The 21 Tārās(commentary)

1. Arya-ture-vira-Tārā, Tārā Swift and Heroic, (Rab tu dpa’ba’i Sgrol ma)

1. Out of emptiness appears a darmodaya. In its center is OM on a yellow lotus and moon. It transforms into Tara the Heroine, red and radiating masses of fire. She has one face and eight arms. The first pair of hands, joined at the crown, hold a vajra and bell. The second pair hold a bow and arrow. The third hold a wheel and conch and the fourth hold a sword and noose. She appears peaceful and sits in the cross-legged position. She is adorned with silks and jewel ornaments and has a backrest of moonlight.

1. Arya-ture-vira-tara, Tara Swift and Heroic2. Arya-shukla-kanta-Tārā, Tārā White as Autumn Moon

(Dar mo zla mdangs koi Sgrol ma)

2. On a lotus and moon, from TA appears White Tara with tree faces, white, blue and yellow and twelve arms. The first pair of hands are in the contemplative gesture. The other right hands hold khatvanga, wheel, jewel, vajra and garland of flowers. The other left hands hold water-jug, utpala, bell, flask and book.

3. Arya-kanaka-varna-Tārā, Golden-colored Tārā,(Gsum pa user mdog can gym Sgrol ma)

3. On a lotus and moon, from RE appears Yellow Tārā, with one face and ten arms. Her right hands hold rosary, sword, arrow, vajra and staff. Her left hands hold silk ribbon, noose, lotus, bell and bow. The lord of the type is Ratnasambhava.

4. Arya-tathagatoshnishi-Tārā, Tārā Victorious Ushnisha (Gtsug tor rnam rgyal ma'i Sgrol ma)

4. On a lotus and moon, from TUT appears Yellow Tārā with one face and four arms. Her right hands are in the wish-granting gesture and hold a rosary. Her left hands hold water-jug and club.

5. Arya-humkara-nadini-Tārā, Tārā Proclaiming the Sound of HUM,

(Hum sgra sgrog pa'i Sgrol ma)

5. On a moon, from TA appears Yellow Tārā with one face and two arms. Her right hand is giving protection, her left hand is holding a yellow lotus.

6. Arya-trailokya-vijaya-Tārā, Tārā Victorious over the 3 Worlds

('Jig rten gsum rgyal Sgrol ma)

6. On a red lotus and sun, from RE appears Red Tārā with one face and four arms. Her right hands hold vajra and sword. Her left hands are in the threatening gesture and hold a noose.

7. Arya-pramardini-Tārā, Tārā Crushing Adversaries (Rgol ba 'jobs pa'i Sgrol ma)

7. On a yellow lotus and sun, from TU appears Black Tārā with one face and four arms, wearing yellow garments, fierce, with upward streaming hair. Her right hands hold wheel and sword. Her left hands are in the threatening gesture and hold a lotus with vajra upon it. The lord of the type is Ratnasambhava.

8. Arya-mara-mardaneshvari-Tārā, Tārā Who Bestows Supreme Powers

(Dbang mchog ster ba'i Sgrol ma)

8. On a stacked seat of red lotus, moon and sea-monster, from RE appears Yellow Tārā with one face and four arms. The first pair of hands hold a branch of an Asoka tree and a lotus. The other pair hold a jewel with the wish-granting gesture and a flask. The lord of the type is Amogasiddhi.

9. Arya-khadira-vani-Tārā, Tārā Granter of Boons (Mchog stsol ba'i Sgrol ma)

9. On a red lotus and moon, from SVA appears Red Tārā with four arms. The first pair of hands hold vajra and bell with the gesture of joy on the crown of the head. The second right is snapping fingers in a dancing movement with the second left holds the branch of an Asoka tree, raining down jewels on beings. The lord of the type is Amoghasiddhi.

10. Arya-shoka-vinodani-Tārā, Tara Dispeller of Sorrow (Mya ngan sel ba'i Sgrol ma)

10. On a red lotus and moon, from SA appears Red Tārā with four arms. The first pair of hands are on the crown of the head with palms folded. The second pair hold a sword and the branch of an Asoka tree with red blossoms. The lord of the type is Amoghasiddhi.

11. Arya-jagadvashi-Tārā, Tārā Summoner of Beings ('Gro ba'i gugs pa'am phongs pa sel ba'i Sgrol ma)

11. On a lotus and sun seat, from HA appears Black Tārā, very fierce. Her right hand holds a hook that summons the eight planets, her left a hook that dispels misfortune. She is in the alidha posture. The lord of the type is Ratnasambhava.

12. Arya-mangalaloka-Tārā, Tārā Auspiciously Shining (Bkra shis snang ba'i Sgrol ma)

12. On a double lotus and moon, from A appears Yellow Tārā with one face and eight arms. The right hands hold trident, hook, vajra and sword. The left hands hold a jewel at the heart, hook, club and flask. The lord of the type is Vairocana.

13. Arya-parichayika-Tārā, Tārā the Ripener (Yongs su smin mdzad Sgrol ma)

13. On a lotus and sun, from BRUM appears Red Tārā, very fierce. Her first right hand holds a sword, the second an arrow. Her first left hand holds a wheel, the second one a bow. She is in the Alisha posture. The lord of the type is Amithaba.

