Notes

n.1There have been a number of modern studies on the history of Tārā worship in India and Tibet. While scholars present varying theories on its origin, they commonly agree that the goddess’s worship gained increasing popularity in India from the sixth century onward. Tibetan histories recount the story of Tārā’s introduction to Tibet in the early seventh century in the form of a sandalwood statue included in the Nepalese princess Bhṛkutī’s dowry when she married the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo (srong btsan sgam po, 617–50). A few texts dedicated to Tārā were translated into Tibetan in the following centuries, but Stephan Beyer (1978, pp. 5–13) argues that the worship of Tārā did not take firm root in Tibet until the eleventh century, when it was actively promoted by Atiśa (982–1054). Rachael Stevens provides a comprehensive introduction to Tārā in her 2010 dissertation.

n.2Toh 724–31.

n.3Lessing and Wayman 1983, pp. 126–27.

n.4Skt. Namastāraikaviṃśatistotra­guṇahitasahita, Tib. sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa. See Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Toh 438), Samye Translations 2020. The Tibetan translators chose not to translate the praise into Tibetan but instead followed the common practice of rendering a dhāraṇī or mantra in a Tibetan transliteration of the Sanskrit. This untranslated transcription represents an important witness of the Sanskrit manuscript it was based upon, and it was deemed significant enough by Alex Wayman to be used as the basis of his own edition and translation of the praise (Wayman 2002, p. 443). Notably, in this tantra alone, and in no other version of the text, the praise is preceded by the mantra namaḥ sarva­tathāgatānāṃ tadyathā oṁ namaḥ sūkasaṃ namas tārāyai pārantāre. Noteworthy also is that the translators treated the concluding colophon that follows the twenty-seventh verse of the praise as part of the incantation and rendered it in transliterated Sanskrit as well.

n.5See also Willson (1996, pp. 44–49) for his summary of The Tārā Tantra.

n.6Beyer 1978, p. 476.

n.7Beyer 1978, p. 476, n. 53. See also Willson 1996, p. 49.

n.8See Willson 1996, pp. 44–86.

n.9This translation follows H, K, Y, N, and S in reading dgu po rgyud mang (Skt. śūrpavīṇā ). D, C, K, J, and U have gau rgyud mangs.

n.10This translation follows C, D, J, K, Y, and U in reading las so so’i sgo nas (“by means of these different rites”); H, N, and S read so so’i sgo nas (“by individual means”).

n.11“Oṁ, all phenomena are pure by nature. I am pure by nature.”

n.12“Oṁ, may I generate bodhicitta.”

n.13Here and below, this translation follows D, H, N, S, and U in reading de bzhin gshegs pa’i yum (“mother of the tathāgatas”). C, J, K, and Y read bde bar gsheg pa’i yum (“mother of the sugatas”).

n.14This translation follows S in reading ngang pa (“goose”) rather than D: dad pa (“faith”).

n.15“Oṁ, an ocean of offering clouds of incense (dhūpa) radiates out to all tathāgatas. Samaya hūṁ.” The same phrasing is then repeated, with the word “incense” replaced with, respectively, flowers (puṣpa), light (āloka), perfume (gandha), food (naivedya), and music (śabda).

n.16What follows is the famous Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage, which the Tibetan translators of The Tārā Tantra elected to preserve in transliterated Sanskrit. That practice has been followed here. In doing so, the standalone Tibetan translation of Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Toh 438; see Samye Translations 2020) has been consulted, as well as the Sanskrit editions of the praise prepared by Wayman and Pandey. Though these witnesses are largely in agreement and without major variants, minor emendations to the Sanskrit text have been made here.

n.17It is unclear what the correct Sanskrit for the Tibetan transliteration sūkasam might have been.

n.18Tāramātā is a conjectural emendation. D, S: tA ra mi tA; N: tA ra ma mi tA; H: tA ra mi mi tA; Y, K: tA ra mi tA ra. This line is not included in the Tibetan translation (Toh 438) or Sanskrit editions of the praise.

n.19Reading kṣana-dyuti-nibhekṣaṇe for kṣanair dyuti-nibhekṣaṇe, as the former rendering appears below and is supported by the published Sanskrit editions.

n.20“This sūtra of Blessed Lady Tārā was spoken by the completely perfect Buddha.”

n.21The Sanskrit underlying what we have rendered here as samayā ulakaraye is unclear.

