Tārā Series

• Introduction to Tārā by Stefan Mang

A brief historical introduction to the deity Tārā (sgrol ma), the noble saviouress.

• Advice to Ngadak Nyang recorded by Nyangral Nyima Özer

This four-line verse on the inseparability of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, spoken by Ārya Tārā, is included in the recent 53-volume anthology known as the Ḍākinīs' Great Dharma Treasury.

• A Brief History of the Sacred Image of White Tārā by Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche

A brief history of the sacred image of Tārā, the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel (yid bzhin 'khor lo), in Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s residence, known as ‘The Garden of Immortality’ ('chi med grub pa'i dga' tshal), in Dzongsar Monastery, Derge, East Tibet.

• The Fount of Longevity: The Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik Lineage Prayer by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye

A lineage prayer for the practice of Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik ('chi med 'phags ma'i snying thig), the Heart-Essence of the Deathless Noble Tārā, a revelation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo which is associated with longevity.

• The Concentration of Blessings: Red Tārā Lineage Prayer by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

A lineage supplication for the Red Tārā revealed as a terma by Drikung Tertön Ösel Dorje—a revelation which Jamyang Khyentse helped to compile and which is included among his own collected writings.

• The Garland of Utpala Flowers: A Prayer to the Masters of the Lineage of Zabtik Drolchok by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

A brief prayer to the lineage of Zabtik Drolchok, the practice of Green Tārā which was revealed as a mind terma by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa.

• The Continuous Rain of Blessing: A Supplication for the Sādhana of the Sublime Lady, Tārā by Tsultrim Zangpo

A lineage prayer to accompany the sādhana of Tārā in blue-green form by the same author.

• An Extremely Concise Praise of the Twenty-One Tārās by Atiśa Dīpaṃkara

Tārā herself is credited with composing this short praise, through which Atiśa, who had fallen sick in Nyethang, recovered his health.

• The Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage and The Excellent Benefits of Reciting the Praise from the Words of the Buddha

Perhaps the most popular of all prayers to Tārā, this tantra praises her twenty-one forms, both peaceful and wrathful. The first twenty-one verses are at once a series of homages to Tārā and a poetic description of her physical features, postures, qualities, abilities, mantras, and hand gestures. The remaining six verses describe how and when the Praise should be recited, as well as the benefits of its recitation.

• The Fulfilment of All Aspirations: In Praise of Noble Tārā by Candragomin

This praise of Tārā is one of several such texts attributed to the famous Indian master Candragomin. It focuses on Green Tārā (śyāmatārā), who is lauded for her swiftness in action.

• A Surge of Faith: Verses In Praise of Tārā by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

An acrostic text extolling the goddess Tārā, which Jamyang Khyentse wrote in 1924 when he was 31 years old (or 32 by Tibetan reckoning).

• An Outline of The Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage by Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen

A simple outline identifying the main features of each verse in the famous, widely-chanted liturgy known as Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage.

• Brilliant Rays of Light: A Commentary on the Praise to Tārā by Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen

Drakpa Gyaltsen's influential, word-by-word commentary to the popular Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage.

• Verses of Homage to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas Together with their Mantras by Trulshik Rinpoche

Trulshik Rinpoche compiled these brief verses of praise and mantras so that all those connected with him could recite them daily or on special occasions. The deities included are Buddha Śākyamuni, Vajrasattva, Amitāyus, Amitābha, Ratnaśikhin, Medicine Buddha, Maitreya, Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, Vajravidāraṇa, Vijayā, Tārā, Guru Padmasambhava, and the union of Hayagrīva, Vajrapāṇi and Garuḍa.

• A Prayer to Tārā by Alak Zenkar Pema Ngödrup Rolwe Dorje

A short, eight-line prayer to Tārā in the recognition that she and her twenty-one forms are none other than pure awareness and its manifestations.

• Prayer to Ārya Tārā by Atiśa Dīpaṃkara

It is said that Atiśa spoke this prayer to the goddess Tārā during a life-threatening storm on his journey across the ocean to meet the master Serlingpa. Tārā, who is renowned for the swiftness with which she protects living beings from fear and danger, appeared directly and rescued Atiśa and his fellow travellers from peril.

• A Concise Supplication to the Most Noble Tārā by Chöying Tobden Dorje

A brief prayer to noble Tārā requesting protection from fear and the fulfilment of aspirations.

• Prayer to Ārya Tārā by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima

A simple, four-line supplication to Tārā requesting her protection from fear and suffering in this life, the next and the bardo state.

• Prayer to Tārā: A Sevenfold Supplication for Protection by Drikung Kyobpa Jikten Sumgön

Jigten Gönpo composed these seven verses of supplication following a visionary experience in which he saw seven different forms of Tārā. The prayer became known as the 'sevenfold refuge' (skyabs bdun ma), and is renowned for the extraordinary blessings it conveys.

• Prayer to Ārya Tārā by Dromtön Gyalwe Jungne

This short prayer to White Tārā is included in the praises to the Three Deities of Long Life (tshe lha rnam gsum) compiled by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and included in the Compendium of Sādhanas.

• A Short Supplication to Tārā by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye

A brief six-line supplication to the guru, indivisible from Ārya Tāra, mother of all the buddhas, written at the behest of Jampal Tendar and other devoted disciples.

• Averting Obstructive Circumstances: A Prayer to Tārā by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

This prayer to Tārā, written in 1936, calls upon her aid to overcome various obstacles, including threats of danger, poverty, depleted vital energy and harmful forces.

