The Twenty-One Forms of Tara

According to the Tradition of Lord Atisha

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The text for the 21 forms of Tara was compiled from oral Commentaries by Ven. Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche, Ven. Choden Rinpoche and Beyers book The Cult of Tara, slightly edited and formatted by Wolfgang Saumweber under the guidance of Lama Kunga Rinpoche, Kensington, CA, in November 2002 and revised in September 2004. The text for the Praises to the Twent-One Taras was taken from Martin Willson. Revision 2.01 (9/2004)

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18. Homage! Holding in her hand the Deer-marked moon of deva-lake form! With twicespoken TARA and PHAT, Totally dispelling poison! 19. Homage! She whom gods and their kings, And the kinnaras do honour! Armoured in all joyful splendor, She dispels bad dreams and conicts! 20. Homage! She whose two eyes bright with Radiance of sun and full moon! With twice HARA and TUTTARE She dispels severe contagion! 21. Homage! Full of liberating Powr by the set of three natures! Destroys hosts of spirits, yakshas, And raised corpses! Supreme! TURE!

The Twenty-One Forms of Tara According to the Tradition of Lord Atisha

Introduction
Tara has 21 primary emanations which perform different activities such as pacication, increase and so forth. The different colors of these 21 Taras correspond to the 4 different types of enlightened activity: Tara is the female Buddha of Enlightened Activity (Tib: trinley., of which there are 4 types: pacifying, increasing, overpowering and wrathful. Each of these is represented by a different color: White represents the Enlightened activity of pacifying, for example overcoming sickness, causes of untimely death and obstacles to success in ones life or ones practice. Yellow represents the Enlightened activity of increasing the positive qualities conducive to a long life, peace, happiness and success in ones Dharma practice. Red represents the Enlightened activity of power, or overpowering external forces that cannot be tamed through the rst two activities, for example, removing obstacles to sickness, untimely death, etc., and forcefully accumulating conducive conditions for ones Dharma practice. Black represents the Enlightened activity of wrath, which involves using forceful methods for accomplishing activities for Enlightened purposes that cannot be accomplished through other means.

Visualization
The main (green) Tara is seated upon a lotus arising from the waters of a lake, just as Tara is said to have arisen from the compassionate tears of Avalokiteshvara. Her right hand is in the mudra of supreme generosity indicating her ability to provide beings with whatever they desire. Her left hand at her heart is in the mudra of bestowing refuge: her thumb and ring nger are pressed together to symbolise the united practice of method and wisdom, and the three remaining ngers are raised to symbolise the Three Jewels of Refuge - Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In each hand she holds the stem of a blue utpala ower. Each ower consists of three blossoms indicating that Tara, the embodiment of enlightened activities, is the Mother of the Buddhas of the past, present and future. Tara is dressed in the silken robes of royalty. She wears rainbow colored stockings, a white half-blouse and various jeweled ornaments. These symbolise her mastery of the perfections of generosity, morality and so forth. The tiara fastened
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in her black hair is adorned with jewels, the central one is a red ruby symbolic of Amitabha, her spiritual father and the head of her Buddha family. She is seated in a distinctive posture, her left leg withdrawn to symbolise her renunciation of worldly passion and her right leg extended to show that she is always ready to arise and come to the aid of those who need her help. With a warm compassionate gaze she looks down upon each sentient being as a mother regards her only child. Her emerald-green color related to the wind element and hence to movement signies her ability to act swiftly and without delay to bring benets to sentient beings.All 21 Taras have one face and two hands: in their right hands, upon the palm of their gift-bestowing gestures, they hold the asks that accomplish their various active functions, and with their left hands they hold a lotus ower. They are seated with their right feet extended and their left drawn up, on thrones of lotus and moon, adorned with silks and all precious ornaments, radiating forth measureless light, and surrounded on all sides by countless hosts of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, high patron deities, dakinis, and protectors of the Law.

