HYMNS TO TARA
0 most revered One, Holy Dolma, to you I bow down
To you I bow, the one who brings immediate realisation. The glance of your eyes is quick like lightning.
The Protector of the Three Worlds (Chenrezi) had a mouth like the Water-Born, The Lotus. You are the one who emerged from its heart.
I bow to you, of the colour of the harvest moon: full is your face, made of a hundred moons.
From you shines the light of a thousand stars. Radiant, flaming with glory, I bow before you. Wearing yellow and blue lotuses, with hands like water-lilies; lotuses in your hands, always adorned with flowers. Generous; full of energy; patient in ascetic practice: full of the peace of meditation. Enduring all, with mind one-pointed; the essence of perfect activity.
To you, I bow, the crest jewel of the Tathagatas, those who have gone beyond.
He who conquers all that is evil, who attain every perfection; always upholding the Bodhisattvas. To you, I bow Tutth Tara with the HUNG letter in your heart
You who fulfill all wishes, as many as will fill the sky. Treading under your feet, the six spheres of the Wheel of Existence; in whom is no idleness; able to summon all the Siddhis. Before you bow Sakka, King of the Gods, the Fire Gods (agni Deva):
Brahma, the God of the Air: Mahesh.
In front of you even the unhappy spirits, the ghosts, the scent-loving spirits and the Yakshas sing praises,
To you I bow who is called Saviour, Phat, the remover of difficulties.
You who defeat the enemies of the higher mind, all delusions, With your right leg curved and the left outstretched, trampling them all under your feet.
Flaming with fiery light, Mother always flaming. Honour to the TURE, the greatly awesome; always defeating delusions formidable.
That face, lovely as the Water-Born lotus, half smiling, half angry, you are showing it to us.
All the enemies within, you slay to the last one.
I bow to you, adorned with the gesture of offering the three lotuses,
with your fingers joined on your heart. Always adorned with the Mandalas most excellent that are offered to you; always radiant in lights of many colours.
I bow to you dwelling in the splendour of great joy, wearing the crest ornament of light and necklace of many coloured jewels.
Smiling, always smiling, your name is TUTTH TARE, the One who saves.
You who show your power over the world and its illusions.
To you I bow who are protected by the Guardians of the Four Quarters.
Great is your power, you who naturally attract all to you.
From the angry smiling face in a moment emerges the HUNG Letter.
Honour to you, whose head ornament is the crescent moon, always shining radiantly in your jewels.
The Buddha of Boundless Light, is in the knot of hair on your head:
You are always beautiful in that glow.
I bow to you, flaming like the fire at the end of an aeon:
Mother, in the circle of blazing light.
Your right leg is straight, and your left leg is curved,
You we circle in the great bliss of our mind.
Completely defeating the armies of Mara, the deluder,
I bow to you: you who call on the earth to witness your enlightenment.
Touching it with the palm of your hand.
The soles of your feet press the ground, controlling evil,
You of the letter HUNG are angry, clenching your teeth.
Controller of the seven spheres, O Mother, to you, I bow
Bringing happiness, virtue and peace.
Mother you are the essence of that action that comes from deep meditation,
Remaining always, perfect, in SWAHA OM, the mantra.
You whose nature it is to destroy sin,
To you, I bow, who defeat the King of the Maras encircling me.
You immobilise our enemies completely: your mantra of ten letters we put in our
hearts.
Dolma, the Saviour, coming from the HUNG in our mind.
To you I bow; TURE, stamping your feet.
In the form of the HUNG letter, you are the essence of the seed mantra.
Even the Mandara Mountain you can pierce, you who can shake the worlds.
To you I prostrate, who take the form of all the heavenly ones.
You hold in your hands the disc of the moon, with the deer on it,
When we say the two TARAS and PHAT all poisons without exception are cleansed.
You are the one the mountain gods respect: whoever among the gods or men pray to you
He has protection.
Wearing the armour of the perfections, brilliant like the light of the first Bhumi Mother, who clears away strife and bad dreams, To you I bow.
Like the full moon and the sun are your two eyes, brilliant with light.
Saying both TARA and TUTTH TARA, all diseases you send away.
To you, I bow thrice: the power to make all completely calm is yours.
You are that most exellent one who controls all evil and mischievous spirits with the TURE Mantra.
This Mantra, the root of all virtue, I praise,
And Dolma, in her twenty-one emanations.
OM TARE TUTTH TARE TURE SWAHA
translated by Lama Karma Thinley Rinpoche and K. T. Khechog Palmo, at Dalhouse, H.P. India, at the Karma Doubgyu Tharjay Ling, 1967.