Library - Tengyur - Comments on tantras
tārā-maṇḍala-vidhi
Tara's mandala ritual
I prostrate before the noble Tara!
Composed in the form of a mandala ritual, desiring to completely purify the mantra, completely exhaust the veils, and quickly attain siddhi.
Mantrik to wash the five parts [of the body]. For this purpose taking some water in the palm of the hand, one should say:
oṁ āḥ sarva tathāgata abhiṣeka samaya śriye hūṁ
Speaking like this, pour it on your own head. By doing so, [imagine that] by pouring on your own head, [imagine that] one is invoking the sign of dedication of one's own deity and Ushnisha.
Then place your hand on the flowers and say:
oṁ namo bhagavate puṣpe ketu rājāya tathāgatāya arhate samyaksaṁ buddhāya tadyathā oṁ puṣpe puṣpe mahā puṣpe su puṣpe puṣpa utabhave puṣpe vā kīrṇa svāhā
Saying this, bless the flowers.
Then take some water and say the following:
oṁ rakṣa rakṣa hūṁ hūṁ hūṁ phaṭ
Saying, realize the protection of the place and yourself.
Then speaking:
oṁ āḥ vajra bhūme hūṁ
By this you realize the protection of the mandala.
oṁ āḥ vajra rekhe hūṁ
With this you anoint the mandala.
Take the flower behind your hands and laying it out in the middle of the mandala, realize the protection.
Then say:
oṁ āḥ hūṁ
With this bless your own three places by means of the hand with the flower.
Then take one flower and say:
oṁ sarva bighnāṁ soraya hūṁ svāhā
Say this, go around the mandala and by scattering, release the hindrances.
Then momentarily, without concentrating on the mandala, visualize the immeasurable heavenly palace within which you hold the flower.
oṁ candra arka vimaṇi bhya svāhā
Saying thus, place the flower in the middle of the mandala. Doing so, instantly realize the origination of the thirteen Tara goddesses, the fifteen, etc.
Meditate that they all [say].
oṁ āḥ hūṁ
And having taken flowers, scatter, realizing the devotion of jñānasatta.
Then [speaking for] water for foot washing and the three kinds of pure water
oṁ pra vara satkāra pra tīctsaye
oṁ añca mā naṁ
oṁ prokṣa ṇam svāhā
Speaking, according to the sequence, make offerings. Then make mudras.
Then take the flower with both hands.
oṁ tāre tuttāre ture puṣpe svāhā
Saying like this, bring the main one to the center.
oṁ vajra tāre puṣpe svāhā
To the east.
oṁ ratna tāre puṣpe svāhā
To the south.
oṁ padma tāre puṣpe svāhā
To the west.
oṁ karma tāre puṣpe svāhā
To the north.
oṁ puṣpe tāre puṣpe svāhā
In the southeast.
oṁ dhūpa tāre puṣpe svāhā
In the southwest.
oṁ dīpa tāre puṣpe svāhā
In the northwest.
oṁ gandha tāre puṣpe svāhā
In the northeast.
oṁ aṁkuśa tāre puṣpe svāhā
For the eastern gate.
oṁ pāśa tāre puṣpe svāhā
For the south gate.
oṁ sphoṭa tāre puṣpe svāhā
For the western gate.
oṁ ghaṇḍa tāre puṣpe svāhā
For the northern gate.
If one realizes for the fifteen goddesses:
oṁ uṣṇīṣa tāre puṣpe svāhā
For the place behind the eastern gate.
oṁ sumbha tāre puṣpe svāhā
For the place behind the western gate.
Similarly, form the understanding additionally for the other families of deities.
Then, in accordance with what has been shown above, with your own mantras [light] incense, play the cymbals. Offer fragrances for the heart, oil lamp for the eyes, divine food for the tongue, music for the ears.
Additionally, make offerings of all the essentials and necessities for practice. Reverently make offerings and recite any kind of hymns.
Then realize repentance for harmful things and the other branches [of accumulating merit]. When you have done so, perform the prayer for the coveted goal. Pronounce various kinds of one hundred syllables to correct excess and deficiencies.
