Green Tara mantra
Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā / Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha
Tara, whose name means "star" or "she who ferries across," is a Bodhisattva of compassion who manifests in female form. In Tibetan, Tara is known as "Dölma" (Sgrol-ma), or "She Who Saves." In particular she represents compassion in action, since she’s in the process of stepping from her lotus throne in order to help sentient beings.
The syllable Om has no conceptual meaning, and is sound representing the entire universe, past present and future. You can read more about Om on the page discussing the Om shanti shanti shanti mantra.
The central part of Tara’s mantra is a loving play on her name. According to Sangharakshita, a traditional explanation of the mantra is that the variations of her name represent three progressive stages of salvation.
1. Tāre represents salvation from mundane dangers and suffering. Tara is seem as a savioress who can give aid from material threats such as floods, crime, wild animals, and traffic accidents. Tara is therefore said to protect against ordinary worldly dangers.
Tara is a bodhisattva embodying compassion in the female form of a young goddess.
2. Tuttāre represents deliverance into the spiritual path conceived in terms of individual salvation. In traditional terms, this is the path of the Arhant, which leads to individual liberation from suffering. This is seen in Mahayana Buddhism as a kind of enlightenment in which compassion does not figure strongly. Tara therefore offers individual protection from the spiritual dangers of greed, hatred, and delusion: the three factors that cause us individual suffering.
3. Lastly, ture represents the culmination of the spiritual path in terms of deliverance into the altruistic path of universal salvation – the Bodhisattva path. In the Bodhisattva path we aspire for personal enlightenment, but we also connect compassionately with the sufferings of others, and strive to liberate them at the same time as we seek enlightenment ourselves. Tara therefore delivers us from a narrow conception of the spiritual life. She saves us from the notion that spiritual progress is about narrowly liberating ourselves from our own suffering, and instead leads us to see that true spiritual progress involves having compassion for others.
By the time we have been liberated from mundane dangers, liberated from a narrow conception of the spiritual path, and led to a realization of compassion, we have effectively become Tara. In Buddhist practice the “deities” represent our own inner potential. We are all potentially Tara. We can all become Tara.
Svaha, according to Monier Monier-William’s Sanskrit Dictionary, means: "Hail!", "Hail to!" or "May a blessing rest on!" We could see this final blessing as symbolizing the recognition that we are, ultimately, Tara.
Her mantra can therefore be rendered as something like "OM! Hail to Tara (in her three roles as a savioress)!" although this may one of those occasions when the mantra is best left untranslated, because the words have no “meaning” in the normal sense of the word. Instead they are more like a play on her name, like variations in a piece of music by Bach or like improvisations in a piece of jazz music.
Click here for the chant in RealAudio.
Or click below to hear an MP3 version:
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Pronunciation notes:
- ā is like a in father
- e is ay in lay
- v is pronounced halfway between English v and w. If in doubt, then a w sound will do
- In Tibetan pronunciation “svāhā” becomes “soha.” This is technically incorrect from a Sanskrit point of view, but it also has many centuries of tradition behind it, and in any event few Westerners pronounce Sanskrit correctly either! Still, outside of the Tibetan tradition it’s probably best to revert to the best approximation possible of the Sanskrit, where both a’s are long (as in father), and the v comes close to being an English “w” sound.
The Bodhisattva-Goddess Tārā (or Tara)
Tara means "star," "planet," or "she who ferries across." She is a bodhisattva embodying compassion in the female form of a young goddess. She is often considered to be such an advanced bodhisattva that she is actually a Buddha.
Tara’s name is said to derive from the verb meaning "to cross" or "to traverse". In Pali the verb tarati means "to get to the other side." This word is cognate with the Latin "trans" (across). The word Tara also literally means "star."
An interesting overlap between these two senses is the use of stars in navigation. The Pole Star, used at least for millennia to guide travelers, was known as Dhruva-Tara (the immovable star). Tara becomes a focal point on the far shore that helps us guide our lives in a safe direction. We can take her enlightened qualities of wisdom and compassion as our guide, moment by moment, as we navigate our lives.
