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The Home of Tibetan Buddhist Texts in Translation
ISSN 2753-4812
ISSN 2753-4812

Tārā Series

Tārā

English (53) | Deutsch (10) | Español (12) | Français (21) | Italiano (2) | Nederlands (1) | Português (2) | 中文 (3) | བོད་ཡིག (52)

Deity on whom I meditated in lives gone by,

You are the enlightened activity of all buddhas, past, present, and future,

Brilliant white, with your one face, two hands, and seven eyes,

Mother of the buddhas, holder of the utpala flower, to you I pay homage!

A series of texts related to the noble saviouress Tārā (sgrol ma):

Introduction

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

Advice

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.
Ḍākinī Treasury 12 Mar 2023

History

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.
History Dzongsar 24 Jun 2005

Lineage Prayers

by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
A prayer to the lineage of The Profound Essence of Tārā (zab tig sgrol chog), the practice of Green Tārā which was revealed as a mind treasure by Terchen Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa (1829–1870).
Lineage Prayers Profound Essence of Tārā 15 Jul 2024
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.
Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik Lineage Prayers Rinchen Terdzö 6 Jul 2013
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.
Lineage Prayers 25 Nov 2020
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.
Lineage Prayers Profound Essence of Tārā Rinchen Terdzö Nyingma Mönlam 16 May 2015
by Jigme Lingpa
A prayer to the lineage of Atisa's tradition of White Tārā "Wish-Fulfilling Wheel" as practised in the Longchen Nyingtik. The main sādhana is the composition of Jigme Lingpa, and although it is not among his revealed treasures, is part of the Longchen Nyingtik's core text collection.
Longchen Nyingtik Lineage Prayers 4 Jun 2024
by Tsultrim Zangpo
A lineage prayer to accompany the sādhana of Tārā in blue-green form by the same author.
Lineage Prayers 2 Sep 2022

Praise

by Atiśa Dīpaṃkara
Tārā herself is credited with composing this short praise, through which Atiśa, who had fallen sick in Nyethang, recovered his health.
Praise 13 May 2019
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.
Praise Benefits Kangyur 2 Aug 2018
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.
Praise Tengyur 19 Feb 2020
by Gendün Chöpel
This three-verse praise or prayer to Ārya Tārā is especially poignant in view of the fact that Gendün Chöpel prayed to the Savioress during his imprisonment and attributed his eventual release to her blessings and grace.
Praise 3 Apr 2025
by Gorampa Sonam Senge
Gorampa composed this poetic praise of the liberatress Tārā in fifteen verses on an auspicious date in 1470 or early 1471.
Praise 10 Nov 2024
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).
Acrostic Praise 1 Dec 2020
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.
Topical Outlines Sakya Kabum 22 Jun 2020
by Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen
Drakpa Gyaltsen's influential, word-by-word commentary to the popular Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage.
Sakya Kabum 15 Jul 2020
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.
Praise Buddha Śākyamuni Vajrasattva Amitāyus Amitābha Mañjuśrī Uṣṇīṣavijayā Avalokiteśvara 12 Jul 2010

Prayers

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.
Prayers 31 Jan 2019
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.
Prayers 27 May 2015
by Chöying Tobden Dorje
A brief prayer to noble Tārā requesting protection from fear and the fulfilment of aspirations.
Prayers 10 Apr 2019
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.
Prayers 20 Apr 2023
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.
Prayers 23 Apr 2020
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.
Prayers Compendium of Sādhanas 6 Nov 2023
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.
Prayers 20 May 2021
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.
Prayers 1 Dec 2020
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.
Prayers 30 Nov 2020
by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
A short, four-line supplication of White Tārā, Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, who overcomes death and bestows longevity and wisdom.
Prayers 23 Jun 2020
by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
A short prayer to noble Tārā requesting her guidance, protection and assistance on the path to awakening.
6 Jul 2020
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).
Damngak Dzö Compendium of Sādhanas Khyentse Kabab 1 Oct 2020
by Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen
Extracted from Drakpa Gyaltsen's Four-Maṇḍala Prayer to Tārā (sgrol ma'i gsol 'debs maN+Dal bzhi pa).
Prayers Sakya Kabum Compendium of Sādhanas 30 Jul 2012
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.
29 Apr 2019
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.
Prayers 4 Jul 2018
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.
Termas Aspiration Prayers Rinchen Terdzö 15 Jan 2019
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.
Prayers Ḍākinī Treasury 8 Jun 2020
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).
Aspiration Prayers Ḍākinī Treasury 4 Sep 2017
by Sera Khandro
Sera Khandro—here using the name Kalzang Drönma—tells us that she composed this prayer at the behest of Tulku Drimé Özer. Nevertheless, it is included in her revelation, the Reality Ḍākinīs’ Secret Treasury (Chönyi Khandrö Sangdzö).
Prayers Ḍākinī Treasury 7 Mar 2025

