Introduction to Tibetan Buddhist Deities and Spirits

Hey BALG! I’m not exactly sure where to post this so I decided to post it in the general discussion sub forum. Anyhow, I wanted to share some of what I’ve learned about the deities of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism is an incredibly diverse form of spirituality that has been practiced in many ways by many different people. In the west, when it comes to Buddhism, you constantly hear about Buddhism being an atheistic religion and the mysticism that can be seen in the Buddhism of the east is watered down and regarded as “metaphor”. Tibet, Japan, Thailand, and other countries that have a rich history of Buddhism all have a history of Buddhist magick as well. In fact, it was the power of Tibetan sorcerers that helped convert most of the Mongol empire over to Vajrayana Buddhism through their invocation of Mahakala.

I plan on making a series of posts where I post information and mantras about a deity from this tradition and I will share some of the ritual practices, benefits, and history of the deity. I feel so called to share this information because I find Tibetan Buddhism to not only be a beautiful and transcendent spiritual path, but it’s magick and rituals can be extremely powerful and simple.

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Green Tara

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I’m going to follow this, I began using Vashikaran mantras a few weeks ago and I’m already seeing positive effects so I’m definitely interested in learning more about mantras.

Welcome back btw, I ran through every post in the necromancy category about six months ago, and was delighted to see someone else was doing some of the things I was.

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Wow you are back. Are you still practicing necromancy as well or have you replaced it with this path?
I will be looking at this thread as I have been wanting to work with Tara

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Tara is one of the most popular deities within the system of Tibetan Buddhism and temples dedicated to her could once be found all over Tibet and are still found in Nepal, Bhutan, and all over the world. She is a goddess of compassion and miraculous action and is said to have been formed from the tears of Avalokiteshvara when he witnessed the suffering within the world. Tara is said to be the mother of all Boddhisattvas and loves all sentient beings just as a wise and compassionate mother would. She has many different manifestations but Green Tara and White Tara are the most popular two. Each manifestation of Tara can be approached to help one alleviate different problems or forms of suffering.

Traditionally, there are eight offerings that Tara enjoys which are placed in eight separate bowls and offered to her. The offerings are water for drinking, water for washing, flowers, incense, light, perfumed water, food, and music. Water, incense, rice, and/or candles would be a good offering for those wishing to build a relationship with her.

Green Tara is known by many as the Saviouress due to her miraculously swift aid when called upon to protect her followers and devotees. Many people have stories of Green Tara coming to their aid and protecting them after only a handful of recitations of her mantra. Green Tara is primarily a goddess of compassion and protection, and she excels at both. She can help free one from their fears and negative attachments but she can also serve as a powerful protector. In Tibet, the color green is associated with action and power which goes to show you exactly how high of a regard she is held in the Buddhist world. Simply reciting her mantra is said to manifest her presence to you.

The mantra for Green Tara is: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha (OM TARAY TOOTARAY TOORAY SVAHA)

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@anon84896414 I still practice necromancy but I see it more as a tool than as a basis for my practice. @Keteriya What kind of necromancy for you practice?

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Several years ago I studied the religion of Buddhism with interest and tried to practice a number of mantras (Green Tara, 100-syllable Vajrasattva, Avalokiteshvara and Manjushri). It will be interesting to read your experience in this area!

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I don’t follow or practice any particular paradigm. I’ve always seen dead spirits, and Samedi has taught me how to work with them in a way that works for me, but doesn’t fit squarely into one of those nice little category boxes.

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Samedi is a wonderful spirit and a wonderful teacher! Sometimes I miss working with him and the other Ghede Lwa.

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Are you able to provide more information about 21 taras? Especially Black Tara connected to north? I couldn’t find anything clear enough to be usable. I would be glad for such data.

The praise of 21 taras as devotional and meditational practice is very well described in books, also practices of green and white tara, there also happens more and more data about red tara (or maybe dakini? I think about Kurukulle). Other taras are described quite skimpy and it baffle me in comparison to scale of popularity of tara in Himalaya area.

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@NovemberChild I’ll provide as much information as I can! I’ll be posting about Red Tara/Kurukulla next. At least from my understanding, they are one and the same though I think Kurukulla is the wrathful form of Red Tara. I only know about Green, White, Red, Black, and Yellow Tara. The other Taras are mostly unknown to me but I’ve been doing some research on them.

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Red Tara

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Kurukulla

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While the forms of Tara that most westerners are most familiar with are Green and White Tara, there are several other forms that don’t get as much attention. One such form is Red Tara. Her name in Tibetan is Rigjema and she is in control of the actions of magnetizing and subjugating. In the mundane sense, she is often petitioned by those who are unhappy in love and can draw lovers and friends to you. In the supramundane sense, this can mean attracting to you circumstances that are auspicious for enlightenment through the dharma. It is said that when one reaches 10,000 recitations of her mantra, one will have all of their wishes fulfilled.

