Tara is the female manifestation of the buddha's omniscient mind.
"Reciting the 21 Taras' prayer with devotion - remembering Tara
Singing praises and reciting mantras at any time of the day or night -
protects you from fear and dangers, and fulfils all your wishes." Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
The colour green is associated with the air element. Hence, Green Tara
is especially swift in granting the wishes of sentient beings. Tara is
also known as the "Mother of all Buddhas" because she embodies wisdom -
all buddhas are born from this wisdom.
Relying on Tara
There are many inner obstacles that hinder the development of our wisdom
and compassion. These inner obstacles in turn create external
obstacles. For the success of our Dharma practice, we are advised to
rely upon a special deity or buddha, such as Tara. All the enlightened
activities of the buddhas manifest in this female aspect, Tara the
Liberator, in order to help living beings to successfully accomplish
their goals.
Tara is quick to respond to our prayers. Here are some of the benefits of praying to Tara. In the future, you will:
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Achieve success in your career and business |
| |
Increase your wealth |
| |
Excel in your studies |
| |
Be protected from fears, harms and dangers |
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Gain good health and auspicious energy |
| |
Obtain good rebirths in your future lives |
| |
Complete the accumulation of both merit and wisdom |
| |
Quickly attain enlightenment |
Tara Mantra
Anyone can recite the mantra of Green Tara. The prayer of Tara has many
extraordinary blessings. It is helpful to recite these prayers whenever
one is troubled and wishes to seek solace.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA means:
"I prostrate to Tara the Liberator, Mother of all the Victorious Ones."
Meaning of the Tara Mantra
OM signifies the enlightened qualities of Tara's holy body,
speech and mind.
As we recite the word,
TARE, Tara will free us from true
suffering - samsara.
Reciting
TUTTARE liberates us from the true cause of suffering:
karma and delusions. When we take refuge in Tara, the main fear
dispelled is that of the delusions. As we recite the mantra of Tara, she
will release us not only from the internal suffering of the delusions
such as ignorance, attachment, anger, pride, jealousy, miserliness,
doubt and wrong views but also from external dangers such as floods,
fires, diseases and epidemics. By reciting
TUTTARE, our delusions
are dispelled and we are liberated from the true cause of suffering.
TURE means the ultimate Dharma: true path and true cessation.
Tara leads us to the true path of the three vehicles, according to our
aspirations and capacities, and grants all success. Here success refers
to the goals of the three vehicles - arhats, solitary realisers and
fully enlightened buddhas.
SVAHA means "May the blessings of Tara that are contained in the
mantra
OM TARE TUTTURE take root in our hearts." If we want to
attain enlightenment, we must first plant the root of the complete path
to enlightenment that is contained in the mantra,
OM TARE TUTTURE
TURE SVAHA, in our hearts. We pray with total faith from the depths
of our hearts to Tara. Through the blessings of Tara entering our
hearts, we are able to generate the complete path to enlightenment. By
realising the true path - the union of wisdom and method - in our minds,
our impure body, speech and mind are purified and transformed into
Tara's holy body, speech and mind.
Adapted from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings on Tara The Liberator.
Courtesy of
Lama
Yeshe Wisdom Archive.
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