n.22Buddhaṃ ca dharmaṃ ca saṅghaṃ ca is a conjecture based on D and S: bud+d+ha ni tsa d+har+ma Ni tsa saM g+ha ni tsa.

n.23C, J, K, and Y read yum sgrol ma’i gzugs phun sum tshogs par ’gyur ro/ ’khor phun sum tshogs pa la sogs pa phun sum tshogs pa thams cad thob par ’gyur ro, which would translate as “they will have the perfect form of Tārā and obtain a perfect retinue as well as all other perfect attributes.”

n.24N, H, and S read sdang ba (“hostility”) where C, D, J, K, and Y read ltas ngan pa (“bad omens”).

n.25Trāyate tārate is a conjectural emendation of the Degé reading tre ya te tA ra te: C, J, and KY read tre yaM te tra ra te, N has tre ya te tra ra te, and H has tre ya te tA ra tra. The emended text could be translated as “Homage to all tathāgatas, perfect buddhas! O Tārā, who protects and liberates!”

n.26All the Tibetan editions of this text read taṁ throughout for the seed syllable of Tārā. However, it is consistently found in the Sādhanamālā, other Sanskrit sources, and the Tibetan tradition as tāṁ. Thus, we emend from taṁ to tāṁ when appropriate.

n.27“Oṁ! Vajra, blaze! Vajra, expand! Hūṁ phaṭ!”

n.28H, N, and S read a in place of e.

n.29H and N read paṃ.

n.30This reading follows H and N: pakṣa-viśuddha. D has prakṣa-viśuddha.

n.31Vyutthāna is a conjectural emendation of bu thA na.

n.32C, K, and U have samantaśuddha; Y has samantavidha.

n.33“ Oṁ, the purity of the realm of phenomena, hūṁ! Oṁ aṃ, the purity of the sphere, hūṁ! Oṁ, complete purity, hūṁ! Oṁ, the purity of the full moon, hūṁ! Oṁ, the purity of the revival of what has been damaged, hūṁ! Oṁ, homage to the maṇḍala of all tathāgatas, the complete purity, hūṁ !”

n.34This translation follows S in reading gru chad bzhi dang ldan pa, rather than D: gru tshad bzhi dang ldan pa.

n.35This translation follows H, N, and S in reading phyag g.yas kyis mchog sbyin. C, D, J, K, and Y read phyag g.yas pa mchod sbyin.

n.36“One faced” (zhal gcig) is absent from H, N, and S.

n.37“Seat” (gdan) is absent from H, N, and S.

n.38The text does not clarify who or what “both” (Tib. gnyis ka) refers to. Willson (1996, p. 66) suggests that it refers to the person who conjures the apparition and the person witnessing it.

n.39Here, Willson (1996, p. 66) conjectures that only the viewer is confused by an illusion, not the one who conjures it.

n.40“With an empty space between them” (khong stong du) is absent from H, N, and S.

n.41There is wide variation in this mantra across the versions of the Tibetan translation. This rendering of the mantra and the translation that follows are tentative: “ Oṁ, all tathāgatas! I am the vajra, expand! I am the vajra of all tathāgatas, expand! Hūṁ !”

n.42“ Oṁ , the blazing wish-fulfilling jewel of all tathāgatas! All tathāgatas, I do this for purification, for complete purification, svāhā !”

n.43“ Oṁ, the vajra samaya of all tathāgatas, hūṁ !”

n.44This mantra has been emended based on the reading in N and H: kramakrānti; S: kramakranti; as well as a similar reading in D below. Here, D reads tramātrānti.

n.45The Sanskrit word transliterated in Tibetan here is ambiguous.

n.46This line, which is also found in Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage, has been emended based on the Sanskrit editions of that text.

n.47The mantras for enthralling, increasing, rites, and pacifying nāgas begin with the same formula, of which the seed syllable changes for the increasing mantra; this formula is then followed by a phrase appropriate to the activity. The first mantra can be translated as “ Oṁ, Tārā, Tārā! Tuttārā! All space is filled with the syllable hūṁ ! You who traverse the seven worlds!” The syllable hūṁ is used for the enthralling, rites, and nāga-pacification mantras. It is replaced by svāhā for the increasing mantra. The second part of the mantra for enthralling reads, “You who are able to magnetize all without exception, hṛīḥ!” For increasing, it reads, “Increase all without exception, you who are able to magnetize, ho!” For rites it reads, “Uṣṇīṣa! Alikaraya [?], you who are able to magnetize, phaṭ!” For pacifying nāgas it reads, “Pacify all without exception, you who are able to magnetize, phaṭ !”

