Enlightenment, Buddhahood, is One and is indivisible.

However, we are not like that. We are relative beings living in a relative condition. So we sometimes need different things at different times.

Because of this, Tara has manifested in innumerable different forms to help our relative problems.

It is rather as if we were to go to a huge store which could satisfy all our desires. If we wanted food, we would go to the food department. If we wanted cars, we would go to the cars department. Actually all the departments would be the same company, but they would all have a different appearance, different colours, different vibes, to help us to tune in to those things.

So, at the start, we have three Taras. The main Tara, and the Tara I am talking about in these pages, is the Green Tara. All the others are a manifestation of her.

Then there is White Tara.

One would expect there to be other Taras for the rest of the Buddha families: red, yellow and blue. There is a Red Tara. This wonderful extraordinary lineage is held by the great living Dzogchen master Chatral Rinpoche. However, if you want to learn it you will probably have to go towonderful Ven Chagdud Tulku in America or Brazil; his American-born wife also teaches this practice. Yellow Tara is a wealth Tara - possibly she is the same as the Basudarini, Norgyun (covered below as Tara no.10). Among the 21 Taras, there are a couple that are blue-black. I don't know which one of these is equivalent to a Blue Tara.

After the three or five Taras, there are Eight Taras who are the remedies or the antidotes to the Eight Great Fears. These fears have an internal aspect and an external aspect. The external aspect is that they are the fears of: Lions, Elephants, Fire, Serpents, Thieves, Captivity, Drowning, and Flesh-eating Spirits. Internally, these are fears such as the fears of oppression, loss of possessions, of change and so on. I can't correlate these exactly for you as I have not received any teachings on this. One does not usually find representations of these Eight Taras: sometimes one finds them arranged around a central Green Tara in a Thangka, just as the 21 Taras are arranged above.

(For notes on the lineages of the 21 Taras and a scholarly viewpoint on why there should be 21 Taras, go here .)

The main Tara forms in the tradition is the set called the 21 Taras. Some of the 21 Taras are correlated with other female deities, such as Saraswati, and some of them are different aspects, functions or forms of Tara.

There is a text of about three pages called the Praises to the 21 Taras which is very important in all schools. Often lamas recite 100,000 of this text: Chagdud Tulku's experience of doing so is recounted in his biography Lord of The Dance . There are also a couple of shorter, one-page texts. There are various sets of mantras for the 21 Taras as well. As yet,I don't have permission to reproduce any of these texts here. Most Buddhist centres should have them; I got mine from the Sogyal Rinpoche organisation, Rigpa. The mantras are also reproduced in John Blofeld's Bodhisattva of Compassion , along with many lovely Tara stories.

If you are doing the individual mantras: Firstly, get the Lung (that is the permission to do them) from a lama (this is simple; all the lama has to do is recite them to you). Second, if you are doing the individual Tara mantras, it is a very good idea to have completed 100,000 repetitions of the Tara mantra first. (This takes about four days. See Practice Notes below).

From a practical and religious standpoint, it is really excellent to do the individual mantras of these deities. They each have a different feeling. They are also extremely effective. For example, if you are having a disagreement with somebody, reciting the mantra of Dugselma in your head while you talk to them is really magical in helping resolve the argument. The feeling attached to Taras like Shiwa Chenmo is also really lovely.

Here are two lists of Taras and their functions.  The first is according to the tradition of Atisha.  I am not entirely sure if this text is not corrupt: one Tara appears to recur twice.  The second list is according to the Long-Chen Nyin-Thig tradition, oir at least, so I have tried to make it.

Mostly the lists are the same.  Some Taras seem to have the same functions but different names.  Some Taras seem to be in a different position.  However the purpose and direction of them is similar.

This list of the 21 Taras and their functions is according to the tradition of Atisha.

1) Nyurma Palmo
'Swift lady of glory' , to pacify hindrances and develop Bodhicitta.

