Chittamani Tara – A Highest Yoga Tantra Meditation and visualization Practice

Mother Tara’s supreme form: Chittamani Tara (Cittamani) - the “Mind Jewel” Green Tara – a Highest Yoga Tantra practice.

But many people don’t realize she has a “Highest Yoga Tantra” aspect called Chittamani Tara (translates as “Mind Jewel Tara”) — a profound “two stages” practice.

Green Tara (left) is similar to Chittamani Tara (right). In fact, they are the same being, but differ in visualization and practice (with Chittamani Tara being a Highest Yoga Tantra practice). Green Tara normally has one lotus (day lotus normally) in her left hand, blooming over her shoulder, while Chittamani Tara is distinguished by TWO uptala (blue night lotus) flowers, one over each shoulder. 

Often, the two are confused, and the two-flower Chittamani Tara is labeled as Green Tara. (Which, of course, is fine with Tara, since Tara is Tara.)

“Tara is the mother of all the Buddhas; when you practice Tara you become closer to Tara; you feel her motherly love. If Tara is good enough to be the mother of all the Buddhas, then she can certainly become a great mother to you, taking you into her loving care.”

Her loving care can be as simple as motherly protection — for which she is famous — or at this level, at the Chittamani Tara level, her motherly arms can carry us right to ultimate Enlightenment.

Tara is Accessible to All

Green Tara Buddha is almost certainly one of the most popular Yidams in Vajrayana Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism especially, Green Tara is accessible to all, Mother of all the Buddhas, and virtually a “universal” symbol of Active Compassionate Wisdom. 

Green Tara, who is also a Savior Goddess, is as accessible to the prisoner in jail as to the most benevolent of monks — she is Universal and open to all. With her right leg outstretched, ready to leap to our aid, she is among the most approachable of Buddhist deities.

But many people don’t realize she has a “Highest Yoga Tantra” aspect called Chittamani Tara (translates as “Mind Jewel Tara”) — a profound “two stages” practice.

Green Tara (left) is similar to Chittamani Tara (right). In fact, they are the same being, but differ in visualization and practice (with Chittamani Tara being a Highest Yoga Tantra practice). Green Tara normally has one lotus (day lotus normally) in her left hand, blooming over her shoulder, while Chittamani Tara is distinguished by TWO uptala (blue night lotus) flowers, one over each shoulder. 

Often, the two are confused, and the two-flower Chittamani Tara is labeled as Green Tara. (Which, of course, is fine with Tara, since Tara is Tara.)

Tara is everywhere. 

Tara is in the pure lands. Tara is here also. Why is Tara in the pure lands? Tara is in the pure lands to teach to the Bodhisattvas, the highly realized beings… Then, Tara comes down to us, many aspects of Tara — 21 Taras and so on — and there are other aspects of Tara, like Vajrayogini, Palden Lhamo, and so on and so on. Tara comes to us as deities, as Dharma protectors — so Tara is here, now.

Tara for all levels of practice

She also appeals to all needs and levels of practice. No initiation is needed to chant her mantra — even the most casual of admirers can benefit from her practice:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha

Yet Tara also has the Highest Yoga Tantra aspect known as Chittamani Tara (sometimes spelled Cittamani, but pronounced ‘ch’.) Visually, aside from two blue uptala (night lotus) flowers in full bloom, she appears to be Green Tara. 

(Green Tara typically has one fully open uptala in left hand (also called blue night lotus) flower  — and, in some visualizations, one which is “about to open”. Cittamani Tara has two fully open blue uptala flowers. (Sometimes, as in Khadiravani Tara — Tara of the Khadira Forest — she also has two uptala flowers.) She is described as:

Chittamani Tara, the transcendental deity of emerald colour, with her right hand in the gesture of supreme generosity, and she left, at her heart, in the gesture of bestowing refuge in the three jewels. Each hand holds the stem of an utpala flower. She is beautifully adorned with silks and precious ornaments, seated in the centre of an aura of light with right leg extended and the left drawn in. In her heart a green TAM radiates light.”

