Archive Result

20051210GRMLLLR54

Of Tara. Chinese translation As I said the other day, Tara is a female buddha. Chinese translation In Buddhism, we all know quite clearly there are a lot of different buddhas. Chinese translation That’s why we say Sakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, all this we talk about because there are a number of different buddhas. Chinese translation So Tara is also like that, a female buddha. Chinese translation Looking back in historically, what had happened is just like Buddha’s story, there was a woman, we named them 0:01:26.5 Yeshetawa in Tibetan which is probably translated as paragana, gana is wisdom, moon is moon. Sorry, I’m thinking in English. [Laughter] Isn’t that funny? I’m thinking equivalent for moon in English. What am I talking about? Tawa in Tibetan but it’s moon so it’s like a wisdom moon. 0:02:29.5 Chinese translation So Yeshetawa committed herself to become fully enlightened buddha and to serve all the people as a buddha. Chinese translation

She went through all the process of developing bodhimind. Accumulation of merit and purification, five paths, ten bhumis, all completed. Chinese translation She took this commitment in the female physical form and she remained female physical form completely throughout contemplation period. 0:03:55.9 Chinese translation And by the time when she’s ready to become a buddha, bodhisattvas and buddhas have offered her ‘Well you should change your physical form and become a buddha’. Chinese translation

And it is she who insisted that she will remain in female physical form because she said ‘I generated first bodhimind which is’- when we say ‘first generated bodhimind’ we use this word, we think it’s something else but truly saying her motivation was to become buddha in female physical form, serve everybody as a female form. So she said ‘That was my motivation, that was my commitment, thank you for offering me to be a male but no thank you’. 0:05:17.1 Chinese translation So not only she obtained fully enlightenment, total enlightenment in female form, but also thereafter, functioning as female. Chinese translation

And after obtaining fully enlightenment, functioning everywhere to help people. Chinese translation And you have Kuan Yin or Kuan Yin Pusa in Chinese. Chinese translation And in Japan you have Canon. Chinese translation And in India you have Tara in the Sanskrit. Chinese translation In Tibetan and Mongolia you have Droma. Chinese translation And that is how she had functioned everywhere, serving people. Chinese translation And now the Kuan Yin, there is a question whether it is Avalokiteshvara or it’s Tara. 0:07:27.9 Chinese translation When earlier in 1980s, in 70s and 80s, in this part of the world, they keep on thinking Kuan Yin is Avalokiteshvara. Chinese translation And I followed it Chinese translation because I did not raise question about it. Chinese translation I just followed it and Kuan Yin as Avalokiteshvara. Chinese translation

But what happened is then they beginning to draw my attention is the translations of the books from China, the mainland China, the institutions, the monasteries and everywhere, even the movies and advertisements and everywhere the Kuan Yin is translated as Droma in Tibetan rather than 0:08:54.1 Cherezen. Chinese translation And also the figure, the physical figure in Chinese is female and Droma in Tibetan is also female. Chinese translation So I do not know who can say what is what. Chinese translation On the other hand, there is a point spiritually we also recognise Avalokiteshvara and Tara are inseparable. Chinese translation Because Avalokiteshvara has been the buddha of compassion. Chinese translation

Tara tantra goes 0:10:24.5 Chinese translation Avalokiteshvara was so overwhelmed with the work of helping sentient beings and looking for help. Chinese translation And also so tired and so sad, so cried and teardrops from the eyes of Avalokiteshvara. Chinese translation So the Avalokiteshvara wept a tear by this finger and threw like this. Chinese translation Tara appeared Chinese translation saying ‘I’m part of you, Chinese translation I’m here to help you, another physical form’. Chinese translation That is the beginning of Tara tantra anyway. 0:11:45.1 Chinese translation So when you have that way, when looking in that point, whether Kuan Yin is Tara or Avalokiteshvara, it’s not so much practical differences but of course, technical question remains unanswered. Chinese translation So I hope somebody will clarify that and hopefully it is not another Western professor who will make the decision. It probably will be. Chinese translation If some Caucasian professor makes the decision, everybody will buy it. Chinese translation Anyway, that is a joke. Chinese translation

Ok, so the reality is whether it’s an absolute reality it is Tara, the buddha of compassion, it is the buddha of compassion that is Tara. Chinese translation Also, the buddha of activity. Chinese translation Mother of all buddhas. 0:14:02.8 Chinese translation And that is Tara we’re talking about. Chinese translation And there are a number of different physical appearances of Tara. Chinese translation There is 108 different Taras, Tara names and Tara tantras. Chinese translation As well as 21 Taras, most of you know. Chinese translation And there is white Tara, Chinese translation there is yellow Tara, Chinese translation there is red Tara, Chinese translation there is black Tara, Chinese translation , there is green Tara. Chinese translation Is there multicoloured Tara? Chinese translation [Laughter] I’m not aware of it. I’m not aware of rainbow-coloured Tara. 0:15:13.8 Chinese translation

