• The Collection
  • The Kangyur
  • Tantra
  • Tantra Collection
  • Action tantras

This rendering does not include the entire published text

The full text is available to download as pdf at:
https://read.84000.co/data/toh726_84000-the-tantra-on-the-origin-of-all-rites-of-tara-mother-of-all-the-tathagatas.pdf

དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱི་ཡུམ་སྒྲོལ་མ་ལས་སྣ་ཚོགས་འབྱུང་བ་ཞེས་བྱ་བའི་རྒྱུད།

The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas

Sarvatathāgata­mātṛtārāviśvakarma­bhava­tantranāma
84000 logo

Toh 726

Degé Kangyur, vol. 94 (rgyud ’bum, tsha), folios 202.a–217.a

Translated by Samye Translations
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2022
Current version v 1.0.9 (2022)
Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.17.7

84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha is a global non-profit initiative to translate all the Buddha’s words into modern languages, and to make them available to everyone.

Warning: Readers are reminded that according to Vajrayāna Buddhist tradition there are restrictions and commitments concerning tantra. Practitioners who are not sure if they should read this translation are advised to consult the authorities of their lineage. The responsibility for reading this text or sharing it with others who may or may not fulfill the requirements lies in the hands of readers.

Tantra Text Warning

Warning: Readers are reminded that according to Vajrayāna Buddhist tradition there are restrictions and commitments concerning tantra. Practitioners who are not sure if they should read this translation are advised to consult the authorities of their lineage. The responsibility for reading this text or sharing it with others who may or may not fulfill the requirements lies in the hands of readers.

Logo for the license

This work is provided under the protection of a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution - Non-commercial - No-derivatives) 3.0 copyright. It may be copied or printed for fair use, but only with full attribution, and not for commercial advantage or personal compensation. For full details, see the Creative Commons license.

Options for downloading this publication

This print version was generated at 7.24pm on Monday, 13th March 2023 from the online version of the text available on that date. If some time has elapsed since then, this version may have been superseded, as most of 84000’s published translations undergo significant updates from time to time. For the latest online version, with bilingual display, interactive glossary entries and notes, and a variety of further download options, please see
https://read.84000.co/translation/toh726.html.


co.

Table of Contents

ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
tr. The Translation
+ 36 chapters- 36 chapters
1. Introduction
2. Offering
3. Praise
4. Deities
5. Initiation
6. Mantras
7. The Pacifying Rite
8. The Increasing Rite
9. The Enthralling Rite
10. The Aggressive Rite
11. The Rite for All Activities
12. The Mother of the Vajra Family
13. The Mother of the Lotus Family
14. The Mother of All the Tathāgatas
15. The Mother of the Jewel Family
16. The Mother of the Karma Family
17. Fire Pūjā
18. The Protective Circle for Pacifying Rites
19. The Protective Circle for Enthralling Rites
20. The Protective Circle for Increasing Rites
21. A More Elaborate Protective Circle for Increasing Rites
22. The Magical Protective Circle for Great Pacification
23. The Pacifying Circle
24. Great Pacification
25. The Increasing Circle
26. The Forceful Enthralling Circle
27. The Isolating and Enthralling Circle
28. The Banishing Circle
29. The Isolating Circle
30. The Slaying Circle
31. The Insanity-Inducing Circle
32. The Suppressing Circle
33. The Great Suppression Circle
34. The Circle That Suppresses the Sorcery of Vidyā-Mantra
35. Teaching the Samayas and Vows
36. The Conclusion
c. Colophon
ab. Abbreviations
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
+ 2 sections- 2 sections
· Primary Sources
+ 1 section- 1 section
· Sanskrit
+ 1 section- 1 section
· Tibetan
· Contemporary Sources
g. Glossary

s.

Summary

s.­1

In this scripture of the Action Tantra genre, the Buddha gives instructions to the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī on the rituals and mantras associated with the goddess Tārā. The tantra includes a description of Tārā, a nine-deity maṇḍala and related initiations, and a litany of ritual practices associated with the four activities.


ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

Translated by Samye Translations under the guidance of Phakchok Rinpoche. The translation was produced by Laura Dainty with the assistance of Khenpo Tsöndrü Sangpo. Oriane Lavolé checked the translation against the Tibetan and edited it. Paul Thomas checked all the mantras and their variants. Stefan Mang and Oriane Lavolé wrote the introduction.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.



i.

Introduction

i.­1

The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas (hereafter The Tārā Tantra), is a tantra of the Action Tantra (Kriyātantra) class that offers a wealth of instructions on the rites associated with the goddess Tārā. Tārā, whose name can be translated as “Savior,” is revered in diverse Buddhist communities for her ability to quickly respond to the needs of supplicants facing worldly and spiritual dangers. The worship of Tārā in India can be traced to at least the sixth century ᴄᴇ, and since at least that time Tārā has become one of the most popular deities in the Buddhist pantheon.1


The Translation
The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas

1.
Chapter 1

Introduction

[F.202.a]


1.­1

Homage to noble Mañjuśrī!


Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing in Tuṣita with Maitreya, Mañjuśrī, Kurukullā, Parṇaśavarī, Brahmā, Śakra, and countless other bodhisattvas, gods, and goddesses, who circumambulated him clockwise while holding up an array of offerings beyond count, including heavenly flowers such as lotuses, water lilies, and mandārava flowers, heavenly instruments such as conches, vīṇās, drums, clay drums, and śūrpavīṇās,9 and heavenly parasols, banners, flags, and the like. They worshiped him with clouds of diverse offerings.


2.
Chapter 2

Offering

2.­1

The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, how should I meditate? How should I assiduously practice this?”

“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “apply your mind as follows. Mañjuśrī, you should meditate on the fact that all phenomena are unborn, all phenomena are unceasing, all phenomena are undefiled, and all phenomena are nirvāṇa and naturally pure.

2.­2

“Mañjuśrī, to that end, recite this mantra:

“oṁ svabhāvaśuddhāḥ sarvadharmāḥ svabhāvaśuddho ’ham.”11


3.
Chapter 3

Praise

3.­1

The Blessed One again addressed the bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī, “Mañjuśrī, this mother is the mother of all the buddhas of the three times. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, memorize this praise used by all the buddhas of the three times.”

3.­2

The Blessed One then recited this dhāraṇī-mantra of praise:16

3.­3
“namaḥ sarva-tathāgatānāṃ tadyathā oṁ namaḥ sūkasaṃ17 namaḥ tārāyai tāramātā.18
3.­4
“namas tāre ture vīre kṣana-dyuti-nibhekṣaṇe.19
trailokya-nātha-vaktrābja-vikasat-keśarodbhave.
3.­5
“namaḥ śata-śarac-candra-saṃpūrṇa-paṭalānane
tārā-sahasra-nikara-prahasat-kiraṇojjvale.

4.
Chapter 4

Deities

4.­1

The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then asked the Blessed One, “In what way should I earnestly focus on this dhāraṇī-mantra?” [F.205.b]

4.­2

The Blessed One replied, “You should earnestly focus on this dhāraṇī while wishing to be free of suffering and pursuing the profound. You should then visualize light rays, streaming forth from the syllable tāṁ,26 that transform everything above and below into vajra. Next, Mañjuśrī, you should recite the mantra oṁ vajra jvala vajra tana hūṁ phaṭ.27 Then, visualize a white syllable e28 appearing from tāṁ. Above that, visualize a blue vaṁ,29 on top of which is a yellow laṁ, on top of which is a green yaṁ, on top of which is a red raṁ. All of these syllables emanate and reabsorb light rays.


5.
Chapter 5

Initiation

5.­1

Mañjuśrī then asked, [F.207.b] “Blessed One, how are these deities to be empowered by deities?”