9. Homage! At the heart her ngers, Adorn her with Three Jewel mudra! Light-ray masses all excited! All directions wheels adorn her! 10. Homage! She so joyous, radiant, Crown emitting garlands of light! Mirthful, laughing with TUTTARE, Subjugating maras, devas! 11. Homage! She able to summon All earth-guardians assembly! Shaking, frowning, with her HUM sign Saving from every misfortune! 12. Homage! Crown adorned with crescent Moon, all ornaments most shining! Amitabha in her hair-knot Sending out much light eternal! 13. Homage! She mid wreath ablaze like Eon-ending re abiding! Right stretched, left bent, joy surrounds you Troops of enemies destroying! 14. Homage! She who strikes the ground with Her palm, and with her foot beats it! Scowling, with the letter HUM the Seven levels she does conquer! 15. Homage! Happy, virtuous, peaceful! She whose eld is peace, nirvana! She endowed with OM and SVAHA, Destroyer of the great evil! 16. Homage! She with joy surrounded Tearing foes bodies asunder, Frees with HUM and knowledge mantra, Arrangement of the ten letters! 17. Homage! TURE! With seed letter Of the shape of syllable HUM! By foot stamping shakes the three worlds, Meru, Mandara, and Vindhya!

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Praises to the Twenty-one Taras

OM I prostrate to the noble transcendent liberator. 1. Homage! Tara, swift, heroic! Eyes like lightning instantaneous! Sprung from opning stamens of the Lord of three worlds tear-born lotus! 2. Homage! She whose face combines a Hundred autumn moons at fullest! Blazing with light rays resplendent As a thousand star collection! 3. Homage! Golden-blue one, lotus Water born, in hand adorned! Giving, effort, calm, austerities, Patience, meditation her sphere! 4. Homage! Crown of tathagatas, Actions triumph without limit! Relied on by conquerors children, Having reached evry perfection! 5. Homage! Filling with TUTTARE, HUM, desire, direction, and space! Trampling with her feet the seven worlds, Able to draw forth all beings! 6. Homage! Worshipped by the all-lords, Shakra, Agni, Brahma, Marut! Honored by the hosts of spirits, Corpse-raisers, gandharvas, yakshas! 7. Homage! With Her TRAD and PHAT sounds Destroying foes magic diagrams! Her feet pressing, left out, right in, Blazing in a raging re-blaze! 8. Homage! TURE, very dreadful! Destroyer of Maras champion(s)! She with frowning lotus visage Who is slayer of all enemies!
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Around the main (green) Tara who sits on a moon cushion on top of a multicolored lotus each of the 21 Taras sits on a lotus petal, going counterclockwise from the front. All 21 Taras have one face and two hands: in their right hands, upon the palm of their gift-bestowing gestures, they hold the asks that accomplish their various active functions, and with their left hands they hold a lotus ower. They are seated with their right feet extended and their left drawn up, on thrones of lotus and moon, adorned with silks and all precious ornaments, radiating forth measureless light, and surrounded on all sides by countless hosts of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, high patron deities, dakinis, and protectors of the Law.

Principal Aspect: Khadiravani Tara Tara of the Acacia Grove: green, peaceful expresssion OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA

20. RIMNE SELWEI DROLMA - She Who Removes Pestilence The Tara who dispels all fevers, her body colored red, holding the red ask that dispels fevers. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE VISARATA SVAHA

The Twenty-One Taras

1. NYURMA PALMO - Swift Lady of Glory The Tara swift and heroic, who destroys hindering demons and injuries, her body colored red, holding the red ask that subjugates. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE WASHAM KURU SVAHA

21. TRINLE TAMCHE YONGSU DZOGPAR JEPEI DROLMA - She Who Completely Perfects All Enlightened Activities The Tara who fullls all active functions, her body colored white and radiating varicolored lights, holding the green ask whence come all magical attainments. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA SIDDHI SADHANAM SVAHA

2. SHIWA CHENMO - Lady of Supreme Peace The Tara white as the autumn moon, who defeats diseases and evil spirits, holding the white ask that pacies. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SHINTING KURU SVAHA

3. SERDOG CHEN - Lady of Golden Yellow Color The Tara who increases life and enjoyment, colored yellow, holding the yellow ask that increases. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE PUSHTIM KURU SVAHA

