Taking refuge and generating the altruistic dedicated heart
Sang gye cho dang tsog kyi chog nam la
To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha
Jang chub bar du dag ni kyab su chi
I go for refuge until I am enlightened
Dag gi jin sog gyi pay so nam kyi
Through the positive potential I create by practicing generosity and the other far-reaching attitudes
Dro la pen chir sang gye drub par shog
May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.
The Four Immeasurables
Sem chen tarn che de wa dang/ de way gyu dang den par gyur chig
May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness;
Sem chen tam che dug ngel dang/ dug ngel kyi gyu dang drel war gyur chig
May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering;
Sem chen tam che dug ngel may pay de wa dang/ mi drel war gyur chig
May all sentient beings never be separated from the happiness that knows no suffering;
Sem chen tam che nye ring chag dang nyi dang/ drel way dang nyom la ne par gyur chig
May all sentient beings abide in equanimity,
free from attachment and anger that hold some close and others
distant.
Visualization
You are in your ordinary form. At your heart appears a white AH, made of light. This transforms into a white moon disc. At its center appears a green syllable TAM, the essence of Tara’s blissful omniscient mind of wisdom and compassion. Standing clockwise around the edge of the moon appear the letters of the mantra OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA, made of green light.
From the TAM, rainbow-colored light goes out in all directions and invokes Tara to appear in the space in front of you. She is seated on a lotus and moon disc. Her body is made of emerald-green light, youthful and exquisitely beautiful. Her right hand on her right knee is in the gesture of giving; her left hand at her heart is the gesture of refuge and holds the stem of a blue utpala flower that blooms by her ear. Her left leg is drawn up and her right leg is slightly extended. Her face is very beautiful and she smiles with loving-kindness at all sentient beings.
Surrounding her in space are 21 other Taras,
as well as all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Surrounding you are all sentient
beings. You lead them in reciting the prayers and requests to
Tara.
When doing multiple repetitions of the homage,
one could start with the seven-limb prayer and include the homage and condensed
praise. One could also do a more limited repetition. When pressed for time, one
can repeat only the condensed praise.
Seven-limb prayer
Go sum go pay go ne chag tsal lo
Reverently I prostrate with with my body, speech and mind
Ngo sham yi trul cho trin ma lu bul
And present clouds of every type of offering, actual and mentally transformed.
Tog may ne sag dig tung tam che shag
I confess all my negative actions accumulated since beginningless time
Kye pag gay wa nam la je yi rang
And rejoice in the virtues of all holy and ordinary beings.
Kor wa ma tong bar du leg zhug ne
Please remain until cyclic existence ends,
Dro la cho kyi kor lo kor wa dang
And turn the wheel of Dharma for sentient beings.
Dag zhen gay nam jang chub chen por ngo
I dedicate the virtues created by myself and
others to the great enlightenment.
Homage to the twenty-one Taras (could be said multiple times)
OM je tsun ma pag ma drol ma la chag tsal lo
OM I prostrate to the noble transcendent liberator.
1. Chag tsal drol ma nyur ma pa mo
Chen mi kay chig lhog dang dra ma
With eyes like a flash of lightning
Jig ten sum gon chu kye shel gyi
Lotus-born in an ocean of tears
Ke sar je wa lay ni jung ma
Of Chenrezig, three world’s protector.
Gang wa gya ni tseg pay shel ma
One hundred autumn moons gathered
Kar ma tong trag tsog pa nam kyi
And blazes with the dazzling light
Rab tu che way o rab bar ma
Of a thousand constellations.
Pay may chag ni nam par gyen ma
Hands adorned with lotus flowers
Jin pa tsun du ka tub shi wa
Essence of giving, effort, and ethics,
So pa sam ten cho yul nyi ma
Patience, concentration and wisdom.
Ta yay nam par gyal wa cho ma
Whose action subdues without limit
Ma lu pa rol chin pa tob pay
Attained to every perfection
Gyel way say kyi shin tu ten ma
On you the bodhisattvas rely.
Do dang chog dang nam ka gang ma
Fill the realms of desire, form and space
Jig ten dun po shab kyi nen te
You crush seven worlds beneath your feet
Lu pa may par gug par nu ma
And have power to call all forces.