• Eliminator of Suffering: A Prayer to the Venerable and Exalted Tārā by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

One of several prayers to Tārā by Jamyang Khyentse, this one was written in Darjeeling during the holy month of Saga Dawa in either 1957 or (more likely) 1958.

• Prayer to Noble White Tārā by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

A short, four-line supplication of White Tārā, Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, who overcomes death and bestows longevity and wisdom.

• Prayer to Reverend and Noble Tārā by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

A short prayer to noble Tārā requesting her guidance, protection and assistance on the path to awakening.

• The Sweet-Sounding Song that Fulfils All Aims: A Prayer to Noble Tārā Combined with Her Root Mantra by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

This brief supplication to the saviouress Tārā incorporates and expands upon the literal meaning of the syllables of her root mantra (oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā).

• Prayer to Jetsün Tārā for the Fulfilment of Wishes by Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen

Extracted from Drakpa Gyaltsen's Four-Maṇḍala Prayer to Tārā (sgrol ma'i gsol 'debs maN+Dal bzhi pa).

• Brief Homage to the Twenty-One Tārās by Khenchen Ngawang Palzang

A short prayer invoking and praising Tārā in her twenty-one emanations and calling upon her to dispel obstacles and assist progress along the path to ultimate realization.

• Prayer to Tārā, Combined with Her Mantra by Mipham Rinpoche

This four-line verse of homage to noble Tārā is also a prayer that incorporates the syllables of her root mantra: oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā.

• Aspiration Prayer from Tārā Sādhana by Ratna Lingpa

This brief prayer of aspiration is extracted from The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel: A Sādhana of Yeshe Tsogyal as Noble Tāra (Ye shes mtsho rgyal 'phags ma sgrol mar sgrub pa'i thabs yid bzhin nor bu), a treasure (terma) revealed by Ratna Lingpa.

• A Supplication to Noble Tārā, The Wish-Fulfilling Cornucopia revealed by Sera Khandro

A short, two-verse prayer to noble Tārā in her twenty-one emanations, composed (or revealed) in response to a request from a monk-physican named Samten.

• Burgeoning Benefit and Happiness: An Aspiration to be Reborn in the Land of Turquoise Leaves revealed by Sera Khandro

A beautifully evocative prayer of aspiration to be reborn in Tārā's pure realm, known as The Land of Turquoise Leaves (g.yu lo bkod).

• A Daily Practice of Noble Lady Tārā by Dudjom Rinpoche

A brief daily practice of Green Tārā, composed at the request of Ngawang Palmo.

• A Means to Pacify the Fear of Natural Disasters by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

This brief text, which includes ter marks, is of uncertain origin, but the editors of the latest edition of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö's writings included it on the basis that it is possibly a revelation of his and note that he encouraged his students to recite it during a period of frequent earthquakes.

• Concise White Tārā Sādhana by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

A brief sādhana of White Tārā with a special focus on increasing longevity through purifying the potential for untimely death. It was composed for a lama from Dodrup named Tendzin.

• Swift Enchantment of the Three Realms: A Sādhana of Red Tārā by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

This short sādhana of Red Tārā, who is associated with the activity of magnetizing, was composed at the request of Khandro Tsering Chödrön (1929–2011) and her sister Tsering Wangmo of the Lakar family.

• Adornment of Lord Nāgārjuna’s Wisdom Mind: The Fourfold Maṇḍala Offering to Tārā by Jigme Lingpa

Jigme Lingpa tells us that he arranged this ritual of the Twenty-One Tārās based on the authoritative tradition that derives from Nāgārjuna and The Manifest Source Tantra of Tārā. In order to create the full liturgy, which he did at the request of the First Dodrupchen Jigme Trinlé Özer (1745–1821), he also added other elements from various pith instructions.

• A Shower of Blessings: A Sādhana of Blue-Green Tārā by Tsultrim Zangpo

This simple sādhana, which includes a feast offering, focuses on Ārya Tārā in blue-green form, surrounded by her retinue of twenty other forms.

• A Concise Sang Offering to Tārā by Karma Chakme

A brief liturgy to accompany the offering of sang (bsang), or fragrant incense smoke, to the goddess Tārā and her retinue.

• Seven-Branch Offering to Tārā by Lakṣmī

This seven-branch offering, which is found in many Tārā sādhanas, is attributed to the famous nun Lakṣmī (Gelongma Palmo), founder of the Nyungné tradition.

• Essence of Accomplishment: A Concise Feast-Offering to Noble Tārā by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

This short Tārā feast-offering was composed for practitioners who wish to offer a simple gaṇacakra feast within a Tārā sādhana, such as the Zabtik Drolchok.

• Windhorse Practice of Tārā by Adeu Rinpoche

A simple invocation of Tārā in various forms—White, Yellow, Red, Blue and Green—as a means to increase windhorse and perfect different forms of enlightened activity.

• Brief Windhorse Practice of Tārā by Patrul Rinpoche

This brief practice calls upon the goddess Tārā and other deities to grant their inspiration and blessings, so that the practitioner's lifespan, merit, prosperity, renown, good fortune, magnetism (dbang thang) and 'windhorse' (rlung rta) may all increase.

• Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik Series

• Ḍākinī Treasury Series

• Kurukullā Series

• Mārīcī Series

• Parṇaśavarī Series

• Three Deities of Long Life