A third meaning of "tara" is "the pupil of the eye," again suggesting a focal point and conveying a sense that Tara watches over those who navigate the treacherous waters of life in search of the further shore of liberation.
Tara’s name in Tibetan is Dölma, which means "She Who Saves." She is seen as guarding against the Eight Great Terrors of lions, elephants, fire, snakes, robbers, imprisonment, shipwreck or drowning, and man-eating demons. In each case these terrors are symbolic of spiritual dangers. For example, the First Dalai Lama described the demons against which Tara offers protection as being our self-consuming spiritual doubts.
A female bodhisattva
The most striking thing about Tara is also the most obvious: she is female. While there are many female representations of enlightenment, most are relatively obscure and male forms predominate. Tara, however, is very well known and is one of the most popular Buddhist deities in the Mahayana world, outside of the Far East, where Kwan Yin, the female form of Avalokiteshvara, predominates.
To westerners, having a female form representing compassion may seem natural, but it should be remembered that in traditional Buddhist iconography the male form tends to represent compassion while the female form more often represents wisdom. Tara bucks that trend.
Traditionally, even in Buddhism, which has seen countless enlightened women, the female form has most often been seen as disadvantageous for the pursuit of the spiritual life compared to the male form, to the extent that female spiritual aspirants often aspire to be reborn in male form to help them in their future spiritual endeavors.
There is an important sense, however, in which Tara is not female and in which the "male" Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are not male. Enlightened beings are said to be beyond the limiting conditions of ordinary human consciousness, and are not defined by the gender of their body. Gender is seen in Mahayana Buddhism as being a psycho-social construct that can be transcended. An important passage in the Vimalakirti Nirdesa, an important Mahayana Sutra, illustrates this.
In the story, Shariputra, the foremost in wisdom of the Buddha’s human disciples, is in conversation with an unnamed "goddess" who is immeasurably his spiritual superior. Shariputra, trapped by his dualistic thinking, asks the goddess, "Goddess, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?" He assumes of course that the female form is a hindrance.
The goddess replies, "Although I have sought my "female state" for these twelve years, I have not yet found it." The goddess does not see herself as female, or Shariputra as male, because she has transcended limiting thinking, has transcended socio-cultural conditioning, and has even gone beyond any biological conditioning.
The goddess then seriously messes with Shariputra by transforming herself into his form and transforming him into a female. She says:
"All women appear in the form of women in just the same way as the elder appears in the form of a woman. While they are not women in reality, they appear in the form of women. With this in mind, the Buddha said, ‘In all things, there is neither male nor female.’"
Although the goddess is not named, she may have been a prototype for the much later emergence of Tara herself, who is said to have spoken the following words in her earlier incarnation as Jnanachandra:
Here there is no man, there is no woman,
No self, no person, and no consciousness.
The labels ‘male’ or ‘female’ have no essence,
But deceive the evil-minded world.
The green goddess
The other striking thing about Tara is her greenness. She is represented as a beautiful, often voluptuous, sixteen-year-old woman, clad is silks and jewels: a highly attractive figure. And yet the color of her skin is green, and this surely clashes with her otherwise attractive appearance.
Tara is associated with the color green in a number of ways. First, as we will see when we consider Tara’s origins, in one myth she is said to have been given her name by Amoghasiddhi Buddha, who is himself green. Tara is Amoghasiddhi’s spiritual consort.
Secondly, both Tara and Amoghasiddhi are connected, in the Five-Buddha Mandala, with the element Air, which is itself associated with that color.
Thirdly, Green Tara is a forest goddess, and in one story is shown as being clad in leaves. Her Pure Land, in distinction to others that are composed of precious gems, is said to be lush and verdant:
Covered with manifold trees and creepers, resounding with the sound of many birds,
And with murmur of waterfalls, thronged with wild beasts of many kinds;
Many species of flowers grow everywhere.
She is therefore a female form of the "Green Man" figure who is found carved in many European churches and cathedrals, and who is found in the Islamic traditions as the figure Al-Khidr.
Tara’s symbols
Tara holds an utpala, or blue lotus, in her right hand, which is held at chest level. This hand is simultaneously in the vitarka, or teaching mudra. Tara may save, but the beneficiaries of her protective powers learn to save themselves through following her teachings!