Sādhanas

by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa
This arrangement follows Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thayé’s (1813–1899) instructions for a concise daily version of Tertön Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa’s (1829–1870) Profound Essence of Tārā, commonly known as Zabtik Drolchok (zab tig sgrol chog).
Profound Essence of Tārā Rinchen Terdzö Restricted 21 Feb 2025
by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa
The practice of Tārā’s Profound Essence (sgrol ma'i zab tig), commonly referred to as Zabtik Drolchok (zab tig sgrol chog) is a sādhana of Green Tārā, revealed as a mind treasure (dgongs gter) by Tertön Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa (1829–1870) at Pema Shelpuk (pad+ma shel phug). This is Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thayé’s (1813–1899) elaborate liturgical arrangement of the root treasure text.
Profound Essence of Tārā Rinchen Terdzö Nyingma Mönlam Restricted 21 Feb 2025
by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa
An extremely concise arrangement for the daily practice of Tertön Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa’s (1829–1870) Profound Essence of Tārā, commonly known as Zabtik Drolchok (zab tig sgrol chog).
Profound Essence of Tārā Restricted 21 Feb 2025
by Dudjom Rinpoche
A brief daily practice of Green Tārā, composed at the request of Ngawang Palmo.
Sādhanas Restricted 20 Mar 2023
by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye
This practice for guarding against the fear of natural disasters is part of the Tārā Who Dispels All Fears sub-cycle, which itself belongs to the Tukdrup Barché Kunsel cycle within the Chokling Tersar.
Chokling Tersar Restricted 25 Feb 2025
by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
This brief text, which Jamyang Khyentse encouraged his students to recite it during a period of frequent earthquakes, is included in the latest edition of his collected writings but clearly derives from a text by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye—a work which ultimately derives from the Tārā Who Dispels All Fears sub-cycle of the Tukdrup Barché Kunsel cycle within the Chokling Tersar.
Sādhanas Termas Restricted 5 Jan 2021
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.
Sādhanas Restricted 30 Mar 2020
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.
Sādhanas Magnetizing Restricted 24 Nov 2020
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.
Longchen Nyingtik Sādhanas Restricted 8 Mar 2021
revealed by Jigme Lingpa
This inner practice of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo includes twenty-one forms of activity, such as increasing intelligence, extending longevity, and eliminating obstacles, all linked to the Twenty-One Tārās and the corresponding verses of the famous Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage.
Yumka Dechen Gyalmo Restricted 31 Mar 2025
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.
Sādhanas Restricted 5 Jan 2021

Sang Offering

by Karma Chakme
A brief liturgy to accompany the offering of sang (bsang), or fragrant incense smoke, to the goddess Tārā and her retinue.
Sang Offering 8 Jul 2021

Seven-Branch

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.
Seven Branches Compendium of Sādhanas Ḍākinī Treasury 21 May 2020

Tsok

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.
Tsok Profound Essence of Tārā Rinchen Terdzö Restricted 17 Jan 2019

Windhorse

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.
Lungta 15 Dec 2022
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.
Lungta 27 Dec 2018

Related Topics

Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik Ḍākinī Treasury Kurukullā Mārīcī Parṇaśavarī Profound Essence of Tārā Three Deities of Long Life

Ārya Tārā

Courtesy of Himalayan Art Resources

Further information:

BDRC T619 (sgrol ma)
Himalayan Art Resources

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