Traditional prayer in Tibetan Buddhism

Praises to the Twenty-One Taras is a traditional prayer in Tibetan Buddhism to the female Bodhisattva Tara (Sanskrit: तारा, tārā; Tibetan སྒྲོལ་མ, Drolma) also known as Ārya Tārā, or Jetsun Dolma (Wylie:rje btsun sgrol ma).

It appears in the Derge Kangyur as "“Offering Praise to Tara through Twenty-One [verses] of Homage” (Wylie: sgrol ma la phyag 'tshal ba nyi shu gcig gis bstod pa)."[citation needed]

The prayer is found in all four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.[1][2]

Each of the twenty-one emanations of Tara has her own name, and a specific mantra with which she is associated, offering protection from various types of fears, harm, and calamities.[citation needed]

## Translations[edit]

An early manuscript version, titled Twenty-One Hymns to the Rescuer Mother of Buddhas (二十一種救度佛母贊), described as an "Imperially commissioned translation of the hymn to the rescuer mother of Buddhas ... in Manchu, Tibetan, Mongolian, and Chinese scripts", was created in the late 18th century by calligrapher Yongrong 永瑢 (1744–1790). It is held by the National Library of China.[3]

## Commentaries[edit]

Modern English language commentaries include 2007 works by Palden Sherab, and by Adeu Rinpoche and Urgyen Rinpoche[4][5] a 2005 work by Thubten Chodron,[6] a 1999 work by Bokar Rinpoche,[7] and a 1992 work by Martin Willson.[8]

Online commentaries include a 1997 commentary by Khempo Yurmed Tinly Rinpoche,[9] a 2004 commentary by Palden Sherab,[10] and a 2013 commentary by Geshe Dawö.[11]

Extensive descriptions of traditional rituals associated with Tara, including the "Twenty-One Praises", can be found in Steven V. Beyer's 1978 book, The cult of Tārā: magic and ritual in Tibet.[12]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Homage to Tara – 21 Praises to Tara". Tibetan Buddhism General Discussions on Red Zambala. Archived from the original on 2014-06-22. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
2. ^ "Green Tara Puja". Sakya Kechari Institute. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
3. ^ "Manuscript of a Mongolian Sūtra". World Digital Library. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
4. ^ Palden Sherab (2007). Tara's enlightened activity: an oral commentary on the twenty-one praises to Tara. Ithaca, N.Y: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 9781559392877.
5. ^ Urgyen (2007). Skillful grace: Tara practice for our times. Hong Kong: Rangjung Yeshe. ISBN 9789627341611.
6. ^ Thubten Chodron (2013). How to free your mind: the practice of Tara the liberator (Reprint ed.). Snow Lion. ISBN 9781559393980.
7. ^ Bokar Rinpoche (1999). Tara: the divine feminine. San Francisco, Calif.: ClearPoint Press. ISBN 9781930164000.
8. ^ Willson, Martin (1996). In praise of Tārā: songs to the Saviouress: source texts from India and Tibet on Buddhism's great Goddess. Boston, Mass: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0861711092.
9. ^ Khempo Yurmed Tinly Rinpoche (1997-04-04). "Translation: Green Tara Puja Commentary". Osel Dorje Nyingpo. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
10. ^ Palden Sherab (2004). The smile of sun and moon: a commentary on the Praise to the Twenty-one Taras. Boca Raton, FL: Sky Dance Press. ISBN 1880975076.
11. ^ "Commentary on the Praise to Twenty-One Taras eBook". FPMT The Foundation Store. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
12. ^ Beyer, Stephan V (1978). The cult of Tārā: magic and ritual in Tibet. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 9780520036352.

