Tara Meditation
This meditation with its explanation contains 10 divisions, each of which is divided into four sections. The first section is the original meditation according to the initiation. It is the pure meditation. The remaining three sections are my explanations which have the permission of the Goddess Herself. The second section is the three tantric or secret forces. The third section is the victorious significance of the meditation. The last is reflection upon the meditation. The first two sections should be practiced at the time of meditation, the third should be recognized before the meditation and the last after the meditation.
I. Surrenderance
Original Meditation
Repeat the following incantation to the Guru and Three Gems in the Dharma: With all sentient beings, I surrender to my beloved Guru. With all sentient beings, I surrender to all the Buddhas. With all sentient beings, I surrender to all the Dharma. With all sentient beings, I surrender to all the Saints in Enlightenment.
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: Kneel down and worship at least four times while saying the incantation, then be seated for meditation.
- Speech: Repeat the incantation at least seven times when seated.
- Mind: Remain in a state of deep devotion as you worship. Think that the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are present before you and your palms are under their soft and warm feet. Feel that you have been away from your mother for a long time and now you see her coming and cry to her with tears. It is with this longing that the incantation is repeated. The mind should be kept calm and tranquil awaiting refuge from them which will bring about an unexpectedly deep concentration. If this concentration really appears, do not distract it with the incantation. If you can keep both, that is, let the incantation run in deep concentrationt is very good. If not, it would be better to lose the incantation and keep only the concentration.
Victorious Significance
Believe that the Guru and Goddess both are one. If you rely on your Guru like the Goddess, you will become accomplished in your practice at once. Recognize that Amitabha on the Goddess' head is the Guru of the Four Refuges. The Goddess is the Buddha. Her great mercy is the Dharma, and her twenty incarnation Goddesses are the Saints of the Sangha. Believe that this meditation alone will bring about accomplishment and full Enlightenment, that there is no need for any other practice.
Believe that you have surrendered to them. You belong to them as they have received you. Everything either worldly or holy will be obtained from them through prayer. Therefore, there is no need to spend your precious time in searching for worldly things. The more completely you renounce, the more completely you will receive deliverance from them.
Reflection
- Is my surrenderance truly complete and sincere?
- Do I feel helplessness in everything except in my reliance on my Guru and the Three Gems?
- Do I still act with self-pride and without reliance on the refuges?
- Have I given up attachment to my life, mind, and will, in order to give full devotion to my Guru and the Goddess?
- Do I follow them as prescribed by the incantation?
- Is the family economy more important in my circumstances or is it the Dharma?
II. Development of the Bodhi-Heart
Original Meditation
Repeat the following hymn of the Bodhi-heart three times:
- I will worship the three holy Gems; the Buddha, the Dharma, and all the Saints continually until I get the final fruit of Buddhahood. With all the good deeds that I've done, may I suddenly become enlightened and save others.
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: Maintain a straight, firm sitting posture with palms together.
- Speech: Repeat the above hymn slowly, melodiously and with devotion.
- Mind: The mind must be kept in thankfulness to the three Gems and full of mercy towards all sentient beings. It must be full of determination to attain to final Enlightenment.
Victorious Significance
- One who has developed the Bodhi-heart becomes a Bodhisattva and is born in the Buddha-family.
- All the Bodhisattvas are under the refuge of all the Buddhas in the ten directions and are constantly remembered by them.
- The Bodhi-heart has two aspects, mercy and wisdom; we should always be aware of our development along these two paths.
- We should be always bent on aiding all sentient beings as if they were our very self or closest relative or friend. Just as if we had just lost our parents and tearfully desire to do something kind for them, this is the way we should act toward all sentient beings.
Reflection
- Have I kept all the commandments of the Bodhi-heart?
- Have I ever deceived any person?
- Have I been merciful to my servants and enemies?
- Have I been dutiful in my practice of the Bodhi-heart by giving alms, helping others and so on?