So all of those are possible and because people’s need. Chinese translation One of the Tara manifestation in the form of protector called 0:15:35.8 Pandenlamu Chinese translation and if you read Pandenlamu’s practice, it clearly says 0:15:52.5 min gya la… which means 100 names, 1000 titles. Chinese translation And also if you read through that particular praise and they say when you’re in India you’re this, when you’re in China you’re this, when you’re in Tibet you’re this, when you’re Mongolia you’re this, when you’re other side of the ocean you’re this, you know, all this. 0:16:40.1 ga na ye… and all of those tells you actually the compassionate, mother-like Tara have tremendous compassion so she manifest herself anywhere in the form of all kinds of things, in the form of friends, in the form of even beyond human level, in the form of water, in the form of bridge, in the form of elephant, in the form of peacock, and all kinds of things she appears in that way. 0:17:31.8 Chinese translation When she can appear as enlightened bird, enlightened animal, bridge, water, so and forth, why can’t she appear as a Kuan Yin, Canon or even Mary in Catholic tradition? Chinese translation

It is our delusion and it is our thoughts that try to limit us, limit us within some kind of boxes of you know, all these divisions of traditions and you know, all this and these you know, like this is the Nyingma path, this is the Sakya path, this is 0:19:10.4 [inaudible- gadyupa?], this is Gelugpa, this is called, this is the zen, this is the Theravadan, this is the Mahayana, and this is whatever, this is the Catholic and this is Christian and this Jews and this is Muslims and this is this, this is this and we make a tremendous amount of division. It is our delusion and our limited view, really does that. 0:19:46.5 Chinese translation And the scholars would like to put them in those different boxes and put the titles on top and then they say ‘Ah, situation’s under control now’. [Laughter] Chinese translation And we should not be really blaming much on the Western scholars either. Chinese translation

The division among the Tibetan religions, particularly the red hat and the black hat and yellow hat and multicoloured hat and all of them, if you really trace it, it is done by the Manchu and Chinese emperors. 0:21:28.8 Chinese translation People won’t like it, what I said but it is true fact. Chinese translation It is true fact according to Chinese history, it is true fact according to Tibetan history, it is true fact in the documents and things existing today. Chinese translation The earlier the Chinese have a policy of ruling Tibet and very easy to rule through lamas. Chinese translation And way and how they did it is they started inviting and giving titles and seeing guru of- emperor this and that. Chinese translation And they brought them into China, their representatives and even open office and all of those. It’s very active during all this period of 16, 17 and even before 12, 13 hundreds, it’s extremely active that way. 0:23:26.0 Chinese translation

At that time, there is not enough imperial soldiers available to go all over the Chinese territory including Tibet, Mongolia and Xinjiang and even Formosa and all of those. Chinese translation And so they found the way of ruling is through the lamas. Chinese translation And way they did is giving a title by the emperor and then they say ‘We offer you this land, you rule on under the blessing of emperor’, that's what happened, seriously. Chinese translation Some of the Chinese emperors took some initiations. In the initiation in the angpao, they give certain lands to them. That’s exactly what happened. Chinese translation And then there quite many of them and all of them coming to China, many of them are trying to be, trying to get their names and promotions, whatever it is, try to come. 0:25:45.9 Chinese translation Then the court officers do not figure out who’s who. Chinese translation

So then they came with idea of giving different colour hat. Chinese translation The black one and the red one and the yellow. That’s how, that’s actually that really come in there. Chinese translation And not only they give hat but they have a big ceremony. 0:26:36.2 Chinese translation Before the ceremony, they put the lama, whoever it is, on the throne and make the drawings and then they wave a thangka. Wave the thangka with whatever the hat, the put it on, with hat and by the time when they give, not only they give the hat and seal but also they give the thangka together. Chinese translation And one of those thangkas, there's two of those thangkas, two of them of the 0:27:33.5 cham jing… the founder of [inaudible- sara?] monastery wearing the same black hat just like Karmapa has and made two thangkas and these thangkas came to America for exhibition this year from the [inaudible- emperor?] collection museum. Chinese translation Original Chinese giving hats are not that elaborate and later they came back to Tibet, made it bigger and brighter and you know, all this. This is exactly what had happened. 0:28:29.6 Chinese translation

I don’t know why I’m talking that to you. Oh yeah, yeah, compartment. The compartmentalisation is not only the Western professors, scholars but also the Chinese officials have done it and for them it is easy to control and easy to identify who’s who but otherwise each one of them comes up with a puppy, puppy in hand, you know those lhasa apso puppies and those puppies there’s origin of Chinese, pekingese and all of those and then even they give to the Chinese emperor saying it is lion’s baby or whatever, I don’t know, who knows what. 0:29:47.6 Chinese translation

So they all wear red robes, they all have retinues and the court people don’t know who they are so they have the red, yellow and blue, white and multicoloured so then they have organised, they have controlled system, they have a box to put in. 0:30:36.7 Chinese translation And also they bring a little pekingese back to Lhasa. Take the lhasa apso to China and bring pekingese back. Some of them are pekingese and chihuahua mixed and then they say this is the 0:31:05.2 [inaudible- bocha?], come out of bocha’s egg or something. So small it can fit in the big ball all those that had happened in the 13th, 14th, 15th centuries. 0:31:20.6 Chinese translation So today we see all the varieties of different hats wearing by different lamas, they’re historically linked up with this. Chinese translation