n.48The reading jvālākulekṣaṇe is a conjecture and is based on similar readings from Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage.

n.49The reading vibhūṣite bhūṣitāśeṣa follows S: bi b+hU Shi te b+hU Shi tA she Sha. S offers the most intelligible transliteration of the mantra among versions of the Tibetan translation.

n.50This reading follows S: tsa kra ni ka ra. D has tsa kra kA ra.

n.51The reading udaya-bhūmaye is conjectural. D has u ti a ya bu mi ye, while S reads u ti a ya b+hu mi ye.

n.52This mantra consists of an homage to the guardians of the directions, plus the sun and moon. The deities from Indra to Kubera guard the east, south, west, and north respectively; from here one would expect Agni, Nairṛti, Vāyu, and Īśa/Īśāna to be listed for the southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast respectively. Indrapāla, whose name is unexpected in this list, is perhaps intended to be understood as Īśa/Īśāna. The mantra, including the emendations made here, can be translated as “ Oṁ, to Indra! To Yama! To Varuṇa! To the Yakṣa (= Kubera)! To Agni! To Vāyu! To the rākṣasa Nairṛti! Oṁ, to Indrapāla! To the Sun! To the Moon! To the earth from which they arise! The letter a is at the head, as all phenomena are unarisen from the beginning. Oṁ āḥ hūṁ phaṭ svāhā !”

n.53“Infused with white sandalwood (tsan+dan dkar po)” is absent from N and S.

n.54“White” (dkar po) is absent from N and S.

n.55Commonly translated as “single form,” dpa’ mo gcig ma (Skt. ekavīrā) refers to the sole visualization of the chief deity without her accompanying maṇḍala deities. It is translated here as “single heroine” to echo the use of dpa’ mo (“heroine,” Skt. vīrā) in the same context in paragraphs above and below to designate Tārā as the chief deity of the maṇḍala.

n.56“Throngs of humans” (mi’i tshogs) is absent from H, N, and S.

n.57“Vibrancy” (bkrag) is absent from K and Y.

n.58K and Y read thabs (“skill”) instead of stobs (“strength”).

n.59C, D, J, K, Y, and U read nyi zla’i steng (“upon sun and moon disks”) where H, N, and S have nyi ma’i steng (“upon a sun disk”).

n.60H, N, and S omit “together with countless goddesses” (lha mo dpag tu med pa dang bcas pa).

n.61S reads nyi ma’i steng (“on a sun disk”).

n.62The ten-syllable mantra referred to here is most likely the one associated with this rite: oṁ tāre ture tuttāre svāhā.

n.63This is a speculative translation of gsal ba’i yi ge gnyis. The two sets of syllables would refer to vowels and consonants, i.e., the ali kali mantra.

n.64This reading follows C, D, J, K, and Y in reading mdung thung (“short spear”). H, N, and S have mdung (“spear”).

n.65The mantras of the mothers of the five families share the same formula, replacing the name of the primary buddha of the family, in this instance Akṣobhya, and rearranging the Tārā mantra at the end. The mantra in this section reads, “Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Akṣobhya, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! Homage to noble Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva, the great being of great compassion! It is thus: oṁ tāre ture tuttāre svāhā !”

n.66Translated according to K and Y (’ug pa) and C and J (hu lu’i ’ug pa), which mean “owl.” D and S read hu lu, which Willson misinterpreted as a transliteration of the Sanskrit for “ram” (hulu) in his translation.

n.67The term amukam is meant to serve as a placeholder for the name of the target of the rite. “ Oṁ, bring so-and-so under my power, svāhā !” Vaśam ānaya is an emendation based on the Vajratārāsādhana, sādhana no. 110 in the Sādhanamālā (vol. 1, p. 233). C, D, J, and K read ba sha ma na ya; and H, Y, N, and S have sha ma na ya.

n.68“Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Amitābha, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! Homage to noble Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva, the great being of great compassion! It is thus: oṁ tuttāre ture svāhā !”

n.69This mantra has been emended based on close parallels of this mantra found in two Vajratārā sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā, no. 94 (vol. 1, p. 186) and no. 110 (vol. 1, p. 234). Though it is clear the same mantra is intended to be recorded in this text, it has been significantly corrupted by scribal errors. The mantra can be translated as “ Oṁ, may the father of this so-named maiden give her to me in marriage, hūṁ hrīḥ !”

n.70“Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Vairocana, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! It is thus: oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā !”

