119-526: Khecheopalri Lake , originally known as Kha-Chot-Palri (meaning the heaven of Padmasambhava ), is a lake located near Khecheopalri village, 147 kilometres (91 mi) west of Gangtok in the West Sikkim district of the Northeastern Indian state of Sikkim . Located 34 kilometres (21 mi) to the northwest of Pelling town , the lake is sacred for both Buddhists and Hindus , and
238-426: A bodhisattva . In his right hand, he holds a five-pronged vajra at his heart. His left hand rests in the gesture of equanimity, In his left hand he holds a skull-cup brimming with nectar, containing the vase of longevity that is also filled with the nectar of deathless wisdom and ornamented on top by a wish-fulfilling tree. Cradled in his left arm he holds the three-pointed khatvanga (trident) symbolizing
357-497: A tantric deity whose secret practices and tantric sadhanas would be used by monks and yogis in order to develop her awakened qualities in themselves, ultimately leading to Buddhahood . Another quality which Tara shares with feminine spirits (such as dakinis ) is playfulness. As John Blofeld explains in Bodhisattva of Compassion , Tārā is frequently depicted as a young sixteen-year-old girlish woman. She often manifests in
476-492: A "second Buddha." According to Khenchen Palden Sherab , there are traditionally said to be nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine biographies of Padmasambhava. They are categorized in three ways: Those relating to Padmasambhava's Dharmakaya buddhahood, those accounts of his Sambhogakaya nature, and those chronicles of his Nirmanakaya activities. Hagiographies of Padmasambhava such as The Copper Palace, depict Padmasambhava being born as an eight-year-old child appearing in
595-722: A Mountain". Because of his role in the founding of Samye monastery, the first monastery in Tibet, Padmasambhava is regarded as the founder of the Nyingma school ("Ancients") of Tibetan Buddhism. Padmasambhava's activities in the Tibet include the practice of tantric rituals to increase the life of the king as well as initiating king Trisong Detsen into tantric rites. The various biographies also discuss stories of Padmasambhava's main Tibetan consort, princess Yeshe Tsogyal (" Knowledge Lake Empress"), who became his student while living in
714-415: A Tārā mantra is termed a "vidyā" (the proper term for a mantra of a female deity). The main vidyā mantra of Tārā is: Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā. This is the most popularly recited mantra of the deity and is her root (mula) mantra. Tāre tuttāre ture is in the vocative case . Tāre is the basic name of the deity ("O Tara"). Tuttāre (prefixed by ud-) refers to Tara as "the one who helps [beings] to cross"
833-678: A bodhisattva, Tārā remains very popular in Tibet (and Tibetan communities in exile in Northern India), Mongolia , Nepal , Bhutan , Sikkim and is worshiped in many Buddhist communities throughout the world (though in East Asian Buddhism , Guanyin is the most popular female deity). In Tibet, Green Tārā was also considered to have manifested as the Nepalese Princess ( Bhrikuti ), and White Tārā's manifestation as
952-404: A composition of different families namely, Chlorophyceae (18) which is the foremost group, Chrysophyceae (15), Cyanophyceae (11), and one species each of Charophyceae , Euglenophyceae , Dinophyceae and Cryptophyceae . The Zooplanktons recorded are: 7 rotifers , 5 protozoans , 2 each of copepods and cladocerans , and 1 each of ostracods and isopods . The fish species recorded in
1071-539: A demon tamer. As Nyingma scholar Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche explains: There are many stories explaining how Guru Padmasambhava was born. Some say that he instantly appeared on the peak of Meteorite Mountain, in Sri Lanka. Others teach that he came through his mother's womb, but most accounts refer to a miraculous birth, explaining that he spontaneously appeared in the center of a lotus. These stories are not contradictory because highly realized beings abide in
1190-698: A form of the goddess Durga . Tārā is worshiped both in Buddhism as well as in Shaktism (Hinduism) as one of the ten Mahavidyas . According to Beyer, the enlightened feminine makes its first appearance in Mahayana Buddhism as Prajñāpāramitā Devi , the personified Perfection of Wisdom , who is also called mother of Buddhas. Tara eventually came to be considered the "Mother of all Buddhas" by Indian tantric Buddhists, taking on this epithet from Prajñaparamita. The term mother of Buddhas usually refers to
1309-572: A founding figure. The Nyingma school also traditionally holds that its Dzogchen lineage has its origins in Garab Dorje through a lineage of transmission to Padmasambhava. In Tibetan Buddhism, the teachings of Padmasambava are said to include an oral lineage ( kama ), and a lineage of the hidden treasure texts ( termas ). Tibetan Buddhism holds that Padmasambhava's termas are discovered by fortunate beings and tertöns (treasure finders) when conditions are ripe for their reception. Padmasambhava
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#17327909689421428-600: A high priest of the Bonpa sect that ruled supreme in Tibet and surrounding areas including Arunachal Pradesh in the pre-Buddhist times. The waterfall was formed when Guru Padmasambhava flung his rosary against a rock and 108 streams gushed out. Chumi Gyatse waterfall is revered and holy for the Monpas , the Tibetan Buddhists. Bhutan has many important pilgrimage places associated with Padmasambhava. The most famous
1547-469: A lotus blossom floating in Lake Dhanakosha surrounded by a host of dakinis , in the kingdom of Oddiyana . However there are other birth stories as well, another common one states that he was born from the womb of Queen Jalendra, the wife of king Sakra of Oddiyana and received the name Dorje Duddul (Vajra Demon Subjugator) because of the auspicious marks on his body were identified as those of
1666-418: A male to progress further. At this point she lets the monks know in no uncertain terms that it is only "weak minded worldlings" who see gender as a barrier to attaining enlightenment . She sadly notes there have been few who wish to work for the welfare of sentient beings in a female form, though. Therefore, she resolves to always be reborn as a female bodhisattva, until samsara is no more. She then stays in
1785-436: A mother does for her children. Tārā is most often shown with the blue lotus or night lotus ( utpala ), which releases its fragrance with the appearance of the moon and therefore Tārā is also associated with the moon and night. In general, Tārā is especially seen as a savior who provides salvation and protection from the eight fears (aṣṭabhaya) or eight dangers (aṣṭaghora). This is a common theme in her iconography and she