III. The Four Types of Boundless Mind
Original Meditation
May all sentient beings and I have joy and all its causes.
May all sentient beings and I be free from suffering and its causes.
May all sentient beings and I have that spiritual bliss without pain.
May all sentient beings and I be free from lust and hatred, friends and foes, and remain equal-poised and detached.
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: As in Section II.
- Speech: Repeat the above four sentences slowly.
- Mind: Follow the above sentences and think of their meaning, paying special attention to the meaning of the word 'cause.' After repeating the sentences and thinking of their meaning, remain in verbal and mental silence and await the coming of concentration.
Victorious Significance
- Comprehend the law of cause and effect, that one reaps just what he has sown. Be as all the Bodhisattvas who fear only the cause of evil, and not as the layman who fears the retribution of his evil acts.
- Contemplate the spiritual bliss without pain which arises from wisdom, concentration and tantric divine love, flowering through meditation.
- Strive to attain detachment from all worldly objects and thoughts which surround us.
Reflection
- Knowing that all worldly objects are painful and are the cause of sorrow, why do I not renounce them?
- Do I hate others when I am distressed with the results of my evil actions? Hatred should be only of the evil in oneself.
- Do I envy others who obtain concentration and bliss before me?
- When I obtain blessings may I not be disturbed from equal mindedness by over-joyfulness and remain detached.
IV. The Voidness
Original Meditation
Repeat the mantra of voidness:
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: Sit straight and still. At the end of the mantra, slowly place the palms which have been folded on the knees.
- Speech: Repeat the above mantra slowly in a low voice. When the mantra is ended, the hands should be placed on the knees simultaneously.
- Mind: Think that all things are void. Keep the mind still in voidness, joy, and cheerfulness in comprehension of the voidness until concentration is attained. If the concentration does occur, then try to hold it for at least five minutesCthe longer the better. The important thing is the meaning and feeling, not the mantra.
Victorious Significance
- Think that this voidness concentration is the cause of Dharmakaya. We should try to obtain it again and again.
- Think that this meditation is better than the rest. Do not think that there will be many other divisions to follow and thereby cease the voidness concentration to do them.
Reflection
- Do I shun any speech and deeds in daily life which are done without concentration?
- Do I speak or do evil because of the lack of concentration?
- Do I always have the desire to be in concentration?
- Do I try to get rid of the obstacles to concentration such as sleepiness and other disturbances?
- One should pay attention to one's everyday life, such as clothing and food, and improve them to be suitable to concentration. If more clothing than necessary is put on, then sleepiness will occur. If more food is taken than is necessary, sleepiness will occur. There are many other things that may cause sleepiness; they should be avoided.
V. The Image of the Green Salvation Goddess, I.
Original Meditation
From the voidness a white seed-word (bija) (
) (sound POM) suddenly appears. Then this word POM becomes a lotus. Above the lotus there is a moon plainly settled. Above the moon there is a green seed-word (
) (sound DOM). It is the seed of great mercy and the heart of the Goddess. From this word DOM extend holy lights toward the ten directions. In those holy lights there are offerings to the Buddhas and Goddess. After this offering, the holy lights are drawn back to the word DOM.
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: Keep the body still in voidness and think nothing is inside or outside the body.
- Speech: The speech of the practitioner is entirely in the bijas POM and DOM, for the vocal speech is in the void.
- Mind: The mind should be in such deep meditation on the void that the bija is all that is in the mind. The meditator and the object that he is meditating on become one. When meditation on the extending lights, you can experience the mind opening widely. This meditation should be done with deep concentration and should be vivid.
Victorious Significance
Think that all things and thoughts are in the voidness. It is in them. They are issued from the voidness. Both the voidness and things are in the same place at the same time, but the layman does not know this. He thinks that these objects and thoughts are real. All things are changeable and impermanent. Therefore all things can be put into use for saving others. The more we practice this meditation, the more our mind will be greatly opened and forsake selfishness. We live here only for the sake of the Buddhas and sentient beings. We should not do anything that would increase or support selfishness again.