Lung lha na tsog wang chug cho ma
Agni, Brahma,Vayu and Ishvara
Jung po ro lang dri sa nam dang
Praised in song by hosts of spirits,
No jin tsog kyi dun ne to ma
Zombies, scent-eaters and yakshas.
Pa rol tul kor rab tu jom ma
Destroy external wheels of magic
Yay kum yon kyang shab kyi nen te
Right leg drawn in and left extended
May bar tug pa shin tu bar ma
You blaze within a raging fire.
Du kyi pa wo nam par jom ma
The great fears, the mighty demons
Chu kye shel ni tro nyer den dze
With a wrathful frown on your lotus face
Dra wo tam che ma lu so ma
You slay all foes without exception.
Sor mo tug kar nam par gyen ma
By the Three Jewel’s gesture at your heart
Ma lu chog kyi kor lo gyen pay
Your wheel shines in all directions
Rang gi o kyi tsog nam trug ma
With a whirling mass of light.
U gyen o kyi treng wa pel ma
Whose crown emits a garland of light
Shay pa rab shay TU TA RA yi
You, by the laughter of TUTTARA
Du dang jig ten wang du dze ma
Conquer demons and lords of the world.
Tam che gug par nu ma nyi ma
The assembly of local protectors
Tro nyer yo way yi ge HUM ki
With your fierce frown and vibrating HUM
Pong pa tam che nam par drol ma
You bring freedom from all poverty.
Gyen pa tam che shin tu bar ma
All your adornments dazzling bright
Rel pay tro na o pag may lay
From your hair-knot Amitabha
Tag par shin tu o rab dze ma
Shines eternal with great beams of light.
Bar way treng way u na ne ma
Like the fire at the end of this age
Yay kang yon kum kun ne kor gay
Your right leg outstretched and the left drawn in
Dra yi pung ni nam par jom ma
Joy surrounds you who defeats hosts of foes.
Til gyi nun ching zhab gyi dung ma
And whose palm strikes the ground by your side
Tro nyer chen dze yi gay HUM ki
With a wrathful glance and the letter HUM
Rim pa dun po nam ni gem ma
You subdue all in the seven stages.
Nya ngen de zhi cho yul nyi ma
Object of practice, nirvana’s peace
SO HA OM dang yang dag den pay
Perfectly endowed with SOHA and OM
Dig pa chen po jom pa nyi ma
Overcoming all the great evils.
Dra ye lu ni nam par gem ma
You subdue fully all enemies’ forms
Yi gay chu pay ngag ni ko pay
The ten-letter mantra adorns your heart
Rig pa HUM lay drol ma nyi ma
And your knowledge-HUM gives liberation.
HUM gi nam pay sa bon nyi ma
Whose essence is the seed-letter HUM
Ri rab man da ra dang big je
You cause Merus, Mandara and Vindya
Jig ten sum nam yo wa nyi ma
And all three worlds to tremble and shake.
Ri dag tag chen chag na nam ma
A moon like a celestial lake
TA RA nyi jo PEY kyi yi gay
Saying Tara twice and the letter PEY
Dug nam ma lu pa ni sel ma
You dispel all poisons without exception.
Lha dang mi am chi yi ten ma
The gods themselves and all spirits rely
Kun ne go cha ga way ji kyi
Your armour radiates joy to all
Tso dang mi lam nyen pa sel ma
You soothe conflicts and nightmares as well.
Chen nyi po la o rab sel ma
Radiate with pure brilliant light
HA RA nyi jo TU TA RA yi
Uttering HARA twice and TUTTARA
Shin tu dag po rim ne sel ma
Dispels extremely fearful plagues.
Zi way tu dang yang dag den ma
Perfectly endowed with peaceful strength
Don dang ro lang no jin tsog nam
You destroy demons, zombies and yakshas
Jom pa TURE rab chog nyi ma
O TURE, most exalted and sublime!
Thus the root mantra is praised
Chag tsal wa ni nyi shu tsa chig
And twenty-one homages offered.
