The Green Tara mantra is a powerful and ancient prayer that has been used for centuries in Tantric Buddhism. It is said to be a key to unlocking the qualities of Tara within oneself and for seeking her protection and blessings.
Chanting the Green Tara mantra can bring a sense of calm and clarity to the mind, and help one to develop compassion, courage, and wisdom. The mantra is a beautiful and melodious recitation that invokes the energy of Tara, the Mother of all Buddhas, and can be a transformative practice for those seeking spiritual growth and connection.
Who is Green Tara?
Green Tara is a revered figure in Mahayana Buddhism, particularly in Tibetan Buddhism. She is a Bodhisattva, a being who has attained enlightenment but chooses to remain in the cycle of birth and death to help others reach enlightenment. Tara is considered to be the embodiment of the activity of all Buddhas, and her name means “star” or “she who delivers across.”
Green Tara is often depicted as a youthful and beautiful figure with a green-colored body, one leg folded in and the other extended, ready to spring into action to help those in need. She is also shown with one or two lotus flowers, which represent purity and spiritual realization. In her left hand, she holds a stem of the utpala flower, which symbolizes her ability to liberate beings from suffering. Her right hand is in the mudra (hand gesture) of granting protection.
Green Tara is known for her compassionate and swift assistance to those who call upon her, and she is often invoked for protection, healing, and success in one’s endeavors. She is also associated with the removal of obstacles and the granting of wishes. Tantric practitioners often engage in Tara Sadhana, a spiritual practice dedicated to Green Tara, as a means of cultivating compassion and realizing enlightenment.
The meaning of Green Tara mantra
The mantra “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha” is believed to have several meanings:
Om: The syllable “Om” symbolizes the ultimate reality. In the book “Om Chanting and Meditation”, Amit Ray explains Om as an eternal voice of the Buddhas, continuously reverberating in the background of everything that exists in the universe. Its sound represents the entire universe, past, present, and future.
Tare: Represents salvation from dangers and sufferings in the world. This shows that Mother Tara will liberate sentient beings from the six realms of samsara, from real suffering, or difficult situations. This can be related to the specific sufferings of humans: birth, aging, sickness, and death.
Tuttare: Tuttare liberates us from the eight fears. There are eight fears related to external dangers such as fire, water, air, earth, and from things like thieves and dangerous animals.
However, the main dangers come from ignorance, attachment, anger, arrogance, jealousy, poverty, doubt, and wrong views.
Tuttare guides us on the path of correct spirituality in the form of individual salvation. According to traditional terminology, this is the path of Arhant, leading to personal liberation from suffering. This is seen in Mahayana Buddhism as a type of enlightenment. It protects the individual from mental dangers, negative thoughts such as greed, hatred, and delusion: the three elements that cause us suffering.
Ture: Represents the pinnacle of spiritual path, the universal salvation path of the Bodhisattva. In the Bodhisattva path, we seek individual enlightenment, but we also connect with compassion to the sufferings of others and try to liberate them along with ourselves.
Green Tara guides us away from a narrow perspective on spiritual life. She rescues us from the notion that spiritual progress is about liberating ourselves from suffering, and instead shows us that spiritual progress truly involves compassion towards others.
Soha: According to Monier Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit dictionary, Soha means “Hail!”, “Hail to!” or “May blessings be bestowed upon us!” We can see this final blessing as a symbol of the recognition that we are Tara.
It means establishing the source of the path in our hearts. In other words, by taking refuge in Tara and practicing Tara, we will receive Tara’s blessings in our own hearts. By relying on Green Tara, practicing the Tara mantra and following the path within it, we can attain full enlightenment.
The benefits of chanting the Green Tara mantra
The Green Tara mantra provides spiritual benefits faster than any other tantric practice, which is why it is so popular. Sadhanas, in which Tara is the Yidam, are spiritual practices for meditation.
There are also many temporary benefits from practicing Tara, reciting the Green Tara mantra, or saying the “Twenty-one Taras” prayer. Tara can solve many problems in your life, release you from untimely death, help you avoid illness, bring you success in business, help you find employment, and bring you wealth and prosperity.
When you have a serious problem, such as a life-threatening illness, relying on Tara, reciting the Green Tara mantra regularly, can reduce or eliminate the disease. If you are poisoned, the poison will not harm you.
By reciting the Green Tara mantra, couples who have difficulty conceiving a child will be blessed with a healthy and happy baby, whether they want a son or daughter. Through Tara practice, you can achieve any happiness you want in this life.
Of course, like other mantras, the Green Tara mantra requires a sincere heart when reciting. You can ask for the blessings of Mother Tara and She will protect you from danger and fear.
In addition, the mantra is used to overcome spiritual blockages and relationship issues. Reciting the mantra every day can eliminate sickness, fear, anxiety, suffering, natural disasters, difficulties, and negative karma.
According to the Lamas, no one achieves enlightenment without the help of Mother Tara. When you recite the Green Tara mantra with intense dedication, the mantra will transform into a powerful prayer.
Chant this mantra every morning (108 times) and every night. When you chant the mantra, imagine the Green Tara appearing in front of you, at eye level, at a comfortable distance of about one body length.
As Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche stated in his introduction to Tara Sadhana:
“Tara is the perfect expression of the inseparability of emptiness, awareness, and compassion. Just as you use a mirror to see your own face, meditating on Tara is a means of seeing the true face of your mind, without any trace of delusion.”
Some beautiful Green Tara statues
One of the most striking features of Green Tara statues is her vibrant green color, which her association with nature and growth statues. Her body is adorned with intricate jewelry and clothing, and she holds a blue lotus flower in one hand while making the gesture of fearlessness with the other.
If you are interested in worshiping Green Tara, there are several ways to do so. One popular method is to recite her mantra, “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha,” which is believed to invoke her compassionate energy and protection. This mantra can be chanted while visualizing Green Tara’s form and imagining her blessings showering down upon you.
Another way to worship Green Tara is to make offerings to her, such as flowers, incense, or water. These offerings can be placed on an altar alongside a Green Tara statue or image, which serves as a focal point for your devotion and connection to her energy.
Overall, worshiping Green Tara can be a beautiful and rewarding practice for those seeking compassion, protection, and growth in their lives. Here are some beautifully crafted bronze Green Tara statues for your reference.