And because actual Vinaya sutra or actual Tantra that comes from India doesn’t have those hats. Chinese translation Buddha doesn’t have hat. Chinese translation Chinese emperors didn’t offer Buddha a hat. Chinese translation Maybe Buddha came a little earlier than them. Chinese translation And then there’s the Vajrayana hats there. That is the representing ushnisha. 0:32:44.2 Chinese translation And that is the same thing as the bodhisattvas wear, that is the same as you see them in the thangkas and everywhere. Chinese translation And then this mantra people have their own mantra hat. You see sometimes the lama dance they wear that big black hat with the thing and that is the mantra hat. That is originally from India. Chinese translation

Anyway, I’m sorry I’m talking about hats, I’ve been carried out. [Laughter] So the boxing is a problem and ourself today- I really think people need to go beyond those boxes and see what is helpful, where is what. I don’t mean you have to mix up everything, become new age, but I think you know, you should not be so much restricting to yourself. So you should be very open-minded and study a lot. 0:34:10.1 Chinese translation So Tara is gone beyond that. Chinese translation She refused to remain in the box called Kuan Yin or box called Canon or box called Tara or box called Droma, box called whatever. All those, 0:34:52.2 Nyurma, Pabong or the Shironese, Kwiknes, all of these she go beyond that. Chinese translation

So I said there’s 21 Taras. There’s a 21 Tara praise too which is considered quite important. Chinese translation Not only it’s important. When I was a kid, every Tibetan monastery, wherever I’ve been, they say the 21 praise of Tara, everywhere, everyday. 0:35:47.4 Chinese translation Because Tara is the buddha of activity. Chinese translation The activity includes all kinds of things. Chinese translation It is excellent to pacify obstacles including illnesses. Chinese translation It is excellent to grow, to develop prosperity including spiritual and material prosperity. Chinese translation It is an excellent work of gaining power. Chinese translation Power to overcome the negativities, negative emotions and negative spirit and negative unfortunate incidents and so and forth. Chinese translation And that wonderful, sweet, beautiful, gentle, kind Tara can be furious if necessary and that’s why wrathful aspects of the Tara also and their activities are done through the Tara praise. 0:37:47.4 Chinese translation

And not only pacifying, prosperity, power and wrathful but also Tara has additional activity of what we- unfortunately, I think multiple activities, a lot of people call this miscellaneous but it’s not miscellaneous because it has tremendous activity in that, it’s multiple activities, I like to say. Chinese translation A multiple activity, that includes powers of 0:39:00.0 [inaudible- mending?] and powers of spring. Chinese translation Spring includes total enlightenment. Chinese translation The mending power includes anything including business, good prosperity, more money, all are included in that. So it might not be right to put as miscellaneous, might not be a suitable title. Chinese translation

So in addition to that, being a female, mother-like, it is so kind, compassionate and so forgivable and almost sort of ignores anything that we do wrong with this unlike other deities. They’re powerful, they’re effective however they’re very sensitive and over here, she’s sort of very forgivable. Anything, whatever you do wrong, it doesn’t matter like a mother always forgive whatever the young kids do or may do you know. She’s not going to hold on that at all. 0:40:40.3 Chinese translation In addition to that, solitary person, very simple to meditate. Chinese translation Not so much complicated mandala and retinue and all those, very simple. Chinese translation

And I did mention to you 21 Taras but even 21 Tara prayers and praise are excellent and fantastic but when you meditate 21 Taras, there’s two types, two versions of 21 Taras available in at least in Tibetan tradition. Chinese translation One is called 0:42:21.5 chulug. Chulug means Atisha’s sister. The Atisha’s sister, all 21 Taras look like just usual Tara. That’s 21 counts. That is teaching, practice, physical form, everything comes transmitted in Tibet by Atisha so all 21 Tara look like 1 Tara, maybe colour differences here and there. Chinese translation

And there’s another 21 Tara which is brought up by 0:43:19.3 Pari, the translator called Pari system, it’s Parilu and that 21 Taras have multiple faces, multiple hands, multiple hand implements and all of them there. Chinese translation So even 21 Tara, two different versions available. Chinese translation So you must be wondering ‘Oh I know Tara, this one has so many hands, arrows and swords and all this, this is not Tara’ so but you cannot make quick judging because there are so many versions of it. 0:44:13.8 Chinese translation Among all this, popularly known, popularly practiced is White Tara, Green Tara and then comes like yellow and red, I’m talking about popularly in our time, among us. Chinese translation Even in Tantra itself, mostly Taras are belonging to the category of Kriya Tantra. Chinese translation But the Green Tara also belongs to Maha anu yoga Tantra such as Cittamani Tara. Chinese translation It is the same Tara in the 2 different Tantra forms. 0:45:43.1 Chinese translation