think of their nature in this way.”
The Blessed One then granted empowerment with the vajra mudrā: palms joined so that there is an empty space between them, the two middle fingers raised so that they join at the tips, the two index fingers and two ring fingers pressed against the sides of the middle fingers, and the little fingers and thumbs placed inside with their tips touching.
The mantra to be recited is:
oṁ sarva-tathāgata ahaṃ vajras tana sarva-tathāgata-vajras tana hūṁ.
Following that, the Blessed One conferred empowerment with the jewel mudrā: hands joined at the palms, the little fingers and ring fingers spread out, the tips of the middle fingers joined, and the thumbs pressing down on the two index fingers.
Placing his hands above his head, he recited this mantra:
“oṁ sarva-tathāgata-cintāmaṇi-jvalani sarva-tathāgata ahaṃ śuddha-pariśuddhāya svāhā.”
All buddhas throughout all ten directions conferred initiation and bestowed empowerment with this mantra.
Then, the Blessed One formed the samaya mudrā of all the heart families: hands joined at the palms with the fingertips interlaced, middle fingers stretched out, and thumbs and little fingers joined and stretched out. This is the samaya mudrā.
The mantra is:
oṁ sarva-tathāgata-vajra-samaya hūṁ.
This was the fifth chapter, “Initiation.”
The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then spoke these lines of praise for the Mother:
He then asked, “Blessed One, how is the mantra of the Mother practiced?
The Blessed One replied, “Her dhāraṇī-mantra is as follows:
“That is the dhāraṇī-mantra you should recite.
“The heart mantra is:
“oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā.
“The heart mantra for the lotus family is:
“oṁ tuttāre ture ture svāhā.
“The heart mantra for the jewel family is:
“oṁ tāre ture ture svāhā.
In this scripture of the Action Tantra genre, the Buddha gives instructions to the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī on the rituals and mantras associated with the goddess Tārā. The tantra includes a description of Tārā, a nine-deity maṇḍala and related initiations, and a litany of ritual practices associated with the four activities.
Translated by Samye Translations under the guidance of Phakchok Rinpoche. The translation was produced by Laura Dainty with the assistance of Khenpo Tsöndrü Sangpo. Oriane Lavolé checked the translation against the Tibetan and edited it. Paul Thomas checked all the mantras and their variants. Stefan Mang and Oriane Lavolé wrote the introduction.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas (hereafter The Tārā Tantra), is a tantra of the Action Tantra (Kriyātantra) class that offers a wealth of instructions on the rites associated with the goddess Tārā. Tārā, whose name can be translated as “Savior,” is revered in diverse Buddhist communities for her ability to quickly respond to the needs of supplicants facing worldly and spiritual dangers. The worship of Tārā in India can be traced to at least the sixth century
In the Degé Kangyur, The Tārā Tantra is part of a set of eight action tantras specifically dedicated to the goddess Tārā. In his Introduction to the Buddhist Tantric Systems (rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par gzhag pa rgyas par brjod pa), Khedrup Jé (mkhas grub rje, 1385–1438), a close disciple of Tsongkhapa (tsong kha pa, 1357–1419), singles out The Tārā Tantra as the most important Tārā tantra of the genre in Tibet at the time.
The Tārā Tantra is framed as a dialogue between the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī and the Buddha Śākyamuni that is divided into thirty-five chapters on specific themes and ritual topics. Chapter 1 opens with a description of the location and audience, followed by the invocation of the goddess Tārā and her arrival. Chapter 2 focuses on the initial worship of Tārā, which is followed in chapter 3 by a presentation of the famous Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage. Chapters 4 and 5 describe a maṇḍala of nine Tārās and their respective initiations. Chapter 6 presents a veritable catalog of ritual instructions and a long list of mantras. Chapters 7 to 11 are concerned with the rituals for accomplishing the four activities: pacifying (śānti), increasing (pauṣṭika), enthralling (vaśīkaraṇa), and assaulting (abhicāra). Chapters 12 to 16 establish Tārā as the mother of each of the five buddha families, and chapter 17 describes a fire offering ritual. The following seventeen chapters (18–34) provide brief instructions on making talismanic circles (cakra) for such purposes as protection, enhancement, and the expulsion of enemies. The final chapter (35) provides a versified list of the samayas and vows for these rites. Taken together, the topics of The Tārā Tantra serve as a comprehensive collection of rites that take Tārā as their primary deity. As the Tibetologist Stephan Beyer pointed out in his overview of the cult of Tārā, The Tārā Tantra “is the closest thing we have to a complete textbook on the practice of Tara’s [sic] cult.”
