No.18 Emanation of Taras - Maja Chenmo (18/21)

Photo credit : Alan Kozlowski

Praises to the Twenty-One Tara is a traditional prayer in Tibetan Buddhism to the female Bodhisattva Tara. (Tibetan called Drolma) also known as Arya Tara or Jetsun Dolma. The prayer is found in all four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.  

Each of the twenty-one emanations of Tara has her own name, and a specific mantra with which she is associated, offering protection from various types of fears, harm, and calamities.

Tara has Twenty-One ultimate emanations according to the mantra of the Buddha Samantabhadra called “Twenty-One Praises of Tara”. Twenty-One Tara with 21 specific colors serves with a specific function. 

There are different styles and designs of tangka paintings that represent the Twenty-One manifestations of Tara based on distinct lineages and practices, in which forms, colors, ritual objects and even names or functions can vary. 

Homage to The No.18 Taras - Maja Chenmo

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA VISHA TARA PHAT SVAHA

Great Peacock, Protecting from and Pacifying All Kinds of Poison

Maja Chenmo is peaceful and white in color. She protects from poison. Upon her utpala flower is a full moon marked with a rabbit. From this, the rays of nectar light radiate, spreading in all directions and completely removing all poisons from the environment and sentient beings. The moon symbolizes self-arisen wisdom that is free from increasing and decreasing, transition or change.

This emanation of no. 18 Tara's Tibetan name is Tara Maja Chenmo. Now Mayura is the Sanskrit word for "peacock," which is maja Irma ball in Tibetan, so she is the "great one of the peacock." Pea­cocks are especially associated with protection from poisons because it is said that the peacock eats poison and transforms it into the beauty of its plumage.

Thus Tara Maja Chenmo's special activity is counteracting or dispelling inner and outer poisons. These might be food, water, environmental pollution, or any type of unhealthy situation. Maja Chenmo is also renowned for her compassion in pro­tecting infants and young children.

There's a beautiful traditional story about Tara's role in the great Nagarjuna's 96 childhood. He was born into a rich, high-caste Brah­min family. As was traditional, after his birth the sign-reader came to read the baby's palm. 

He told Nagarjuna's parents that their son would surely die after one week unless they did certain practices on Tara Maj a Chenmo. Although they were Brahmins and didn't want to do this Buddhist practice, they agreed and the threat to Nagar­juna's life was averted for that time.

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When he was seven, his parents brought Nagarjuna to Nalanda University. At that time Nalanda was still quite a small university, with only a few temples and buildings. There he received initiation and transmission for the practice of Tara Maja Chenmo, realized it, and it is taught that he extended his life to over six hundred years.

Om Jetsunma pal ma drolma la chaktsal lo

Om Homage to the noble lady Tara

Chak tsal lha yi tso yi nam pe

Homage to you who holds in your hand

Ri dak tak chen chak na nam ma

A moon like a celestial lake

Ta ra nyi jo pe kyi yi ge

Saying TARA twice and the letter PHET

Duk nam ma lu par ni sel ma

You dispel all poisons without exception.

Prayer of the Benefits

Whoever is endowed with devotion for the goddess and recites this with supreme faith, remembering it at dawn upon waking and in the evenings, will be granted all fearlessness, will perfectly pacify all negativities, and will eliminate all unfortunate migrations.

The multitudes of conquerors will quickly grant initiation: Thus, endowed with this greatness, one will eventually reach the state of a Buddha. If affected by the most terrible poison, whether ingested, drunk, or from a living being, just by remembering will one be thoroughly cleansed.

If this prayer is recited two, three, or seven times, It will pacify all the sufferings of torments caused by spirits, fevers, and poisons, and by other beings as well. If you wish for a child, you will get a child; if you wish for wealth, you will receive wealth. All your wishes will be fulfilled and all obstacles pacified.  

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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.

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