White Tara Mantra (Song)
Description
MANTRA LYRICS
oṃ tāre tuttāre ture mama āyuḥ-puṇya-jñāna-puṣṭiṃ kuru svāhā
or
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayur Puney Gyana Puntin Kuru Soha
MANTRA MEANING
Om – while some say that Om has no actual conceptual meaning, it can also be reflective of an awareness of the surrounding universe. It is used at the start of many mantras.
Tare – this is representative of salvation from suffering and other forms of mundane dangers. Tara is very often depicted as being one who can alleviate suffering from accidents, crime, and natural disasters.
Tuttare is representative of the delivered down the right spiritual path, and the need for protect from dangers to the spirit. Delusion, hatred, and greed are the three primary spiritual dangers that are responsible for suffering in us all.
Ture – this is representative of the deliverance to the true spiritual path of a bodhisattva. With this syllable, Tara is said to liberate us from the suffering we are inflicted with, while helping us to progress along the path that will allow us to have compassion for others.
Mama means “mine” and is indicative of the desire to possess the qualities of wisdom, happiness, long life, and more. These qualities can be asked for someone else, or for the person reciting the mantra.
Ayuh is representative of long life.
Punya is representative of the merit that is earned from living an ethical life and is said to guide one to a life that is happy and long.
Jnana is representative of wisdom, which is something we all seek.
Pushtim is representative of abundance or an increase in wealth.
Kuru is said to be a mythical land located in the northern regions of the Himalayas but can also be taken to mean “make it so.”
Svaha is said to be representative of “allow the meaning of this mantra to take root in my mind.”
For main healing practice, normally the mantra is recited with visualizations of Tara, however singing or chanting is a very beautiful and effective way to receive the blessings.
VERSATILITY OF WHITE TARA MANTRA
Healing and helping others is something we all should all wish to accomplish. Aside from the selfish goal of increasing our own merit and good karma, we engage our compassion as humans and Buddhists when we think of others.
The White Tara mantra can be modified from a “personal” affirmation to one targeted at someone else. “Mama” in the mantra means “mine”, or “I” or “me” meant for self healing. Simply replacing “Mama” with the name of another person sends Tara’s healing power and blessings to someone else.
For instance, if we wanted to practice White Tara for the long life of my teacher or parents, we would substitute Mama:
Om Tare Tuttare Ture [person’s name] Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha
PROPER TARA'S JIDAM
On the lotus is a moon-disc, representing all-important bodhicitta, and the wish to achieve enlightenment. The deity sits on both a lotus and moon-disc, indicating Tara has achieved enlightenment through renunciation and bodhicitta.
White Tara is shining white, the nature of light, a glowing beacon of healing, vitality and perfection. We wouldn’t think of Tara as flesh and bone, but as glorious, spectacular, awe-inspiring (and at the same time) soothing light.
Tara is visualized uncontaminated and spectacular, we should see Her arrayed in gorgeous silks and shining jewels like stars. Tara, Her name, literally translates as “star.” The beautiful ornaments are not meant to show attachment, but are symbolic of Her transcendence.
We visualize Tara sitting on a thousand-petal white lotus. She is sitting in a position of meditative equipoise in the vajra (full lotus) position. The glorious lotus signifies renunciation, the spontaneous wish to be free from samsara, or cyclic existence.
White Tara is the Tara associate with compassion and long life. The White Tara mantra is very often chanted with an individual in mind, in order to entreat Tara to bless them with the long life and the compassion that they need to overcome obstacles.
While Green Tara is pictured as stepping down onto a lotus, which is symbolic of her stepping into offer assistance and guidance, White Tara is typically depicted with both legs folded under her as she meditates. She is shown as having seven eyes, on the palms of her hands, soles of her feet, and on her forehead, as a symbol of the watchfulness that comes from a mind that is compassionate.