There is, at present, no known Sanskrit witness for The Tārā Tantra, nor is there an extant Chinese translation. It is also not recorded in the Denkarma (ldan dkar ma) or Phangthangma (’phang thang ma) inventories of translations compiled in ninth-century Tibet. According to its colophon, The Tārā Tantra was translated by the Tibetan translator Chökyi Sangpo (chos kyi bzang po) and the Indian scholar Dharmaśrīmitra. Stephan Beyer argues that the name of this Tibetan translator corresponds to the translator Chel Lotsāwa Chökyi Sangpo (dpyal lo tsā ba chos kyi bzang po, d. 1216), a contemporary of Śākyaśrībhadra (1127–1225) during the latter’s sojourn in Tibet (1204–13). The English translation presented here is based on the Tibetan version in the Degé Kangyur, in consultation with the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace Kangyur edition. The text has previously been introduced and translated into English by Martin Willson.
Homage to noble Mañjuśrī!
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing in Tuṣita with Maitreya, Mañjuśrī, Kurukullā, Parṇaśavarī, Brahmā, Śakra, and countless other bodhisattvas, gods, and goddesses, who circumambulated him clockwise while holding up an array of offerings beyond count, including heavenly flowers such as lotuses, water lilies, and mandārava flowers, heavenly instruments such as conches, vīṇās, drums, clay drums, and śūrpavīṇās, and heavenly parasols, banners, flags, and the like. They worshiped him with clouds of diverse offerings.
The Blessed One then entered the vajra-like samādhi that vanquishes all opponents. The entire earth shook immediately, the maṇḍala of māras was defeated, and the Blessed One radiated intense light in a spectrum of different colors—white, red, yellow, green, dark blue, and a combination of colors—that purified everyone who was suffering. Tārā, the mother of all the buddhas, then descended to the goddess Kurukullā’s crown. At that very instant, rain showered down from the offering clouds, and the goddess became like the orb of the sun unobscured by clouds. The Blessed One then lauded her with this verse of praise:
At that moment, the bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī draped his shawl over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and addressed the Blessed One: “Blessed One, the buddhas of the three times are so profound. How are they produced? Who says that Tārā is their mother?”
The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, what you say is indeed true. The buddhas of the three times are not born and do not cease; they are neither defiled nor free of defilement, they do not increase or decrease, and are by nature nirvāṇa. Thus, they are the very nature of all things.”
The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, if the buddhas of the three times are not born and do not cease, are neither defiled nor free of defilement, do not increase or decrease, and are by nature nirvāṇa, how do they take birth?”
The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, nirvāṇa is the ultimate; nirvāṇa is the realm of phenomena. These are all synonyms for the very limit of reality. Great compassion and relative essence are synonyms for saṃsāra. Beyond these is the mother who gives birth to the buddhas of the three times. Thus, she is beyond saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. Mañjuśrī, this is why she is considered a mother.”
“Therefore, Mañjuśrī,” the Blessed One continued, “knowing the essential nature of all things, meditate upon her. Recite the following dhāraṇī-mantra, practice assiduously, know her qualities, and make offerings to her. Receive instructions and rid yourself of all doubt. Apply yourself to her rites, keep her praise in mind, and reach accomplishment by means of these different rites.”
Thus, the Blessed One taught the bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī.
This was the first chapter, “Providing an Introduction.”
The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how should I meditate? How should I assiduously practice this?”
“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “apply your mind as follows. Mañjuśrī, you should meditate on the fact that all phenomena are unborn, all phenomena are unceasing, all phenomena are undefiled, and all phenomena are nirvāṇa and naturally pure.