1904-455: A palace in a state of meditation for some ten million years, and the power of this practice releases tens of millions of beings from suffering. As a result of this, Tonyo Drupa tells her she will henceforth manifest supreme bodhi as the Goddess Tārā in many world systems to come. A similar story is told by the 14th Dalai Lama : There is a true feminist movement in Buddhism that relates to
2023-488: A particular day, a Lepcha couple were peeling off the bark of the nettle when they saw a pair of conch shells falling from air on the ground. This was followed by severe shaking of the ground and spring water emerged from below and thus the lake was formed. Based on the sacred Nesol text, the lake was interpreted as the abode of "Tshomen Gyalmo or chief protective nymph of the Dharma as blessed by Goddess Tara". This lake
2142-571: A powerful deity offended by a local king. According to legend, Padmasambhava's body imprint can be found in the wall of a cave at nearby Kurje Lhakhang temple. The eight manifestations are also seen as Padmasambhava's biography that spans 1500 years. As Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche states, When Guru Padmasambhava appeared on earth, he came as a human being. In order to dissolve our attachment to dualistic conceptions and destroy complex neurotic fixations, he also exhibited some extraordinary manifestations. In accord, Rigpa Shedra also states
2261-404: A receptive heart then. For in this openness and receptivity her blessings can naturally unfold and her energies can quicken the aspirants spiritual development. Tārā as a focus for tantric deity yoga can be traced back to the time period of Padmasambhava . There is a Red Tārā practice which was given by Padmasambhava to Yeshe Tsogyal . He asked that she hide it as a treasure . It was not until
2380-465: A result lake's waters are permitted to be used only for performing rites and rituals. Consequently, a religious fair, one of the largest festivals, is held here every year for two days in Maghe purne (March/April), which is attended by a large number of pilgrims from all parts of Sikkim, Bhutan , Nepal and India. They offer food material to the lake and carry waters of the lake as Prasad (substance that
2499-526: A tantric practice quickly spread from around the 7th century CE onwards, and remains an important part of Vajrayana Buddhism to this day. The practices themselves usually present Tārā as a tutelary deity (thug dam, yidam ) which the practitioners sees as being a latent aspect of one's mind, or a manifestation in a visible form of a quality stemming from Buddha Jnana . As John Blofeld puts it in The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet : The function of
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#17327909689422618-497: A transcendent awakened wisdom, though it also echoes the ancient Indian motif of the Mother Goddess ( Devi Mata). Tārā became a very popular Vajrayana deity with the rise of tantric Buddhism in north India. Tārā worship also spread to other parts of India, as well as to Nepal , Sri Lanka and Indonesia , where depictions of the deity have been discovered by archeologists. With the movement of Indian Buddhism into Tibet,
2737-416: A white vajra undergarment. On top of this, in layers, a red robe, a dark blue mantrayana tunic, a red monastic shawl decorated with a golden flower pattern, and a maroon cloak of silk brocade. Also, he wears a silk cloak, Dharma robes and gown. He is wearing the dark blue gown of a mantra practitioner, the red and yellow shawl of a monk, the maroon cloak of a king, and the red robe and secret white garments of
2856-429: A woman. Tārā, then, embodies certain ideals which make her attractive to women practitioners, and her emergence as a Bodhisattva can be seen as a part of Mahayana Buddhism's reaching out to women, and becoming more inclusive even in 6th-century CE India . Tārā's name literally means "star" or "planet", and therefore she is associated with navigation and travel both literally and metaphorically as spiritual crossing to
2975-596: A young princess who lives in a different world system, millions of years in the past. Her name is Jñanachandra or Yeshe Dawa, which means "Moon of Primordial Awareness". For quite a number of aeons she makes offerings to the Buddha of that world system, whose name was Tonyo Drupa. She receives special instruction from him concerning bodhicitta —the infinitely compassionate mental state of a bodhisattva. After doing this, some monks approach her and suggest that because of her level of attainment she should next pray to be reborn as
3094-534: Is Paro Taktsang or "Tiger's Nest" monastery which is built on a sheer cliff wall about 900m above the floor of Paro valley. It was built around the Taktsang Senge Samdup (stag tshang seng ge bsam grub) cave where Padmasambhava is said to have meditated. He is said to have flown there from Tibet on the back of Yeshe Tsogyal , whom he transformed into a flying tigress for the purpose of the trip. Later he travelled to Bumthang district to subdue
3213-614: Is Tārā scriptures used as Tantric sadhanas. For example, a Tārā sadhana was revealed to Tilopa (988–1069 CE), the human father of the Karma Kagyu . Atisa , the great translator and founder of the Kadampa school of Tibetan Buddhism, was a devotee of Tārā. He composed a praise to her, and three Tārā Sadhanas. Martin Willson's work also contains charts which show origins of her tantras in various lineages, but suffice to say that Tārā as
3332-576: Is a Sanskrit hymn which contains a set of 108 names and epithets for the deity. Buddhist studies scholars generally agree that the worship of Tara began growing in popularity in India during the 6th century. Tārā came to be seen as an expression of the compassion of perfected wisdom only later, with her earliest textual reference being the Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa ( c. 5th –8th centuries CE). The earliest, solidly identifiable image of Tārā
3451-467: Is a lake Jetty that leads to the front of the lake and from where prayers and incense are offered. Prayer wheels are fixed along the jetty with prayer flags and Tibetan inscriptions, adding to the piety of the place. Annual Buddhist rituals from the readings of the Naysul prayer book, which describes the origin of Sikkim and has several tantric secret prayers, are chanted at the lake. Khecheopalri Lake
3570-570: Is also a resting-place for Trans-Himalayan migratory birds and supports commercial and recreational tourism. Trans Himalayan migratory birds visit the lake. Khecheopalri Lake and the Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP), which are visited by tourists and trekkers on the Yuksom-Dzongri-GoechhaLa trekking corridor (45 kilometres (28 mi) long trek) have caused concerns of environmental deterioration in
