Tara is a completely enlightened buddha who had previously promised to appear, after enlightenment, in the form of a female bodhisattva and goddess for the benefit of all beings. Her primary activity is to protect from the eight fears. Tara or simply Drol-ma in Tibetan, goddess of protection and compassion, is one of the widest worshiped deities in Tibet. Tara represents the miraculous activities of all buddhas. In myth she is born from Chenrezig's tears of compassion. There are innumerabl...

Buddhism in a Nutshell by Lama Thubten Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and Ven. Amy Miller provides an overview of the complete path to enlightenment (lamrim) in the Tibetan Mahayana tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa (Gelug). It blends ancient wisdom with a modern perspective, while preserving the unique blueprint for enlightenment that Tibetan Buddhist practitioners have relied upon, with success, for centuries. It does so by skillfully combining the teachings of the Tibetan Buddhist masters Lama T...

This practice requires the student to have permission/empowerment received from a qualified master in order to engage in the self-generation of the deity. However, it is permitted to do this practice without such an empowerment as long as you do not generate yourself as the deity. Instead, you should generate the deity at the crown of your head or in front of you instead of self-generation.This meditation practice was translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for the benefit of his students...

A Direct Meditation on the Graduated Path Containing All the Important Meanings (Lam rim shar sgom gnad don kun tshang) was composed by Dorje Chang Lozang Jinpa. Translated by Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, "This lamrim prayer is short, yet it is very, very good as a motivation for life." This lamrim prayer contains the essence of the whole path to enlightenment and reciting it mindfully leaves a positive imprint in the mind to actualize all the realizations. I...

All the actions of the buddhas manifest in this female aspect of buddha, Tara the Liberator, in order to help living beings accomplish successfully both temporal and ultimate happiness.Lama Zopa Rinpoche says:"Reciting the Praise to the Twenty-One Taras with devotion at dawn or dusk, or remembering Tara, singing praises, and reciting Tara mantras at any time of the day or night, protects you from fear and dangers, and fulfill all your wishes. If you pray to Tara, Tara is pa...

In our busy modern lives, we may not give much thought to death. We fear that thinking about death will take the joy out of living. But in reality, when we actively think about death and prepare for it, we find peace, fulfillment, and happiness in our current lives and our fear of death disappears. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has given profound and accessible teachings on death and dying for many years.Heart Advice for Death and Dying contains Rinpoche's essential advice for the time of death and f...

Anyone can do this practice. However, you are permitted to generate yourself as White Tara only if you have received the appropriate initiation. Otherwise, you should visualize White Tara above your head or in front of you.Composed by Phabongkha Rinpoche, practice instructions by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, translated by Joona Repo.A short, daily White Tara sadhana that integrates the practice of Amitayus. The practices of both deities are considered to support a long, healthy life...

The benefits of these practices, which are associated with Vajrapani, according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche: "This is one of the most powerful mantras to cure cancer. It is also commonly used for any disease, black magic, and spirit harm. If you recite it many times every day, you can become a great healer helping other people. You can give others the water blessed with this mantra to drink and, in this way, heal them."Translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Fabrizio Pallotti Champa Pelgye....

This practice is restricted to only those with the appropriate tantric initiation. You need to have received an initiation (wang) of the yoga tantra or highest yoga tantra class in order to read these commentaries of the six-session guru yoga.Arranged by Phabongkha Dechen Nyingpo, translated by Joona Repo.The six-session guru yoga is usually given as a daily practice commitment to all those who have received a highest yoga tantric initiation. This title contains three versi...

This King of Prayers, the extraordinary aspiration of the prayer of Samantabhadra, is commonly recited to bring benefit to those who are sick or have just passed away, and for the success of a virtuous project. It is a beautifully written aspiration containing the immaculate wishes of holy beings and in itself is a complete practice. It was extracted from the Gandhavyuha chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra.Translated by Jesse Fenton.2008 Edition,

Making burning offerings to Dorje Khadro (Vajradaka) is considered to be "a golden Dharma" passed directly from Manjushri to Lama Tsongkhapa. It was one of Lama Tsongkhapa's heart practices and, as such, has a special connection with the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.The practice of Dorje Khadro comes highly praised for its power to purify negative karma in general, but especially for its ability to purify obstacles caused by broken vows and samaya related to highest yoga tantr...

Out of his infinite compassion for sentient beings, Lama Zopa Rinpoche asked that the practices found in this booklet be compiled to make it easy for us to prepare for our own death, and also easy for us to help other people who are dying or have died.As Rinpoche says in Dying Happily with the Five Powers, practicing "the five powers to be applied during life" serves as a preparation for our death. But as the time of our death approaches, we should specifically engage in the practi...