The Condensed Praise (could be said multiple times)
OM chom den de ma pag ma drol ma la chag tsal lo
OM to the transcendent subduer, Arya Tara, I prostrate.
Chag tsal drol ma TA RE pel mo
Homage to the glorious one who frees with TARE;
TU TA RA yi jig kun sel ma
With TUTTARA you calm all fears;
TU RE don nam tam che ter ma
You bestow all success with TURE;
SO HA yi ger che la rab tu
To the sound SOHA I pay great
homage.
Benefits of reciting the homage (optional)
Lha mo la gu yang dag den pay
Those endowed with perfect and pure respect for these goddesses
Lo den gang gi rab de jo de
The intelligent who recite these praises with most supreme faith
So dang to rang lang par che ne
Both in the evening and upon waking at dawn
Den pay mi jig tam che rab ter
Will have fearlessness bestowed on them by this remembrance.
Dig pa tam che rab tu shi way
After being purified of all evils completely,
Nyen dro tam che jom pa nyi tob
They will attain the destruction of all lower realms
Gyal wa che wa dun nam gyi
And the seven million conquering Buddhas
Nyur du wang ni kur war gyur la
Will quickly grant them every empowerment.
Di lay che wa nyi ni tob ching
Thus they will attain greatness and so forth
Sang gye go pang tar tug der dro
To the ultimate state of supreme Buddhahood.
De yi dug ni dag po chen po
As a result all violent poisons -
Ten ne pa am zhen yang dro wa
Whether abiding within or spreading to others -
So pa dang ni tung wa nyi kyang
That they have eaten or drunk
Den pay rab tu sel wa nyi tob
By this remembrance will be completely removed
Don dang rim dang tug gi sir way
And they will eliminate completely afflictions by spirits, epidemics,
Dug ngel tsog ni nam par pang te
Poisons and all various sufferings.
Sem chen zhen pa nam la yang ngo
If for oneself or for the sake of others,
Nyi sum dun du ngo par jo na
These praises are read sincerely two, three or seven times,
Pu do pay ni pu tob gyur ching
Those wishing a child will have one
Nor do pay ni nor nam nyi tob
And those wishing wealth will attain this as well.
Do pa tam che tob par gyur la
Without obstruction all of their wishes will be granted
Geg nam may ching so sor jom gyur chig
And every single hindrance will be destroyed
as it arises.
Visualization and Recitation
Visualize much radiant and blissful green light from the TAM and mantra at Tara’s heart streams into you and into the sentient beings surrounding you. [Optionally view all sentient beings of this world system as now having that TAM and mantra at their heart as a result of the earlier recitation, that they are in their normal places around the world. View that green light emanates from a multi-layered cloud of Taras of all forms in the space around this world system. The light covers all space and all sentient beings of this world system and even spreads on to all of space, all world systems and all sentient beings. Also view all Buddhas and bodhisattvas similarly arrayed joining in with light appropriate to them. For trouble spots and situations add an ever widening tornado of Taras superimposed with similar widening stacks of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas over the place with intense blessing raining down to help.] This light purifies the imprints of all negative actions, and dispels all sickness and harms from spirits. In addition, it brings inspiration and blessings from Tara [and all Buddhas and bodhisattvas], thus enabling you to realize the entire gradual path to enlightenment quickly. While doing the visualization, recite as much as possible Tara’s peaceful mantra:
Om tare tuttare ture soha.
[Optional: Wish that all subsequent such
visualizations and recitations throughout the day be considered to be logically
part of this practice at this point. Then continue this practice at all odd
moments through the day, such as walking, driving, standing in lines, and any
other activity that can allow divided attention. For things such as driving, you
may limit the visualization effort so that the particular activity is not
compromised in an unsafe way.]
Requesting Prayer
Je tsun chom den de ma tug je chen
O compassionate and venerable subduing goddess
Dag dang ta ye sem chen tam che kyi
May the infinite beings, including myself,
Drib nyi jang shing tsog nyi nyur dzog ne
Soon purify the two obscurations and complete both collections
Dzog pay sang gye tob par dze du sol
So that we may attain full enlightenment.