The Blessed One replied, “In the manner, Mañjuśrī, of apparitions, illusions, rainbows, mirages, reflections in water, and images in a mirror.”

Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, what is an ‘apparition’?”

5.­2

The Blessed One replied, “An ‘apparition’ is something unreal that is mistaken by both.38 An ‘illusion’ is something mistaken by others.39 A ‘rainbow’ is empty. A ‘mirage’ is a mistaken, empty appearance. A ‘reflection in water’ is causal. An ‘image in a mirror’ is like a city of gandharvas. Mañjuśrī, this is delusion; this is the constitution of the afflicted. Therefore, Mañjuśrī, the empowerment of deities by deities is similar to this.


6.
Chapter 6

Mantras

6.­1

The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then spoke these lines of praise for the Mother:

6.­2
“Her moon-and-sun-like form,
Green in color and graceful in bearing,
Is poised atop a lotus and moon.
I salute and praise the mother of all the buddhas
And protector of all beings,
Who holds an utpala in her hand!”
6.­3

He then asked, “Blessed One, how is the mantra of the Mother practiced?

The Blessed One replied, “Her dhāraṇī-mantra is as follows:

“oṁ namo ratna-trayāya | namas traiyadhva-sarva-tathāgatānāṃ namas tārāyai.

7.
Chapter 7

The Pacifying Rite

7.­1

“Mañjuśrī, the pacifying rite is as follows. Sprinkle scented water in a shrine chamber, arrange a white maṇḍala there, anoint it with water infused with white sandalwood,53 and scatter flower petals over it. In a white54 vase made of precious materials, place the five precious substances comprising gold, pearl, crystal, coral, and sapphire; the five types of incense comprising sandalwood, aloeswood, frankincense, camphor, and vetiver; the five types of grain comprising barley, wheat, pulses, rice, and sesame oil; and the five essences comprising molasses, honey, butter, salt, and sesame seeds. Wrap the vase in a clean piece of cloth that has its fringe intact and place it in the center. Arrange a further four full vases, [F.209.a] as well as four incense burners, four sets of flowers, and so on. Having completed these preparations, meditate as follows.


8.
Chapter 8

The Increasing Rite

8.­1

“Mañjuśrī, the rite for increasing is as follows. Smear the floor of a shrine chamber with the five substances of a red-brown cow and arrange a maṇḍala anointed with scented water. Pile heaps of flowers on it and set out an illustration for the increasing rite. Prepare twenty-one pills made from the five precious substances, grains, medicinal substances, and so on, place them in an amulet made of precious materials, and set the amulet in the center of the maṇḍala. Also arrange four incense burners, flowers, and so on. Then, cultivate the following meditation.


9.
Chapter 9

The Enthralling Rite

9.­1

“Mañjuśrī, the rite for enthralling is as follows. Practice this rite in a charnel ground, by a lone tree, on the bank of a large river, or in a temple. Smear the site with the five substances from a cow, and scatter flower petals over the maṇḍala that has been anointed with fragrant water. Arrange an image of the Mother, together with incense burners, flowers, and so forth. Fill an amulet made of precious materials with flowers, fruits, and other potent substances, and install it in the center of the maṇḍala. Then cultivate the following meditation.


10.
Chapter 10

The Aggressive Rite

10.­1

“Mañjuśrī, if you wish to perform the aggressive rite you should do so in a charnel ground, by a lone tree, on the bank of a large river, or in a temple. Sprinkle the site with the five substances from a cow, arrange a maṇḍala anointed with fragrant water, set out an image, and so forth. Use neem water to draw an image of the king or other patron on birch bark, cloth, or other kind of bark, put the drawing inside a clay amulet atop the maṇḍala, and set the amulet on the maṇḍala. In addition, arrange incense burners and other offerings. Cultivate the following meditation.


11.
Chapter 11

The Rite for All Activities

11.­1

“Mañjuśrī, the rite that can be used for all activities is as follows. It should be performed in a charnel ground, by a lone tree, before a stūpa, or on the bank of a large river. Smear the site with the five substances from a cow, scatter flower petals over a maṇḍala that has been anointed with fragrant water, and set out an image of the Mother. At the heart of a wax effigy, insert a piece of charnel-ground shroud inscribed with the ten-syllable mantra62 and the two sets of syllables63 appended with the target’s name, and place the effigy in the center of the maṇḍala. In addition, arrange incense burners, flowers, and so on. Then cultivate the following meditation.


12.
Chapter 12

The Mother of the Vajra Family

12.­1

Mañjuśrī again asked the Blessed One, “How is the mother who gives birth to all buddhas also the mother who is the essential identity of the five families?”

The Blessed One explained, “Mañjuśrī, the mother of the vajra family has four faces and eight hands, is the color of a conch, and is in the prime of youth. Her four faces are white, black, red, and yellow. Her head is marked by the five families, and she has three eyes. Her four right hands hold a vajra, an arrow, and a short spear,64 while the lowermost hand is in the boon-granting gesture. In her left hands she holds an utpala flower, a bow, and a vajra hook, and she wields a lasso while making the threatening gesture. She sits in the vajra posture and is of dharmakāya nature.


13.
Chapter 13

The Mother of the Lotus Family

13.­1

“Mañjuśrī, the mother of the lotus family has four faces and eight hands. Her main face is red like a bandhūka flower, as is her youthful body. Her right face is white, her left face black, and her rear face yellow. Each is marked on its crown with the four families and has three eyes. In her right hands she holds a lotus, an arrow, and a spear, while the lowermost hand is in the boon-granting gesture. In her left hands she holds an utpala flower, a bow, and a vajra hook, and she wields a lasso while making the threatening gesture. She sits in the vajra posture and is of dharmakāya nature.


14.
Chapter 14

The Mother of All the Tathāgatas

14.­1

“Mañjuśrī, the mother of the tathāgata family has four faces and eight hands. Her body is yellow like molten gold and in the prime of youth. Her main face is yellow, her right face is white, her left face is red, and her rear face is black. Each is marked on its crown with the four families and has three eyes. In her right hands she holds a wheel, an arrow, and a spear, while the lowermost hand is in the boon-granting gesture. In her left hands she holds an utpala flower, a bow, and a vajra hook, and she wields a lasso while making the threatening gesture. She sits in the vajra posture and is of dharmakāya nature.


15.
Chapter 15

The Mother of the Jewel Family

15.­1

“Mañjuśrī, the mother of the jewel family has four faces and eight hands. Her main face is dark blue, as is her youthful body. Her right face is white, her left face is red, and her rear face is yellow. Each is marked on its crown with the four families and has three eyes. In her right hands she holds a jewel, an arrow, and a spear, while the lowermost hand is in the boon-granting gesture. In her left hands she holds an utpala flower, a bow, and a vajra hook, and she wields a lasso while making the threatening gesture. She sits in the vajra posture and is of dharmakāya nature. [F.213.a]


16.
Chapter 16

The Mother of the Karma Family

16.­1

“Mañjuśrī, the mother of the karma family has four faces and eight hands. Her main face is green, and she is in the prime of youth. Her right face is white, her left face is red, and her rear face is green. Each is marked on its crown with the four families and has three eyes. In her right hands she holds a sword, an arrow, and a spear, while the lowermost hand is in the boon-granting gesture. In her left hands she holds an utpala flower, a bow, and a vajra hook, and she wields a lasso while making the threatening gesture. She sits in the vajra posture and is of dharmakāya nature.


17.
Chapter 17

Fire Pūjā

17.­1

Once these different types of rites had been taught, Youthful Mañjuśrī asked, “How should one earnestly perform the fire pūjā that completes all rites?”

The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, following these rites, a fire pūjā needs to be performed in order to bring them to fulfillment.