n.71“ Oṁ, kill, kill! Force, force! Stun, stun! Break, break! Hūṁ, hūṁ, hūṁ! Laṃ, laṃ, laṃ, laṃ, laṃ !”

n.72Ratnasambhava according to C, J, K, Y, and S. D omits ratna.

n.73“Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Ratnasambhava, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! Homage to noble Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva, the great being of great compassion! It is thus: oṁ tāre tāre tuttāre ture svāhā !”

n.74N and S read stag pa (“birch”) instead of stag ma (“rhododendron”).

n.75“ Oṁ, summon, summon so-and-so! Tell her of my desired dream, hūṁ, hrīḥ !” The mantra here is reconstructed based on similar mantras found in the sādhanas to Vajratārā from the Sādhanamālā, no. 94 (vol. 1, p. 187) and no. 110 (vol. 1, p. 238).

n.76This reading follows S, rather than reading sagāra as in other recensions.

n.77“Homage to the Three Jewels! Homage to the ocean of awakened wisdom! To Amoghasiddhi, king of the array! To the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect Buddha! Homage to noble Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva, the great being of great compassion! It is thus: oṁ ture tuttāre svāhā !”

n.78Devadatta is a placeholder for the name of the patron or target, depending on the purpose of a specific rite. This is a way of directing the ritualist to insert the relevant name at this place in the mantra.

n.79This is a tentative reconstruction of the corrupt mantra found in the Tibetan editions. It is based in part on similar mantras from the Vajratārā sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā, no. 94 (vol. 1, p. 186) and no. 110 (vol. 1, p. 234). The mantra reconstructed here can be translated as “Move, move at once, O swift one! Extirpate so-and-so! Remove the clothes of this so-named [woman] and summon her here, having destroyed my great enemy! Hrīḥ svāhā !”

n.80It is unclear what the “corresponding color” (Tib. kha dog mthun pa) is. It is possible that the color of the hut is linked to the type of fire pūjā being performed.

n.81“Pacify!”

n.82“All evil.”

n.83“Render praise” (bstod pa bya) is absent from H, N, and S.

n.84“It is thus: all tathāgatas! O Tārā, Tuttārā, the swift one, svāhā !”

n.85“Pacify all evil, svāhā !”

n.86H and N have bris (“drawn”) rather than byas (“made”) here.

n.87“Protection, protection.”

n.88In H, N, and S this mantra begins with oṁ, which is omitted in D.

n.89H, N, and S read bar chod sel ba’i srung ba’i ’khor lo (“protective circle that dispels all obstacles”).

n.90S reads u u u u.

n.91“Protection! Pacify, svāhā !”

n.92N and S read tsan+dan dmar po (“red sandalwood”).

n.93N and S read hoḥ instead of ha here.

n.94“Increase in all ways, oṁ, a !”

n.95The Skt. equivalent of the Tib. term mdzo mo could not be identified, so the identification of the final tree in this list as caragana is conjectural.

n.96“ A svā ca, unfailing! A hrīḥ hā .”

n.97“Lac dye” (rgya skyegs kyi khu ba) is absent from N and S.

n.98H and N read khaṇḍaka (Tib. kan da ka, “molasses”) instead of kanaka (“gold”).

n.99N and S read dur khrod kyi sol ba (“charnel-ground charcoal”) instead of dur khrod kyi ras here.

n.100“Unfailing! Hrīḥ ha .”

n.101According to N, re hriḥ re, rather than re hriḥ in C, D, J, K, Y, and U; or hriḥ re in H and S.

n.102This is a conjectural translation of ra dug pa. H, N, and S omit ra.

n.103As above, devadatta is a placeholder for the name of the person targeted by the rite.

n.104“ Hūṁ svā. Kill! Hā phaṭ .”

n.105Y reads lam rgya gram du rong dang bcas par (“at a crossroads near a ravine”), and H, N, and S read lam rgya gram du dong dang bcas par (“at a crossroads with a ditch”).

n.106“ Ga svā, stun! Stun, ga hā !”

n.107“ Ṛga svā, stun! Stun, ṛga hā !”

n.108“Finalize it with the addition of the Ārya Tārā mantra” is a conjectural translation as the Tibetan text is unclear here.

n.109“ Va svā. Stun! Stun! Hā .”

n.110“Inconceivable” (bsam gyis mi khyab pa) is absent from H, N, and S.

n.111H, N, and S omit “gandharvas” (dri za).