Part 3: 21 Taras of Mahasidda Suryagupta: after curing him of leprosy, Tara taught him Her Twenty-One forms
Bodhisattvas, Deities, Tara
Suryagupta, one of the great Eighty-four Mahasiddas (7th/8th century), had countless visions of glorious Mother Tara. She so cherished the great master — also known as Ravigupta or “Nyi ma be pa” in Tibetan — that she first ...
Part 2, Surya Gupta 21 Taras: meditating on virtuous body of Tara; distinct embodiments of Tara’s Compassion and Wisdom
Buddhist Practices, Dakini, Deities, Enlightened Feminine in Buddhism, Tantra, Tara, Vajrayana Buddhism and Practices
"As Tara did, we develop the potential of our minds to attain full Enlightenment through meditation. Meditation is a process of focusing our mind on a virtuous object." — From Tara in the Palm of Your Hand [1] ...
Mother Tara’s many-armed protective embrace: 21 Taras according to Surya Gupta — a very special celebration of Supreme Mother Tara, the Liberator
Buddha, Buddhist Practices, Dakini, Deities, Enlightened Feminine in Buddhism, Tantra, Tara, Vajrayana Buddhism and Practices
There's something very precious and special about Tara, the protective Mother, adored by millions around the world. Her energy is, at its root, wisdom — the female Enlightened Buddha. Tara is as approachable as our own mothers. She ...
Four heroic incarnations of Ksitigarbha, the “Earth Store” Bodhisattva — unfailing, never-tiring compassion
Bodhisattvas, Buddhist Sutras and Sutta English, Deities, Dharma, Mahayana
Ksitigarbha is a bodhisattva revered by millions across East Asia — honoured by the Buddha Himself due to his "untiring limitless compassion" — and his vows to help all sentient beings. He is also popularly known as Lord ...
Sadhanas: the secret sauce recipe of Vajrayana Buddhism — the ingredients that make it effective, and how to embrace its elegant formulas
Deities, Tantra, Vajrayana Buddhism and Practices, What the Buddhist Teachers Say
Sadhanas in Vajrayana are (metaphorically) the recipes to successful Buddhist realizations. As with a chef in the kitchen, you don’t have to use the recipe — but it ensures a good result. The spectacular result, as with fine ...
Mama Buddha Tara: Compassionate Action; Stories of Tara the Rescuer
Bodhisattvas, Buddha, Buddhist Practices, Dakini, Deities, Enlightened Feminine in Buddhism, Mahayana, Mantra, Tantra, Tara, Vajrayana Buddhism and Practices
"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 ...
Longing for Tara — “Hook me with your great love and kindness to liberate me…”
Buddhist Practices, Dakini, Deities, Enlightened Feminine in Buddhism, Tara
Green Tara is a deity of the “heart.” While all the Buddhas can be seen as Oneness and Omniscient — and therefore practicing one Buddha can be seen as practicing all Buddhas —there is something “precious,” personal and ...
The bridge between science and Buddhism, atoms and no atoms, theism and athiesm; Yidam deity meditation and the Cognitive Science of Tantra
Deities, Scientific Buddhist, Vajrayana Buddhism and Practices
"As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear-headed science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about atoms this much: There is no matter as ...
Mother Earth: witness of Lord Buddha’s merits: Vasudhara, Phra Mae Thorani, Prithvi, Bhumi — the witness of all our merits
Deities, Dharma
One of the often-overlooked aspects of the story of Buddha’s Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree is the dual significance of the “Bhumi Sparsha” — the Earth Witness Mudra. By touching the Earth, to be a witness of His ...
Deity Yoga: Science or Superstition? Vajrayana Deity Meditation Proves Invaluable in Preventing Cognitive Disorders. In What Other Ways is Vajrayana Buddhist Deity Practice More Science than Religion?
Deities, Vajrayana Buddhism and Practices, What the Buddhist Teachers Say
Deity Yoga in Tibetan Buddhism is very often misunderstood. In apparent contradiction to the implied meaning of "deity" — which is really a mistranslation of the Sanskrit "deva" — there might, in fact, be more science than superstition ...
Miracles of Great Black Mahakala: three Men in Black, the Mahakala brothers, the Dalai Lama, and a crow
Deities, Tantra, Vajrayana Buddhism and Practices
"You come from your tree... You, the Great Black One, the Great Crow. Glorious Six-Armed One, homage and praise to you! Sternly protect the doctrine of the Buddha!" [1] Crows and the Men in Black are recurring themes ...
The many faces of Avalokiteshvara’s compassion: sometimes we need a father or mother, sometimes a friend, sometimes a warrior
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 ...