The utpala is a night-blooming flower, and so Tara protects at the time of greatest fear, during both literal darkness and while we are in the darkness of ignorance.
The core significance of the lotus flower is that it remains unstained even in the most contaminated environments. Early Buddhist texts often refer to the fact that water simply runs off of a lotus. The Dhammapada, an early Buddhist teaching, refers to the unstained nature of the lotus in this way:
58. Yathā saṅkāradhānasmiṃ
ujjhitasmiṃ mahāpathe
Padumaṃ tattha jāyetha
sucigandhaṃ manoramaṃ.59. Evaṃ saṅkārabhūtesu
andhabhūte puthujjane
Atirocati paññāya
sammāsambuddhasāvako.
Which means:
58. As upon a heap of rubbish,
Thrown out by the highway,
May grow a lotus
Delightful and of pure scent,59. So, among defiled beings,
Among blind, unawakened beings,
The disciple of the Fully and Perfectly Awakened One
Shines with wisdom.
The lotus has therefore, since the earliest days of Buddhism, and probably even before then, signified the way in which awakened wisdom can exist in the world without being contaminated by it.
Tara statue (Akuppa)
Tara's left hand is in the varada mudra, or gesture of giving (for more on mudras see the section on Shakyamuni Buddha). Tara makes of herself a gift to the world. She is an advanced Bodhisattva whose entire life is devoted to helping others.
Tara’s origins
The origins of Tara are, as with most Bodhisattvas, obscure and sometimes contradictory. Since we’re dealing with a realm of myth and imagination, however, contradictions merely add richness!
In one myth, Avalokitesvara was looking at the world in compassion (the literal meaning of his name is "The Lord Who Looks Down") and saw innumerable beings suffering. He saw the pains involved at birth. He saw old age, sickness, and death. He saw beings suffering because they lacked what they wanted, and saw them suffering because they were burdened by things they did not want. He saw beings seeking happiness but creating suffering, and saw beings trying to avoid suffering but running headlong into it.
Since Avalokiteshvara had expended a vast amount of energy trying to liberate innumerable beings from the sufferings of existence, and since there were still uncountable beings suffering, he began to weep. His tears flowed down, and kept flowing until they had created a vast lake.
Then out of this lake — the quintessence of Avalokiteshvara’s compassion — arose a blue utpala lotus, and on this lotus appeared a 16-year-old girl in the form of a goddess. This was Tara.
In another myth, in a time long ago Tara was known as Jñānacandrā or Moon of Wisdom. She vowed that, rather than take the traditionally more advantageous form of a man in her future lives, she would continue to manifest in female form in order to save sentient beings. As a result of her prowess, the Buddha Amoghasiddhi gave her the name Tārā, or "Savioress."
Historically, there is no record of Tara before around the 5th or 6th century C.E. She seems to have evolved from the early Brahminical goddess Durgā [Durgaa] ("difficult or narrow passage") with whom she shares many attributes and names. According to the Hindu classic, the Mahābhārata, Durgā gets her name because she rescues people from difficult passage. This version of Durgā is not the same as the later warrior-goddess!
As might be imagined, Tara first appeared in India. She is one of the most popular Buddhist deities in Tibet, and it’s said that her mantra is second only to Avalokiteshvara’s. Although her form spread to the far east, the presence of Kwan-Yin, a female form of Avalokiteshvara, seems to have filled the "ecological niche" of the compassionate female bodhisattva.
There are many forms of Tara, each of a different color. The most common besides the green form are White Tara (whose compassion is mainly focused on offering protection against and during sickness and old age), and Red Tara, who, according to John Myrdhin Reynolds, uses her "enchantment and bewitchment to bring under her power those evil spirits, demons, and humans who work against the welfare of humanity and its spiritual evolution."
Tara is, not surprisingly, very popular amongst women in both East and West. A women’s retreat center in Shropshire, UK, is named Taraloka (The Realm of Tara) in her honor.