14. Arya-bhrikuti-Tārā, Tārā with a Frown (Khro gnyer gyo ba'i Sgrol ma)

14. On an orange lotus, sun and human corpse seat, from AT appears Blue Tārā with three faces, black, white, and red. They frown and devour human intestines in their mouths. She has six arms. Her right hands hold sword, hook, and club. The left ones hold skull, noose and Brahma’s heads. She wears a crown and necklace of human heads and is adorned with tiger-skin and snakes. Outside, in the eight directions, shoots of jewel-trees grow. The lord of the type is Amoghasiddhi.

15. Arya-mahashanta-Tārā, Tārā of Great Peace (Zhi ba chen mo'am dge legs ster ba'i Sgrol ma)

15. On a white lotus, from NI appears White Tārā. Her three right hands hold rosary, show wish-granting gesture and hold club. Her three left hands hold lotus, water-jug and book. In the [corresponding] praise it is explained that the book rests on a lotus. The lord of the type is Amithaba.

16. Arya-raga-nishudani-Tārā, Tārā Destroyer of Attachment (Chags pa 'joms pa'i Sgrol ma)

16. On an orange lotus and sun, from E appears Red Tārā. Her right hand holds a trident at the heart, the left one, with forefinger raised, a tree with blossoms and fruit. She sits in the sativa posture. The lord of the type is Aksobya.

17. Arya-sukha-sadhani-Tārā, Tārā Accomplishing Bliss (Bde ba sgrub ba'i Sgrol ma)

17. On a white lotus and sun, from SA appears Orange Tārā. Her two hands holding the orb of the moon at her heart. She sits in the sativa posture. The lord of the type is Amoghasiddhi.

18. Arya-vijaya-Tārā, Victorious Liberating One (Rab tu rgyas pa'i Sgrol ma)

18. On a white lotus with moon and goose, from GI appears white Tārā with four arms. The first pair of hands is joined at the crown and hold hooks. The second pair hold the wish-granting gesture and a lotus with a book. She sits in the sativa posture. The lord of the type is Amithaba.

19. Arya-dukha-dahani-Tārā, Tārā Burner of Suffering (Sdug bsngal bsreg ba'i Sgrol ma)

19. On a white lotus and moon, from JA appears White Tārā. Her two hands hold a furnace at the heart. She sits in the sattva posture, with her right leg slightly extended. The lord of the type is Vairocana.

20. Arya-siddhi-sambhava-Tārā, Tārā Source of Siddhis (Dngos grub byung ba'i Sgrol ma)

20. On a red lotus and moon, from CA appears Orange Tārā. Her two hands hold a golden flask at the heart. She sits in the sativa posture. The lord of the type is Amoghasiddhi.

21. Arya-parinishpanna-Tārā, Tārā the Perfecter (Dngos grub byung ba'i Sgrol ma)

21. From HA appears a most excellent white bull, on top of which are lotus and moon. On this, from PHAT appears White Tārā with three eyes, slightly wrathful. Her right hand holds a trident, the left one a pearl garland. She sits in the arch posture, with right leg extended, and wears a tiger-skin as a lower garment. The lord of the type is Ratnasambhava.

Sacred Image of White Tārā, ‘The Wish-Fulfilling Wheel’

A Brief History of the Sacred Image of White Tārā, ‘The Wish-Fulfilling Wheel’

Of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s residence, known as ‘The Joyful Grove of Immortal Accomplishment,’

in Dzongsar Monastery, Derge, East Tibet

by Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche

Throughout his life, the great master Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo Kunga Tenpé Gyaltsen Pal Zangpo had many visions of White Tārā, during which the wisdom deity actually dissolved into this image. From time to time, she would deliver prophecies, grant teachings and advice, and bestow empowerments by sending out miraculous rays of light, as well as inspiring countless pure visions.

Khyentse Wangpo’s main students and heart-sons too, such as Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thayé, Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa and Tertön Sogyal, received blessings from this image directly and in pure visions. This is clearly described in their own biographies and is also well known from oral accounts.

There is also mention in the secret biography of the second Jamyang Khyentse, Chökyi Lodrö, of how this image of White Tārā granted empowerments, delivered prophecies and bestowed the blessings of longevity, and how other devoted students were able to receive advice from it directly. It is also said that the crackling noise of a butter lamp placed before this very image brought about the revelation of a terma. Therefore it is this very image, which is so sacred and powerful, that has inspired countless pure visions over the years, and which features in so many well-known stories.

In 1967, as the monastery was on the brink of destruction at the hands of communist Chinese hostile to the teachings, a devoted and quick-witted disciple took the image from the wall, concealing it carefully in a cloth, and placed it in a secure location. Later, when the current incarnation of the wish-fulfilling jewel, Dzongsar Khyentse Thubten Chökyi Gyatso, travelled to the reconstructed Dzongsar monastery, the image was taken out and offered to him, and then, after this auspicious event, it was brought to India.

This brief history, written in response to the request of the supreme tulku Sogyal Rinpoche, and to mark the printing of one hundred thousand copies of this sacred image as a support for those with fortunate karma, was composed by Orgyen Tobgyal, who remains under the compassionate protection of the successive incarnations of the Jamgön Lama.