The Short Commentary on the Tantra of Twenty-one Homages to Tārā called “The Treasure Vase of

Benefit and Happiness”

by Thupten Shedrub Gyatso.

Introduction

I

Introduction

Benefits

Namo Guru Lokeśvarāya!

The Lord of Three Kāyas¹,

Treasury of activities of all the Victorious ones.

Ultimately, you are unelaborated great bliss: Samantabhadrī.

I bow to you, the fearless

swift mother of the Victorious ones,

As I briefly explain the verses of praise with devotion.

Venerable noble mother Tārā is Kuntuzangmo,^Tib Samantabhadrī,^Skt in the sphere of the dharmakāya², Dorje Phagmo,^Tib or Vajravārāhī,^Skt in the sphere of the sambhogakāya³, and Ārya Tārā in her nirmāṇakāya⁴ form. Dorje Yangchenma, ^Tib and Lhamo Palchenmo,^Tib are among her many other manifestations; each has a different name and form. In the Land of Snow, (Tibet) in particular, beings are benefited by her other inconceivable manifestations, specifically, Yeshe Tsogyal, Ye śes mTsho rgyal,^Tib or Jñāna Ḍākinī⁵.^Skt Just by praying to her, with the help of her swift action, we can spontaneously accomplish the two purposes⁶. Therefore, it is of great benefit to persevere in this practice.

There are many different Indian and Tibetan traditions explaining this “tantra⁷ of praise”. Motivated by devotion, I will explain this tantra in accordance with “The Treasure Vase of Essential Great Bliss of Inner Practice”, which is the profound mind-treasure⁸ teaching of the omniscient Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa. Each of the twenty-one verses is praise to twenty-one manifestations.