17.­2

“To perform a fire pūjā for the first of the rites, the pacifying rite, do as follows. On the third day of the lunar month, build a small hut of the corresponding color80 and set out a white vajra. For firewood, use the wood of white sandalwood trees and the like. Light the fire, place an image before it, and incant rice, beautyberry, millet, and white sesame seeds with the following mantra, reciting it either seven or twenty-one times:


18.
Chapter 18

The Protective Circle for Pacifying Rites

18.­1

The Blessed One then smiled and taught Youthful Mañjuśrī the procedures for the circles.

18.­2

“In a circle with nine compartments, write oṁ and hā with the target’s name in between. Use the words rakṣaḥ rakṣaḥ87 for protection. In the surrounding compartments, write oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā, with svāhā written between each syllable. Written on birch bark with saffron and then fastened to the upper arm, this serves as the best protection.”


19.
Chapter 19

The Protective Circle for Enthralling Rites

19.­1

“For protection during enthralling rites, write oṁ and hā, with the target’s name in between, within a nine-compartment circle. Use the words rakṣaḥ rakṣaḥ for protection. In the surrounding compartments, write tāre tuttāre ture svāhā,88 with the syllable mu between each of those syllables. Write this on red birch bark with lac dye and fasten it to the navel so that it cannot be seen. This will be the best protection and will enthrall.”


20.
Chapter 20

The Protective Circle for Increasing Rites

20.­1

“For protection during increasing rites, make an eight-spoked wheel and write oṁ tāre tuttāre ture on each of the eight spokes. In the center, write the target’s name appended with svāhā along with rakṣaḥ rakṣaḥ. Write it on birch bark with saffron and then fasten it to the upper arm or neck, and it will be the best protection.”

20.­2

This was the twentieth chapter, “The Protective Circle for Increasing Rites.”


21.
Chapter 21

A More Elaborate Protective Circle for Increasing Rites

21.­1

“For a protective circle that guards against all obstacles,89 use a triple-rimmed circle with eight compartments in the outermost circle. In its central compartment write svāhā appended to the target’s name along with rakṣaḥ. In the innermost rim, write u u u u u u u u.90 [F.214.b] In the outer, eight-compartment rim, write oṁ tāre ture tuttāre, bracketing each syllable with u. Draw this with saffron on birch bark or other bark. Tie it to the crown of the head or under the arm so that people cannot see it, and one will be freed from all harm. Recite the mantra as many times as you can.”


22.
Chapter 22

The Magical Protective Circle for Great Pacification

22.­1

“Now for the circle that accomplishes all activities, on birch bark or cloth, draw a circle with nine compartments using water infused with white sandalwood. In the outermost rim, write a ā i ī u ū e ai o au ṛ ṝ ḷ ḹ aṃ aḥ. In the inner rim, write tāre tuttāre ture svāhā. Write rakṣaḥ śāntiṃ kuru svāhā91 between oṁ and hā in the upper part of the circle, and reverse the mantra in the lower part of the circle. Know that the vowels on the outside are to be reversed. In the center, write rakṣaḥ śāntiṃ kuru between oṁ and hā.”


23.
Chapter 23

The Pacifying Circle

23.­1

“Next are the circles for the individual rites of the four activities. For pacifying, make a clay amulet with a lid, bake it, and color it white. Inside it, draw a circle with nine compartments. The mantra oṁ tāre tuttāre ture should be written in the eight surrounding panels as follows: ru ru oṁ ru ru | ru ru tā ru ru | ru ru re ru ru | ru ru tut ru ru | ru ru tā ru ru | ru ru re ru ru | ru ru tu ru ru | ru ru re ru ru. In the central compartment, write kuru śāntiṃ kuru svāhā. Close the amulet and place it, along with a white thread, on the maṇḍala. If you then worship at the three times with white flowers and the five kinds of offerings, the pacification will succeed.”


24.
Chapter 24

Great Pacification

24.­1

“To accomplish the activity of great pacification, make a clay amulet with a lid. Make ink out of white sandalwood92 and use it to draw a nine-compartment circle with inner and outer sections. In the central compartment write the mantra svā śāntiṃ kuru hā.93 [F.215.a] Inside the inner rim, write eight sets of a a. Inside the outer rim, write a oṁ a | a tā a | a re a | a tut a | a tā a | a re a | a tu a | a re a. Tie a flower garland around the amulet and place it on the maṇḍala. Make offerings to it at the four times and recite the mantra without error for seven days. If you do, the great pacification will succeed.”


25.
Chapter 25

The Increasing Circle

25.­1

“To perform the increasing rite, draw a nine-compartment circle with an inner and outer rim on birch bark, using either saffron or bezoar. In the central compartment write sarvapuṣṭiṃ kuru oṁ a,94 and in each of the eight inner compartments, write oṁ. In the eight outer compartments, write oṁ oṁ oṁ | oṁ tā oṁ | oṁ re oṁ | oṁ tut oṁ | oṁ tā oṁ | oṁ re oṁ | oṁ tu oṁ | oṁ re oṁ. Then place the circle inside a clay amulet and worship it with yellow flowers, such as the nāga flower, and the five offerings at the four times each day for seven days, starting on the full moon. Your lifespan and merit will thereby be increased.”


26.
Chapter 26

The Forceful Enthralling Circle

26.­1

“If you wish to enthrall, draw a circle with nine compartments on a rhinoceros hide or an amulet using pigment made of the extracts of the bark of areca, cutch, and caragana trees.95 In the central compartment of the circle write the mantra a svā ca amogha a hrīḥ hā.96 In the eight compartments write a oṁ a | a tā a | a re a | a tut a | a tā a | a re a | a tu a | a re a. Then, place it inside a skull cup covered with a lid, and bind it with blue thread. When the moon is full, worship it during the four times using red flowers and the five offerings. If you do, everything will be enthralled.”


27.
Chapter 27

The Isolating and Enthralling Circle

27.­1

“To enthrall, use blood from your ring finger, lac dye,97 charnel-ground charcoal, and gold98 to draw a circle with nine compartments on a charnel-ground shroud99 or the clothes of a dead person. [F.215.b] In its central compartment write amogha hrīḥ ha.100 On the eight spokes, write oṁ de oṁ | tā va tā | re dat re | tut ta tut | tā a tā | re mo re | tu gha tu | re hriḥ re.101 Insert the circle into an amulet along with the head of a worm. Breaking it in two, conceal each part on opposite sides of a riverbank. If you do that, isolating and enthralling will be accomplished.”


28.
Chapter 28

The Banishing Circle

28.­1

“If you wish to banish, use a mixture of the goat poison plant,102 blood, and indigo to draw two circles with nine compartments on a charnel-ground shroud. In the central compartment write ha sa u ca ha ha ha, and in the eight surrounding compartments write ha oṁ ha | ha tā ha | ha re ha | ha tut ha | ha tā ha | ha re ha | ha tu ha | ha re ha. Place the circle into a skull cup covered with a lid, bind it with blue thread, and conceal it in a charnel ground. The banishment will then be successful.”


29.
Chapter 29

The Isolating Circle

29.­1

“To make an isolating circle, use ink made from a mixture of equal parts of charnel-ground charcoal, crow blood, owl blood, and poison to draw nine compartments with an inner and outer circle. In the central compartment write phaṭ svā devadatta103 hā phaṭ. In the eight inner compartments write phaṭ phaṭ phaṭ phaṭ phaṭ phaṭ phaṭ phaṭ. In the eight outer compartments write phaṭ oṁ phaṭ | phaṭ tā phaṭ | phaṭ re phaṭ | phaṭ tut phaṭ | phaṭ tā phaṭ | phaṭ re phaṭ | phaṭ tu phaṭ | phaṭ re phaṭ. Place it in a crow and owl egg and conceal it at the base of a waterfall. Isolating will thereby be successful.”