3689-720: Is also known as a land of hidden treasures blessed by Guru Padmasambhava . The Khecheopalri Lake is also part of Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit involving the Yuksom , the Dubdi Monastery in Yuksom , Pemayangtse Monastery , the Rabdentse ruins, the Sanga Choeling Monastery , and the Tashiding Monastery . An interesting feature of the lake is that leaves are not allowed to float on
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3808-618: Is an important female Buddha in Buddhism , especially revered in Vajrayana Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism . She may appear as a female bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. In Vajrayana Buddhism, Green Tara is a female Buddha who is a consort of Amoghasiddhi Buddha . Tārā is also known as a saviouress who hears the cries of beings in saṃsāra and saves them from worldly and spiritual danger. In Vajrayana, she
3927-471: Is believed to be a wish fulfilling lake. The local name for the lake is Sho Dzo Sho , which means "Oh Lady, Sit Here". The popularly known name of the lake, considering its location is Khecheopalri Lake, ensconced in the midst of the Khechoedpaldri hill, which is also considered a sacred hill. The lake is an integral part of the much revered valley of "Demazong" meaning valley of rice. This landscape
4046-415: Is chanted to invoke Tārā's protection. In Tibetan Buddhism, each of these outer dangers is also associated with an inner psychological meaning. As such, lions represent pride, wild elephants represent delusion, fires represent anger, snakes represent jealousy, bandits represent wrong views, bondage represent avarice, floods represent desire and attachment, and evil spirits and demons represent doubts. With
4165-687: Is considered to be a Buddha , and the Tārā Tantra describes her as "a mother who gives birth to the buddhas of the three times" who is also "beyond saṃsāra and nirvāṇa ." She is one of the most important female deities in Vajrayana and is found in sources like the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa , and the Guhyasamāja Tantra . Key Indic Vajrayana texts which focus on Tārā include the Tantra Which
4284-604: Is depicted as a great tantric adept who tames the spirits and demons of Tibet and turns them into guardians for the Buddha's Dharma (specifically, the deity Pe har is made the protector of Samye). He is also said to have spread Vajrayana Buddhism to the people of Tibet, and specifically introduced its practice of Tantra. The subjection of subduing deities and demons is a recurrent theme in Buddhist literature, as noted also in Vajrapani and Mahesvara and Steven Heine's "Opening
4403-505: Is enthroned as the Lotus King ( Pema Gyalpo ). However, Padmasambhava's khaṭvāṅga staff falls on one of Indrabhuti's ministers, killing him, and Padmasambhava is exiled from the kingdom, which allows him to live as a mahasiddha and practice tantra in charnel grounds throughout India. In Himachal Pradesh, India at Rewalsar Lake , known as Tso Pema in Tibetan, Padmasambhava secretly gave tantric teachings to princess Mandarava,
4522-413: Is first offered to a deity and then consumed). People believe that Shiva exists in "solemn meditation inside the lake". During this festival, pilgrims float butter lamps in the lake on bamboo boats tied with khadas (scared scarves), in the evenings chanting prayers as mark of reverence, along with many other food offerings. Chho-Tsho, is another festival that is observed here in the month of October after
4641-423: Is further associated with longevity, countering illness, and purification. Red Tārā meanwhile is associated with power, controlling and influencing others as well as with the transformation of desire into compassion. The manifestation of Blue Tārā ( Ekajati ) is a ferocious female protector whose invocation destroys all obstacles. Tārā is also a forest goddess, particularly in her form as Khadiravani , "dweller in
4760-446: Is known as Jetsun Drölma ( རྗེ་བརྩུན་སྒྲོལ་མ།།, སྒྲོལ་མ , Wylie: rje btsun sgrol ba ), meaning "Venerable Saviour" which is derived from the Tibetan verb sgrol ba meaning "to save, rescue, liberate; to carry, transport, or cross; and to expel or drive away [evil]". The name Tārā may also mean "star" or "planet" (since they are celestial bodies which cross the sky and are thus literally "crossers"). In East Asian Buddhism she
4879-423: Is known as 多羅菩薩 ( Pinyin : Duōluó Púsà ), with Púsà indicating bodhisattva status. In Japanese she is 多羅菩薩 たらぼさつ Tara Bosatsu. The name means "Bodhisattva who catches many" or "Bodhisattva who collects numerous [sentient beings]", derived from the characters : 羅, "to catch, gather, collect, sift," and 多 "many; much; a lot of; numerous". The Tārāṣṭottaraśatanāmāvalī , "108 Names of [Divine Personage] Tara",
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4998-572: Is made up of two words, Kheecheo and palri. 'Khecheo' means "flying yoginis " or " Taras " (female manifestations of Avalokiteshvara , the Bodhisattva of Compassion) and 'palri' means "palace". According to folklore legend related to Sikkim topography, the Khecheopalri is said to represent one of the four plexus of the human body namely, the thorax ; the other three plexes are said to be represented by Yuksom (the third eye), Tashiding (head) and Pemayangtse (the heart). The mythological links to
5117-647: Is most likely that which is still found today at cave 6 within the rock-cut Buddhist monastic complex of the Ellora Caves in Maharashtra ( c. 7th century CE ). Her worship was well established by the onset of the Pala Empire in Eastern India (8th century CE). The origin of Tārā is unclear and remains a source of inquiry among scholars. Mallar Ghosh believes her to have originated as
5236-420: Is one of the most popular deities which are appealed to by laypersons and monastics alike for aid. Tara's main form is depicted as dark green in color, which is associated with awakened activity. In Himalayan Buddhist iconography, each color is typically associated with a specific kind of activity (for example white is pacification and red is power). Because dark green is seen as a combination of all other colors,
5355-634: Is one of the most popular systems in Tibetan Buddhism. The main source for this system is Atiśa Dīpaṃkaraśrījñāna’s (982–1054 CE) Sādhana of the Twenty-One Tārās ( sgrol ma nyi shu rtsa gcig gi sgrub thabs ). Thus, in Atiśa's tradition, the mantra of Swift and Heroic Tārā (used for subduing enemies and hindrances) is Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture vāśaṃ kuru svāhā, the mantra of White Tārā (for healing and longevity): Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture śāntiṃ kuru svāhā and
