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Tara day — when we celebrate the wisdom activity of all the Buddhas in the form of Mother Tara — is every day, but especially celebrated and meritorious on the 8th day of the lunar month. We call it “Tara Day” for short. In this feature, we offer several concise and meaningful ways to celebrate the Mother of Wisdom and Compassionate Activity, Arya Tara.
“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.” Lama Zopa Rinpoche [3]
Loving face of the Mother of All Buddhas Green Tara. Tara is famous for saving beings from the eight great dangers. Detail from art by Ben Christian.
Anyone may celebrate!
Tara Day can be celebrated by anyone! The shortest way to celebrate is simply to chant or say her mantra as much as you can on this day:
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA
In more advanced mantra practice, and in sadhanas authorized by teachers, Tara’s ten syllable mantra may be visualized surrounding the seed syllable Tam (shown in the centre). Surrounding the Tam, are the Tibetan syllables beginning at the top (Om) then left clockwise.
You do not require any empowerment for the mantra or to participate in any Tara Day activity. Traditionally, on the 8th and 15th of the lunar month, Tara Day activities include Puja and chanting of the 21 Praises to Tara. (Most Tara devotees chant the 21 Praises daily!)
“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. [3]
No time for puja? Venerable Zasep Rinpoche guides you through a 12 minute Tara practice — very beautiful!
It is also traditional to abstain from meat, eggs, onions, garlic, leeks, chilis and alcohol — to honor the purity of the Great Compassion Wisdom Mother Tara.
However, you can celebrate in any way that seems right to you — as long as you do observe meaningfully. For example, simply recite the 21 Praises to Tara (see below.) Or, the Song of Longing to Tara — which many devotees of Tara (myself include) recite twice daily. Of course, if you have empowerment, you might do your daily sadhana.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche at a puja.
Four Mandala Pujas! Wow Wow…
The most elaborate and wonderful way to celebrate Tara’s day is with the Cittamani Tara Four Mandala Puja. This is a lengthy, but profoundly beautiful practice, where we offer mandalas four times, and the 21 praises eight times. You will often find these scheduled for public Zoom online — don’t forget to share some Dana (generosity) by donating to the organizers.
A simpler puja, as described by Lama Zopa, includes all the devotional aspects of Tara practice — offerings and the 21 praises [2]:
- Take refuge and generate bodhicitta: sang gye chhö dang.
- Meditate on the four immeasurables.
- Offer the seven-limb puja and a mandala.
- Recite one set of the long Praises to the Twenty-One Taras. (See below)
- Recite, with prostrations, as many as possible of the following short prayer, which contains the essence of the long praise, in English or Tibetan.
Do you feel the need for a little healing energy? Venerable Zasep Rinpoche guides you through a five colour visualization (very powerful) of White Tara. Don’t miss this:
The most profound practice is simply to pray. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche said (in April 2017): “What I want you to do is supplicate. Supplication, prayer, is important. Prayer is meditation. Prayer is shamatha. Prayer is vipassana. Prayer is so important.” [1]
The Song of Longing to Tara the Liberator (below section) is one of the most magnificent of Tara Prayers — not only for Puja day, but every morning and evening every day. It literally takes five minutes and is so profound and beautiful.
Another practice anyone can do daily or on Tara day is to chant the 21 Praises to Tara. For a beautiful English version, see the Buddha Weekly musical chant below sung by Hrishi. (I chant along with this video twice a day!) Lyrics to the English praise, as well as Sanskrit versions below!)
Puja online or at home
For the more ambitious, join a Zoom Puja — there are many scheduled around the world (we’ll link some below). Or, simply undertake your own
No aspect of wisdom and Enlightenment is more active in our world than the Mother of All the Buddhas, Arya Tara. Why is she the Mother of the Buddhas? Because she represents Wisdom — and more particularly “Wisdom in Action” — without which there can be no Enlightenment.
Tara Pujas — Devotion to the Mother of the Buddhas
Tara Pujas can be daily events, but certainly should be enthusiastically celebrated on the 8th day of the lunar month — and the full moon of the month as well. On these days, symbolically, perhaps, but meaningfully, the lineage of teachings has made it clear that merit is increased on these days.
Why merit? The main obstacle to our realizations in Buddhist practice is a lack of merit, and our obscurations created by negative karma. Both of these can be overcome by generating positive merit and engaging in purification practices. And nothing is more purifying than Tara’s puja. By offering Her the entire mandala of the universe on Her sacred day, you certainly create considering and overwhelming positive merit.
Green Tara as Chittamani Tara, her highest form of practice. Detail from a 21 Taras Thangka by Angeli Lhadripa Shkonda.