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Comments
Comment from bikerbar (Michael @BikerBar)
Time: March 11, 2010, 11:53 am
@TerraScene :usually use the GreenTara Mantra myself, ONLY because it is MUCH shorter http://tinyurl.com/5ffqr6 “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha”
Comment from bikerbar (Michael @BikerBar)
Time: March 11, 2010, 11:53 am
@TerraScene :usually use the GreenTara Mantra myself, ONLY because it is MUCH shorter http://tinyurl.com/5ffqr6 “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha”
Comment from Surya
Time: August 20, 2007, 3:09 am
I remember my teacher said that a Bodhisattva doesn’t have a sex. It’s not male neither female. So, regarding what you’ve said about “female Bodhisattva” here, I think it’s better to say: a Bodhisattva whose appearance is more in female form
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: August 20, 2007, 11:35 am
Yes, it’s true that these archetypal Bodhisattvas are beyond being classified as male and female, and it is more accurate to say she’s in a female form. That’s true of the “male” Bodhisattvas as well, who are really just manifesting a male form.
Comment from Cora
Time: December 29, 2007, 1:34 pm
Thanx so much for your prompt reply.
If the the v then sounds like a w, and the a’s sound like father……..??? wouldn’t it sound like swaaaahaaaaa????
Re: Green Tara Mantra ( svaha )
Cora Namaste
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: December 29, 2007, 1:59 pm
Yeah!
PS. And I’ve now posted an MP3 version of the file on this page. As long as you have Flash installed in your browser you should be able to play it OK.
Comment from Bon
Time: May 11, 2008, 2:09 pm
Thank you so much for such a concise and easily understood explanation. I am giving a set of prayer flags, which carry the image of the Green Tara, to a healer who has shown me tremendous compassion. I appreciate this information as I can now include it with the gift so as to explain it’s significance and relevance.
Comment from yeshes devi
Time: May 17, 2008, 4:18 pm
“Yes, it’s true that these archetypal Bodhisattvas are beyond being classified as male and female, and it is more accurate to say she’s in a female form. That’s true of the “male” Bodhisattvas as well, who are really just manifesting a male form.”
Before Her becoming Tara, many aeons ago, She was a princess by the name of Yeshes Dawa, “Wisdom Moon,” who was deeply devoted to the Buddha of her era. On noting her deep devotion and bodhicitta, a monk suggested to Her that She could pray to become male, and attain Buddhahood Herself. It’s said She replied to the effect that, there is ultimately no male, no female; however, as many have sought and attained realization in male form, She would make an additional vow as part of her aspiration to Buddhahood. She would always work for the benefit of beings always in the form of a woman, until all are successfully brought across the oceans of samsara to the other shore.
Buddhism honors both the ultimate and relative. Ultimately, there is no male, no female, nor neither or both. Relatively, though, there are men, and women, each both having masculine and feminine aspects within themselves. Embodied in the dimensions of the desire realm, as we are, we need mirrors of our true Buddha nature — so we need both male and female forms of enlightened mind/being to guide us.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: May 17, 2008, 9:02 pm
There’s an absolutely wonderful incident to be found in the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa illustrating the illusory nature of gender. This is just a short extract, and it’s worth reading the entire work.
Sariputra: Goddess, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?
Goddess: Although I have sought my “female state” for these twelve years, I have not yet found it. Reverend Sariputra, if a magician were to incarnate a woman by magic, would you ask her, “What prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?”
Sariputra: No! Such a woman would not really exist, so what would there be to transform?
Goddess: Just so, reverend Sariputra, all things do not really exist. Now, would you think, “What prevents one whose nature is that of a magical incarnation from transforming herself out of her female state?”
Thereupon, the goddess employed her magical power to cause the elder Sariputra to appear in her form and to cause herself to appear in his form. Then the goddess, transformed into Sariputra, said to Sariputra, transformed into a goddess, “Reverend Sariputra, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?” And Sariputra, transformed into the goddess, replied, “I no longer appear in the form of a male! My body has changed into the body of a woman! I do not know what to transform!”
