The Staircase that Leads to Liberation: An Extraordinary Guru Yoga Relying Upon Chintamani Tara
DAG LUE T’HA MAL CHI BOR PAY DAY TENG
I am in my ordinary form. Above the crown of my head, there is a lotus and moon.
T’HUG JEY TER CHHEN GYAL YUM DROEL MA DANG
Above this is the great treasury of vast compassion, Tara, the mother of all Victorious Ones,
YER MEY DRIN CHEN TSA WAY LA MA NI
inseparable the supremely kind Root Guru.
KU DOG KAR MAR TS’HEN PEY LANG TS’HOR DEN
Her exalted form is the color white with a tinge of red, and is endowed with the youthful splendor of the auspicious marks of perfection.
CHAG YAY CHHOE CHHAY DOR JE PAY KAR DANG
Her right hand is in the gesture of explaining the Dharma, and holds a vajra and white lotus.
YOEN PAY DRIL BU DANG CHAY PAYMA KAR
In her left hand is a bell, together with a white lotus.
DZIN PAY CHU KYEY NYEN T’HANG DAB MA GYAY
The water-born lotus that she holds has petals that bloom beside her ears.
CHHOE GOE SUM SOEL SER DOG PAN ZHEY DZEY
She is garbed in the three Dharmic robes, and is beautified by golden medicinal herbs.
DOR JEY KYIL TRUNG OED GUR UE NA ZHUG
In the vajra posture, she abides in the center of a tent of light.
T’HUG KAR LHAG PA’I LHAMO MAR GAY DOG
In her heart-center is the presiding goddess, the color of emerald,
CHHAG YAY CHHOG JIN YOEN PAY UTPALA
her right hand in the mudra of supreme generosity, her left holding an utpala flower,
KOEN CHHOG SUM TSHOEN CHAG GYAY T’HUG KAR DZIN
and is in the mudra which demonstrates the Three Jewels at her heart-center.
DAR DANG RIN CHHEN GYEN GYII DZEY PAR LUB
She is beautifully covered with silks and precious jewels.
YAY KYANG YOEN KUM OED GUR ZHUG PAY
Her right leg stretched out, her left leg drawn in, she abides in a tent of light.
T’HUG KAR TAM YIG JANG GU OED ZER BAR
In her heart-center, the letter TAM blazes with green light.
SEM PA SUM GYI DAG NYID CHEN GYUR PAY
She has the very identity of the samayasattva, jnanasattva, and samadhisattva,
NAY NGAR OM AH HUNG DANG SO HAY TS’HEN
and her five places are marked with OM, AH, HUNG, and SVA HA.
NANG TONG YE SHEY RANG NANG RIG TSEL SEL
She shines with appearing yet empty atemporal wakefulness, the self-manifesting dynamic play of awareness.
T’HUG KAY OED KYI KYAB NAY MA LUE PA
At her heart center, light invites all the sources of refuge without exception,
CHEN DRANG T’HIM PAY KUN DUE DAG NYID GYUR
who dissolve into her, and she comes to embody them all, becoming their very epitome.
CHI TSUG NOR BUR JANG CHHUB BAR DU ZHUG
She abides as a gem above the crown of my head until enlightenment.
GO SUM GUE PAY YID KYII CHAG TS’HAL LO
In my mind, with respectful three doors I prostrate.
NGOE SHAM YID TRUL CHHOE PA MA LUE BUL
I arrange items with the emanational capacity of my mind, and present all offerings without exception.
T’HOG MEY NAY SAG DIG TUNG T’HAM CHAY SHAG
I confess all negative actions and downfalls accumulated since beginningless time.
KYE P’HAG GE WA KUEN LA JEY YI RANG
I rejoice in all the virtue of ordinary and exalted beings.
ZAB CHING GYA CHEY CHHOE KHOR KOR DU SOL
I request that you turn the Wheel of the profound and vast Dharma.
DAG ZHEN GE WA JANG CHUB CHHEN POR NGO
I dedicate the virtue of myself and others towards supreme enlightenment.
T’HUG KAR TING DZIN SEM PAY T’HA KOR DU
In her heart center, around the circumference of the samadhisattva,
YI GE CHU PAY NGAG KYII KOR WAR GYUR
the mantra of ten syllables begins to revolve.
Thinking this, recite OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA as much as you are able. Finally, in the manner of your prayers, recite the mantra of the Guru one hundred or twenty-one times.
DUNG SHUG DRAG POE SOL WA TAB PAY T’HUE
Through the power of supplicating with intensely fervent devotion,
LA MAY KU SUNG T’HUG LAY OED ZER NI
from the Guru’s body, speech, and mind, come rays of light
KAR MAR T’HING SUM RANG GI NAY SUM T’HIM
in a triad of white, red, and deep blue, which dissolve into my own three places.
DIG DRIB KUN JANG BUM SANG SHER WANG T’HOB
All negative karma and obscurations are purified, and I attain the vase, secret, and gnosis empowerments.
LAR YANG SO HA NYI LAY NA TS’HOG OED
Once again, from the diad of SVA and HA, multicolored light
T’HROE TE RANG GI NAY NGAR T’HIM PA LAY
radiates out, and as it dissolves into my five places,
WANG ZHI T’HOB CHING KU ZHI DRUB NUE ZHAG
I attain the four empowerments, and am placed in the capable accomplishment of the four kayas.
PAL DEN TSA WAY LA MA RIN PO CHHE
Glorious Root Guru, Precious One,
DAG GI CHI WO’I PADMO’I TENG ZHUG LA
abiding on a lotus above the crown of my head,
TREN CHHEN PO’I GO NAY JEY ZUNG TE
as I am extremely destitute, take me under your care,
KU SUNG T’HUG KYI NGOE DRUB TSAL DU SOL
and I pray, grant the spiritual powers and realizations of your awakened body, speech, and mind!
Thus, practice the receiving of the four empowerments, and the visualization of the absorption into the heart.
This Guru Yoga is the central axle of the path, and there is no other one like this ‘Staircase that Leads to Liberation’. As all blessings and spiritual accomplishments arise in dependence upon the Guru, you must definitely practice this. Translated by Erick Sherab Zangpo.
(author unknown, from sdrol ma’i bstod pa khag dang sgrol ma’i rgyud kyi ‘byung khungs lo rgyus gsol ‘debs smon lam bgyis pa’i phan yon bcas bzhugs so [Some Praises to Tara, the Origin of the Lineage of Tara, Her History, and the Benefits of Performing Supplications and Prayers to Her], a collection of Tara texts published in 2007 by a Tibetan women’s association, the Poe kyi Buemey Lhentsog {bod kyi bud med lhan tshogs} Any information about the author would be greatly appreciated by the translator. It seems to be in an 1800s style, and quite possibly by a Nyingma master. The title of this text is sgrol ma tsinta ma ni la brten pa’i thun mong ma yin pa’i bla ma’i rnal ‘byor thar par bgrod pa’i them skas zhes bya ba bzhugs so. email: emptyelephant@yahoo.com)
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