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āṣṭa-bhaya-troda

Protection from the eight fears

    I prostrate before the Blessed Tara!
    The lord of the yogis [should] be in the house of meditative immersion and sit on a good seat. Meditate on Goddess Tara on the basis of obligations and prayers for all beings [that are fulfilled] by virtue of great mercy.
    Also act according to this sequence. The yogin imagines [how from] the syllable a in one's own heart [appears] the disk of the moon. On it [appears] the syllable tāṁ. From it emanate rays of light that are like an iron hook. Because of this, see how the goddess, one's own teacher-guru, and the true perfect Enlightened One [become] clearly [visible] in the space in front of you. Make prostrations for them, realize repentance for harmful things. Head for Refuge in the Three [Jewels], offer up the roots of virtue, offer up the body, and realize the prayers of benediction.
    Then meditate on the absence at the absolute level of one's own nature in oneself, deity, etc., and that which is originally without birth. To make this steady, [say]:
    oṁ śūnyatā jñāna vajra svabhāva ātma ko haṁ
    Speaking like this, meditate on emptiness.
    Then from the syllable paṁ [arises] a lotus with eight petals. In the middle, by virtue of past benedictions [manifests] one's own mind in the form of the syllable tāṁ. From it the goddess Tāra arises. She is also with a green-colored body, one face, two hands. The right hand is in the gesture of bestowing the supreme. The left hand holds the utpala. Adorned with the diadem of Amoghasiddha. Sits half cross-legged. Meditate as long as you can be without hesitation. Go on to recitation when there are flaws [in meditation].
    oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā
    The garland of the recited mantra comes out of one's own heart and enters one's own countenance. Imagine that also consistently appearing from one's own mouth, the white-colored mantra slowly revolves. [Visualize like this] and perform recitation.
    While reciting, also make offerings, offer torma, and perform benedictions. With the pride of a goddess abide in all daily activities. When having a great sleep, fall asleep immersed in emptiness. Also, when you rise [in the morning], instantly appear [as Tara] through the pride of the goddess.
    Thus concludes the defense against the eight fears compiled by the acharya and sage Sri Dipamkarajñana.
    Translated by Lama Karma Paljor (O.E. Filippov).