You do not need any special empowerments to celebrate most Pujas. Pujas are devotional activities and offerings. One of the roots of the word Puja comes from “flower” as it to offer flowers. While a Sadhana given by a teacher to an empowered student will include devotion and purification and offerings — just like a Puja — it also includes deep practices such as self-generation and guru yoga which may require specific empowerment. Puja — whether of Green Tara, White Tara, Chittamani Tara (Cittamani), Medicine Buddha, or any other Enlightened being — is a celebration, offering and devotional practice open to everyone.
Any time it is beneficial and protective to chant the mantra of Green Tara. Here, the amazing Yoko Dharma chants the Green Tara mantra:
A Song of Longing for Tara, the Infallible
By Lama Lobsang Tenpey Gyaltsen (1852)
Translated by Lama Thubten Yeshe
From my heart I bow to Divine Mother Tara, essence of love and compassion, the most precious objects of refuge gathered into one. From now until I reach enlightenment, hook me with your great love and kindness to liberate me.
By the witness of the Three Jewels, not just from my mouth but from the depths of my innermost heart and bones, I pray to you morning and evening. Show your blissful face to me, Loving One. Grant me the nectar of your speech.
Great gurus and small gurus cheat us with their made-up teachings, selling Dharma, teaching without comprehension, not observing who is qualified and who is not, being concerned about their own happiness and the eight worldly concerns. Since I can no longer trust friends of this degenerate age, you are my principal guru. Inspire me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think
of me.I take refuge in you Tara; like you, no Buddha could ever deceive me. But understanding the odd character of these times, most Buddhas have gone into the bliss of nirvana. Even though they have great compassion, we have no connection. Since for me there are no other deities, you are my principal deity. Bestow realizations upon me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.
Most Dharma protectors do not show their powers. Tired of those who invoke them, they do not act. Other protectors, lacking insight but proud of their power, may be friendly for a while but will later do me harm. Since I cannot rely on other protectors, you are my principal protector. With divine action, Wisdom Mother, essence of love, arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.
To ordinary view the names of objects are the same as their meaning. Like this, they produce afflictions and bind us to samsara. When it is time to die, unless I understand the true nature, could a wish-fulfilling gem enable me to carry even a sesame seed with me? Since I do not trust in illusions, you are my real richness. Please grant my desires, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.
I cannot rely on the non-virtuous friends for even a day. They pretend to be close to me and all the while have in mind the opposite. They are friends when they wish it and enemies when they don’t. Since I cannot trust in this kind of friend, you are my best friend. Be close to me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.
You are my guru, my yidam, my protector, my refuge, my food, my clothes, my possessions, and my friend. Since your divine quality is everything to me, let me spontaneously achieve all that I wish.
Although I am overwhelmed by my habitual, uncontrolled mind, please cut these self-centered thoughts so I will be able to give my body and my life millions of times without difficulty to each sentient being. Inspire me to be able to develop this kind of compassion to benefit all.
Empower me to cut the root of samsara, self-grasping, and to understand the pure doctrine, the most difficult middle way, free from the errors of extremes.
Inspire me to practice as a bodhisattva, turning away from what is worldly, dedicating all my virtues to teaching living beings, never for even one instant thinking of just my own happiness. Let me wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all.
Empower me to actualize as much as possible the most subtle vows and to keep them without a careless mind, thus becoming the most perfect bodhisattva.
Outwardly, let me be simple in my practice, while inwardly, actualize the depth of the diamond vehicle with the strong wish to practice the two stages. Inspire me to attain enlightenment quickly for the benefit of all.
Divine Wisdom Mother Tara, you know everything about my life — my ups and downs, my good and bad. Think lovingly of me, my only mother.
I give myself and all who trust in me to you, Divine Wisdom Mother Tara. Being completely open to you, let us be born in the highest pure land. Set me there quickly with no births in between.
May the hook of your compassion and your skillful means transform my mind into Dharma and transform the minds of all beings, whoever they are. They have all been my mother, the mother of one unable to follow the Conqueror’s teachings.
By reciting this prayer three times a day and by remembering the Divine Wisdom Mother Tara, may I and all beings who are connected to me reach whatever pure land we wish.
May the Three Jewels and especially the Divine Wisdom Mother, whose essence is compassion, hold me dear until I reach enlightenment. May I quickly conquer the four negative forces.
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha!
The 21 Taras according to Surya Gupta visualization.
21 Praises in English
This is the singable – chantable version, see video (above):
Praise to the Mantra:
Resources
Tara Pujas online
Tara Book Resources
[The above list may include affiliate links. Price is unchanged, although Buddha Weekly earns a small percentage used for hosting costs.]
Other Resources Online
Buddha Weekly’s Tara section — it’s growing, many features>>
Khyentse Foundation’s Online Tara Altar is wonderful>>
NOTES
[1] Khyentse Foundation Tara Puja Page>>
[2] Tara Puja on Lama Yeshe archive>>
[3] Tara Puja Atisha centre, Australia>>
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