De ma tob gyi tse rab kun tu yang
For all of my lives, until I reach this stage
Lha dang mi yi de wa chog tob ne
May I know the sublime happiness of humans and gods.
Tam che kyen pa drub par je pa la
So that I may become fully omniscient
Bar che don geg rim dang ne la sog
Please pacify quickly all obstacles, spirits,
Du min chi war gyur pa na tsog dang
Obstructions, epidemics, diseases and so forth
Mi lam nyen dang tsen ma nyen pa dan
The various causes of untimely death,
Jig pa gye sog nye war tse wa nam
Bad dreams and omens, the eight fears and other afflictions,
Nyur du shi shing may par dze tu sol
And make it so that they no longer exist.
Jig ten jig lay ni de pa yi
May the mundane and supramundane collections
Ta shi de leg pun sum tsog pa nam
Of all excellent auspicious qualities and happiness
Pel shing gye pay don nam ma lu pa
Increase and develop and may all wishes
Be mi lhun gyi drub par dze du sol
Be fulfilled naturally and effortlessly, without an exception.
Drub la tson shing dam cho pel wa dang
May I strive to realize and increase the sacred Dharma
Dag du gyo drub she chog tong wa dang
Accomplishing your stage and beholding your sublime face,
Tong nyi ton tog jang sem rin po che
May my understanding of emptiness and the precious dedicated heart
Yar ngo da tar pel shing gye par dzo
Increase like the moon waxing full.
Gyal way kyil dor sang shing ga wa ter
May I be reborn from an extremely beautiful and holy lotus
Pay mo tam pa shim tu dze lay gye
In the joyous and noble mandala of the conqueror
Nang wa ta ye gyal way ngo sum tu
May I attain whatever prophecy I receive
Lung ten pa yang dag ki der tob shog
In the presence of Amitabha, Buddha of Infinite Light.
Dag gi tse rab ngon ne drub pay lha
O deity, whom I have accomplished from previous lives
Du sum sang gye kun gi trin lay ma
The enlightening influence of the three-time Buddhas
Ngo jang shel chig chag nyi nyur shi ma
Blue-green, one face and two arms, the swift pacifier
Yum gyur ut pel nam pay tra shi shog
O mother holding an utpala flower, may you be auspicious!
Gyal yum drol ma kyo gu chi da dang
Whatever your body, O Mother of Conquerors,
Kor dang ku tse tse dang shing kam dang
Whatever your retinue, lifespan and pure land,
Kye kyi tsen chog sang po chi dra wa
Whatever your name, most noble and holy,
De dra ko nar dag sog gyur par shog
May I and all others attain only these.
Kye la to ching sol wa tab pay tu
By the force of these praises and requests made to you,
Dag sog kang du ne pay sa chog ter
May all disease, poverty, fighting and quarrels be calmed,
Ne dang ul pong tab tso shi wa dang
May the precious Dharma and everything auspicious increase
Cho dang tra shi pel war dze tu sol
Throughout the world and directions where I
and all others dwell.
Dedication and auspicious verses
Gay wa di yi nyur tu dag
Due to this merit may I soon
Pag ma drol ma drub gyur ne
Attain the state of Arya Tara
Dro wa chig kyang ma lu pa
That I may be able to liberate
De yi sa la go par shog
All sentient beings from their suffering.
Chom den de ma cho che pay
By whatever virtue I have collected
Dag gi gay wa chi sag pa
From venerating these subduing blessed ones
Te ni sem chan ma lu pa
May all sentient beings, without exception
De wa chen tu gay wat chog
Be born in Sukhavati, the Joyful Pure Land.
Ku yi gyon pang tsen dang pay che den
You who have abandoned all bodily defects and possess the signs and marks of a Buddha,
Sung ki gyon pang ka la ping kay yang
You who have abandoned all defects of speech and possess a beautiful sparrow-like voice,
Tug gi gyon shay ja ta dag sig
You who have abandoned all defects of mind and see all the infinite objects of knowledge,
Tra shi pel par ma yi tra shi shog
O Brilliant Mother of Auspicious Glory, please bring your auspicious presence to us!
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