Recent PostsBy Norma on May 18, 2012 Congratulations, your emotions are stable and you are able to wait out a slow-moving situation. This is a great time to engage in renovation and beautification projects. Spiff things up! Material objects are excellent, and encouragement comes from things you can see and touch. Good shopping! Medical issues are well resolved, and work is motoring [...]
Category: Astrology  By Jetsunma on May 17, 2012
The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called “Essence of Devotion”
Although the Buddha that we remember as Siddhartha, Gautama Buddha, Shakyamuni is not present in his physical body as we understand it right now, we look at the Lama as the embodiment of the qualities, intentions, compassion and [...]
Category: Essence of Devotion Su2-01, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo By Norma on May 17, 2012 An important message, letter or communication happens today. It’s most crucial to speak in a kind, diplomatic manner. Angry or demanding speech harms your cause and you will be ignored, or worse. The urge to “tell people off” is strong today, as is the wish to push others who aren’t responding the way you would [...]
Category: Astrology  By Jetsunma on May 16, 2012
An excerpt from a teaching called The Eightfold Path by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
Right speech is the first principal of ethical conduct on the Eightfold Path. And on the Eightfold Path is really based on ethical conduct. It’s one of the things that I like best about Buddhism. It isn’t based on a pie-in-the-sky [...]
Category: Eight-fold Path, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, Teachers, Teachings |
21 Homages to Tara: Commentary on Verse 1 by Khenpo Tenzin Norgay
Thupten Shedrub Gyatso, who was a Tulku in one of the Palyul Monasteries, wrote this commentary. His present incarnation, Rago Chogtrul currently lives in Tibet.
Translation by Khenpo Tenzin Norgey ~ Spring, 2004,
Palyul Retreat Center, Mc Donough, NY USA ~Wood Monkey Year 2131
There are many different Indian and Tibetan traditions explaining this “tantra[i] [1]of praise”. Motivated by devotion, I will explain this tantra in accordance with “The Treasure Vase of Essential Great Bliss of Inner Practice”, which is the profound mind-treasure[ii] teaching of the omniscient Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa. Each of the twenty-one verses is praise to twenty-one manifestations.
Homage to mother Tara, swift and fearless,
Your eyes are like flashing lightning.
Born from the blossoming stamens
Of the lotus face of the Lord of Three Worlds.
The first praise is to Nyurma Palmo,Tib the “Fearless Swift Lady”. Here we pay homage to the lady of activity who liberates beings from the temporal and perennial sufferings of samsara[iii]. She is called “Swift Lady” because her impartial compassion[iv] benefits beings without even an instant’s delay. She is the “Fearless Lady”, because she has the unhindered power to subdue demons, as well as the afflictions of beings. She protects beings from all fears. Her wisdom eyes move like the flash of lightning as she fully cognizes all phenomena. The lady endowed with omniscience, compassion, power, and activity was born from “the teardrops of the stamen-like eyes of the fully blossomed lotus-like face of Avalokiteshvara[v], the Savior of Three Worlds”. The three worlds are the sub-terrestrial, terrestrial and celestial realms, (the worlds of nagas[vi], humans, and gods, respectively).
Tara is seductive, and has the youthfulness of the rising sun, and a semi-wrathful smile. Her right hand is in the boon-giving mudra[vii], and her left hand holds a blue lotus upon which is a right-turning conch. This symbolizes her mastery of the two truths[viii] and bodhicitta[ix] in this world, and in the god realm[x]. The outer meaning of the praise literally praises the nirmanakaya aspect of the Noble Lady. In the inner aspect of the praise, if not taken literally, her sambhogakaya and dharmakaya aspects are praised. The “Savior of the Three Worlds” is the dharmakaya, and its manifestation is the rupakaya, or “form body,” (which is composed of the sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya).
[i] tantra skt ~ Buddhist texts that outline the practices of the Vajra vehicle
[ii] mind treasure ~ An inspired teaching (terma) revealed directly from the Buddha-mind, by a treasure revealer, (terton) .
[iii] samsara skt ~ Cyclic existence, the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth characterized by suffering and dominated by the three poisons: ignorance, desire and hatred.
[iv] compassion ~ Sensitivity to the sufferings experienced by sentient beings, coupled with a desire to help them overcome suffering and its causes.
[v] Avalokiteshvara skt (Chenrezig) ~The Buddha of compassion.