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16. RIGPA HUNGLE DROLMA - Tara Who Arises from the Hung of Intrinsic Awareness The Tara victorious over the contentions of others, who increases ones intelligence, her body colored red, holding the red-yellow ask that increases wisdom. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA DHARMAH PRATI-PARISHODHAYA SVAHA

4. TSUGTOR NAMPAR GYALMA - Lady of Complete Victory, Embodying All Positive Qualities The Tara victorious, who grants the highest life, colored yellow, holding the yellow ask of life. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE AYUR-JNANA PUSHTIM KURU SVAHA

5. HUNG DRADROGMA - She Who Proclaims the Sound of HUM 17. DROLMA JIGTEN SUMYOWA - She Who Causes the Three Realms to Tremble The Tara pacifying mara demons and obscurations, who shakes the triple world, her body colored redyellow, holding the yellow ask that subdues magic mantras. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA STAMBHANI TARE SVAHA 6. JIGTEN SUMLE NAMPAR GYALMA - She Who is Completely Victorious Over the Three Worlds 18. DUGSELMA - She Who Neutralizes Poison The Tara pacifying the poison of the naga serpents, who dispels it, her body colored white, holding the white ask that dispels poison and disease. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE NAGA VISHA SHANTIM KURU SVAHA The Tara victorious over the triple world, who tames ghosts, her body colored red-black, holding the blue ask that confounds ghosts and awakened corpses. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SHATRUN UCCHATAYA SVAHA The Tara crying the sound of HUM who subjugates and summons with the gesture of wisdom, her body colored red-yellow, holding the red ask that ravishes. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SHTRI AKARSHAYA HRIH SVAHA

7. SHEN JOM-MA - She Who Conquers Others 19. DUG-NGAL TAMCHE SELWEI DROLMA - She Who Alleviates All Suffering The Tara who dispels bad dreams and suffering, her body colored white, holding the white ask that dispels suffering. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MACANA SVAHA The Tara defeating others, who averts the magic mantras of others, her body colored black, holding the black ask that averts magic mantras. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA VIDYA ARARA VARANAYA SVAHA

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8. DU DRA JOM-MA - She Who Conquers Maras and Enemies The Tara who defeats mara demons and enemies, her body colored red-black, holding the red ask that defeats mara demons and enemies. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA MARA SHATRUN MARAYA PHAT SVAHA

12. TRASHI TAMCHE JINMA - She Who Grants All That is Auspicious The Tara who grants all good fortune, her body the color of gold, holding the white ask of good fortune. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MANGALAM SVAHA

13. METAR BARMA - She Who Blazes Like Fire 9. JIGPA KUNKYOB (MA. - She Who Protects from All Fears The Tara whose gesture symbolizes the Three Jewels, who protects from all terrors, holding the white ask that defeats all terrors. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAM UPAKRAMA RAKSHA RAKSHA SVAHA 14. TRONYER CHEN - She Who Is Frowning Wrathfully 10. DUDANG JIGTEN WANGDU DEMA - She Who Brings Maras and the World Under Her Power The Tara who tames all maras and obstructions, her body colored red, holding the red ask that defeats mara demons. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA MARA PRAMARDHANI SVAHA The Tara with frowning brows, who destroys hindering demons, her body colored black, holding; the dark blue ask that pierces hindering demons, her brows slightly frowning. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE VAJRA MAHA PADA BHASMIM KURU SVAHA The Tara who defeats hindering demons and obstacles, her body colored red and blazing like re, holding the red ask that protects from obstacles. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE BHAYA BHASMIM KURU SVAHA

15. SHIWA CHENMA - She of Supreme Peacefulness 11. PONGPA SELMA - She Who Eradicates Poverty The Tara dispelling the suffering of poverty, who grants the magical attainments, her body colored red-yellow like rened gold, holding the yellow ask that dispels poverty. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE VASUDHARINI SVAHA The Tara great and calm, who cleanses sins and obscurationns, her body colored white, holding the while ask that cleanses sins and obscurations. OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA PAPAM PRASHAMANAYA SVAHA

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