30.
Chapter 30

The Slaying Circle

30.­1

“The circle for slaying is as follows. Use a mixture of equal parts of poison, blood, and mustard seed to draw a nine-compartment circle with inner and outer sections. In the central compartment write hūṁ svā māraya hā phaṭ.104 In the inner compartments write hūṁ phaṭ hūṁ | phaṭ hūṁ phaṭ | hūṁ phaṭ hūṁ | phaṭ hūṁ phaṭ | hūṁ phaṭ hūṁ | phaṭ hūṁ phaṭ | hūṁ phaṭ hūṁ | phaṭ hūṁ phaṭ. In the outer compartments write hūṁ oṁ phaṭ | hūṁ tā phaṭ | hūṁ re phaṭ | hūṁ tut phaṭ | hūṁ tā phaṭ | hūṁ re phaṭ | hūṁ tu phaṭ | hūṁ re phaṭ. [F.216.a] Write these on the skull of a childless man or woman, repeat the mantra many times, and then hide it in a charnel ground. If you do so, death will ensue.”


31.
Chapter 31

The Insanity-Inducing Circle

31.­1

“To make a circle that will induce insanity, use water infused with datura to draw a nine-compartment circle with inner and outer sections on cloth or paper. In the central compartment write ha ha devadatta ha ha. In the inner compartments write hha hha hha hha hha hha hha hha. In the eight outer compartments write hha oṁ hha | hha tā hha | hha re hha | hha tut hha | hha tā hha | hha re hha | hha tu hha | hha re hha. Place the circle into a grass amulet and recite the mantra as fast as you can. Then conceal it at a crossroads105 and pile datura on it. Insanity will then be induced. To relieve the insanity, wash an effigy with butter, honey, and cow’s milk. The target will thereby recover.”


32.
Chapter 32

The Suppressing Circle

32.­1

“The circle that suppresses is as follows. Draw a nine-compartment circle on slate. In the central compartment, use water infused with turmeric to write ga svā stambhaya | stambhaya ga hā.106 In the eight compartments, write ga oṁ ga | ga tā ga | ga re ga | ga tut ga | ga tā ga | ga re ga | ga tu ga | ga re ga. If the circle is folded and hidden at a crossroads, the target will be unable to move.”

32.­2

This was the thirty-second chapter, on the suppressing circle.


33.
Chapter 33

The Great Suppression Circle

33.­1

“For the great suppression circle, use ink made of turmeric to draw nine compartments with inner and outer circles inside a clay amulet. In the central compartment write this mantra: ṛga svā staṃbhaya staṃbhaya ṛga hā.107 In the inner compartments write ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha eight times. In the eight outer compartments write ṛga oṁ ṛga | ṛga tā ṛga | ṛga re ṛga | ṛga tut ṛga | ṛga tā ṛga | ṛga re ṛga | ṛga tu ṛga | ṛga re ṛga and finalize it with the addition of the Ārya Tārā mantra.108 Conceal it in the direction from which the enemy is approaching, and it will grant protection. If you conceal it by the enemy’s door, they will be suppressed.”


34.
Chapter 34

The Circle That Suppresses the Sorcery of Vidyā-Mantra

34.­1

“To make the circle that suppresses the sorcery of vidyā-mantra, draw the circle‍—a nine-compartment circle with inner and outer sections‍—with liquid turmeric on two slabs of either slate or mica. As for the mantras, in the central compartment write va svā staṃbhaya staṃbhaya hā.109 In the inner section write va va va va va va va va. In the outer section write va oṁ va | va tā va | va re va | va tut va | va tā va | va re va | va tu va | va re va. Then conceal the two circles separately, side by side, and the sorcery of vidyā-mantra will be suppressed.”


35.
Chapter 35

Teaching the Samayas and Vows

35.­1

The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then scattered an inconceivable110 array of flowers‍—mandārava flowers, lotuses, water lilies, and many others‍—over the Blessed One, while a symphony of divine music resounded. He asked the Blessed One, “How are the samayas to be fulfilled?”

The Blessed One replied:

35.­2
“Those who maintain their respective samayas
And are connected to the circle of deities
Should abandon the killing of beings,
Not take what is not given,

36.
Chapter 36

The Conclusion

36.­1

The vast gathering of countless gods‍—including the lord of gods Indra, Brahmā, and others‍—the bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī, a countless retinue of other bodhisattvas, [F.217.a] and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas111 rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.

36.­2

This completes “The Tantra on All Rites of Blessed Lady Tārā.”


c.

Colophon

c.­1

Translated by the Indian preceptor Dharmaśrīmitra and the Tibetan translator and monk Chökyi Sangpo.


ab.

Abbreviations

C Choné
D Degé
H Lhasa (Zhol)
J Lithang
K Kangxi (Peking late 17th c.)
KY Yongle
N Narthang
S Stok Palace
U Urga

n.