In some traditions within Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan Bön, the semi-wrathful deity Kurukulla is another emanation of Red Tara. Kurukulla is the Tibetan Goddess of enchantment, magick, and romantic love. In her symbology, she holds a hook, a noose, a bow, and an arrow. Kurukulla is a very old goddess and some academics have traced her worship back to an ancient tribal love goddess in India whose worship eventually spread to Tibet where she became worshipped in Tibetan Buddhism, most notably in the Kagyu sect. Kurukulla’s practice and rituals can be found in several Tibetan tantric texts such as the Arya Tara Kurukulla Kalpa and the Hevajra Tantra. In these texts, there are several methods for enthrallment that are described. It is said that at 100 recitations of her mantra, ordinary men and women are enthralled. At 10,000 recitations, kings and lords are enthralled. At 100,000 recitations the gods themselves are enthralled. And at 10,000,000 recitations, animals are enthralled. Below I will include the visualization that is used to enthrall with Kurukulla’s mantra. Lastly, Kurukulla is part of the Padma Buddha family and there are prayers to supplicate the whole Padma family to bring about magnetizing siddhi.

Red Tara Mantra: OM TARE TAM SVAHA

Kurukulla Mantra: OM KURUKULLE HRIH HUM SVAHA

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Kurukulla Subjugation Visualization (from the Hevajra Tantra)

1.) One begins their visualization as the goddess Kurukulla. Remember to flesh out as many details as you can when visualizing this. See and feel the necklace of heads around your neck, see and feel your wild hair and skull crown, see and feel your multiple arms holding all of the tools and implements of subjugation.

2.) Visualize a glowing red hrih syllable circling your heart. The Hrih syllable causes a red lotus flower to sprout from your heart.

3.) Visualize your target appearing before you upon a wind mandala. They are naked.

4.) Visualize several fierce red bees emerging from the lotus flower in your heart. As you exhale, they are sent through your left nostril and into the left nostril of your target.

5.) Visualize yourself as Kurukulla drawing a red lotus arrow and firing it directly into the heart of your target. A red lotus flower sprouts from the arrow and the bees cluster around it, extending their pollen gathering tubes.

6.) Red lights emerges from your right ear in the form of red iron hooks and glowing Hrih syllables. The light transforms into another red lotus arrow and is fired into the heart (if the target is male) or the genitals (if your target is female). Your target becomes extremely aroused or starts to drip.

7.) The bees exit from your target’s right nostril carrying the syllables of their name back through your right nostril and into the lotus flower in your own heart where they dissolve.

8.) Several more arrows are shot into the heart or genitals of your target, stirring more red bees to emerge from your heart, through your left nostril, and into the left nostril of your target. The bees reach the heart of your target and fetch more syllables from their name.

9.) The bees carry the remaining syllables from your target’s name back to the lotus flower in your heart from which they emerged.

10.) A net of red lotus flowers is cast over your target and a wall of flaming red Hrih’s surrounded them.

11.) Your (Kurukulla’s) third eye opens and gazes into the eyes of your target. Visualize exactly what you want them to do and see it as strongly as possible, preferably from their point of view.

12.) A lasso of red lotus flowers is thrown around the neck of your target and red iron hooks enter your target as red beams of light through the heart (if the target is male) or the genitals (if the target is female).

13.) Recite aloud “OM KURUKULLE such and such a person VASAM-KURU SVAHA!”

14.) Acknowledge that your target is full of lust and delight over you.

-Kurukulla enjoys offerings of red flowers, red candles, fresh water, and red incense, especially red sandalwood.

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On a final note, there are methods of visualization with Kurukulla and her mantra that aren’t as targeted as the method before. One can visualize one self sitting underneath the towering goddess while chanting the mantra. Visualize members of the desired sex beginning to crowd around your from the ten directions as you chant the mantra. As you inhale they get closer, as you exhale more individuals join the approaching crowd.

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White Tara

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White Tara is an exceptionally beautiful and compassionate deity. White Tara’s Tibetan name is Dolma Karpo and she is worshipped by Vajrayana Buddhists who seek inner and outer peace, physical and mental healing, and long life, both for themselves and loved ones. White Tara is a very motherly Boddhisattva who is close to human beings and wants to liberate all sentient beings of their suffering, including humans, animals, and spirits as well. White Tara practice can help one develop deep compassion as she Herself is extremely compassionate. While the Green Tara is the protector, White Tara can be seen as a healer. White Tara is also a deity who can truly bring out the good in you. If you feel like you have been overly selfish, greedy, or resentful, she can help you overcome yourself and become a better person. She is an excellent deity to include during a compassion meditation. White Tara enjoys offerings of white flowers, ghee butter lamps (or ghee candles), regular white candles, fresh water, and white rice.

Mantra: OM TARE TUTTARE TURE TENZIN GYATSO AYUR PUNE GYANA PUNTIN KURU SVAHA

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Black Tara

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Black Tara is a wrathful manifestation of Tara, and in Tibetan Buddhism, many deities and Boddhisattvas have wrathful manifestations. Black Tara is associated with power and is often called upon to destroy black magick and curses that have been cast upon her devotees. She is also a deity that is frequently appealed to when an exorcism or spiritual cleansing is needed. Black Tara is known by several different names and can be called upon for a myriad of different mundane and spiritual reasons. She can help remove the negative influence of karma and samsara and is adept at severing malignant attachments that we may carry. Black Tara can also cause all of your intentions and aspirations to be invulnerable, making them inevitably come to full fruition. She has aptly been compared to the Hindu Devi Kali Maa and the two are very similar in appearance and in energy. Black Tara and Kali are both aspects of the Dark Mother energy. On a final note, Black Tara is excellent when appealed to for the purpose of exposing and pacifying (usually in a peaceful manner) hidden enemies.

Mantra: OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA TREY PEY

@NovemberChild I remember you mentioned that you were interested in Black Tara. Sorry this post took so long for me to write. Finally had a day off from work.

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