2) Shiwa Ch'enmo
This Tara is to pacify external negative influences.

In most lists, this second place is occupied by Saraswati.  Also, in this list Shiwa Ch'enmo seems to recur at position 15.  It is this which makes me wonder if this is an accurate text.

3) Serdog Chen
To develop wealth and longevity

4) Namgyalma (Ushnisha)
This is an important deity for all schools. Ushnisha, she who dwells on the topknot of the Buddhas, develops longevity and wealth.  Her mantra and mandala may be found here.

Her mantra has been published so I think i can give it to you. It is
OM BHRUM SOHA (Ohm Dhrung Sowha).
 

5) Kurukulla
Also an important deity for all schools, though possibly more so for the Sarma ( New Translation) schools. Kurukulla is to develop one's capacity. Kurukulla also has a reputation for bringing sex partners. This makes some people do a great deal of Kurukulla practice. This is not really a good idea unless one does other, balancing practices, because it can lead to anxiety, agitation and nervousness.  Anyway, Green Tara should bring one a partner, if desired.

6) Jigten Sumle Nampar Gyalma

This Tara is to tame elemental spirits - local beings which can give us problems.

7) Shen Jom-Ma
This Tara is to protect against magic and curses from human and non-human beings.

8) Du Dra Jom Ma
This Tara is to give us victories.

9) Jigpa Kunkhyob Ma
This Tara is to save us from all fears.

10)  Dudang Jigten Wangdu Dema
This Tara is to protect against being confused by spirits.

11) Norgyun (Basudarini)
This Tara is to remove poverty and bring wealth. Wealth practices always mention this deity.

12) Tashi Donjedma
This Tara is to bring auspicious conditions, like good farming climate and many children and wealth and luck, to the area we live in.

Because this mantra is for the good of all, I don't see why I shouldn't put it here:
Om Tare Tutare Ture Mangalam Soha.
'Mangala' means a blessing or good omen.

13) Metar Barma
This is to make people speak well of us and prevent verbal reputation problems.

14) Tronyer Chen
This Tara is to suppress forces which may be trying to obstruct us (spirit forces)

15) Shiwa Ch'enma
This deity is to purify and suppress the effects of one's own negative actions. This is a wonderful Tara to do.

16) Saraswati In this text, Saraswati is placed here.

17) Jigten Sumyowa
This Tara is to pacify problems.

18) Dugselma
This Tara purifies or neutralises the effects of poison. In the East, secret enemies often use poison - in fact, secret long-lasting poisons, not known to the West, are used. In one story, a practitioner was in a remote area of Bhutan and was invited to dinner at the house of some people he did not quite trust. So he used an anti- poison mantra when just about to taste the food, whereupon it turned black and burst into flames. In the West, we do not fear deliberate poisoning so much. However, we often fear food poisoning, and also sometimes we take substances that may harm us. This mantra is useful against these.

19) Mip'ham Gyalmo
This Tara is absolutely wonderful. Her mantra averts quarrels and bad dreams. Try it next time you get into an argument! It is very swift and effective.

I don't see any harm if I tell you this one:
Om Tare Tutare Ture Motsana Soha.

20) Selwe'i Drolma
This Tara is to remove pestilence. She is often evoked when plague strikes. Some people feel that it is somehow disrespectful to invoke her for a cold in the head or a drippy nose. Not at al. l As I say in Practice Notes, Tara should be invoked as often as possible and for every problem, no matter how small.

Invoking Tara does not make us weak somehow. Every time we invoke Tara, we become more like her: more merciful and more wise. P>21)  Tr'inle Tamche Yongsu Dzogpar Jepe'i Drolma In most lists this place is occupied by Maritse. However, here we have this Tara who is to make all that we do perfect and complete. This Tara is also very wonderful to do.

This list of the 21 Taras and their functions is according to the tradition of the Longchen Nyin-Thig. I hope it is anyway; perhaps some of the names are according to the tradition of Chogyur Lingpa. Never mind, they seem tgo be in the same order.

