Thupten Shedrub Gyatso, who was a Tulku in one of the Palyul Monasteries, wrote this commentary. His present incarnation, Rago Chogtrul currently lives in Tibet.
Translation by Khenpo Tenzin Norgey ~ Spring, 2004,
Palyul Retreat Center, Mc Donough, NY USA ~Wood Monkey Year 2131
There are many different Indian and Tibetan traditions explaining this “tantra[i] [1]of praise”. Motivated by devotion, I will explain this tantra in accordance with “The Treasure Vase of Essential Great Bliss of Inner Practice”, which is the profound mind-treasure[ii] teaching of the omniscient Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa. Each of the twenty-one verses is praise to twenty-one manifestations.
Homage to mother Tara, swift and fearless,
Your eyes are like flashing lightning.
Born from the blossoming stamens
Of the lotus face of the Lord of Three Worlds.
The first praise is to Nyurma Palmo,Tib the “Fearless Swift Lady”. Here we pay homage to the lady of activity who liberates beings from the temporal and perennial sufferings of samsara[iii]. She is called “Swift Lady” because her impartial compassion[iv] benefits beings without even an instant’s delay. She is the “Fearless Lady”, because she has the unhindered power to subdue demons, as well as the afflictions of beings. She protects beings from all fears. Her wisdom eyes move like the flash of lightning as she fully cognizes all phenomena. The lady endowed with omniscience, compassion, power, and activity was born from “the teardrops of the stamen-like eyes of the fully blossomed lotus-like face of Avalokiteshvara[v], the Savior of Three Worlds”. The three worlds are the sub-terrestrial, terrestrial and celestial realms, (the worlds of nagas[vi], humans, and gods, respectively).
Tara is seductive, and has the youthfulness of the rising sun, and a semi-wrathful smile. Her right hand is in the boon-giving mudra[vii], and her left hand holds a blue lotus upon which is a right-turning conch. This symbolizes her mastery of the two truths[viii] and bodhicitta[ix] in this world, and in the god realm[x]. The outer meaning of the praise literally praises the nirmanakaya aspect of the Noble Lady. In the inner aspect of the praise, if not taken literally, her sambhogakaya and dharmakaya aspects are praised. The “Savior of the Three Worlds” is the dharmakaya, and its manifestation is the rupakaya, or “form body,” (which is composed of the sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya).
[i] tantra skt ~ Buddhist texts that outline the practices of the Vajra vehicle
[ii] mind treasure ~ An inspired teaching (terma) revealed directly from the Buddha-mind, by a treasure revealer, (terton) .
[iii] samsara skt ~ Cyclic existence, the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth characterized by suffering and dominated by the three poisons: ignorance, desire and hatred.
[iv] compassion ~ Sensitivity to the sufferings experienced by sentient beings, coupled with a desire to help them overcome suffering and its causes.
[v] Avalokiteshvara skt (Chenrezig) ~The Buddha of compassion.
[vi] naga ~ A snake-like being living in the depths of water or underground. Although they have miraculous powers, they are classified as belonging to the lower realm.
[vii] mudra skt ~ A gesture that has specific meaning used in Tantric practice as a support.
[viii] two truths ~ The absolute truth and relative truth.
[ix] bodhicitta skt ~ The mind of enlightenment. The altruistic intention to become enlightened in order to benefit others
[x] god realm ~ One of the six realms of cyclic existence, characterized by seemingly unending pleasure and leisure.