[vi] naga ~ A snake-like being living in the depths of water or underground. Although they have miraculous powers, they are classified as belonging to the lower realm.
[vii] mudra skt ~ A gesture that has specific meaning used in Tantric practice as a support.
[viii] two truths ~ The absolute truth and relative truth.
[ix] bodhicitta skt ~ The mind of enlightenment. The altruistic intention to become enlightened in order to benefit others
[x] god realm ~ One of the six realms of cyclic existence, characterized by seemingly unending pleasure and leisure.
Leave a Reply
|
Donations Until now, Jetsunma, has asked that donations not be accepted on this blog. All content, all teachings, everything on this blog will always be offered free of charge. However, if you feel you receive some benefit from this website and would like to make an offering to Jetsunma's retreat you may use this PayPal button:
|
21 Homages to Tara: Commentary on Verse 1 by Khenpo Tenzin Norgay
Thupten Shedrub Gyatso, who was a Tulku in one of the Palyul Monasteries, wrote this commentary. His present incarnation, Rago Chogtrul currently lives in Tibet.
Translation by Khenpo Tenzin Norgey ~ Spring, 2004,
Palyul Retreat Center, Mc Donough, NY USA ~Wood Monkey Year 2131
There are many different Indian and Tibetan traditions explaining this “tantra[i] [1]of praise”. Motivated by devotion, I will explain this tantra in accordance with “The Treasure Vase of Essential Great Bliss of Inner Practice”, which is the profound mind-treasure[ii] teaching of the omniscient Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa. Each of the twenty-one verses is praise to twenty-one manifestations.
Homage to mother Tara, swift and fearless,
Your eyes are like flashing lightning.
Born from the blossoming stamens
Of the lotus face of the Lord of Three Worlds.
The first praise is to Nyurma Palmo,Tib the “Fearless Swift Lady”. Here we pay homage to the lady of activity who liberates beings from the temporal and perennial sufferings of samsara[iii]. She is called “Swift Lady” because her impartial compassion[iv] benefits beings without even an instant’s delay. She is the “Fearless Lady”, because she has the unhindered power to subdue demons, as well as the afflictions of beings. She protects beings from all fears. Her wisdom eyes move like the flash of lightning as she fully cognizes all phenomena. The lady endowed with omniscience, compassion, power, and activity was born from “the teardrops of the stamen-like eyes of the fully blossomed lotus-like face of Avalokiteshvara[v], the Savior of Three Worlds”. The three worlds are the sub-terrestrial, terrestrial and celestial realms, (the worlds of nagas[vi], humans, and gods, respectively).
Tara is seductive, and has the youthfulness of the rising sun, and a semi-wrathful smile. Her right hand is in the boon-giving mudra[vii], and her left hand holds a blue lotus upon which is a right-turning conch. This symbolizes her mastery of the two truths[viii] and bodhicitta[ix] in this world, and in the god realm[x]. The outer meaning of the praise literally praises the nirmanakaya aspect of the Noble Lady. In the inner aspect of the praise, if not taken literally, her sambhogakaya and dharmakaya aspects are praised. The “Savior of the Three Worlds” is the dharmakaya, and its manifestation is the rupakaya, or “form body,” (which is composed of the sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya).
[i] tantra skt ~ Buddhist texts that outline the practices of the Vajra vehicle
[ii] mind treasure ~ An inspired teaching (terma) revealed directly from the Buddha-mind, by a treasure revealer, (terton) .
[iii] samsara skt ~ Cyclic existence, the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth characterized by suffering and dominated by the three poisons: ignorance, desire and hatred.
[iv] compassion ~ Sensitivity to the sufferings experienced by sentient beings, coupled with a desire to help them overcome suffering and its causes.
[v] Avalokiteshvara skt (Chenrezig) ~The Buddha of compassion.
[vi] naga ~ A snake-like being living in the depths of water or underground. Although they have miraculous powers, they are classified as belonging to the lower realm.
[vii] mudra skt ~ A gesture that has specific meaning used in Tantric practice as a support.
[viii] two truths ~ The absolute truth and relative truth.
[ix] bodhicitta skt ~ The mind of enlightenment. The altruistic intention to become enlightened in order to benefit others
[x] god realm ~ One of the six realms of cyclic existence, characterized by seemingly unending pleasure and leisure.