Chittamani Tara (Cittamani)- the “Mind Jewel” Green Tara, an approachable and appealing Highest Yoga Anuttara practice – one of the main practices of many great Gelug teachers
Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Deities, Mahayana, Tantra, Tara, Vajrayana, What the Buddhist Teachers Say
Many Tara practitioners wonder why there are so many Taras: 21 Taras, 108 Taras, 1008 Taras — and more. Peaceful Taras. Motherly Taras. Green, White, Black, Blue, Red, Yellow, Gold, Orange Taras. And Taras in all four of ...
Buddhist Ganesha: popular Ganapati’s many forms include enlightened Yidam, protector, and “bringer of success”…
Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Buddhist Practices, Mahayana, Tantra, Vajrayana
Buddhist Ganesha's appeal is wide-reaching, not just amongst the spiritual. Ganesh tatoos and t-shirts are very popular worldwide. There is, a "life-affirming" quality about his image, even for the non-religious. Ganesha has star power. He even appears in ...
The 8 Great Bodhisattvas represent the 8 Great Qualities of Buddha; why we need these qualities to help heal the world
Avalokiteshvara Chenrezig Guan Yin, Bodhisattvas, Deities, Dharma
The Compassion and Wisdom of the Bodhisattvas are reassuring in times of crisis. Today, with COVID-19 and economic devastation — and the inevitable hunger and suffering that follow such disasters — we take refuge in our compassionate Bodhisattva ...
Chenrezig: the many faces of Avalokiteshvara’s compassion — sometimes we need a father or mother, sometimes a friend, sometimes a warrior
Avalokiteshvara Chenrezig Guan Yin, Bodhisattvas, Deities
Sometimes we need the gentle mother or father to guide us. We often need a best friend to console us, pat our back, pick us back up and inspire us to work harder. Or, we might need the ...
Youthful Manjushri: the flowering of wisdom; the gentle Buddha who cuts through ignorance with his flaming sword
Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Mahayana, Mantra, Tantra
Of all the Buddhist meditational deities — and, of all the Bodhisattvas we meet in the sutras — the overwhelming feeling with Manjushri is “gentle wisdom” and “gentle friend.” We feel warm, comforted, and supported in the youthful ...
Tara, the Saviour, and Vajrayogini the Sarvabuddhadakini: how are they different, and how are they the one? The importance of Female Buddhas: Wisdom personified
Bodhisattvas, Buddhist Practices, Enlightened Feminine in Buddhism, Mahayana, Tantra, Tara, Vajrayana
Vajrayogini “is the original and prototypical female Buddha of the Tantric pantheon… compassionate, all-knowing, and supremely blissful… Vajrayogini reigns supreme as the Sarvabuddhadakini, ‘Dakini Whose Essence is That of All Buddhas.’” [2] On the other hand, Tara appears ...
Veneration Practice and Devotion According to the Ksitigarbha Sutra: Why Devotion is Not Superstition
Bodhisattvas, Buddhist Practices, Zen and Chan
Editor: In a special feature, author Eddie Sobenes explores The Sutra of the Fundamental Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, emphasizing the differences between the meritorious karma activity of "devotion" versus "superstition." In the Chinese Buddhist Canon, there are three ...
Mama Buddha Tara: Compassionate Action; Stories of Green Tara the Rescuer — How She Can Help You
Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Buddhist Practices, Dakini, Deities, Enlightened Feminine in Buddhism, Mahayana, Mantra, Tantra, Tara, Vajrayana
"Tara is without doubt the most beloved female deity in Tibetan Buddhism, revered for her swiftness in helping those who rely on her. She has been described as a Buddha for our modern age, a sublime personification of ...
Healing Parnashavari — Tara’s 20th emanation: specialist in Contagious Disease and COVID-19: How to practice her mantra and sadhana
Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Buddhist Practices, Tantra, Tara, Vajrayana
"Tara dressed in leaves" is Parnashavari, the 20th emanation of Tara in the 21 Taras Praise.[3] Her name literally translates from Sanskrit to English as a "leaf-clad goddess" — a treasured and revered emanation of Tara relied upon ...
Great Mother of Wisdom Prajnaparamita Yum Chenmo, the Face of Perfection: Wisdom Personified, “Emptiness is Form” Manifested
Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Buddhist Practices, Buddhist Sutras and Sutta English, Vajrayana
Why do we call Prajnaparamita — and Her Emanations, such as Tara — the Mother of the Buddhas? Is Prajnaparamita a Sutra or a Goddess or both? Venerable Zasep Rinpoche explained, "Prajnaparamita means ’The Perfection of Wisdom’ in Mahayana ...
Guanyin: “Most Widely Beloved Buddhist Divinity”; Devotion to the 33 Forms of Compassion and Love
Avalokiteshvara Chenrezig Guan Yin, Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Deities, Dharma, Enlightened Feminine in Buddhism, Mahayana
Guanyin is often referred to as the "most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity."[2] Why? Because Her love is unconditional, all-embracing — with all 1000 arms! — and She will never cease her merciful activity until all beings are rescued ...
Lama Tsongkhapa: A Short, Powerful Practice Helps Bring Compassion, Wisdom, Good Fortune, and Healing
Bodhisattvas, Buddhist Practices, Deities, Lama Tsongkhapa, Lamrim Graduated Path to Enlightenment, Mantra, Tantra, Teachers, Vajrayana
"In my opinion, having the opportunity to practice the guru yoga of the great holy being Lama Tsongkhapa, is more fortunate than having the chance to receive and practice other Dharma teachings," wrote Lama Zopa Rinpoche, in the ...