The goddess continued, “If the elder could again change out of the female state, then all women could also change out of their female states. All women appear in the form of women in just the same way as the elder appears in the form of a woman. While they are not women in reality, they appear in the form of women. With this in mind, the Buddha said, ’In all things, there is neither male nor female.’” Then, the goddess released her magical power and each returned to his ordinary form. She then said to him, “Reverend Sariputra, what have you done with your female form?”
Comment from Eileen Cain
Time: June 12, 2008, 5:22 pm
Thank you for this information. I haven’t done mantra meditation, and would like to try it. But I don’t want to say a mantra if I don’t understand what it means. Could you give a translation of the Tara mantra?
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: June 12, 2008, 9:33 pm
Hi Eileen,
This mantra doesn’t really have a meaning — it’s more like a play on her name. I think (and I hope this doesn’t sound too incongruous) of Humbert Humbert and his Dolores, Lolita, Lo-lee-ta, Lo, Lola, Dolly — all the same person of course, but with the names representing that same person seen in different lights.
So, no meanings, just variations on a theme, and those variations having associations (which I’m sure you’ve read about above).
As for the need for meaning, we can sing, with Frank Sinatra, “Do-be-do-be-do” and it doesn’t much matter that those words have no meaning — they’re part of a beautiful melody. But maybe you’re happy knowing that the words don’t have any meaning, since at least you know that you’re not chanting something like “I promise to give all my money to Bodhipaksa”?
:)
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
Comment from Fionnchú
Time: July 13, 2008, 5:17 pm
Thanks for a concise, valuable site– I found it via the Wikipedia link. It answered many of my questions clearly. I linked to it on my blog.
As an Irishman, without indulging too much in fancy, is there any etymological link between the holy hill of Tara in Ireland
(now threatened by motorway construction) and the name of this bodhisattva? Perhaps a Sanskrit-Gaelic connection?
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: July 13, 2008, 8:03 pm
Dear Fionnchú,
Thanks for your kind comments, and for the link.
Sadly, it doesn’t seem as if there’s any etymological connection between Tara Hill and Tara the goddess. The Hill of Tara in Gaelic is Teamhair na Rí, or “Hill of the King” (at least according to Wikipedia). Shame, really!
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
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Time: July 29, 2008, 10:47 am
[...] point my knowledge of Bodhisattvas was limited to beautiful and refined peaceful deities, such as Tara and Amitabha. Vajrapani seemed unconventional to say the least. He wore a tiger skin (or sometimes [...]
Comment from skyBlue
Time: September 5, 2008, 9:38 am
Ok, I can imagine that a mantra can work even if it doesn’t mean anything. But how does it connect me to “her” or with “her” energy? Can you please explain it for me?
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: September 5, 2008, 10:10 am
Hi Skyblue,
I discuss on another page how I think mantra meditation works. I hope that page is helpful.
There are also tantric explanations that hinge on the idea of there being magical correspondences between different levels of reality. So there are sounds that correspond to various forces in the universe and reciting those sounds can evoke those forces. I’m not a Tantric Buddhist, however, and while I can understand those viewpoints I’m a bit too rational to take them on board. Jayarava talks about this perspective over on Visible Mantra and his stuff is always worth reading.
Comment from kaiylyn
Time: September 8, 2008, 1:48 pm
Amazing it was my first time to hear about the mantra Om Tare was told that it is extremely powerful I am hoping that will encourage communication between a friend whom I miss greatly…..Any suggestion woul be appreciated….
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: September 8, 2008, 2:07 pm
kaiylyn: I think off all the mantras as being powerful in different ways. I don’t think there are an second-class mantras, or at least not the ones I know of, You’d have to say a bit more before I could venture a suggestion regarding your friend.
Comment from kaiylyn
Time: September 9, 2008, 3:38 pm
Hi not sure what you mean by second class mantras my thinking is that a mantra is said to enlighten and cast positive energy on a situation correct me if I am wrong.
I heard about the Om Tare mantra from a friend and said that it worked for her in changing situations in her life…..