“Mañjuśrī, to that end, recite this mantra:
“oṁ svabhāvaśuddhāḥ sarvadharmāḥ svabhāvaśuddho ’ham.”
The Blessed One continued, “Cultivate loving kindness while reflecting on those who are born from the womb, from eggs, and from heat and moisture, and those born miraculously. Generate great compassion focusing on birth, aging, illness, and death. Cultivate joy and equanimity in emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and the naturally unconditioned. Mañjuśrī, the four immeasurables thus are the cause that produces bodhicitta, so take this earnestly to heart.
“Furthermore, Mañjuśrī, recite the following mantra:
“oṁ bodhicittam utpādaya aham.”
The Blessed One continued, “You should offer worship with the following offerings:
“Mañjuśrī, to this end, recite the following offering mantra:
“oṁ sarva-tathāgata-dhūpa-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-puṣpa-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-āloka-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-gandha-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-naivedya-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ. oṁ sarva-tathāgata-śabda-pūjā-megha-samudra-spharaṇa-samaye hūṁ.”
This was the second chapter, “Offering.”
The Blessed One again addressed the bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī, “Mañjuśrī, this mother is the mother of all the buddhas of the three times. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, memorize this praise used by all the buddhas of the three times.”
The Blessed One then recited this dhāraṇī-mantra of praise:
“Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī was blessed by all the buddhas of the three times. It extols Tārā, the mother of all the buddhas of the three times, by vanquishing all evil. Its benefits are inconceivable. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, recite it!
“The person who recites this dhāraṇī will never be reborn as a hell being, as a hungry ghost, as an animal, or in any other such miserable state. They will never be reborn in borderlands, as a barbarian, with impaired faculties, or the like. They will be freed from the dangers of fever, boils, infectious diseases, and all other illnesses, and such perils will not reoccur. They will be freed from the eight great dangers and the like.
“Mañjuśrī, the person who memorizes this praise used by all the buddhas of the three times makes offerings to all of them. All the acts with immediate retribution and other misdeeds of the person who memorizes this will be purified, and that person will see all the buddhas. They will not meet an untimely death, and, when the time of death comes, they will see Tārā, the mother of all the buddhas of the three times. The person who memorizes this will be able to accomplish whatever they have in mind. They will obtain a perfect body, a perfect complexion, and all other perfect attributes. Nightmares, bad omens, and interference by nonhumans will all be pacified. They will come to see the truth of the three times and behold Tārā’s form in person.
“One should recite this:
“namaḥ sarva-tathāgata-samyak-sambuddhāya trāyate tārate tu tāra.”
This was the third chapter, “Praise.”
The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then asked the Blessed One, “In what way should I earnestly focus on this dhāraṇī-mantra?”
The Blessed One replied, “You should earnestly focus on this dhāraṇī while wishing to be free of suffering and pursuing the profound. You should then visualize light rays, streaming forth from the syllable tāṁ, that transform everything above and below into vajra. Next, Mañjuśrī, you should recite the mantra oṁ vajra jvala vajra tana hūṁ phaṭ. Then, visualize a white syllable e appearing from tāṁ. Above that, visualize a blue vaṁ, on top of which is a yellow laṁ, on top of which is a green yaṁ, on top of which is a red raṁ. All of these syllables emanate and reabsorb light rays.
“oṁ dharmadhātu-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ aṃ dhātu-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ samanta-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ pakṣa-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ kṣata-vyutthāna-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ namaḥ sarva-tathāgata-maṇḍala samanta-viśuddha hūṁ.
“Mañjuśrī, while reciting this mantra generate the maṇḍala mansion: a square building sitting on a four-petaled, multicolored lotus and encircled by a fence of vajras. It has four gateways with eight pillars and is beautified by short and long garlands, tassels of jewels, and other festooned decorations. Generate the maṇḍala mansion in this way.
