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- Thus have I heard -

The Tantra of the Twenty-One Homages to Tārā Called 

The Wish-Granting Treasure Vase of Benefit and Happiness 

A Short Commentary by Thupten Shedrup Gyatso

Translated by Khenpo Tenzin Norgay

Revised with Elinore Evans 

Palyul Clear Light — Article Teaser

Namo Guru Lokiśvaraya!
Lord of the three kāyas,
Treasury of all the victorious ones’ enlightened activities,
Ultimately, you are unelaborated great bliss, Samantabhadrī.
Swift, heroic mother of the victorious ones, bowing to you with fervent devotion,
I will briefly expound on the meaning of the words of praise.

The venerable, noble mother, Tārā, is Küntuzangmo (Samantabhadrī) in the sphere of the dharmakāya; Dorje Phakmo (Vajravārāhī) in saṃbhogakāya form; Ārya Tārā in nirmāṇakāya6 form, as well as Dorje Yangchenma (Sarasvatī), Lhamo Palchenmo (Lakṣmi), and others. These are just some of her many names and manifestations. In the Land of Snows (Tibet) in particular, Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal (Dakini Jñāna Sagara) benefits beings through inconceivable manifestations of co-emergent wisdom. Since, just through supplication prayer, her extremely swift enlightened activity accomplishes the two purposes and spontaneously fulfills wishes, to earnestly practice with perseverance in this tradition is a worthy endeavor. There are many different Indian and Tibetan traditions explaining this tantra of praise. With earnest devotion, I will explain this tantra according to The Treasure Vase of Essential Great Bliss of Inner Practice, the profound mind-treasure revelation of the omniscient Rigdzin Jikme Lingpa. Twenty-one verses present the twenty-one tārās.

Homage, mother Tārā! Swift and heroic,
With eyes that flash like lightning,
You arose from the stamens of the blossoming
Lotus face of the Protector of the Three Worlds.

First, homage to Tārā Nyurma Pamo (Tārā Turavīrā), Fearless Swift Heroine. Anyone who pays homage to the sovereign of enlightened activity will be liberated from the present and future sufferings of saṃsāra due to her non-referential compassion. While known as the swift one who benefits beings without even an instant’s delay, she is also the fearless heroine because she has the unimpeded power to grant protection from all fears as well as subdue demons and afflictions. Her wisdom eyes move like flashes of lightning, which symbolizes her omniscient seeing of all phenomena. The sovereign endowed with omniscience, compassion, power, and enlightened activity arose from compassionate tears welling up from the stamen-like eyes in Avalokiteśvara’s face that is like a fully-blossomed lotus. He is the Protector of the Three Worlds: the sub-terrestrial, terrestrial, and celestial realms (the worlds of nāgas,13 humans, and gods, respectively).

This article continues in the print edition.

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