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khadira-vaṇī-tārā-sādhana

Khadiravani-Tara practice

    I prostrate before the Khadiravani-Tara!
    First, every mantrik should abide in purity and balance in a good place. [Should adorn it] with various colors pleasing to the mind. Should be in a good seat in the true place and direction.
    Imagine on the moon in your own heart the syllable tāṁ, similar in color to durva. Radiating from it are rays of light of five kinds. By the five kinds of light emitted from it, the harmful things and the veils of all beings are purified. [The light] is again gathered into this [syllable].
    Then again from the syllable tāṁ in one's own heart light is emitted. By it, the Lady Tara of Akanishtha heaven is summoned into the space before you. [When you do this], look as [manifesting] clearly. Make unsurpassed offerings.
    Then realize repentance for harmful things, etc., rejoicing in spiritual merit, making full offerings of spiritual merit, moving toward refuge in the Three [Jewels], engendering an enlightened disposition, serving on the path, making offerings of one's own body, and so forth. When you have done so, meditate according to the sequence on love, mercy, joy, and equal treatment.
    Then recite these stanzas of purifying the ground of your own nature three times:
    oṁ svabhāva śuddhaḥ sarva dharmāḥ svabhāva śuddho haṁ
    oṁ śūnyatā jñāna vajra svabhāva ātma ko haṁ
    Saying thus, realize meditation on the emptiness of all particles, both your own and those of others.
    Then, through the remembrance of past prayers, the syllable paṁ is formed in the realm of space. When formed, [there appears] a multicolored lotus. In the middle of it, a disk of the moon [appears] from the syllable oṁ. On top of it [appears] the syllable tāṁ, which is like a durva in color. It possesses [the radiance of] multicolored rays of light. Meditate thus.
    The rays of light emitted from there are seized by the Enlightened Ones of the ten directions. Having grasped, meditate as one who enters there. [When] it becomes perfect, meditate that from [it arises] the goddess Tara. With a body of green color, one face and two hands. Adorned with all ornaments that are pleasing to the mind. In her left hand she holds a utpala. The right [hand in mudra] bestows the supreme bestowal, from which nectar drips. Sitting on the moon, which is on a multicolored lotus, half cross-legged, with her right leg extended.
    To her right is Ashoka-Marichi, with a body of yellow color. Possesses a tiara of various jewels. Adorned with all the ornaments. In her right hand she holds a vajra. In her left hand holds a branch of the Ashoka tree. Standing by her side.
    On the left side is Ekajati, having the form of a small person, with a body of black color. She holds garments made of the skin of a tiger. Possesses three eyes and clenched fangs. The countenance shouts and the billowing yellow [hair] surges upward. With two hands he holds a vajra and a severing dagger and stands nearby.
    Also on the right [is] Mahamayuri, with a body of yellow color. Adorned with all ornaments, in her right hand she holds a drum-chamara, and with her left hand she holds an eye made of [the feather of] a peacock. Standing nearby.
    Also on the left is Janguli with a body of green color. With the right hand makes [mudra] of bestowing the supreme. With the left hand holds a snake. Adorned with all ornaments and standing nearby.
    Additionally meditate on being surrounded by gods and asuras. The topmost head is sealed by Amoghasiddha.
    Then visualize a cloud of clusters of Enlightened Ones radiating from your own heart. Meditating in this way, maintain yoga. In one's own heart on the [flower] utpala [is] the disk of the moon. The mantra, white like a garland of pearls, is seen from above.
    oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā
    Speak in this way.
    Then, if one wishes to ascend, then carry out, in accordance with [explained] earlier, the offerings and the hymn. When you offer up the roots of virtue, speak:
    oṁ amitābha
    Saying so, visualize that the goals of all living beings are realized and siddhis are attained. [Next say:]
    muḥ
    Saying thus, visualize that [the jñānasattva] goes to the land of the Enlightened One. Again also perform the prayer for the attainment of the goal of sentient beings. Then perform all ordinary happy actions [while being] in the form of Lady Tara.
    The mantra for offerings:
    oṁ āḥ hūṁ tāṁ tāreye
    oṁ āḥ vajra puṣpe hūṁ svāhā
    Similarly offer incense, oil lamps, fragrances, ointments and food.
    Thus concludes the practice of the Khādīravāni-Tāra composed by the acharya, the noble Nāgārjuna.
    Translated and verified by: the Indian preceptor Sri Vairochanavajra.
    Translated by Lama Karma Paljor (O.E. Filippov).