“In the center of the mansion, on the anthers of the lotus, sits a moon and lotus. Atop this lotus is a green syllable tāṁ, from which appears an utpala flower marked by tāṁ. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. Tārā appears from the utpala flower, green bodied and with one face and two arms. Her right hand makes the boon-granting gesture, and her left hand holds an utpala flower by the stem. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus in the east, visualize the syllable tāṁ transforming into a dark blue utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears a dark blue Tārā with two arms. She holds a trident in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus in the south, visualize the syllable re transforming into a yellow utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. The Tārā who appears from this utpala is the color of molten gold and has two arms. She holds a sword in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus in the west, visualize the syllable tu transforming into a red utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears a red Tārā with two arms. She holds a wheel in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus in the north, visualize the syllable tāṁ transforming into a green utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears a green Tārā with two arms. She holds a parasol in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus seat with her legs evenly crossed.
“On a moon and lotus at the eastern gate, visualize the syllable tāṁ transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Hook Tārā, white bodied and holding hooks in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a slightly wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with one leg extended and the other drawn in.
“On a moon and lotus at the southern gate, visualize the syllable re transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Lasso Tārā, yellow bodied, one faced, and holding lassos in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a slightly wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with one leg extended and the other drawn in.
“On a moon and lotus at the western gate, visualize the syllable tu transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Shackles Tārā, red bodied and holding shackles in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus seat with one leg extended and the other drawn in.
“On a moon and lotus at the northern gate, visualize the syllable re transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Bell Tārā, green-blue in color and holding bells in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with one leg extended and the other drawn in.
“Mañjuśrī, visualize the circle of deities in this way.”
Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, what is meant by ‘apparition’ and so forth?”
The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, being afflicted is the basic constitution of the six classes of beings. Therefore, understand them to be like apparitions, illusions, rainbows, mirages, reflections in water, and images in a mirror.”
This was the fourth chapter, “The Deities.”
Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, how are these deities to be empowered by deities?”
The Blessed One replied, “In the manner, Mañjuśrī, of apparitions, illusions, rainbows, mirages, reflections in water, and images in a mirror.”
Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, what is an ‘apparition’?”
The Blessed One replied, “An ‘apparition’ is something unreal that is mistaken by both. An ‘illusion’ is something mistaken by others. A ‘rainbow’ is empty. A ‘mirage’ is a mistaken, empty appearance. A ‘reflection in water’ is causal. An ‘image in a mirror’ is like a city of gandharvas. Mañjuśrī, this is delusion; this is the constitution of the afflicted. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, the empowerment of deities by deities is similar to this.
“Mañjuśrī, apparitions, illusions, rainbows, mirages, reflections in water, and images in a mirror are unimpeded; they are free of all impediments. They are not differentiated and lack differentiation. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, think of their nature in this way.”
The Blessed One then granted empowerment with the vajra mudrā: palms joined so that there is an empty space between them, the two middle fingers raised so that they join at the tips, the two index fingers and two ring fingers pressed against the sides of the middle fingers, and the little fingers and thumbs placed inside with their tips touching.
The mantra to be recited is:
oṁ sarva-tathāgata ahaṃ vajras tana sarva-tathāgata-vajras tana hūṁ.
Following that, the Blessed One conferred empowerment with the jewel mudrā: hands joined at the palms, the little fingers and ring fingers spread out, the tips of the middle fingers joined, and the thumbs pressing down on the two index fingers.
Placing his hands above his head, he recited this mantra:
“oṁ sarva-tathāgata-cintāmaṇi-jvalani sarva-tathāgata ahaṃ śuddha-pariśuddhāya svāhā.”
All buddhas throughout all ten directions conferred initiation and bestowed empowerment with this mantra.
Then, the Blessed One formed the samaya mudrā of all the heart families: hands joined at the palms with the fingertips interlaced, middle fingers stretched out, and thumbs and little fingers joined and stretched out. This is the samaya mudrā.
The mantra is:
oṁ sarva-tathāgata-vajra-samaya hūṁ.
This was the fifth chapter, “Initiation.”
The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then spoke these lines of praise for the Mother:
He then asked, “Blessed One, how is the mantra of the Mother practiced?
The Blessed One replied, “Her dhāraṇī-mantra is as follows:
“That is the dhāraṇī-mantra you should recite.
“The heart mantra is:
“oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā.
“The heart mantra for the lotus family is:
“oṁ tuttāre ture ture svāhā.
“The heart mantra for the jewel family is:
“oṁ tāre ture ture svāhā.