5474-619: Is said to appear to tertöns in visionary encounters, and his form is visualized during guru yoga practice, particularly in the Nyingma school. Padmasambhava is widely venerated by Buddhists in Tibet , Nepal , Bhutan , the Himalayan states of India, and in countries around the world. One of the earliest chronicle sources for Padmasambhava as a historical figure is the Testament of Ba ( Dba' bzhed , c. 9th–12th centuries), which records
5593-478: Is sometimes depicted in a specific iconographical style called "Tara who protects from the eight dangers" (Tārāṣṭaghoratāraṇī). According to The Noble Sūtra “Tārā Who Protects from the Eight Dangers” (* Āryatārāṣṭaghoratāraṇīsūtra ), the eight dangers (aṣṭaghora) are: lions, elephants, fire, snakes, robbers, waters, infectious diseases, and demons. This sutra also contains an incantation ( dharani ) which
5712-983: Is the Source for All the Functions of Tārā, Mother of All the Tathagatas (Skt. Sarvatathāgatamātṛtārāviśvakarmabhavanāmatantra ) and Tārā’s Fundamental Ritual Text ( Tārāmūlakalpa ). Both Green and White Tārā remain popular meditation deities or yidams in Tibetan Buddhism , and Tara is also revered in Newar Buddhism . Tārā is considered to have many forms or emanations, while Green Tara emanates twenty-one Tārās , each with different attributes—colors, implements, and activities such as pacifying ( śānti ), increasing ( pauṣṭika ), enthralling ( vaśīkaraṇa ), and wrathful ( abhicāra ). The Green Tara (or "blue-green", Skt. Samayatara or śyāmatārā ) remains
5831-471: Is tāṃ. This seed syllable is often visualized in Tara sadhanas (meditative rites. spiritual practices). This seed syllable may also appear in longer Tārā mantras. For example, there is a common Red Tārā mantra which goes: Oṃ tāre tāṃ svāhā. Some traditions also contain a mantra for each of the twenty one Tārās, which are used to invoke a specific activity of Tara, like Atiśa's lineage of Tara practice, which
5950-431: Is white with a tinge of red. He is seated with his two feet in the royal posture. On his head he wears a five-petalled lotus hat, which has three points symbolizing the three kayas, five colours symbolizing the five kayas, the sun and moon symbolizing skillful means and wisdom, a vajra top to symbolize unshakable samadhi , and a vulture's feather to represent the realization of the highest view. Padmasambhava wears
6069-561: The Guhyagarbha tantra and the Thabs zhags padma 'phreng ( A Noble Noose of Methods, The Lotus Garland ) , an exposition of Mahayoga . The former work is mentioned in the work of Nubchen Sangye Yeshe (c. 9–10th centuries) and attributed to Padmasambhava. While in the eleventh and twelfth centuries there were several parallel narratives of important founding figures like Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra , Songtsän Gampo, and Vairotsana , by
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#17327909689426188-468: The Tibetan culture as oṃ tāre tu tāre ture soha . The literal translation would be "Oṃ O Tārā, I pray O Tārā, O Swift One, So Be It!" Tārā ( Devanagari : तारा) is a feminine noun derived from the root √tṝ , "to cross." It is causative , and as such means "to cause to cross," i.e., "to rescue." This is why the name is sometimes translated as "savioress" or "rescuer". For example, in Tibetan, she
6307-459: The Yang gsang rig 'dzin youngs rdzogs kyi blama guru mtshan brgyad bye brag du sgrub pa ye shes bdud rtsi'i sbrang char zhe bya ba . Padmasambhava has one face and two hands. He is wrathful and smiling. He blazes magnificently with the splendour of the major and minor marks. His two eyes are wide open in a piercing gaze. He has the youthful appearance of an eight-year-old child. His complexion
6426-553: The cardamom harvest to offer gratitude for providing people with food. Padmasambhava Padmasambhava ("Born from a Lotus"), also known as Guru Rinpoche (Precious Guru) and the Lotus Born from Oḍḍiyāna , was a semi-legendary tantric Buddhist Vajra master from India who fully revealed the Vajrayana in Tibet , circa 8th – 9th centuries. He is considered the reincarnation of Shakyamuni Buddha as foretold by
6545-572: The dharmakaya , sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya . Nine iron rings adorning the prongs represent the nine yanas. Five-coloured strips of silk symbolize the five wisdoms The khatvanga is also adorned with locks of hair from dead and living mamos and dakinis, as a sign that the Master subjugated them all when he practised austerities in the Eight Great Charnel Grounds. Around him within a lattice of five-coloured light, appear
6664-630: The "other side" of the ocean of existence (enlightenment). Hence she is known literally as "she who saves" in Tibetan. In the 108 Names of the Holy Tara , Tara is "Leader of the caravans ..... who showeth the way to those who have lost it" and she is named as Dhruva , the Sanskrit name for the North Star . Due to her association with navigation and travel, she is thus popular as a savior and protector from danger. In modern Tibetan Buddhism , Tārā
6783-479: The 12th century, hagiographies concerning Padmasambhava were written. These works expanded the profile and activities of Padmasambhava, now seen as taming all the Tibetan spirits and gods, and concealing various secret texts ( terma ) for future tertöns . Nyangral Nyima Özer (1124–1192) was the author of the Zangling-ma (Jeweled Rosary), the earliest biography of Padmasambhava. He has been called "one of
6902-601: The 14th century, the Padmasambhava hagiography was further expanded and re-envisioned through the efforts of the Orgyen Lingpa (1323 – c. 1360). It is in the works of Orgyen Lingpa, particularly his Padma bka' thang (Lotus Testament, 1352), that the "11 deeds" of Padmasambhava first appear in full. The Lotus Testament is a very extensive biography of Padmasambhava, which begins with his ordination under Ananda and contains numerous references to Padmasambhava as
7021-552: The 20th century, that a great Nyingma lama, Apong Terton rediscovered it. It is said that this lama was reborn as Sakya Trizin , present head of the Sakyapa sect. A monk who had known Apong Terton succeeded in retransmitting it to Sakya Trizin, and the same monk also gave it to Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche , who released it to his western students. Martin Willson in In Praise of Tārā traces many different lineages of Tārā Tantras, that
7140-467: The Bhutia-Lepcha villagers and Buddhist pilgrims think of the lake as her foot. The monks of Khecheopalri Monastery and the surrounding areas dedicate several ceremonies to the lake each year, along with animistic priests. As the sacred Khecheopalri Lake is known as a "wish fulfilling lake", folklore and legends associated with it are many. The folk lore has generated deep religious interest and as