Photo of a Chittamani Tara. On Chittamani Tara’s crown is Amitabha Buddha, her “spiritual father” — she is part of the Compassion Lotus family of Amitabha. She is also green, associating her with Buddha Amoghisiddi, and “action.” Chittamani Tara is distinguished by two night lotus (Uptala) flowers over her shoulders. She still has her right leg outstretched, as with Green Tara, ready to leap to the aid of her followers

Yet Tara also has a Highest Yoga Tantra aspect known as Chittamani Tara (sometimes spelled Cittamani, but pronounced ‘ch’.) Visually, aside from two blue uptala (night lotus) flowers in full bloom, she appears to be Green Tara. (Green Tara typically has one fully open uptala in left hand (also called blue night lotus) flower — and, in some visualizations, one which is “about to open”. Cittamani Tara has two fully open blue uptala flowers. (Sometimes, as in Khadiravani Tara — Tara of the Khadira Forest — she also has two uptala flowers.) She is described as:

Chittamani Tara, the transcendental deity of emerald colour, with her right hand in the gesture of supreme generosity, and her left, at her heart, in the gesture of bestowing refuge in the three jewels. Each hand holds the stem of an utpala flower. She is beautifully adorned with silks and precious ornaments, seated in the centre of an aura of light with right leg extended and the left drawn in. In her heart a green TAM radiates light.”

To make a long story short, by about this time Tara manifested so many manifestations everywhere, particularly the Twenty-One Taras and the One hundred thousand Taras. The Twenty-One Tara manifestation is very meaningful. When Tara came out of Avalokitesvara’s heart as a helper, a handy-person to all the Buddhas, this handy-person then created another handy-person, who again created another handyperson. All these big manifestations came about at that moment, particularly the White Tara for longevity.

Also Rigjema, used for power. Then there is Yangchenma, who is Saraswati in Sanskrit. She is special for literature and language. All these are manifestations of Tara. Even the wrathful protector, Palden Lhamo, is a manifestation of Tara. In that case she is not a yidam but a protector. Palden Lhamo also manifested at that time.”

Chittamani Tara is a Highest Yoga Tantra practice (Maha anu yoga) of Tara. This does not mean She is a “higher deity” — the Boss Tara. She is still Tara. Tara is always Tara. The Enlightened Mind has no limitations in terms of form. Here, with Chittamani Tara, the form is similar to regular Green Tara — the main difference is only in the practice, and the twin blue uptabla flowers visualized (instead of the single with Green Tara). There are 21 Taras, and 108 Taras for a reason — there are that many ways to practice, and more. There are even other Higher Tantric forms of Tara, including Vajrayogini.

Yet, Chittamani Tara is the “Highest Yoga” Tara from the point of view of Tantric practice as Green Tara. (Not to be confused with Cintamani Tara “Wish-fulfilling” golden Tara.)

What’s Different with Cittamani Tara?

The mantra and overall appearance of Tara is green Tara — apart from two flowers versus one. So, what are the differences?

As this is a practice of Highest Yoga Meditation, most of the details are not revealed publicly — although as a Mother Tara practice, it is a very supportive, nurturing, protective and wonderful practice (in the author’s experience.) The key practice differences are in the visualization, and mostly in the practices —  especially in three key areas (without revealing secrets):

1. Body mandala — a wonderful, nurturing, compassionate and healing visualization, visualizing Taras as part of your internal body. (The net effect is quite healing and peaceful)
2. Uncommon Guru Yoga — uncommon in the best possible way (an easy and affirming visualization!)
3. The protectors of this mandala are all Taras — the 21 Taras! Plus two other aspects of Tara. There’s no elaborate visualization, and we stay warm in the embrace of protecting Mother Tara.

There are, of course, other differences, relating to profound practices — for example, a Phowa practice that is uniquely comforting.

* Footnote 

For those who had received the empowerment of this Tantric practice, you are reminded not intentionally or unintentionally to disclose the mantra to the public or anyone who may not have the empowerment or permission to practice, and by disclosing the mantra intentionally or unintentionally is a form of breaking your Tantric Samaya vows to the lineage masters and Dharma protectors. 

Please consult your Guru or a qualified lineage master for Vajrayana practice! Should a devotee even want to start studying and contemplating the Vajrayana practice, then it is truly necessary to first have completed the preliminaries and to be certain and sure that Bodhicitta has arisen and developed in one’s mind.

Vajrayana features countless skillful and powerful methods which, if they are practiced in the proper way, can make the process of accumulation and purification incredibly swift and direct. It is absolutely necessary to have the pure motivation and to know that Vajrayana practice is not carried out to increase one’s own ego, power and self-interests.

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Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

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