1) Nyurma Palmo
'Swift lady of glory' , to pacify hindrances and develop Bodhicitta.

2) Saraswati (Yangchanma)
This Tara is the patron of arts, music and learning. She is the consort of the Bodhisattva of wisdom, Manjushri.

3) Serdog Chen
To develop wealth and longevity

4) Namgyalma (Ushnisha)
This is an important deity for all schools. Ushnisha, she who dwells on the topknot of the Buddhas, develops longevity and wealth.  Her mantra and mandala may be found here.

Her mantra has been published so I think I can give it to you. It is
OM BHRUM SOHA (Ohm Dhrung Sowha).
 

5) Kurukulla
Also an important deity for all schools, though possibly more so for the Sarma ( New Translation) schools. Kurukulla is to develop one's capacity and to make one attractive to beings (How to win friends and influence people...).

6) Jigje Chenmo
This Tara is to tame elemental spirits - local beings which can give us problems.

7)Tummo Mit'hubma
This Tara  protects us during storms - ordinary storms, and the storms of war and civil disorder.

8)Zhan Migyelma
This Tara is for when we have a problem with beings and people being aggressive towards us.  She is to protect us.

9) Khamsum Namgyelma
This Tara is for when it is necessary for us to overcome something or have a victory

10) Norgyun (Basudarini)
This Tara is to remove poverty and bring wealth. Wealth practices always mention this deity.

Her mantra has been published so I think i can give it to you. It is
OM BASUDARINI SOHA (Ohm BA [as in back] soo dah ree nee Sowha). Or, Om Tare Tutare Ture Basudarini Svaha.
 

12) Tashi Tamche Jinma (Tashi Donjedma)
This Tara is to bring auspicious conditions, like good farming climate and many children and wealth and luck, to the area we live in.

12)Wangjedma
This Tara is used when it is necessary for us to have to fight or overcome someone.

13)  Lhamo Drapungjom
this Tara is used to vercome negativity from the Eight classes.

140  T'hronyer Chandzadma
This Tara is to overcome fears.

15)Rabzhima
This Tara is to purify obstacles resulting from our negative actions and past karmas.

16)  Barwai od
This Tara is to remove curses and bad magics, either from humans or from other beings.

17) Pagmed Nonma
This Tara is to protect us while we are travelling

18) Maja Chhenmo
This Tara is to overcome poison.

19) Mip'ham Gyalmo
This Tara is to protect against illnesses.

20)  Rit'hrod Logyonma
This Tara is to overcome illness

21) Maritse (Osel Chenma, Hodser Chenma)
Maritse is correlated with the goddess of the dawn. She is invoked at sunrise or at the start of a journey. She protects travellers; she guards against thieves. Also, if one's energy has been stolen by any being, she can get it back and restore it.

Her mantra has been published so I think i can give it to you. It is
OM MARI ZEYE SOHA (Ohm Marie Zahyay Sowha).
 
 
 
 

I hope this description of these Taras helps your practice. If you have any images or texts or books or anything of these Taras and want to send them to me, my address is on the Links page. Please don't forget to tell me whether I can post them to this website or not. INow you may be a lama or very senior student who speaks Tibetan and is aware of flaws in these lists. If that is so, I don't know what to say. It is true I have exceeded my understanding a little by putting these lists on my site. Please excuse my errors and assist me by giving me more information (What I can do to help).

Mail layman Sherab

It may be that you have a particular problem and you may be frustrated because I have not given the mantra of that deity. For example, you may be a school child who is going to do an exam and thus would like to practice saraswati; you may be suffering from ill-founded rumours and blame and need Metar Barma; you may even suspect that some bad influence has been placed on you. However, although I am not a lama and therefore cannot be confident enough to place all the mantras on the page, it is all right! Any function can be gained just by doing the mantra and practice of the main, Green Tara.

Back to White Tara

Notes on the Practice of Tara