7259-477: The Buddha himself. According to early Tibetan sources including the Testament of Ba , he came to Tibet in the 8th century and designed Samye Monastery , the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet during the reign of King Trisong Detsen . He, the king, and Khenpo Shantarakshita are also responsible for creating the Tibetan Canon through translating all of the Buddha's teachings and their commentaries into
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#17327909689427378-463: The Chinese princess Kongjo ( Princess Wencheng ). Tārā has many origin stories which explain her origin as a bodhisattva . According to one story, Tārā arose from Avalokiteshvara's compassionate tears when he wept on seeing all the suffering of all the beings in samsara . His tears turned into a lotus, out of which Tārā arose. The Indian master Sūryagupta explains this myth as follows: What
7497-535: The Guru is said to have done long penance combining the practices of Yangdak Heruka and Vajrakilaya , and attained the ultimate Mahamudra (or "the Great Seal"). The Tibetan Buddhism also mentions that Guru Rinpoche meditated at Muktinath (lord of liberation) temple in western Nepal before departing for Tibet. The nuns residing in the temple complex of Muktinath are revered as female goddesses and offspring of
7616-648: The Khadira forest" and is generally associated with plant life, flowers, acacia (khadira) trees and the wind. Because of her association with nature and plants, Tārā is also known as a healing goddess (especially as White Tārā) and as a goddess of nurturing quality and fertility. Her pure land , Paradise Arrayed in Turquoise Petals, in Mount Potalaka (Avalokiteshvara's Pure Land) is described as "Covered with manifold trees and creepers, resounding with
7735-566: The Khecheopalri Lake surroundings as well as in the Yuksom-Dzongri-Goechha La Corridor. Further, as a conservation measure, fishing or any other recreational activities at the lake have been prohibited. Swimming and boating in the lake are also prohibited. There is also the belief among the local community that any disturbance on the 'Holy Lake' could lead to calamities and unwelcome events. To reduce
7854-568: The Padmasambhava hagiographical tradition. The narrative was also incorporated into Nyima Özer's history of Buddhism, the Flower Nectar: The Essence of Honey (chos 'byung me tog snying po sbrang rtsi'i bcud) . The tertön Guru Chöwang (1212–1270) was the next major contributor to the Padmasambhava tradition, and may have been the first full life-story biographer of Yeshe Tsogyal . The basic narrative of The Copper Palace continued to be expanded and edited by Tibetans. In
7973-584: The Princess consort Mandarava, one of his two main consorts. who arouses the wisdom of bliss and emptiness, concealed as the three-pointed khatvanga. Other sources say that the khatvanga represents the Lady Yeshe Tsogyal , his primary consort and main disciple. Its three points represent the essence, nature and compassionate energy (ngowo, rangshyin and tukjé). Below these three prongs are three severed heads, dry, fresh and rotten, symbolizing
8092-405: The Tibetan language. According to Lewis Doney, while his historical authenticity was questioned by earlier Tibetologists , it is now "cautiously accepted". Padmasambhava himself was recorded as saying he was an historical person, and his footprints left in rocks are evidence. Padmasambhava later came to be viewed as a central figure in the transmission of Buddhism to Tibet. Starting from around
8211-613: The Yidam is one of the profound mysteries of the Vajrayana...Especially during the first years of practice the Yidam is of immense importance. Yidam is the Tibetan rendering of the Sanskrit word "Iṣṭadeva"—the in-dwelling deity; but, where the Hindus take the Iṣṭadeva for an actual deity who has been invited to dwell in the devotee's heart, the Yidams of Tantric Buddhism are in fact the emanations of
8330-609: The adept's own mind. Or are they? To some extent they seem to belong to that order of phenomena which in Jungian terms are called archetypes and are therefore the common property of the entire human race. Even among Tantric Buddhists, there may be a division of opinion as to how far the Yidams are the creations of individual minds. What is quite certain is that they are not independently existing gods and goddesses; and yet, paradoxically, there are many occasions when they must be so regarded. The various systems of Vajrayana Tārā practice contain numerous mantras for Tara. Technically speaking,
8449-481: The blank here, depending on what activity is required, such as grahān (evil spirits), vighnān (hindering demons), vyādhīn (diseases), upadravān (injuries), akālamṛtyūn (untimely deaths), duḥsvapnān (bad dreams), cittākulāni (confusions), śatrūn (enemies), bhayopadravān (terrors and injuries), duṣkṛtāni (evil deeds). Thus, for example, if one wanted to pacify evil spirits, one could recite: Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture sarva grahān śāntiṃkuru svāhā. Other appendixes may be added to
8568-620: The caste of non-duality of the sphere of awareness. My name is the Glorious Lotus-Born. I am from the unborn sphere of all phenomena. I consume concepts of duality as my diet. I act in the way of the Buddhas of the three times. Tara (Buddhism) Samding Dorje Phagmo Tara ( Sanskrit : तारा , tārā ; Standard Tibetan : སྒྲོལ་མ , dölma ), Ārya Tārā (Noble Tara), also known as Jetsün Dölma (Tibetan: rje btsun sgrol ma, meaning: "Venerable Mother of Liberation"),
8687-489: The court of Trisong Deutsen. She was among Padmasambhava's three special students (along with the King, and Namkhai Nyingpo ) and is widely revered in Tibet as the "Mother of Buddhism". Yeshe Tsogyal became a great master with many disciples and is widely considered to be a female Buddha. Padmasambhava hid numerous termas in Tibet for later discovery with her aid, while she compiled and elicited Padmasambhava's teachings through
8806-471: The death of Trisong Detsen, Padmasambhava is said to have travelled to Lanka in order to convert its blood thirsty raksasa demons to the Dharma. His parting words of advice advocates for the worship of Avalokiteshvara . According to Tibetan Buddhist legends of the local Monpa tribe, Chumi Gyatse Falls , also known as the '108 waterfalls' got created after a mythical showdown between Guru Padmasambhava and
8925-426: The development of esoteric or tantric Buddhism , two main ways of approaching Tara developed. In one, common folk and lay practitioners continued to directly appeal to her for protection and aid in worldly affairs, often chanting prayers, dharanis , or mantras to her and doing puja (worship rites). Tara's mantra and her twenty one verses of praise are widely learned and chanted by Tibetan laypersons. Tara also became
