THE SNOW LION BUDDHIST NEWS & CATALOG

Our Tara practice may develop at any of the four levels, from very simple to very elaborate. Different types of shrines are appropriate for each level. At the simpler levels, we prepare a small shrine in a quiet, pleasant spot, with a picture or statue of Tara. Green Tara's picture is perhaps best, as she is really the source of all the Taras. In front of her image, place offerings of incense, a flower, and a lamp or candle. In everyone's eyes flowers are beautiful, so at least offer flowers to honor your practice and your meditation.

For a more complex practice, we can assemble a shrine of two or three levels. The first level is square and roughly the height of an arrow, covered with a red cloth. The second level is placed upon the first. It is a platform a few inches high with a surface smaller than the lower one and also covered with red cloth. The top level is still smaller. On this third platform there should be three images: a statue or image of Buddha Shakyamuni in the center and images of Guru Padmasambhava on his right and of Tara on his left.

On the first level, either place a paper drawing of Tara's mandala or arrange on a plate five small heaps of rice in the four directions and center. Centered on the first level there should also be a bumpa, or ritual vase, with a sprinkler of peacock feathers to which is attached a picture of Tara. The spout of the bumpa, the peacock feathers, and Tara's picture should all face us as we sit in front of the shrine. Prepare saffron water, with other blessing substances if available, to put in the vase.

For offerings, if available, place tormas and small metal skull cups filled with blessing substances on the shrine. If we don't have them, it is all right too.

For an even more elaborate inner tantra practice, we may construct an additional offering. Place a tripod in the center of the shrine and upon it a skull cup with its narrower end facing forward. In the skull cup place melted butter containing blessing materials of the lineage. When the butter is solid, write the Tibetan letter BAM on its surface, then add either an alcoholic beverage or pure spring water layered over the butter. Place a triangle made of wooden pieces on top of the tripod with one point facing front. It is covered with a red cloth folded into four layers, and on the cloth is placed a ritual mirror, or melong, coated with red dust in which the syllable TAM is written. On top of all these, place a quartz crystal.

But if we don't have all these objects and cannot do this sort of thing, it is really all right. Tibetans have always practiced Tara spontaneously, freely, and easily, reciting her mantra while cooking food, planting crops, or in any ordinary place and time. Since Tara is none other than our own true nature, she's always there.

Special Times and Places to Practice
The teachings recommend particular times and places to practice for powerful results. The many secret holy places in the world include the Earth's twenty-four power spots or acupuncture spots, thirty-two holy places, and eight great cemeteries. Guru Padmasambhava said that dakas and dakinis gather to perform ceremonies at those places at specific times such as the tenth and twenty-fifth days of the lunar month. The twenty-fifth day is when practices of the female deities, such as Tara, and the dakini practices are most effective. If we perform practice on those special days it will help to release the knots of our channels and bring a clear understanding, or instant realization, of the wisdom energy nature of our minds and our bodies. If we practice with the right intention, without grasping and clinging, then realizations will emanate and radiate.

Mantra Recitation
Mantra is a profound way to practice Mother Tara. We can't put a picture or statue of Mother Tara inside us, but we can generate the sacred sound energy of Tara inside us. Sound is powerful; it's a gateway or bridge between the world of form and the formless. Mantra is sacred sound. It didn't originate with some ordinary person or thing, but it is the self-voice or original sound of the natural state. Furthermore, the mantra is not just something we are "putting out," it's also something that we are taking in to help ourselves self-actualize. When we first begin to say mantra, we should simply try to be aware that the mantra is more than just our own voice making a series of noises. Realize that the mantra is alive, a manifestation of our inner vajra nature.

Tara's mantra of ten syllables is
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA

We may use this mantra for practicing on all of Tara's emanations. The first syllable OM invokes auspiciousness, peace, and balance. OM is also connected to the body of the buddhas. It grounds us in the practice. TARE, just like Drölma, Tara's Tibetan name, refers to her as the swift and heroic liberator. When you're a hero, you love what you're doing. So Tara is enthusiastic! TARE liberates us from fears and troubles; more profoundly, she liberates us from samsara. TUTTARE reflects her powerful activity of fulfilling all wishes; more profoundly, she brings us to nirvana. With TURE, we move beyond both samsara and nirvana to the ultimate nondual state of the dharmakaya. Finally, SOHA establishes us in the state of complete enlightenment, "firmly like a driven stake."

There are many instructions on how to say mantra. We have heard many great masters chant and each did it a little differently. But in general, we think that mantra should be chanted "like the sound of bees nesting," just loudly enough so we can be sure we're pronouncing each syllable. Chant mantra continuously, without a definite beginning and end to each repetition. Chant with a speed that is as quick as possible while allowing you to keep each syllable clearly in mind. Each syllable is equally important. Meditate that the inner sound of the true nature is merging with the voice.

Mantra recitation is usually combined with a visualization in which we see the mantra circling in the deity's heart-center and experience its sound as self-reciting. Nevertheless, if we can't do this visualization process too clearly, we should not feel guilty or discouraged at our limited capabilities. After all, sentient beings all have limitations. In every aspect of our practice, we should be happy with what we are able to do today and aspire to be able to do more tomorrow. Remember that Tara won't mind. Just don't forget her! That is the key.