I guess she meant shifting blockage and that is why I asked as I feel that their is a blockage between my friend and I and I really want to get the chance to explain myself to talk with him and either get closure or clarity to what has being going on, I hope you can understand this and offer suggestion without me going into the specifics, kindest regards kaiylyn
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: September 9, 2008, 3:57 pm
Hi kaiylyn,
I was referring your your comment about “powerful mantras” which suggests the idea that there are mantras that are less powerful. I don’t think it’s particularly useful to think in that way. I think all mantras are powerful if they’re recited in the right spirit. But that’s kind of an aside.
It certainly wouldn’t be a problem to meditate using this mantra if you want to overcome blockages between you and another person. Green Tara’s very active and steps down to help other beings.
It might in fact be useful to bear in mind, while reciting the mantra, that both you and your friend are fundamentally Green Tara. The more that you can have an attitude that deep down there’s a harmony and identity shared between you the more likely you are to act in a way that will bring you into better communication.
And when we “want something” — when we cling to a particular outcome — it’s often self-defeating. The more you can have Tara’s non-grasping attitude the more happy you’ll feel even if you don’t get the particular outcome you want. It might be, for example, that under no circumstances will the other person let you explain or accept your explanation. But if you’re compassionate with that person and respect his feelings you’re more likely to establish harmony and rapport and be able to move forwards.
Comment from kaiylyn
Time: September 10, 2008, 5:02 am
Hi Bodhipaska
Thankyou for your reply, I feel that that you are correct ins saying clinging to a out come or situation is often self-defeating as that is exactly what I have been doing and yes it has made me unhappy and agigtated as I want the air time to explain myself but I need to let go and bring that energy back into myself as it is not working.
I really appreciate your comments I need to let go and resign that we all have free choice no matter how it hurts….
I will recite the mantra hopefully I will get inner peace and acceptance
of this situation….
Kindest regards
Kaiylyn
Comment from Tara
Time: October 20, 2008, 7:25 pm
wow! i never realized how connected i am with this amazing Bodhisattva till i googled my name! nor had i ever heard of her, even in my own world-religions class at my college.
after reading up about her, i noticed many similarities i have with her, which is strange, because i see myself as just some ordinary nobody. but wow! this is cool info!
Pingback from aloha darshan » Blog Archive » enlightenment is in the heart
Time: December 6, 2008, 4:57 pm
[...] GREEN TARA [...]
Comment from Carrie
Time: January 26, 2009, 3:30 pm
Thank you for this page!
Comment from OneSpottocontemplate
Time: March 28, 2009, 7:59 am
Tara is amazing, i think from my experience with Green Taras mantra i can say its protected my mind from many negatives in the beginning i thought buddhist dieties where just nice flowery mind things but since my awareness has expanded i can somewhat feel the power of the blessings, truly a inspiring experience, for extreme transformation its worth the 100,000 recitations and beyond.
Tashi Delek <3.
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Time: May 25, 2009, 5:39 pm
[...] to hear the mantras as the songs were a bit cheesy. Deva taught us a mantra for compassion and the Goddess Tara which I really enjoyed. Om Tare Tuttare Ture [...]
Comment from Sangmo
Time: June 19, 2009, 9:54 pm
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha
Comment from Namrata Gaikwad
Time: September 17, 2009, 5:28 am
Hi,
I have been reciting the mantra of boddhisattva Tara since the time when i was in 7th grade.
Now when I am in third year of engineering I really feel very much bonded with her. I like her qualities very much and the
mantra is indeed so extremely powerful and is so helpful. I mean its something very beautiful and creates an very
strong ever lasting connection with her. when you recite you feel so warm and the enery that you get from the recitation
and by remembering her every time you meditate is so vast.
If you can will you please help me by telling me how can I relate with her more. She is after all called as the mother
of all buddhas and she so extremely superior and powerful so compassionate.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: September 18, 2009, 1:43 pm
Hi Namrata,
You may want to take up the formal visualization of Tara. Probably the easiest way to do this would be to find a Tibetan teacher in your area and to ask to be initiated into the practice. Apart from that, surrounding yourself with images and reading as much as possible about Tara will help you to bear her in mind.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
Comment from Namrata Gaikwad
Time: September 19, 2009, 5:47 am
Hi,
I am happy for your reply. Well I too always felt the same, but the problem is that I stay in a small place in India
and there is no Tibetan teacher in this place.