9044-507: The eight vidyadharas of India, the twenty-five disciples of Tibet, the deities of the three roots, and an ocean of oath-bound protectors His pureland paradise is Zangdok Palri (the Copper-Coloured Mountain). Padmasambhava said: My father is the intrinsic awareness, Samantabhadra (Sanskrit; Tib. ཀུན་ཏུ་བཟང་པོ). My mother is the ultimate sphere of reality, Samantabhadri (Sanskrit; Tib. ཀུན་ཏུ་བཟང་མོ). I belong to
9163-576: The eight principal forms were assumed by Guru Rinpoche at different points in his life. Padmasambhava's eight manifestations, or forms (Tib. Guru Tsen Gye ), represent different aspects of his being as needed, such as wrathful or peaceful for example. The eight manifestations of Padmasambhava belong to the tradition of Terma, the Revealed Treasures (Tib.: ter ma), and are described and enumerated as follows: Padmasambhava's various Sanskrit names are preserved in mantras such as those found in
9282-408: The end of the 12th century, the Padmasambhava narrative grew to dominate the others, becoming the most influential legend of the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet. The first full biography of Padmasambhava is a terma (treasure text) said to have been revealed by Nyangrel Nyima Özer, abbot of Mawochok Monastery. This biography, The Copper Palace (bka' thang zangs gling ma), was very influential on
9401-418: The expanse of great equanimity with perfect understanding and can do anything. Everything is flexible, anything is possible. Enlightened beings can appear in any way they want or need to. In The Copper Palace, King Indrabhuti of Oddiyana is searching for a wish fulfilling jewel and finds Padmasambhava, who is said to be an incarnation of Buddha Amitabha . The king adopts him as his own son and Padmasambhava
9520-487: The females who were taught and initiated by Padmasambhava. A statue of Padmasambhava, which is believed to have built by him in his own image, currently resides in the Mharme Lhakhang Gompa and is taken care of by these nuns. Padmasambhava hagiographies also discuss the activities of Padmasambhāva in Tibet, beginning with the invitation by King Trisong Detsen to help in the founding of Samye. Padmasambhava
9639-410: The first Buddhist monastery at Samye ('The Inconceivable'). However, certain events like the flooding of a Buddhist temple and lightning striking the royal palace had caused some at the Tibetan court to believe that the local gods were angry. Śāntarakṣita was sent to Nepal, but was then asked to return after the anti-Buddhist sentiments had subsided. On his return, Śāntarakṣita brought Padmasambhava who
9758-535: The founding of Samye Monastery under the reign of King Trisong Detsen (r. 755–797/804). Other early manuscripts from Dunhuang also mention a tantric master associated with kilaya rituals named Padmasambhava who tames demons, though they do not associate this figure with Trisong Detsen. According to the Testament of Ba , Trisong Detsen had invited the Buddhist abbot and Indian philosopher Śāntarakṣita (725–788) to Tibet to propagate Buddhism and help found
9877-615: The glacier. It forms the southern bank of the Lethang valley. The formation of the lake is estimated to be 3500 years old. The lake is situated amidst pristine forest at an altitude of 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) near Tsozo village. The lake drains a catchment area of the Ramam watershed (Ramam mountain gives its name to the valley) and has a drainage area of 12 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi) (including area of bog of 70,100 square metres (755,000 sq ft). The periphery of lake has
9996-488: The goddess Tārā. Following her cultivation of bodhicitta, the bodhisattva's motivation, she looked upon the situation of those striving towards full awakening and she felt that there were too few people who attained Buddhahood as women. So she vowed, "I have developed bodhicitta as a woman. For all my lifetimes along the path I vow to be born as a woman, and in my final lifetime when I attain Buddhahood, then, too, I will be
10115-472: The kingdom to Vajrayana Buddhism. Padmasambhava and Mandarava are also said to have travelled together to the Maratika Cave in eastern Nepal to practice long life rituals of Amitāyus . It was the place where, after the penance, they achieved the blessing of immortality from lord Amitāyus , the Buddha of long life. In the village of Pharping , located on the southern edge of Kathmandu district,
10234-442: The lake and its surrounding hills consist of granite gneiss , schist and phyllites . The lake is enveloped in a dense forest cover of temperate vegetation and bamboo . 72 households and 440 people live in villages around the lake periphery. The Lepchas are the main ethnic group of the place. Traditional agriculture is the main livelihood and recently some households have become involved in tourism. Pelling–Yuksom road leads to
10353-656: The lake are: Cyprinus carpio , Danio aequipinnatus , Garra sp., Schistura sp. and Schziothorax sp. The avifauna recorded in the lake, particularly in the festive season when they gather in the early hours of the morning (dispersed with human presence) at the middle of the lake are: grebe ( Podiceps ruficollis ), common merganser – Mergus merganser , large cormorant ( phalacrocorax carbo ), little cormorant ( microcarbo niger ), common teal ( Anascrecca ), tufted duck ( Aythya fuligula ), White-breasted waterhen ( Amaurornis phoenicurus ), moorhen ( gallimlachorophy ) and crane brown Amaurornisbi colour . The lake
10472-689: The lake exploit the natural resources of the lake watershed by way of extraction of fuel, fodder and timber, and by livestock grazing. Pilgrimage season compounds the threats to the lake environment in the form of outwash of the offerings made into the lake by pilgrims, decomposition of waste material resulting in increase in acidity of the lake waters and consequent high pH values (varied between 6.8 and 8.5), reduction in Dissolved Oxygen levels, increase in concentration of chlorides, iron and ammonia levels and proliferation of planktons such as protococus and tetraspora . All these factors increased
10591-467: The lake is called a "wish fulfilling lake". Another folk legend narrated (a plaque erected at the entrance to the lake by the Department of Ecclesiastical Affairs, Government of Sikkim gives some details of the legend) is that long time back this place used to be a grazing ground, troubled by nettle (the native original tribal population make use of the barks of nettle for multipurpose uses). Then, on
10710-413: The lake is exemplified by another legend, which says that the shape of the lake is in the form of foot that represents the foot of Buddha , which could be seen from the surrounding hills. The lake was the original névé (term used to define formation of a glacier from compact granular snow) region of ancient precipitous glaciers. The depression where the lake is situated was formed by the scooping action of
