Taking refuge and generating the altruistic dedicated heart
Taking refuge and generating the altruistic dedicated heart
Sang gye cho dang tsog kyi chog nam la To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha
Jang chub bar du dag ni kyab su chi I go for refuge until I am enlightened
Dag gi jin sog gyi pay so nam kyi Through the positive potential I create by practicing generosity and the other far-reaching attitudes
Dro la pen chir sang gye drub par shog May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Sem chen tarn che de wa dang/ de way gyu dang den par gyur chig May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness;
Sem chen tam che dug ngel dang/ dug ngel kyi gyu dang drel war gyur chig May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering;
Sem chen tam che dug ngel may pay de wa dang/ mi drel war gyur chig May all sentient beings never be separated from the happiness that knows no suffering;
Sem chen tam che nye ring chag dang nyi dang/ drel way dang nyom la ne par gyur chig May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from attachment and anger that hold some close and others distant.
You are in your ordinary form. At your heart appears a white AH, made of light. This transforms into a white moon disc. At its center appears a green syllable TAM, the essence of Tara’s blissful omniscient mind of wisdom and compassion. Standing clockwise around the edge of the moon appear the letters of the mantra OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA, made of green light.
From the TAM, rainbow-colored light goes out in all directions and invokes Tara to appear in the space in front of you. She is seated on a lotus and moon disc. Her body is made of emerald-green light, youthful and exquisitely beautiful. Her right hand on her right knee is in the gesture of giving; her left hand at her heart is the gesture of refuge and holds the stem of a blue utpala flower that blooms by her ear. Her left leg is drawn up and her right leg is slightly extended. Her face is very beautiful and she smiles with loving-kindness at all sentient beings.
Surrounding her in space are 21 other Taras, as well as all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Surrounding you are all sentient beings. You lead them in reciting the prayers and requests to Tara.
When doing multiple repetitions of the homage, one could start with the seven-limb prayer and include the homage and condensed praise. One could also do a more limited repetition. When pressed for time, one can repeat only the condensed praise.
Seven-limb prayer (could be said multiple times)
Go sum go pay go ne chag tsal lo Reverently I prostrate with my body, speech and mind
Ngo sham yi trul cho trin ma lu bul And present clouds of every type of offering, actual and mentally transformed.
Tog may ne sag dig tung tam che shag I confess all my negative actions accumulated since beginningless time
Kye pag gay wa nam la je yi rang And rejoice in the virtues of all holy and ordinary beings. Kor wa ma tong bar du leg zhug ne Please remain until cyclic existence ends,
Dro la cho kyi kor lo kor wa dang And turn the wheel of Dharma for sentient beings.
Dag zhen gay nam jang chub chen por ngo I dedicate the virtues created by myself and others to the great enlightenment.
Homage to the twenty-one Taras (could be said multiple times)
OM je tsun ma pag ma drol ma la chag tsal lo OM I prostrate to the noble transcendent liberator.
1. Chag tsal drol ma nyur ma pa mo Homage to Tara swift and fearless
Chen mi kay chig lhog dang dra ma With eyes like a flash of lightning
Jig ten sum gon chu kye shel gyi Lotus-born in an ocean of tears
Ke sar je wa lay ni jung ma Of Chenrezig, three world’s protector.
2. Chag tsal ton kay da wa kun tu Homage to you whose face is like
Gang wa gya ni tseg pay shel ma One hundred autumn moons gathered
Kar ma tong trag tsog pa nam kyi And blazes with the dazzling light
Rab tu che way o rab bar ma Of a thousand constellations.
3. Chag tsal ser ngo chu ne kye kyi Homage to you born from a gold-blue lotus
Pay may chag ni nam par gyen ma Hands adorned with lotus flowers
Jin pa tsun du ka tub shi wa Essence of giving, effort, and ethics,
So pa sam ten cho yul nyi ma Patience, concentration and wisdom.
4. Chag tsal de shin sheg pay tsug tor Homage to you who crown all Buddhas
Ta yay nam par gyal wa cho ma Whose action subdues without limit
Ma lu pa rol chin pa tob pay Attained to every perfection
Gyel way say kyi shin tu ten ma On you the bodhisattvas rely.
5. Chag tsal TU TA RA HUM yi ge Homage to you whose TUTTARE and HUM
Do dang chog dang nam ka gang ma Fill the realms of desire, form and space
Jig ten dun po shab kyi nen te You crush seven worlds beneath your feet
Lu pa may par gug par nu ma And have power to call all forces.
