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21 Taras for 21 fears, dangers, and obstacles!
Tara, as the Karma Mother, is near to us at all times. She was there, according to tradition, under the Bodhi Tree, defending Shakyamuni Buddha. Her activity is very tangible — in our lives, our world. She is the Buddha closest to us.
For this reason, Tara, and her 21 aspects, are daily praise and practice for millions of Buddhists around the world. The very special lineage teaching of Surya Gupta — the great Mahasiddha so beloved of Tara — is a rare practice. Normally, the teachings are delivered one at a time on consecutive days or weeks. For this reason, 21 Tara teaching events according to Surya Gupta lineage, are rare.
Don’t let the kind face of Mother Tara fool you — even the most wrathful of deities bow to her Wisdom activity. The question is not whether She can help — there’s no question of that — but whether it’s appropriate to ask an Enlightened Buddha for mundane help. (Hint, She’s a forgiving mother, of course it’s okay to ask!)
For a 3-part illustrated feature on the 21 Taras according to Surya Gupta see:
June 6, 2021 — starts 21 Weeks of Beloved Taras
Starting June 6 at 2pm (PT) or 5pm (ET), with a Green Tara empowerment event on Zoom, Venerable Zasep Rinpoche will individually teach the practices of the 21 Taras — one each Sunday for 22 weeks: Green Tara, then the 21 Taras.
The 21 Taras according to the Surya Gupta visualizations. In the Surya Gupta tradition each Tara has unique symbolic attributes, not only colour, but number of arms, tools, hand mudras and expressions.
Zasep Rinpoche, who wrote the massively popular book Tara in the Palm of Your Hand — which covers the 21 Taras practice — will instruct on one Tara each Sunday. In each teaching, he will introduce each aspect, visualization, practice, and mantra:
- Her name and appearance and aspects
- Her rite.
- Her activities: each Tara has specialized activities, such as healing, prosperity, or removing obstacles.
- Her visualization: a guided meditation on her appearance and how to invoke her presence.
- Her praise
- Her specific mantra: each Tara in the 21 Taras according to Surya Gupta has her own mantra. The mantras require permission verbally — which Rinpoche will provide through mantra “lung” or transmission during the live event on Zoom.
Venerable Zasep Rinpoche teaching at a Tara weekend using the commentary book, Tara in the Palm of Your Hand, as a reference.
Green Tare Guided Practice with Zasep Rinpoche
This is an earlier teaching session at Gaden Choling on Green Tara with Venerable Zasep Rinpoche:
Surya Gupta Lineage Tradition
In the Surya Gupta tradition, each of the 21 Taras appears quite different. Each aspect — while one with the essence of Tara — represents a different activity. For images of the 21 Taras, see the three-part series in Buddha Weekly, starting with “Mother Tara’s Many-Armed Embrace”>>
Tara appears to the great Mahasiddha Surya Gupta in the wilderness. Surya Gupta and Atisha were both famous sages who passed on lineage teachings of the 21 activity forms of Tara, but most of the sages relied on Tara in their daily lives. Beautiful art from Ben Christian.
Starts June 6 — Green Tara Initiation
More details to follow.
About Zasep Rinpoche
Zasep Rinpoche’s teachers and gurus are of illustrious lineage. From the Buddha Weekly Review:
“Some of the most illustrious masters of the last century, who, besides the Dalai Lama and his Root Guru Trijang Rinpoche, included: Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Tara Tulku Rinpoche, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Lati Rinpoche, and Guru Deva Rinpoche.”
Venerable Zasep Rinpoche is the spiritual guide and founder for many meditation centers in Canada, the United States, Australia, and also teaches in Mongolia and Mexico. He is fluent in more than one language and a popular teacher. He first began teaching in English in Australia, where he translated for Tibetan teachers at the invitation of Lama Yeshe.
He is the spiritual director of Gaden for the West, Gaden Choling Toronto, Tashi Choling and Zuru Ling, among others.
Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is a popular teacher who brings Dharma to students all over the world, with Dharma centers in Canada, US, Australia. He also tours to Mongolia and many other countries. His teachings are also now a weekly event on YouTube and Zoom.
Rinpoche explained in his Autobiography, A Tulku’s Journey from Tibet to Canada, what formed his life as a teacher:
“To become who I am today, I began with many advantages. I was born into a loving, well-to-do family in an incredibly beautiful homeland rich in tradition, and I was given a rigorous spiritual education from highly realized Buddhist masters. Later on in my youth, I had a lot of suffering. I had to flee my homeland, I had to endure great hardship and loss as a refugee, and I had to adapt to a strange new world with values and customs so very different from the ones I had learned as a child. My experiences as a refugee faced with building a new life made me who I am today.”
Long Life prayer for Zasep Rinpoche by His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche:
“Immortal Rain” Long-Life Prayer for Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche
Wisdom of all the Buddhas, eternal adamantine nature,
clad in the three maroon robes and displaying the marks of perfection,
Lobsang Gyalwa Tsedzin (Tsongkapa), benefactor of life,
Please grant the joyous occasion for the attainment of immortality, Here and now!
Lobsang Tenzin Gyalsten (Zasep Rinpoche), Treasure of knowledge ofJamgon’s (Tsongkapa’s) noble heritage and wish-fulfilling power; Concerned solely with upholding the Dharma in both theory and practice, You please all the infinite Buddhas immensely,
Oh, learned propagator and holy teacher, please stay firmly with us!
The pure white light of your peerless wisdom
Reveals the bountiful jasmine garden of Dharma’s precepts and training. May your smile, like full moon in a night in ‘the autumn,
Shine undiminished until the end of existence.
Bodhisattva Lobsang Tenzin Gyalsten,
Please remain firmly with us!
Though the pernicious mind, like an elephant, is difficult to tame, You have controlled it with the sharp hook of mental alertness. Never crossing beyond the rules of Vinaya,
May you. Reverend Elder, truly live long!
Explaining in detail through exacting discernment,
The lapis-lazuli lineage of the Sutras and Tantras,
In well-spoken rhymes of complete perfection,
May your melodious tones always proclaim the Scriptures and grace the ears of we fortunate ones!
Thus the teachings of Father Jampal Nyingpo (Tsongkhapa), are like a wick in a lamp of refined molten gold,
May you through your life of purity and goodness,
Be one who raises its flame higher and higher,
and ever remain steadfastly with us!
By the compassion of the Triple Gem and the ocean of Conquerors; By the power of the Dharma Protectors long-trusted and honoured; By the true strength of unequivocal causal interdependence;
May the purpose of this prayer be accomplished,
Spontaneously and without hindrance!
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