10829-491: The lake, which is ensured by the birds which industriously pick them up as soon as they drop into the lake surface. The Khecheopalri Lake and the Khangchendzonga National Park are conserved from the biodiversity perspective with ecotourism and pilgrimage as essential offshoots. As a result, their recreational and sacredness values are enhanced. According to folklore morphometry , Khecheopalri
10948-442: The lake, which is surrounded by densely forested hills. There is also a monastery above the lake. The climate of the lake region is monsoonal. The maximum and minimum temperatures recorded are 24 °C (75 °F) and 4 °C (39 °F). The lake is surrounded by a broad-leaved mixed temperate forest. However, the vegetation in the lake comprises Macrophytes , Phytoplankton and Zooplankton . The Phytoplankton species are
11067-502: The lake. To ensure lake conservation and management, the Khecheopalri Holy Lake Welfare Committee (KHLWC) and the local community are involved in developing plantations and management of festivals. They have stopped grazing around the lake periphery and even stopped construction of a footpath on the periphery of the lake in order to maintain the forest vegetation surrounding the lake. Now, there
11186-542: The lake; Hindu god Shiva meditated in Dupukney Cave that is situated above the lake and hence worshipped on " Nag Panchami " day at the lake; a Lepcha girl named Nenjo Asha Lham was blessed by the lake goddess and was gifted with a precious gem which was lost, and it is the belief of the local people that the gem is hidden in the lake; the lake water has curative properties and hence permitted to be used only for performing rites and rituals; and with all these legends,
11305-676: The lives of dharma practitioners when they take themselves, or the spiritual path too seriously. There are Tibetan tales in which she laughs at self-righteousness, or plays pranks on those who lack reverence for the feminine. In Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis , Thinley Norbu explores this as "playmind". Applied to Tārā one could say that her playful mind can relieve ordinary minds which become rigidly serious or tightly gripped by dualistic distinctions. She takes delight in an open mind and
11424-409: The local king's daughter. The king found out and tried to burn both him and his daughter, but it is said that when the smoke cleared they were still alive and in meditation, centered in a lotus arising from a lake. Greatly astonished by this miracle, the king offered Padmasambhava both his kingdom and Mandarava. Padmasambhava is then said to have returned home with Mandarava and together they converted
11543-505: The main architects of the Padmasambhava mythos – who first linked Padmasambhava to the Great Perfection in a high-profile manner." In modern Tibetan Buddhism , Padmasambhava is considered to be a Buddha that was foretold by Buddha Shakyamuni. According to traditional hagiographies, his students include the great female masters Yeshe Tsogyal and Mandarava . The contemporary Nyingma school considers Padmasambhava to be
11662-492: The main form of Tārā, Green Tārā, is considered to be the source of all beneficial activities. Within Tibetan Buddhism, Tārā appears in many forms, each tied to certain colors, symbols, and beneficial activities. As Green Tārā she offers succor and protection from all the unfortunate circumstances one can encounter in the world of suffering. As White Tārā she expresses maternal compassion and offers healing to beings who are hurt or wounded, either mentally or psychically. White Tara
11781-436: The mantra in the same manner. For example, sarvapāpaṃ āvaraṇa viśuddhe (cleanse all evil and obscurations), or dhanaṃ me dehi (give me wealth). Other extensions of the basic vidyā mantra include a common mantra for wrathful forms of Tārā: Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture hūṃ phaṭ, and a common mantra for White Tārā used to increase lifespan is: Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture mama ayuḥ punya jñānā puśtiṃ kuru svāhā. Tara's seed mantra ( bijamantra )
11900-463: The mantra of Golden Tara (for increasing and wealth): Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture puṣṭīṃ kuru svāhā. Other Atiśa tradition Tārā mantras require one to insert a specific name into it. For example, the mantra of Tārā who utters hūṃ allows you to influence or seduce a person, and thus is structured as follows: Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture [name of person] ākarṣaya hrī svāhā. There are various prayers, odes ( stotras ) and dharanis associated with Tara. The most famous
12019-550: The most important form of the deity in Tibetan Buddhism. A practice text entitled Praises to the Twenty-One Taras is a well known text on Tara in Tibetan Buddhism and in Tibet, recited by children and adults, and is the textual source for the twenty-one forms of Green Tārā. The main Tārā mantra is the same for Buddhists and Hindus alike: oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā . It is pronounced by Tibetans and Buddhists who follow
12138-442: The ocean of saṃsāra, and who "pulls [them] up" ( ut-tārā ). Turā, the third epithet, means "swift." Many Tārā mantras build off this base vidyā mantra by adding various mantric words which activate different functions of the deity, such as pacification or subjugation. As Beyer notes, one way to do this is to add a phrase like "sarva ____ śāntiṃkuru" (pacify all ____ ) in between ture and svāhā. Different terms may be inserted into
12257-621: The origin of all the lakes in Sikkim make them sacred and so is the case with the Khecheopalri Lake. Many legends are narrated such as: Guru Padmasambahava preached to sixty-four yoginis here; it is the residing place of the Goddess Tara Jetsun Dolma and the Khecheopalri Lake is her footprint; the lake represents the Goddess Chho Pema ; footprints of Macha Zemu Rinpoche are on a stone near the chorten (stupa) near
12376-487: The pollution level in the lake waters. A scientific study was, therefore, instituted (the first such study in India of a sacred lake in a temperate zone) with the objective of quantifying the sacredness value of the lake and the related recreational value of the Yuksom-Dzongri-Goechha La corridor. The study was carried out by gathering interactive information from tourists who visit the lake throughout
12495-422: The pollution levels in the lake, the measures envisaged are: afforestation of degraded forest areas, prayer ceremonies to be made monastery centric than lake centric, implement a management plan with full local participation, shifting cultivation and grazing in the catchment to be discouraged, weed control through manual and mechanical extraction and most importantly to check anthropogenic and agricultural runoff into