Then dispatch the jnyanasattva of the deities. Having gathered samayasattva within yourself, perform a virtue offering. This should be understood as connected with all other actions.
Thus concludes the ritual of the mandala of Tara, composed by Mahakaruna, who is versed in poetry.
Translated by Lama Karma Paljor (O.E. Filippov)
Library - Tengyur - Comments on tantras
tārā-graprāpti-nāma
Finding the supreme Tara
I prostrate before the holy Tara!
Due to the sequence that was proclaimed earlier, realize meditation on everything down to emptiness. Meditate that you yourself instantly [appear] as Tara. Having done so, look at the syllable tāṁ in the heart, which is like an emerald in color. With crossed [legs], straighten the body vertically in a line, and do the mudra of staying in balance, etc. Because the body has five positions, the movement of prana is cut off. After a strong flame erupts from the navel, a bhindu begins to fall from the top of the head and makes contact with the syllable tāṁ. From the syllable tāṁ [begins to drip] molten substance. Imagine that by covering the whole body in this way, the samādhi of Great Bliss is engendered.
If one is diligent in pranayama, it will appear in reality for seven days. If one drops seed, then one should remember the precepts.
Then light is emitted from the syllable tāṁ. The whole vessel and its contents are gathered into oneself. The self also gathers in the syllable tāṁ. tāṁ also successively becomes invisible. When you do so, cast off the comprehension of existence and non-existence. Then you will be sealed in the bliss of emptiness. If comprehension in thoughts manifests, meditate on the bliss [of emptiness], which is similar to the preceding. Meditate on emptiness, which corresponds to the great bliss that follows. Discard association with other comprehensions. If you meditate for six months, you will attain the supreme.
Thus concludes the practice of the supreme Tara, compiled by Acharya Pindapatika, that found siddhi.
Translated into Russian by Lama Karma Paljor (O.E. Filippov).
Library - Tengyur - Comments on tantras
ārya-tārā-sādhana
Noble Tara's practice
I prostrate before the goddess Tara!
On the disk of nectar from the gathering, which is explained earlier, [appears] the syllable-seed as the first of the section of five syllables, which is suppressed by the second of the first. They are adorned with a bindu with half of the moon. Meditate on the Tara that is formed from this. She is green, with two arms. The right one [is in the mudra] of bestowing the supreme. The left one holds the utpala. Located on the lotus and the moon. Imagine that she is adorned with all ornaments.
When you join the palms of both hands, with the two index fingers, curl the nails of the middle fingers. When you bring the ring fingers inside, press with the thumbs. This is the mudra of the opened utpal.
oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā
This is how the practice of the noble Tara is completed.
Translated into Russian by Lama Karma Paljor (O.E. Filippov).
Library - Tengyur - Comments on tantras
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).
Library - Tengyur - Comments on tantras
caurā-bandha
The binding of robbers and thieves
I prostrate before the noble Tara!
To prevent robbers and thieves from appearing when you set out on a journey, with your right hand take a handful of earth from the place commensurate with the seven levels [or steps] beneath the stairs.
Then thou thyself instantly appear as the Noble One. When one realizes, in accordance with the method, the direction to refuge and the origin of the mood, only Meru appears on this earth in the right hand from the syllable laṁ. From the syllable baṁ in the left hand, the great ocean appears. Contemplate thus for a long [time] and seize all robbers and thieves who harm you. To cut off obstacles, repeat verbally this mantra one hundred and eight times:
oṁ tāre tuttāre ture asma apa kara sarva caurā bandha bandha svāhā
Visualize that when all the thieves and robbers in front of [you] are immersed in the great ocean, this land on the right moves to [the water] on the left and [they all become] crushed by Mount Meru.
Then bind in your left [hand] the possibilities of the possibilities of this earth and release in a place that is free from fear. When you set out [for the journey], perform the hymn to Tara, etc., and set out.
Thus ends the stage of “Binding of robbers and thieves”.
Translated by mahapandita Sri Ratnarakshita and translator Zhangdrubpa Pal Zangpo.
Translated by Lama Karma Paljor (O.E. Filippov).