## External links[edit]

* "Systems of Twenty-one Taras". Himalayan Art. Retrieved 2014-06-22. (illustrated, traditional)
* "The Praise to the Twenty-One Taras". Sky Dancer Press. Retrieved 2014-06-22. (illustrated, modern)

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Buddhas in Buddhist Literature

7 Buddhas of Past|

1. Vipaśyin
2. Śikhin
3. Viśvabhū
4. Krakucchanda
5. Kanakamuni
6. Kāśyapa
7. Gautama

28 Buddhas|

1. Tṛṣṇaṃkara
2. Medhaṃkara
3. Śaraṇaṃkara
4. Dīpaṃkara
5. Kauṇḍinya
6. Maṃgala
7. Sumanas
8. Raivata
9. Śobhita
10. Anavamadarśin
11. Padma
12. Nārada
13. Padmottara
14. Sumedha
15. Sujāta
16. Priyadarśin
17. Arthadarśin
18. Dharmadarśin
19. Siddhārtha
20. Tissa Buddha
21. Puṣya
22. Vipaśyin
23. Śikhin
24. Viśvabhū
25. Krakucchanda
26. Kanakamuni
27. Kāśyapa
28. Gautama

Future Buddhas|

1. Maitreya
2. Uttararama
3. Pasenadi
4. Abhibhū
5. Dīghasoṇī
6. Caṅkī (Candanī)
7. Subha
8. Todeyya
9. Nāḷāgirī
10. Pālileyya

Five Tathagatas|

1. Vairocana
2. Akshobhya
3. Amitābha
4. Ratnasaṃbhava
5. Amoghasiddhi

Adi Buddha|

1. Samantabhadra (in Nyingma)
2. Vajradhara (in the Sarma schools)
3. Kalachakra (in the Sarma schools)
4. Vairocana

Trinity|

1. Bhaisajyaguru
2. Shakyamuni
3. Amitābha

Thirty-five Confession Buddhas|

1. Śākyamuni
2. Vajrapramardī
3. Ratnārśiṣ
4. Nāgeśvararāja
5. Vīrasena
6. Vīranandī
7. Ratnāgni
8. Ratnacandraprabha
9. Amoghadarśi
10. Ratnacandra
11. Vimala
12. Śūradatta
13. Brahma
14. Brahmadatta
15. Varuṇa
16. Varuṇadeva
17. Bhadraśrī
18. Candanaśrī
19. Anantaujas
20. Prabhāśrī
21. Aśokaśrī
22. Nārāyaṇa
23. Kusumaśrī
24. Tathāgata Brahmajyotivikrīḍitābhijña
25. Tathāgata Padmajyotirvikrīditābhijña
26. Dhanaśrī
27. Smṛtiśrī
28. Suparikīrtitanāmagheyaśrī
29. Indraketudhvajarāja
30. Suvikrāntaśrī
31. Yuddhajaya
32. Vikrāntagāmī
33. Samantāvabhāsavyūhaśrī
34. Ratnapadmavikramī
35. Ratnapadmasupraṭiṣṭhita-śailendrarāja

Buddhas of present fortunate aeon|

1. Kakusandha
2. Koṇāgamana
3. Kassapa
4. Gautama
5. Maitreya

Buddhas of Past in Lalitavistara|

1. Padmottara
2. Dharmaketu
3. Dīpaṃkara
4. Guṇaketu
5. Mahākara
6. Ṛṣideva
7. Śrītejas
8. Satyaketu
9. Vajrasaṃhata
10. Sarvābhibhū
11. Hemavarṇa
12. Atyuccagāmin
13. Prabālasāgara
14. Puṣpaketu
15. Vararūpa
16. Sulocana
17. Ṛṣigupta
18. Jinavaktra
19. Unnata
20. Puṣpita
21. Ūrṇatejas
22. Puṣkara
23. Suraśmi
24. Maṅgala
25. Sudarśana
26. Mahā­siṃha­tejas
27. Sthita­buddhi­datta
28. Vasanta­gandhin
29. Satya­dharma­vipula­kīrti
30. Tiṣya
31. Puṣya
32. Lokasundara
33. Vistīrṇabheda
34. Ratnakīrti
35. Ugratejas
36. Brahmatejas
37. Sughoṣa
38. Supuṣpa
39. Sumanojñaghoṣa
40. Suceṣṭarūpa
41. Prahasitanetra
42. Guṇarāśi
43. Meghasvara
44. Sundaravarṇa
45. Āyustejas
46. Salīlagajagāmin
47. Lokābhilāṣita
48. Jitaśatru
49. Sampūjita
50. Vipaśyin
51. Śikhin
52. Viśvabhū
53. Krakucchanda
54. Kanakamuni
55. Kāśyapa

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