12614-600: The posing of questions, and then reached Buddhahood in her lifetime. Many thangkas and paintings depict Padmasambhava with consorts at each side, Mandarava on his right and Yeshe Tsogyal on his left. Many of the Nyingma school's terma texts are said to have originated from the activities of Padmasambhava and his students. These hidden treasure texts are believed to be discovered and disseminated when conditions are ripe for their reception. The Nyingma school traces its lineage of Dzogchen teachings to Garab Dorje through Padmasambhava's termas. In The Copper Palace, after
12733-462: The region. It is recorded that tourist inflow into Sikkim had seen a quantum jump in the period between 1980 and 2001; domestic tourism increased by more than 10 times and international tourists inflow increased by about fourfold. This concern is not limited to very high influx of tourists but also loss of biodiversity due to extraction of valuable ecosystem components due to deforestation and adoption of harmful land-use practices. The inhabitants around
12852-491: The royal court began to suspect that Padmasambhava wanted to seize power, he was asked to leave by the king. The Testament of Ba also mentions other miracles by Padmasambhava, mostly associated with the taming of demons and spirits as well as longevity rituals and water magic. Evidence shows that Padmasambhava's tantric teachings were being taught in Tibet during the 10th century. Recent evidence suggests that Padmasambhava already figured in spiritual hagiography and ritual, and
12971-492: The shape of a foot. The surface water spread area of the lake is 3.79 hectares (9.4 acres). The depth of water in the lake varies from 3.2–11.2 metres (10–37 ft) with an average depth of 7.2 metres (24 ft). It is also inferred from a visual observation of the lake that it has undergone changes in its size due to encroachment due to peripheral vegetation and eutrophication , and its original size could have been three times of its present size. The lake's water spread, which
13090-400: The sound of many birds, And with murmur of waterfalls, thronged with wild beasts of many kinds; Many species of flowers grow everywhere." Her association with the wind element (vaayu) also means that she is swift in responding to calls for any aid. According to Miranda Shaw , " Motherhood is central to the conception of Tara". Her titles include "loving mother", "supreme mother", "mother of
13209-506: The world", "universal mother" and "mother of all Buddhas". As such, Tārā embodies many of the qualities of feminine principle. She is known as the Mother of Mercy and Compassion. She is the source, the female aspect of the universe, which gives birth to warmth, compassion and relief from bad karma as experienced by ordinary beings in cyclic existence. She engenders, nourishes, smiles at the vitality of creation, and has sympathy for all beings as
13328-405: The worship and practices of Tārā became incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism as well. As the worship of Tārā developed, various prayers, chants and mantras became associated with her. These came out of a felt devotional need, and from her inspiration causing spiritual masters to compose sadhanas , stotras , or tantric meditations. Independent of whether she is classified as a deity, a Buddha, or
13447-523: The year (both national and international) and local community on their perceptions for conservation and tourism. This study has established that monetary values need to be attributed to conservation of the site for biodiversity and pilgrimage through regulated ecotourism. This could also usher in economic development, closely linked to conservation. Thus, ecotourism, promoted with the involvement of local communities, could not only provide economic benefits but also control further deterioration of biodiversity in
13566-436: Was 7.4 hectares (18 acres) in 1963 reduced to 3.8 hectares (9.4 acres) in 1997 and consequently the peatland (bog) increased from 3.4–7 hectares (8.4–17.3 acres). Inflow into the lake is through two perennial and five non perennial streams, while the outflow is from one outlet. In addition, during the monsoon season two streams are also diverted temporarily into the lake to supplement its storage capacity. The geological setting in
13685-615: Was Her origin? - Arya-Lokesvara, the Lord and Refuge of the Three Realms, Desire, Form, and Formless, which depend on the five or [in the Formless Realm] four aggregates that perish in an instant, saw that however many migrating beings he removed from samsara, they grew no fewer, and He wept. Tara sprang from the opening filaments of his face - of an utpala (blue lotus) that grew in the water of His tears. Another tale begins with
13804-460: Was already seen as the enlightened source of tantric scriptures up to 200 years before Nyangrel Nyima Özer (1136–1204), the primary source of the traditional hagiography of Padmasambhava. Lewis Doney notes that while numerous texts are associated with Padmasambhava, the most likely of these attributions are the Man ngag lta ba'i phreng ba ( The Garland of Views ) , a commentary on the 13th chapter of
13923-585: Was also identified as the footprints of Goddess Tara , as from a high vantage point the contours of the lake appear like a footprint. Another belief is that the foot prints are of Hindu god Shiva . The lake because of its high religious significance has been declared a protected lake under the Govt. of Sikkim Notification no. 701/Home/2001/dated 20-09-2001 and the provision of the place of worship (Special Provision Act 1991 of Government of India . Department of Eccliastical Affairs, Government of Sikkim. The sanctity of
14042-516: Was an Indian tantric adept from Oddiyana . Padmasambhava's task was to tame the local spirits and impress the Tibetans with his magical and ritual powers. The Tibetan sources then explain how Padmasambhava identified the local gods and spirits, called them out and threatened them with his powers. After they had been tamed, the construction of Samye went ahead. Padmasambhava was also said to have taught various forms of tantric Buddhist yoga. When
14161-406: Was once worshipped by animistic Lepchas as a location of spiritual power. It became a sacred Buddhist site around 1700 with the establishment of Khecheopalri Monastery, and the lake is now the subject of a mixture of Buddhist and animistic practices. Pilgrims to the lake seek healing and fertility. Every day, people offer flowers and food to the lake's dakini . The dakini has many names, and most of
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