Notes

n.­1
There have been a number of modern studies on the history of Tārā worship in India and Tibet. While scholars present varying theories on its origin, they commonly agree that the goddess’s worship gained increasing popularity in India from the sixth century onward. Tibetan histories recount the story of Tārā’s introduction to Tibet in the early seventh century in the form of a sandalwood statue included in the Nepalese princess Bhṛkutī’s dowry when she married the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo (srong btsan sgam po, 617–50). A few texts dedicated to Tārā were translated into Tibetan in the following centuries, but Stephan Beyer (1978, pp. 5–13) argues that the worship of Tārā did not take firm root in Tibet until the eleventh century, when it was actively promoted by Atiśa (982–1054). Rachael Stevens provides a comprehensive introduction to Tārā in her 2010 dissertation.
n.­2
Toh 724–31.
n.­3
Lessing and Wayman 1983, pp. 126–27.
n.­4
Skt. Namastāraikaviṃśatistotra­guṇahitasahita, Tib. sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa. See Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Toh 438), Samye Translations 2020. The Tibetan translators chose not to translate the praise into Tibetan but instead followed the common practice of rendering a dhāraṇī or mantra in a Tibetan transliteration of the Sanskrit. This untranslated transcription represents an important witness of the Sanskrit manuscript it was based upon, and it was deemed significant enough by Alex Wayman to be used as the basis of his own edition and translation of the praise (Wayman 2002, p. 443). Notably, in this tantra alone, and in no other version of the text, the praise is preceded by the mantra namaḥ sarva­tathāgatānāṃ tadyathā oṁ namaḥ sūkasaṃ namas tārāyai pārantāre. Noteworthy also is that the translators treated the concluding colophon that follows the twenty-seventh verse of the praise as part of the incantation and rendered it in transliterated Sanskrit as well.
n.­5
See also Willson (1996, pp. 44–49) for his summary of The Tārā Tantra.
n.­6
Beyer 1978, p. 476.
n.­7
Beyer 1978, p. 476, n. 53. See also Willson 1996, p. 49.
n.­8
See Willson 1996, pp. 44–86.
n.­9
This translation follows H, K, KY, N, and S in reading dgu po rgyud mang (Skt. śūrpavīṇā). D, C, K, J, and U have gau rgyud mangs.
n.­11
“Oṁ, all phenomena are pure by nature. I am pure by nature.”
n.­16
What follows is the famous Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage, which the Tibetan translators of The Tārā Tantra elected to preserve in transliterated Sanskrit. That practice has been followed here. In doing so, the standalone Tibetan translation of Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Toh 438; see Samye Translations 2020) has been consulted, as well as the Sanskrit editions of the praise prepared by Wayman and Pandey. Though these witnesses are largely in agreement and without major variants, minor emendations to the Sanskrit text have been made here.
n.­17
It is unclear what the correct Sanskrit for the Tibetan transliteration sūkasam might have been.
n.­18
Tāramātā is a conjectural emendation. D, S: tA ra mi tA; N: tA ra ma mi tA; H: tA ra mi mi tA; KY, K: tA ra mi tA ra. This line is not included in the Tibetan translation (Toh 438) or Sanskrit editions of the praise.
n.­19
Reading kṣana-dyuti-nibhekṣaṇe for kṣanair dyuti-nibhekṣaṇe, as the former rendering appears below and is supported by the published Sanskrit editions.
n.­26
All the Tibetan editions of this text read taṁ throughout for the seed syllable of Tārā. However, it is consistently found in the Sādhanamālā, other Sanskrit sources, and the Tibetan tradition as tāṁ. Thus, we emend from taṁ to tāṁ when appropriate.
n.­27
“Oṁ! Vajra, blaze! Vajra, expand! Hūṁ phaṭ!”
n.­28
H, N, and S read a in place of e.
n.­29
H and N read paṃ.
n.­38
The text does not clarify who or what “both” (Tib. gnyis ka) refers to. Willson (1996, p. 66) suggests that it refers to the person who conjures the apparition and the person witnessing it.
n.­39
Here, Willson (1996, p. 66) conjectures that only the viewer is confused by an illusion, not the one who conjures it.
n.­53
“Infused with white sandalwood (tsan+dan dkar po)” is absent from N and S.
n.­54
“White” (dkar po) is absent from N and S.
n.­62
The ten-syllable mantra referred to here is most likely the one associated with this rite: oṁ tāre ture tuttāre svāhā.
n.­63
This is a speculative translation of gsal ba’i yi ge gnyis. The two sets of syllables would refer to vowels and consonants, i.e., the ali kali mantra.
n.­64
This reading follows C, D, J, K, and KY in reading mdung thung (“short spear”). H, N, and S have mdung (“spear”).
n.­80
It is unclear what the “corresponding color” (Tib. kha dog mthun pa) is. It is possible that the color of the hut is linked to the type of fire pūjā being performed.
n.­87
“Protection, protection.”
n.­88
In H, N, and S this mantra begins with oṁ, which is omitted in D.
n.­89
H, N, and S read bar chod sel ba’i srung ba’i ’khor lo (“protective circle that dispels all obstacles”).
n.­90
S reads u u u u.
n.­91
“Protection! Pacify, svāhā!”
n.­92
N and S read tsan+dan dmar po (“red sandalwood”).
n.­93
N and S read hoḥ instead of ha here.
n.­94
“Increase in all ways, oṁ, a!”
n.­95
The Skt. equivalent of the Tib. term mdzo mo could not be identified, so the identification of the final tree in this list as caragana is conjectural.
n.­96
“A svā ca, unfailing! A hrīḥ hā.”
n.­97
“Lac dye” (rgya skyegs kyi khu ba) is absent from N and S.
n.­98
H and N read khaṇḍaka (Tib. kan da ka, “molasses”) instead of kanaka (“gold”).
n.­99
N and S read dur khrod kyi sol ba (“charnel-ground charcoal”) instead of dur khrod kyi ras here.
n.­100
“Unfailing! Hrīḥ ha.”
n.­101
According to N, re hriḥ re, rather than re hriḥ in C, D, J, K, KY, and U; or hriḥ re in H and S.
n.­102
This is a conjectural translation of ra dug pa. H, N, and S omit ra.
n.­103
As above, devadatta is a placeholder for the name of the person targeted by the rite.
n.­104
“Hūṁ svā. Kill! Hā phaṭ.”
n.­105
KY reads lam rgya gram du rong dang bcas par (“at a crossroads near a ravine”), and H, N, and S read lam rgya gram du dong dang bcas par (“at a crossroads with a ditch”).
n.­106
“Ga svā, stun! Stun, ga hā!”
n.­107
“Ṛga svā, stun! Stun, ṛga hā!”
n.­108
“Finalize it with the addition of the Ārya Tārā mantra” is a conjectural translation as the Tibetan text is unclear here.
n.­109
“Va svā. Stun! Stun! Hā.”
n.­110
“Inconceivable” (bsam gyis mi khyab pa) is absent from H, N, and S.
n.­111
H, N, and S omit “gandharvas” (dri za).

b.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

Sanskrit

Bhattacharya, Benoytosh, ed. Sādhanamālā. 2 vols. Gaekwad’s Oriental Series 26. Baroda: Central Library, 1925.

Namaskaraikaviṃśatistotra. GRETIL edition input by Klaus Wille, based on the edition by Godefroy de Blonay: Matériaux pour servir à l’histoire de la déesse Tāra. Bibliothèque de l’École des Hautes Études 107. Paris: Émile Bouillon, 1895: 58–60.

Namaskaraikaviṃśatistotra. GRETIL edition input by members of the Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Input Project, based on the edition by Janardan Shastri Pandey: Bauddha Stotra Saṁgraha. Varanasi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1994: stotra no. 5.

Wayman, Alex. “The Twenty-One Praises of Tārā: A Syncretism of Śaivism and Buddhism.” In Buddhist Insight, edited by George Elder, 441–51. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2002.

Tibetan

de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi yum sgrol ma las sna tshogs ’byung ba zhes bya ba’i rgyud (Sarva­tathāgata­mātṛtārāviśvakarma­bhavanāma­tantra). Toh 726, Degé Kangyur vol. 94 (rgyud, tsha), folios 202.a–217.a.

de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi yum sgrol ma las sna tshogs ’byung ba zhes bya ba’i rgyud. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 94, pp. 517–54.

de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi yum sgrol ma las sna tshogs ’byung ba zhes bya ba’i rgyud. Toh 726, Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 107 (rgyud, ma), folios 195.a–237.a.

sgrol ma’i gzungs (Tārādhāraṇī). Toh 729, Degé Kangyur vol. 94 (rgyud, tsha), folio 222.a. English translation in Samye Translations 2021.

sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa (Namastāraikaviṃśatistotra) [Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage]. Toh 438, Degé Kangyur vol. 81 (rgyud, ca), folios 42.b–43.b. English translation in Samye Translations 2020.

chab mdo sa khul sman rstis khang. khrungs dpe dri med shel gyi me long [Mirror of stainless crystal]. Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1995.

Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos kyi ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.

Phangthangma (dkar chag ʼphang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.

Contemporary Sources

Beyer, Stephan. The Cult of Tara: Magic and Ritual in Tibet. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978.

Bokar Rinpoche. Tara: The Feminine Divine. Translated by Christiane Buchet. San Francisco: ClearPoint Press, 2007.

Ghosh, Mallar. Development of Buddhist Iconography in Eastern India: A Study of Tārā, Prajñās of the Five Tathāgatas and Bhṛikuṭī. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1980.

Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lhan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.

Landesman, Susan. “Goddess Tārā: Silence and Secrecy on the Path to Enlightenment.” Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 24, no. 1 (Spring 2008): 44–59.

Samye Translations, trans. (2020). Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Namastāraikaviṃśatistotra, Toh 438). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020.

‍—‍—‍—(2021). The Dhāraṇī of Tārā (Tārādhāraṇī, Toh 729). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021.

Martin, Dan. “Tibetan Vocabulary.” THL Tibetan to English Translation Tool. Version April 14, 2003.

Mitra, Debala. “Aṣṭamahābhaya Tārā.” Journal of the Asiatic Society: Letters 23, no. 1 (1957): 19–22.

Obermiller, Eugéne, trans. and ed. History of Buddhism (Chos ḥbyung) by Bu-ston. Vol 2, The History of Buddhism in India and Tibet. Materialien zur Kunde des Buddhismus 19. Heidelberg: O. Harrassowitz, 1932.