Reflection
- Has my mind become opened to the sufferings of others? Has my selfishness been reduced?
- Is there anything which I could not understand before that I can understand at present?
- The lotus denotes renunciation; if I do not renounce all worldly things, how can I sit on it?
- The moon denotes mercy; if I don't have mercy, how can I sit on it?
- If my soul and my mind is not the same as the Goddess', how can I become the same body as she?
VI. The Image of the Goddess, II.
Original Meditation
The word DOM suddenly becomes the Goddess. Her whole body is green. On her head is the five-Buddhas' ornamented crown. Her right arm is extended outward with the palm opened and rests on her right knee. Her left hand is near her breast and holds a blue lotus. Her right foot is extended as though she were about to go into activity. She wears many precious ornaments around her neck and breasts. She always has a smile on her face.
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: Sit in the position described above as the position the Goddess sits in.
- Speech: Keep the breath peaceful.
- Mind: Meditate on the above image and think of its meaning. Our mind should be as merciful as the Goddess'. It is not right if our outward appearance is like the Goddess and our mind is still like a layman's.
Victorious Significance
- Believe that we are already the same as the Goddess in nature except for our selfishness and ignorance.
- Know that those ornaments and all things on the body of the Goddess have special meanings as follows:
- Head: denotes the nature of the Dharma.
- Two Arms: the right one denotes divine welfare, and the left one denotes holy wisdom.
- Green: denotes peace and holy service.
- Five-Buddhas' Ornamented Crown: denotes Enlightenment of the first initiation and the five Buddhas denote the five wisdoms as follows: East, the mirror-like wisdom; South, the wisdom of equality; West, discriminating wisdom; North, all-performing wisdom; Center, all-pervading wisdom of the Dharmadhatu.
- The left foot resting on the moon denotes that she is always in meditation while the right one denotes that she is always in holy service to save sentient beings.
- The right hand with opened palm denotes boundless almsgiving, while the left one denotes the preaching of the dharma. The flower which it holds represents wisdom.
Reflection
- Did I get the attainment of those qualities mentioned above?
- How shall I attain those qualities?
- Try to compare the ornaments of the Goddess with our worldly desires to attain those holy ornaments?
- Is my concentration on the voidness good enough to give birth to a holy Goddess? If not, would I practice the concentration again and again?
VII. Repeating the Mantra
Original Meditation
In the heart of the goddess there is a lotus. This Goddess is our own body sublimated. Don't think it is the Goddess before us. Above the lotus there is a moon. Standing up in the center of the moon is the bija () DOM. Also standing are the ten words of the Mantra: "OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA" surrounding the edge of the moon, starting from left to right as in the following figure:
- These words in the mantra emit bright, boundless holy lights out to all sentient beings to wash their sins; and among the lights there are many offerings for the Buddhas and Goddess.
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: Keep the body in the same position as that of the Goddess. Hold your beads in your left hand and count them one by one repeating the mantra "OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA." The right hand should be kept like that of the Goddess. The fingers emit many holy lights also.
- Speech: Repeat the mantra at least 108 times. The mantra should be repeated both softly and a little louder in order to save all those who hear it.
- Mind: Try to see the above described figure in the heart. It should be seen very clearly. Sometimes the words travel around the moon faster than at other times, and always from right to left. The bija 'DOM' must be firmly in the center and unmoving. If the mind is sleepy then the spinning should be speeded up along with louder repetitions of the mantra. For a disturbed mind, the words should not spin at all, and the mantra should be repeated slowly and in a low voice. Think of how to save others, and keep the mind concentrated on the bija. The complete meaning of the mantra is literally as follows: TARE means quickly with boldness; TUTTARE means sweeping away all distress; TURE means giving the victorious truth; SVAHA means all accomplishments. At all times you should think of how to save all sentient beings.
