An online altar to Tara, the patron and protector of Khyentse Foundation.
O!
Great Bhagavati Arya Tara,
Dispel all the defilements of myself and all sentient beings.
Lead us to achieve enlightenment swiftly.
In our lifetimes may we experience favorable circumstances.
May outer and inner obstacles to enlightenment,
Such as disease, untimely death, nightmares, bad omens and fears, be dispelled.
May our minds turn to the dharma.
Force us to be diligent, compel us see your face.
Provoke us to realize shunyata, the ultimate Bodhicitta.
Cause our rebirth in the realm of Amitabha.
How beautiful you are!
How powerful!
How infinite!
May we become like you.
Through this supplication, wherever we may be,
May there be no poverty, famine, or disputes.
May the dharma prevail
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche composed this ode to Tara on April 3, 2017
Tara Gallery
Here are high-resolution photographs of the Tara paintings Rinpoche commissioned by the Indian artist VV Sarpar.
1. Arya-ture-vira-tara
2. Arya-shukla-kanta-tara
3. Arya-kanaka-varna-tara
4. Arya-tathagatoshnishi-tara
5. Arya-humkara-nadini-tara
6. Arya-trailokya-vijaya-tara
7. Arya-pramardini-tara
8. Arya-mara-mardaneshvari-tara
9. Arya-khadira-vani-tara
10. Arya-shoka-vinodani-tara
11. Arya-jagadvashi-tara
12. Arya-mangalaloka-tara
13. Arya-parichayika-tara
14. Arya-bhrikuti-tara
15. Arya-mahashanta-tara
16. Arya-raga-nishudani-tara
17. Arya-sukha-sadhani-tara
18. Arya-vijaya-tara
19. Arya-dukha-dahani-tara
20. Arya-siddhi-sambhava-tara
21. Arya-parinishpanna-tara
“All the buddhas and bodhisattvas are in essence the same. Buddhas transcend all kinds of shape, color, form, and labels like gender. Likewise Tara comes in many manifestations. Tara is ultimately none other than the nature of your own mind. She is not really a he or a she or green or white. She doesn’t necessarily have many hands or two hands. But since we are so deluded, we can only understand through references like numbers, colors, shape, tangible things, which is why we have Aryatara and the other 21 manifestations. These are the principle mandala of the puja we are doing this time.”
—Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Rinpoche invited the global sangha to join a live recitation of the Praises to the 21 Taras on April 12, 2017. This was an opportunity to participate in the puja that had been taking place in Chauntra at DKCLI. People logged in from all over the world. There was live commentary on the fashion, food, and general atmosphere of the puja. The broadcast lasted all night long and concluded with the celebratory final moments of tsampa throwing. Petals were flying through the air, everyone was cheering. There is no record of this broadcast. Sometimes things are not meant to be captured.
Join the ongoing Green Tara puja (Zabtik Drolchok) practice
hosted by regional SI organizers
Click to listen and download the English and Chinese melodies
of “Praises to the 21 Taras” on SI’s SoundCloud.