Roberts, Peter Alan. The White Lotus of the Good Dharma (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, Toh 113). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2018.

Roerich, George N., ed. The Blue Annals. 2 vols. Calcutta: Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1949–53.

Sánchez, Pedro M. C. “The Indian Buddhist Dhāraṇī: An Introduction to Its History, Meanings and Functions.” MA diss., University of Sunderland, 2011.

Shaw, Miranda. Buddhist Goddesses of India. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006.

Shin, Jae-Eun. “Transformation of the Goddess Tārā with Special Reference to Iconographical Features.” Indo Koko Kenkyu: Studies in South Asian Art and Archaelogy 31 (2010): 17–31.

Stevens, Rachael. “Red Tārā: Lineages of Literature and Practice.” PhD diss., Oxford University, 2010.

Tāranātha. The Origin of the Tārā Tantra. Translated and edited by David Templeman. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1995.

Willson, Martin. In Praise of Tara: Songs to the Saviouress. Somerville, MA: Wisdom, 1996.


g.

Glossary

g.­1

Acts with immediate retribution

  • mtshams med pa
  • མཚམས་མེད་པ།
  • ānantarya

See “five acts with immediate retribution.”

2 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­35
  • 17.­5

Links to further resources:

  • 16 related glossary entries
g.­2

Aggressive rite

  • drag po’i phrin las
  • drag po’i las
  • དྲག་པོའི་ཕྲིན་ལས།
  • དྲག་པོའི་ལས།
  • raudrakarman

Roughly synonymous with abhicāra (assaulting), this broad category of rites includes those ritual practices and magical acts that are used to curse, exorcise malevolent influences, deter, harm, and kill enemies, and otherwise engage in hostile activities directed towards human and nonhuman targets.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 10.­1
g.­3

Agni

  • me lha
  • མེ་ལྷ།
  • Agni

A yakṣa, a guardian of the southeast.

1 passage contains this term:

  • n.­52

Links to further resources:

  • 10 related glossary entries
g.­10

Asura

  • lha ma yin
  • ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།
  • asura

A class of nonhuman beings who are engaged in a mythic war with the gods (deva) for possession of the nectar of immortality. They are frequently portrayed as having a disruptive effect on cosmological and social harmony.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 8.­2
  • 8.­4
  • 36.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 106 related glossary entries
g.­12

Bandhūka

  • ban+du ka
  • བནྡུ་ཀ
  • bandhūka

Pentapetes phoenicea.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 9.­2
  • 13.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 2 related glossary entries
g.­15

Blessed one

  • bcom ldan ’das
  • བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས།
  • bhagavat

The male form of the epithet commonly applied to buddhas and other awakened beings. The Sanskrit word bhaga means, among other factors, “good fortune,” “happiness,” “prosperity,” and “excellence.” The suffix -vat indicates possession. A common English translation is thus “blessed one” or “fortunate one.” The three syllables of the Tibetan translation mean that the being has “overcome” or “conquered” (Tib. bcom), is “endowed [with qualities]” (Tib. ldan), and has “gone beyond [saṃsāra]” (Tib. ’das).

29 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­4
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­6
  • 1.­7
  • 1.­8
  • 1.­9
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­3
  • 2.­5
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­2
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­13
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­4
  • 5.­6
  • 5.­8
  • 6.­3
  • 12.­1
  • 17.­1
  • 18.­1
  • 35.­1
  • 35.­5
  • 36.­1
  • g.­14

Links to further resources:

  • 116 related glossary entries
g.­17

Boon-granting gesture

  • mchog sbyin
  • མཆོག་སྦྱིན།
  • varada

Gesture in which the arm is extended down and the palm faces outward.

8 passages contain this term:

  • 4.­4
  • 7.­2
  • 8.­2
  • 12.­1
  • 13.­1
  • 14.­1
  • 15.­1
  • 16.­1
g.­18

Brahmā

  • tshangs pa
  • ཚངས་པ།
  • Brahmā

One of the primary deities of the Brahmanical pantheon, Brahmā occupies an important place in Buddhism as one of two deities (the other being Śakra) said to have first exhorted Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. He is also the “Lord of the Sahā World” (our universe), whose inhabitants regard him as a creator god.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 36.­1
  • g.­87

Links to further resources:

  • 125 related glossary entries
g.­20

Charnel-ground shroud

  • dur khrod kyi ras
  • དུར་ཁྲོད་ཀྱི་རས།
  • śmaśānakarpaṭa

A piece of cloth that covers corpses being carried to a cremation ground and that remains draped over them on the funeral pyre.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 11.­1
  • 27.­1
  • 28.­1
g.­21

Chel Lotsāwa Chökyi Sangpo

  • dpyal lo tsA ba chos kyi bzang po
  • དཔྱལ་ལོ་ཙཱ་བ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བཟང་པོ།
  • —

Chel Lotsāwa Chökyi Sangpo (d. 1216) was a Tibetan translator active in the thirteenth century.

2 passages contain this term:

  • i.­4
  • c.­1
g.­22

City of gandharvas

  • dri za’i grong khyer
  • དྲི་ཟའི་གྲོང་ཁྱེར།
  • —

Cloud formations that look like elaborate celestial cities, one classical example of illusory phenomena.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 5.­2

Links to further resources:

  • 3 related glossary entries
g.­23

Clay drum

  • rdza rnga
  • རྫ་རྔ།
  • mṛdaṅga

A kettledrum played horizontally that is wider in the middle, with the skin at both ends played by the hands. One drumhead is smaller than the other. A South Indian drum, it maintains the rhythm in Karnatak music.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 1.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 6 related glossary entries
g.­24

Constitution

  • khams
  • ཁམས།
  • dhātu

A word that can refer, in different formulations, to the fundamental constituents of material and/or mental phenomena, or to the realms of existence. It also has the general meaning of the nature of something.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 4.­13
  • 5.­2

Links to further resources:

  • 56 related glossary entries
g.­26

Crystal

  • man shel
  • མན་ཤེལ།
  • śilā

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­1
  • g.­40

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­27

Dhāraṇī

  • gzungs
  • གཟུངས།
  • dhāraṇī

An incantation, spell, or mnemonic formula that distils essential points of the Dharma and is used by practitioners to attain mundane and supramundane goals. It also has the sense of “retention,” referring to the special capacity of practitioners to memorize and recall detailed teachings.

8 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­8
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­33
  • 3.­34
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­2
  • 6.­3
  • n.­4

Links to further resources:

  • 94 related glossary entries
g.­28

Dharmakāya

  • chos sku
  • ཆོས་སྐུ།
  • dharmakāya

In distinction to the rūpakāya, or form body of a buddha, this is the eternal, imperceivable realization of a buddha. In origin it was a term for the presence of the Dharma, and it has since become synonymous with the true nature.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 12.­1
  • 13.­1
  • 14.­1
  • 15.­1
  • 16.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 31 related glossary entries
g.­29

Dharmaśrīmitra

  • d+harma shrI mi tra
  • དྷརྨ་ཤྲཱི་མི་ཏྲ།
  • Dharmaśrīmitra

An Indian paṇḍita active in the eleventh century.

2 passages contain this term:

  • i.­4
  • c.­1
g.­33

Enthralling

  • dbang du bsdu ba
  • དབང་དུ་བསྡུ་བ།
  • vaśīkaraṇa

One of the four primary categories of ritual activities, it involves summoning and controlling a desired target. Though the target is often a person, this category of rite also includes “magnetizing” (ākarṣaṇa; dgug pa) objects, wealth, and so forth.

