Red Tara Practice

Her book is available online at Padma Publishing: http://www.padmabooks.com/PPBOOKS.HTM which is the publishing arm of the Chagdud Gonpa Foundation.

Tara: A Red Tara Practice is a small booklet translated in accordance with the oral instructions of Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, also available through Padma Publishing. This is briefer, but contains concise introduction, and is another essential resource.

Red Tara: The Wish-Fulfilling Essence with Tsog Tape available at http://www.tibetantreasures.com/Tthtml/P...

Tara practice involves prayers, symbolic offerings, studying the nature of Tara, and visualizing Tara. Then one experiences oneself as Tara.

Quoting Chagdud Khadro:

Empowerment is necessary for this stage, self-visualization...it is empowerment that enables us to actualize Tara's qualities of enlightened body, speech and mind. The process begins by studying representations of Tara. This is not confusing the representation with the reality of Tara. The representation would be a painting or diagram or written description or oral explanation. The reality of Tara is the female Buddha, she who was, "at the level of absolute truth"..."simultaneously the princess who paid homage to a buddha and the mother of that buddha."

She is represented thus:
Red Tara, (Tibetan: drol ma mar mo): Red in colour with one face and two hands, the right hand is in the mudra (gesture) of supreme generosity holding a red vase extended across the knee. The left hand is held to the heart with the thumb and forefinger holding the stem of a red and blue utpala flower blossoming at the left ear. Slightly fierce, with three eyes and youthful, she is adorned with flowing silks of green and blue, adorned with gold and jewel ornaments, gold tiara and the like; seated with the right leg slightly extended in a relaxed manner and the left drawn up. On a moon disc and multi-coloured lotus seat encircled by a blue-orange nimbus and an red areola she sits surrounded by a lush green landscape. At the front, in a golden bowl, auspicious fruit is offered.

So we begin by examining these details of the paintings,statues, or drawings which symbolize spiritual attainments and qualities.

Then we recite prayers of refuge, of bodhichitta intention, and invocation of blessings. The lama confers certain blessings at stages of the ceremony. We make symbolic offerings at other times. One is constantly engaged; there is no lengthy silent meditation.

The ceremony draws to an end as do all Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies, with prayers of dedication. Quoting Chagdud Khadro:

So few beings have the opportunity to generate merit; most ...are

The copyright of the article Red Tara Practice in Buddhism is owned by Yeshe Chodon. Permission to republish Red Tara Practice in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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