Victorious Significance
- Think that you and the Goddess are one. The secret salvation power has been transferred to you. You can save every and any one.
- Think that the true nature of all sentient beings is also the Goddess. They, therefore, may be saved.
- Think that the holy light is the mixture of both the Goddess' wisdom and her mercy. Anyone who touches this light will be saved.
- Think that you can save anyone at once by the tantric forces without leaving your meditation seat.
Reflection
Has the mantric circle been seen by your mind's eye? Has the desire to save others been held firmly in mind? Has the faith in refuge in the Goddess increased yet? Has your concentration in the meditation increased yet?
VIII. Drawing Back to the Voidness
Original Meditation
- First, meditate on all the holy lights which are all over the world being drawn back to the Goddess' body.
- Second, meditate on the holy body being drawn back to her heart (it is our own heart).
- Third, in the heart, the lotus is being drawn back to the moon, the moon to the words of the mantra, the mantra to the bija DOM.
- Fourth, the bija itself is being drawn back little by little from (
) to (
), from () to (
), from (
) to its top, from () to the voidness.
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: Keep it in seven points of posture as follows: Cross the legs, Place palms together (folded), Keep the spine straight, Open the shoulders, Gaze at a certain distance, Neck erect, Tongue at its natural place.
- Speech: Keep the breath very slow and peacefully.
- Mind: There are five steps of drawing back meditation. After every step you should keep on concentrating on it many times, as long as possible. The end of the fourth procedure is the easiest on which to attain concentration. Keep the subtle mind on [] without any movement. The only action will be [] drawing itself back into the voidness. This will bring the accomplishment of deep concentration.
Victorious Significance
- Believe that the nature of the Dharma is voidness. The one who can concentrate on this voidness firmly and profoundly will be successful in the great Liberation.
- If we depend upon this concentratione will be free from birth and death.
- Attainment of the fourth section (voidness meditation) allows us to destroy our human selfishness. This concentration allows us to destroy divine selfishness.
Reflection
- Do I lust for worldly things?
- Do worldly things seem to be unimportant in my thought?
- Has my concentration increased?
- Can I understand the doctrine of great perfection?
IX. The Double Meditation on Object and Voidness
Original Meditation
From the voidness the Goddess suddenly appears again. Both the Goddess and the voidness should be kept in mind simultaneously.
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: At all times, even when we are not seated in meditation, we should think of ourselves as being the Goddess and we should see everyone else as the Goddess.
- Speech: Even while working, sleeping or doing anything else the mantra 'OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA' should be repeated mentally. We should be able to hear others speak at the same time as hearing the repetition of the mantra.
- Mind: We should love everyone as we love our Goddess. We should always help others and keep our mind full of mercy. If even a little thought arises because of selfishness, we should destroy it at its beginning. Do not allow it to develop any further.
Victorious Significance
- Believe that only voidness will not be enough for liberation. It must be in identification with manifestation.
- Believe that our final goal is not Nirvana, but serving others.
Reflection
- Did I actually get accomplishment of the void (which is nothing else but manifestation, and manifestation is nothing else but the void)?
- Do I ever become tired of helping others?
- Can I always keep concentration of the void when I am very busy doing good deeds?
X. Prayer for Others
Original Meditation
May all the good things that I've done become the merit of others.
May all sentient beings become the Goddess.
May all the pains and sorrows and sufferings of others come to me and be destroyed by the voidness concentration.
The Three Tantric Forces
- Body: Palms folded.
- Speech: Develop speaking in good will.
- Mind: Keep good will in all our actions, and our actions in good will.
Victorious Significance
- Think that helping others is helping ourselves and to harm others is harming ourselves.
- Think that the Dharmakaya will be obtained by helping others without exception.
- Think that to help others is the will of the Goddess and we can become the Goddess only by aiding others.
Reflection
- Do I treat all others as I treat the Goddess?
- Has mercy increased in me yet?
- Do I still hate my enemies?