8 passages contain this term:

  • i.­3
  • 6.­10
  • 9.­1
  • 19.­1
  • 27.­1
  • n.­47
  • g.­43
  • g.­65

Links to further resources:

  • 2 related glossary entries
g.­35

Fire pūjā

  • sbyin sreg
  • སྦྱིན་སྲེག
  • homa

The casting of a prescribed offering into a ritual fire. The practice of homa is first attested in pre-Buddhist Vedic literature and serves as a core, pervasive ritual paradigm in exoteric and esoteric rites in both Buddhist and non-Buddhist traditions into modern times. In Buddhist esoteric rites, the ritual offerings are made repeatedly, with each throw accompanied by a single repetition of the respective mantra.

5 passages contain this term:

  • i.­3
  • 17.­1
  • 17.­2
  • 17.­8
  • n.­80

Links to further resources:

  • 14 related glossary entries
g.­37

Five families

  • rigs lnga
  • རིགས་ལྔ།
  • pañcakula

The vajra family, lotus family, tathāgata family, jewel family, and karma family.

8 passages contain this term:

  • i.­3
  • 12.­1
  • n.­65
  • g.­60
  • g.­61
  • g.­69
  • g.­100
  • g.­106

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­38

Five kinds of offerings

  • mchod pa rnam pa lnga
  • མཆོད་པ་རྣམ་པ་ལྔ།
  • —

Fragrances, flowers, incense, lamps, and food items.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 23.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­39

Five offerings

  • mchod pa lnga
  • མཆོད་པ་ལྔ།
  • pañcopacāra

Fragrances, flowers, incense, lamps, and food items.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 25.­1
  • 26.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­40

Five precious substances

  • rin po che lnga
  • rin po che rnam pa lnga
  • རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ལྔ།
  • རིན་པོ་ཆེ་རྣམ་པ་ལྔ།
  • pañcaratna

Here the five are listed as gold, pearl, crystal, coral, and sapphire.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­1
  • 8.­1
g.­42

Five substances from a cow

  • ba’i rnam lnga
  • བའི་རྣམ་ལྔ།
  • pañcagavya

Milk, yogurt, clarified butter, cow urine, and cow dung.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 9.­1
  • 10.­1
  • 11.­1
  • 17.­6

Links to further resources:

  • 3 related glossary entries
g.­43

Four activities

  • las bzhi
  • ལས་བཞི།
  • catuṣkarman

The four primary categories of ritual activities: pacifying, increasing, enthralling, and assaulting.

4 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­3
  • 11.­4
  • 23.­1
g.­44

Four families

  • rigs bzhi
  • རིགས་བཞི།
  • catuṣkula

Seemingly the four families cited in this section; namely the lotus, tathāgata, jewel, and karma families.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 13.­1
  • 14.­1
  • 15.­1
  • 16.­1
g.­46

Gandharva

  • dri za
  • དྲི་ཟ།
  • gandharva

A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the sky and are best known as celestial musicians.

6 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­9
  • 6.­14
  • 8.­2
  • 8.­4
  • 36.­1
  • n.­111

Links to further resources:

  • 114 related glossary entries
g.­48

Goat poison

  • ra dug
  • ར་དུག
  • śṛṅgaka

Possibly a poisonous plant of the Ranunculaceae family, known more commonly by names such as wolfsbane and monkshood.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 28.­1
g.­49

God

  • lha
  • ལྷ།
  • deva

Cognate with the English term divine. The devas are most generically a class of divine, celestial beings who populate the narratives of Indian mythology. The term can also be used to refer to the major gods of the brahmanical pantheon.

12 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 8.­2
  • 8.­4
  • 36.­1
  • g.­10
  • g.­18
  • g.­32
  • g.­55
  • g.­87
  • g.­108
  • g.­109
  • g.­116

Links to further resources:

  • 61 related glossary entries
g.­54

Increasing

  • rgyas pa
  • རྒྱས་པ།
  • pauṣṭika

One of the four primary categories of ritual activities.

7 passages contain this term:

  • i.­3
  • 6.­11
  • 8.­1
  • 20.­1
  • 25.­1
  • n.­47
  • g.­43

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­55

Indra

  • brgya byin
  • བརྒྱ་བྱིན།
  • Indra

A Vedic god who eventually emerged as one of the most important in the Vedic pantheon. Indra retains his role as the “Lord of the Gods” in Buddhist literature, where he is often referred to by the name Śakra. As a guardian of the directions, he guards the eastern quarter.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 6.­15
  • 36.­1
  • n.­52
  • g.­87

Links to further resources:

  • 107 related glossary entries
g.­57

Initiation

  • dbang
  • དབང་།
  • abhiṣeka

A ritual initiation into the maṇḍala and practice system of a specific tantric deity. The term means “to anoint,” as it evokes Indic rites of royal coronation that involve sprinkling consecrated water.

4 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­3
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­9

Links to further resources:

  • 10 related glossary entries
g.­60

Jewel family

  • rin po che’i rigs
  • རིན་པོ་ཆེའི་རིགས།
  • ratnakula

One of the five buddha families, it is presided over by the Tathāgata Ratnasambhava.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 6.­6
  • 15.­1
  • 15.­2
  • g.­37
  • g.­85

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­61

Karma family

  • las kyi rigs
  • ལས་ཀྱི་རིགས།
  • karmakula

One of the five buddha families, it is presided over by the Tathāgata Amoghasiddhi.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 6.­7
  • 16.­1
  • 16.­3
  • g.­6
  • g.­37

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­65

Kurukullā

  • ku ru kul+le
  • ཀུ་རུ་ཀུལླེ།
  • Kurukullā

A female deity of the lotus family, associated with the activity of enthralling.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 1.­2

Links to further resources:

  • 3 related glossary entries
g.­66

Lac dye

  • rgya skyegs kyi khu ba
  • རྒྱ་སྐྱེགས་ཀྱི་ཁུ་བ།
  • lākṣa

A dye made from the insect Laccifer lacca.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 19.­1
  • 27.­1
  • n.­97
g.­69

Lotus family

  • pad+ma’i rigs
  • པདྨའི་རིགས།
  • padmakula

One of the five buddha families. This family is associated mainly with the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara and includes deities such as Tārā and Bhṛkuṭī. This family is presided over by the Tathāgata Amitābha.

7 passages contain this term:

  • 6.­5
  • 13.­1
  • 13.­2
  • g.­5
  • g.­37
  • g.­65
  • g.­81

Links to further resources:

  • 3 related glossary entries
g.­71

Maitreya

  • byams pa
  • བྱམས་པ།
  • Maitreya

Bodhisattva of loving kindness; the next buddha to follow Śākyamuni.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • g.­103

Links to further resources:

  • 83 related glossary entries
g.­72

Mandārava flower

  • man dA ra ba
  • མན་དཱ་ར་བ།
  • mandārava

The flowers of the coral tree, Erythrina indica, one of the five trees of paradise, which has brilliant scarlet flowers.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 35.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 22 related glossary entries
g.­73

Mañjuśrī

  • ’jam dpal
  • འཇམ་དཔལ།
  • Mañjuśrī

A well-known bodhisattva considered the embodiment of wisdom. Also called Youthful Mañjuśrī.

53 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­3
  • 1.­1
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­7
  • 1.­8
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­3
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­15
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­33
  • 3.­35
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­12
  • 4.­13
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­3
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­4
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­4
  • 8.­5
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­4
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­4
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­4
  • 12.­1
  • 12.­2
  • 12.­3
  • 12.­4
  • 13.­1
  • 13.­2
  • 13.­3
  • 14.­1
  • 14.­2
  • 14.­4
  • 15.­1
  • 15.­2
  • 15.­3
  • 16.­1
  • 16.­2
  • 16.­4
  • 17.­1
  • 17.­4
  • 17.­5
  • 17.­6
  • g.­118

Links to further resources:

  • 109 related glossary entries
g.­78

Nirvāṇa

  • mya ngan las ’das pa
  • མྱ་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ།
  • nirvāṇa

Literally meaning “extinction,” it is the state beyond sorrow, referring to the ultimate attainment of buddhahood, the permanent cessation of all suffering and of the afflicted mental states that lead to suffering.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­5
  • 1.­6
  • 1.­7
  • 2.­1
  • 3.­18

Links to further resources:

  • 31 related glossary entries
g.­79

Pacifying

  • zhi ba
  • ཞི་བ།
  • śānti

One of the four primary categories of ritual activities.