Well I am in touch with the FWBO, I am a mitra and I hope I will surely get help
from the senior Dhammachari’s. I am very much thankful to you for your beautiful suggestions. Thankyou very very much.
Lots of metta for you.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: September 19, 2009, 6:57 am
Hello Namrata,
Ah, you’re TMBSG! Jai Bhim! In that case it would be best to stay within the tradition you’re practicing in, and seek advice from Dhammacharis that you have personal contact with. But one thing I might suggest is that you start and end every practice of mindfulness of breathing and mettabhavana with chanting the mantra, either internally or out loud. You might also want to imagine that Tara is sitting above your head as you meditate. In this way every meditation brings you a little closer to Tara.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
Comment from Namrata Gaikwad
Time: September 25, 2009, 1:44 am
Hello Bodhipaksa,
Jai Bhim! Thankyou very much for your sweet suggestions and guidelines. I am very happy. Thankyou once again.
Metta,
Namrata
Comment from Adela Esquivel
Time: October 11, 2009, 11:29 pm
My dear Bodhipaksa,
I am an 82 year old lady who has been trying to be a good buddhist for the past twenty
odd years. Green Tara is the deity I hold most dear and I´ve always wondered why she
was female and not male like most deities. Your short extract illustrating the ilusory
nature of gender has been most helpful, but it does not answer why it is considered to be
a blessing to be born male. Could you help me with this? Namaste , Adela .
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: October 12, 2009, 12:57 am
Hello Adela,
I’d imagine that Buddhists would have looked around and seen that life for women was in many ways much harder than for men. Social rules favored men, and males living a forest renunciate life were probably less physically vulnerable than women. Social prejudice against women made it harder for nuns to live on donations.
The later Tantric tradition tried to put across the view that it was actually spiritually more advantageous to be a woman, but I think those views were going against a lot of assumptions in wider society. Nowadays I’d say it’s an advantage to be female. The number of women to men attending meditation classes is usually at least 2 to 1, and find that women are generally more committed members of their spiritual communities, being more likely to teach and help out in practical ways.
Comment from Ttripti Bhutia
Time: October 28, 2009, 3:30 am
I am a 45years old lady and I am a great devotee of Tara could you kindly tell me that it is right to prostrate
while reciting 21 taras. ?
and I am offering Mandel to Tara after reciting 21 Taras is it right?
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: October 28, 2009, 9:37 am
I’m afraid I don’t know about the Tara sadhana practice in any depth, but Tara’s nature is very forgiving, and I don’t think there’s any question of your devotion being ineffective because of being “technically incorrect.” I’d suggest you do what you feel moved to do, and carry on with your devotions, which sound heartfelt and lovely.
Comment from Ttripti Bhutia
Time: October 29, 2009, 1:51 am
,
Thank you for your suggestion I will go forward with what I am doing to praise Tara
Comment from Tracy
Time: December 8, 2009, 2:16 pm
Can someone translate some words for me. this is a mantra that was given to me combined with the above. I will spell them as best I can. PEMO YOKE (YO_KAY) Nay. BASU (ba-soo) puntin Kuroo ya? Thank you.
Comment from connie
Time: January 6, 2010, 10:35 pm
Does anyone know where can I get a written or see picture of Tibetan language version of the Tara manta?
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: January 6, 2010, 10:41 pm
You know, I entered “tara mantra tibetan script” into Google and found one in 0.49 seconds: http://inkessential.blogspot.com/2009/07/tara.html
Comment from RR
Time: January 7, 2010, 9:51 pm
Thank you so much. I was wondering where the link for the mp3 version is located? Kind thanks.
Comment from RR
Time: January 7, 2010, 10:04 pm
Or where could I purchase this Green Tara Mantra? I can hear it in real player, but would like to bring into itunes. Kind thanks.
Comment from Ginger
Time: February 2, 2010, 9:11 am
Thank you for this clear explanation -it has been very helpful with clearing up my understanding & expanding my knowledge in the green tara mantra. Greatly appreciated.
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