7 passages contain this term:

  • i.­3
  • 6.­13
  • 7.­1
  • 17.­2
  • 23.­1
  • n.­47
  • g.­43

Links to further resources:

  • 9 related glossary entries
g.­82

Parṇaśavarī

  • ri khrod lo ma can
  • རི་ཁྲོད་ལོ་མ་ཅན།
  • Parṇaśavarī

A piśācī renowned for her ability to cure disease, avert epidemics, and pacify obstacles She is often, but not exclusively, considered a form of Tārā.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 1.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 6 related glossary entries
g.­83

Pearl

  • mu tig
  • མུ་ཏིག
  • muktikā

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­1
  • g.­40

Links to further resources:

  • 2 related glossary entries
g.­87

Śakra

  • brgya byin
  • བརྒྱ་བྱིན།
  • Śakra

An alternate name of Indra; a Vedic god who, along with Brahmā, first exhorted Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. Śakra’s importance in the Brahmanical pantheon was eventually eclipsed by Viṣṇu.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • g.­18
  • g.­55

Links to further resources:

  • 107 related glossary entries
g.­89

Samaya

  • dam tshig
  • དམ་ཚིག
  • samaya

The commitments specifically associated with tantric practice.

7 passages contain this term:

  • i.­3
  • 5.­8
  • 35.­1
  • 35.­2
  • 35.­5
  • n.­15
  • n.­43

Links to further resources:

  • 15 related glossary entries
g.­90

Sapphire

  • mu men
  • མུ་མེན།
  • indranīla

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­1
  • g.­40

Links to further resources:

  • 4 related glossary entries
g.­93

Shrine chamber

  • spos kyi khang pa
  • སྤོས་ཀྱི་ཁང་པ།
  • gandhakuṭi

Literally “perfumed chamber,” this was the name given to the Buddha’s personal room at the Jetavana monastery. The term was then later applied to the room in any monastery where an image of the Buddha was installed to signify his presence. In the context of an Action Tantra, the term seems to refer generically to a shrine chamber, perhaps one specifically enshrining the deity that is the focus of a given rite.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­1
  • 8.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 4 related glossary entries
g.­97

Śūrpavīṇā

  • gau rgyud mangs
  • གཽ་རྒྱུད་མངས།
  • śūrpavīṇā

A type of vīṇā.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • n.­9
g.­98

Tārā

  • sgrol ma
  • སྒྲོལ་མ།
  • Tārā

A goddess (lit. “Savior”) known for giving protection. She is variously presented in Buddhist literature as a great bodhisattva or a fully awakened buddha.

41 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­1
  • i.­2
  • i.­3
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­4
  • 3.­5
  • 3.­31
  • 3.­33
  • 3.­35
  • 4.­4
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­7
  • 4.­8
  • 6.­3
  • 7.­2
  • 8.­2
  • 9.­2
  • 10.­2
  • 11.­2
  • 33.­1
  • n.­1
  • n.­20
  • n.­23
  • n.­25
  • n.­26
  • n.­47
  • n.­55
  • n.­65
  • n.­84
  • n.­108
  • g.­13
  • g.­30
  • g.­53
  • g.­67
  • g.­69
  • g.­82
  • g.­92
  • g.­107

Links to further resources:

  • 14 related glossary entries
g.­99

Tathāgata

  • de bzhin gshegs pa
  • དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ།
  • tathāgata

“Thus-gone one,” an epithet for a buddha.

35 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­7
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­9
  • 2.­15
  • 3.­36
  • 4.­2
  • 5.­5
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­8
  • 8.­5
  • 17.­4
  • n.­13
  • n.­15
  • n.­25
  • n.­33
  • n.­41
  • n.­42
  • n.­43
  • n.­65
  • n.­68
  • n.­70
  • n.­73
  • n.­77
  • n.­84
  • g.­4
  • g.­5
  • g.­6
  • g.­44
  • g.­60
  • g.­61
  • g.­69
  • g.­85
  • g.­100
  • g.­105
  • g.­106

Links to further resources:

  • 100 related glossary entries
g.­100

Tathāgata family

  • de bzhin gshegs pa’i rigs
  • དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པའི་རིགས།
  • tathāgatakula

One of the five buddha families, it is presided over by the Tathāgata Vairocana.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 14.­1
  • 14.­3
  • g.­37
  • g.­105

Links to further resources:

  • 4 related glossary entries
g.­101

Threatening gesture

  • sdigs mdzub
  • སྡིགས་མཛུབ།
  • —

A ritual hand gesture (mudrā) of pointing the forefinger of the right hand menacingly.

6 passages contain this term:

  • 10.­2
  • 12.­1
  • 13.­1
  • 14.­1
  • 15.­1
  • 16.­1
g.­103

Tuṣita

  • dga’ ldan
  • དགའ་ལྡན།
  • Tuṣita

The fourth level of the heavens of the realm of desire, and the last stopping place of a buddha before his descent and reincarnation on earth; at present the abode of the future buddha Maitreya.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 1.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 66 related glossary entries
g.­106

Vajra family

  • rdo rje’i rigs
  • རྡོ་རྗེའི་རིགས།
  • vajrakula

One of the five buddha families, it is presided over by the Tathāgata Akṣobhya.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 6.­8
  • 12.­1
  • 12.­2
  • g.­4
  • g.­37

Links to further resources:

  • 4 related glossary entries
g.­111

Vetiver

  • pu shel tse
  • པུ་ཤེལ་ཙེ།
  • uśīra

Andropogon muricatus.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­1
g.­113

Vīṇā

  • pi bang
  • པི་བང་།
  • vīṇā

A stringed instrument, similar to a sitar or lute, that is used in Indian classical music, especially of the Karnatak (South Indian) style.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • g.­97

Links to further resources:

  • 6 related glossary entries
g.­118

Youthful Mañjuśrī

  • ’jam dpal gzhon nu
  • འཇམ་དཔལ་གཞོན་ནུ།
  • Mañjuśrī­kumārabhūta

A term of address for the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, who is considered the embodiment of wisdom.

12 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­4
  • 1.­6
  • 1.­9
  • 2.­1
  • 3.­1
  • 4.­1
  • 6.­1
  • 17.­1
  • 18.­1
  • 35.­1
  • 36.­1
  • g.­73

Links to further resources:

  • 109 related glossary entries
0

    Table of Contents


    Search this text


    Other ways to read

    Download PDF
    Download EPUB
    Download AZW3 (Kindle)
    Open in the 84000 App

    Spotted a mistake?

    Please use the contact form provided to suggest a correction.


    How to cite this text

    The following is an example of how to correctly cite this publication. Links to specific passages can be derived by right-clicking on the milestones markers in the left-hand margin (e.g. s.1). The copied link address can replace the url below.

    Samye Translations (tr.). The Tantra on the Origin of All Rites of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathāgatas (Sarvatathāgata­mātṛtārāviśvakarma­bhava­tantranāma, Toh 726). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2022:
    https://read.84000.co/translation/toh726.html


    Other links

    84000 Homepage
    Reading Room Lobby
    Published Translations
    Search the Reading Room
    Sponsor Translation

    Bookmarks

    Copyright © 2011-2022 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha - All Rights Reserved
    • Website: https://84000.co
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy