tantra

Tantra

Om Mani Padme Hum

This page is dedicated to the Tantric teachings as I understand them and how they have influenced my life path. This comes primarily in the categories of Tibetan Buddhism. Here is information to share with you. I begin with mandalas and a very few of the meanings and uses of mandalas. Then I present more of my personal understanding. Then there are some of the more well known mantras. Finally there is a listing of some of the books that I have found informative.

Mandala information Kalachakra Mandala Yantra Mandala

Buddha's Story on His Enlightenment Enlightenment-Dhyanas

Carol's Personal Empowerments Basic Tenets of Buddhism Books of Interest

Sand

Tantric teachings have among their foundations the oldest teachings known. Origins trace back to the most ancient of the teachings. There are threads of ancient truths woven through the Tantric teachings as well as throughout all world teachings.

How do I begin?

I have been dancing with this section of my writing an extended time period. I want to tell you about my experiences. Still, all I can do is talk in the factual, conceptual framework. I am putting into words the terms and the descriptions - as if I was one of those individuals on the outside looking "at" rather than experiencing, simply watching. I keep returning to the words and the terms. I can't seem to put the experience into the sensations, into the inner movement of the transmissions. I don't know how to speak of the shifts that occur. It is a feeling of being flooded with bliss - with deep inner peace. It is becoming one with the sacred.

Tantra is about non-duality - union, and how to experience and live in that state. It is about non-locality. In the deepest sense of the terms, there is no separation, no location, no time. There is the complete fullness of the nothingness. When asked, "is the pot full or empty," the answer given was, "it is full of emptiness." This isn't a clever answer is a truthful one.

Tantra is about moving beyond thinking into knowing, beyond experience into such-ness, beyond all concept of being into being. All attempts as describing fail. Tantra is a non-way. There is no longer any duality, therefore there is no way to pursue. There is no end to attain, therefore nothing to be attained. There is nothing more to do than to be. The way to do this is by keeping the mind in its natural awakened, divine state.

Impermanence is a basic concept. Everything is destined to end or to change in nature. Everything is interdependent and lacks intrinsic reality. Everything is void. Being grounded in that which is without characteristics is necessary. These are steps to "Awakening".

My First Set of Empowerments

I have had several empowerments. I first took refuge with Ven. Lama Karma Dorji, Resident Teacher of Kagyu Shenpen Kunchab Buddhist Center of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. Refuge, in the simplest terms is an inner and an outer agreement to hold to the teachings of the Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha. The Buddha is the Teacher, the Dharma is the teachings, and the Sangha is the community of people of like mind. The act of being given refuge is almost entirely in Tibetan. However, there is explanation of what it means, what commitments are being made and what responsibilities are being accepted. It is a ritual action with a carefully followed procedure. Then, because one is beginning a new life, one is given a new name. My given name is Karma (for the family lineage) Dolma Lhamo. All names are auspicious - and help us lead an auspicious life. My name has been explained to me in many ways. Generally it refers to a divine or sacred mother of the heavens and the earth and I am of the family line of Karma - after my root lama who gave me first teachings. I am part of the lineage of the Kagyupa Lamas.

A young boy, "His Eminence Kalu Rimpoche", reincarnation of the deceased "Kalu Rimpoche", who founded Kagyu Shenpen Kunchab Buddhist Center in Santa Fe came to KSK to teach and to give empowerment. The young Kalu Rimpoche was 5, almost 6 at the time I first saw him. I and many others there, were looking for evidence of the wisdom of the elder Kalu Rimpoche. What I saw was both a young child and an eternal thread of ancient teachings. He was very ordinary in an extraordinary way.

One friend I met at the empowerment told me of sitting with the young Kalu Rimpoche and playing in the sand with a colony of ants. He was again, both the ordinary child and a teacher of the wisdom teachings. The blessings, the empowerment, and the authority was bestowed by this child/sage. The look in his eyes as he gave blessing left no question of his wisdom. The verbiage, the main body of the teaching, and the leading was done by the "Very Venerable Bokar Rimpoche, the primary teacher of the young Kalu Rimpoche. Our translator was Norbu Doondrup Rinpoche of Santa Fe. There were additional Lamas there to assist and to support all the teachings and empowerments. The actual empowerments were not in English but the intonations, vibrations, and resonance of the vocalizations of the ceremony were captivating and transfixing. The sounds elevated me to a level of understanding beyond words.

The series of empowerments was conducted over a week-long set of events. I have used the term empowerment numerous times. The best I can describe the meaning of the term is to include another term - transmission. Participants are bestowed with blessing and approval to study and practice a particular aspect of the Buddhist teachings associated with a Buddhist aspect. In addition to permission and encouragement to study and practice, one is also infused with as essence of the teachings. It is as if the color, taste and smell of the teaching is slipped into the cells of the subtle body. Even is one does not recognize the transmission at the time, when the teachings are studied, there is a recognition as if meeting an old friend. The elicited sensation is something like an internal smile of peace that comes with the practice.

Tara, Mahakala, Vajrayana, and Milarepa were among the empowerments I received that week. I had read something of the teachings and something of the empowerments but found I remained quite naive. Each occasion for empowerment was preceded by an opportunity for refuge. Refuge is basis for liberation from suffering. With repeating refuge each time and hearing the explanation I came to a deeper understanding of meaning. Each transmission of the teachings began with a state of calm abiding ... a stable experience of a mind free of distractions and obstacles. A mind held not too tightly, and not too relaxed or slouched. It was the beginning of training in one-pointed focus. We were taught to see where one is at, to scrutinize. We were taught to work with and on occasion to get rid of pain and increase happiness.

Getting rid of pain does not necessarily bring happiness and well being - due to karma and accumulations ......... also, to conflicting emotions, and anger. Often our lives are controlled by our karmic patterns. We are not free. Habitual patterns often rule our thoughts and behaviors.

Mandala

Mandalas are used in many of the rituals of tantric practice and tantric initiation. They are constructed at the beginning of an initiation, out of grains of colored sand carefully placed on a specially prepared platform. Thus mandalas are temporary structures built of impermanent materials. Mandalas are deliberately destroyed, their sand swept up upon completion of the initiation and poured into a nearby stream or river. Mandalas are also objects of meditation focus. There are many varied versions most of which represent one or more sacred divine beings and their palace or home.



            A mandala is usually a circular symbol representing a palace home of a Buddha. The mandala, above and left, is connected with the Buddha Vajrasattva, who holds the original crystalline purity. The Buddha Vajrasattve resides in the center and sits on a lotus blossom with eight petals, resting on a bed of jewels. Next are walls of the palace with gates toward the four corners of the earth. The gates are guarded by other Divine beings.

            The line drawing on the right is the layout or plan for the mandala. This is specifically a layout for a sand mandala such as the Kalachakra mandala.

            A mandala is often a focus or support for a person's meditation practice. Before a meditating person can reach the gates, that person must pass the outer circles: the purifying fire of wisdom, the vajra circle, and the circle with the eight states of consciousness. Each individual must pass the eight states of consciousness: the consciousness of seeing, of hearing, of tasting, of smelling, of the body, of thinking, the consciousness of the I, and basic consciousness. Passing through the first five is also referred to as 'withdrawal of the senses". Then thinking must cease as must body awareness and all consciousness of gross matter to allow one to step into the inner levels of the mandala. My experience of this process is dissolving totally into "beyond".

The four outer circles symbolize the enlightenment that the meditating person seeks and must attain before entering the center innermost realms. The outermost ring, shown above, consists of alternating sections of red, blue, yellow and green and represents the fire of wisdom. The next circle toward the center is blue and is the diamond circle, the vajra, and expresses strength and fearlessness. The next circle inward is a serious of mounds of many colors that represent the eight levels of consciousness. The circle of lotus blossom petals is next. It expresses an open state of devotion in preparation for entering the inner palace.

The Kalachakra Wheel of Time

The figure above is a Kalachakra mandala. According to many teachings, there are four classes or types of tantra: kriya, charya, yoga, and anuttarayoga. Kalachakra belongs to the anuttarayoga class. Most empowerments require some preparation and/or a "rediness". Kalachakra is one empowerment that is given openly and freely to anyone who wishes to receive this transmission. Creating a connection with Kalachakre is said to lead one to take rebirth in Shambhala, the only pure land in this earth realm. The Dali Lama gives the initiation. This sand painting has been created at various sites throughout the United States during the past few years.

Yantra Mandala

This is the symbol of Devi/the sacred in two forms, in union. The four triangles with points upwards represent the Shiva element, and the five pointing downwards, the Shakti element. The ultimate object of meditation on this yantra is to realize the individual soul in union with the Absolute. Practice of meditation ritual transforms the mind itself, and what at first appears as an external yantra, with lines, corners, and petals, becomes a pure mental state.

Basic Tenets of Tantra

Basic tenets include:

1.      direct transmission

2.      foundation in experience of awakening

3.      revelation to the nature of one's own mind

4.      contemplation of one's true nature - the "Buddha nature" or pure consciousness

Modern tantric teachings are attributed to Shakyamuni. His tantric name, Vajradhara, was given secretly. The teachings have four main levels or areas. They are naned:

kriya - action

charya - performance

yoga - union

anuttara yoga or supreme yoga

Anuttara yoga is one of my primary interest and focuses of learning. It is the "highest yoga". Note - many of the various yogas refer to themselves and their teachings as the "highest yoga". The primary distinguishing characteristic is that it needs no external ritual. It is believed that when one reaches this stage of realization they are in a continuous state of expanded consciousness. Do not dare to mistake this statement for any sort of release of the requirement of discipline. The "ritual" is the unwavering discipline of living the teaching each moment. An enlightened being is living fully awake and impeccably at each and every moment.

In tantra there are two worlds. One world is the world of pure contact and is not colored or created by the screen memories of ordinary reality or past experience. The second world is a world of mental formations, of samskaras, the interpretations of those mental formations. This is what we know as relative reality - the world of form we function in each day.

There are two principal stages that define the tantric path, the generation stage and the completion stage.

"kyerin" - the generation stage - literally, the stage of generating the discipline of path. This is the identification completely with the aspect of enlightenment.

"dzokrim" - the completion stage - where the practitioner "lives life". It is the manipulation of the subtle psychophysical energies to bring about profound transformation of consciousness of self and others.
The family of buddhas include:
                        a. Ratnasambhava, color yellow, harvest magic
                        b. Amitaba, color red, universal love, Dharma
                        c. Vajrachara, color white, the center, pacification
                            of negativity
                        d. Amoghasiddi, all performing wisdom, siddhi
                        e. Aksohbya - the West - the blue consort Lochana,
                             "she with the eye", clear seeing of mirror-like
                             wisdom.
                         f. Ratnasambhava - South - yellow Mamaki - "mine
                             maker" all living beings are her children - the
                             universe is hers.
                         g. Amitabha - West - red Pandaravasisi - "white
                              robed one" - meditative absorption - when
                              everything is yours, when you feel for everyone,
                              then is born the Wisdom of Equality.
                         d. Amoghasiddhi - North - Green Tara - fearless
                             compassion - All Accomplishing Wisdom.
                         e. Vairochana - center - white Akashadhateshvari,
                             sovereign lady of the sphere of infinite space - the
                              illuminator - Wisdom Light and Emptiness

Easy enough so far - right?

There are 7 characteristic cornerstones that guide us in our growth toward enlightenment. They are listed and described below.

Tantra is concerned with direct experience. Everything is directly accessible and usable. Think about that for a moment. Tantra is about the ability to "experience truth directly". Something I once read said that, "Tantra is quick and easy if you work long enough and hard enough". I cannot yet begin to conceive of long and hard enough.

Tantra works with symbols and magic. Did that word "magic" startle you? It affects symbol, and magic is the language of the deepest strata of our earliest and deepest human consciousness.

Tantra addresses the whole person. The body, speech, mind, and spiritual experience must flow through even to the fingertips and tips of the toes. It is here that our patterns of practice are addressed and established.

Tantra sees the world in terms of energy. One passes through the flames of shunyata, through emptiness, and transmutes consciousness. Everything discrete and separate dissolves. Then there are patterns of energy, free flowing patterns of energy, subtly congealed, in body channels - the winds and drops (nadi and bindhu). The energy is then put into the central channel, the shushuma, and one experiences deep meditation on shumyata (the void) ... this is the "short path to enlightenment.

Tantra makes use of the strongest experiences of life. In tantric teachings all expressions of energy are grist for the mill of life - can be used for growth. Energy is temporarily locked into patterns and those patterns can be utilized for awakening, even the energies we may previously have define negatively. Energy is a resource, a potential. In Hinayana teachings, mindfulness keeps feelings, temptations, desires, at arms length. The tantric practitioner has enough insight and self-discipline to play with the "fires" of worldly desires and not to be burned. The tantric practitioner rides the most powerful energies with mindfulness and with detachment. The two pillars of samsara (craving and aversion) (sex and death) are used to transmute powers. This is the Yab-Yum, the duality, the appearance of opposites and is utilized to create union - like the yin-yang. The five primary Buddha families or teachers include:

a.       Aksohbya, Vajra family, The Imperturbable, deep blue in color, represents the East. His consort is Lochana, "she with the eye", clear seeing of mirror-like wisdom. He is the protector of the Vajaya gate.

b.      Ratnasambhava, Ratna family, The Jewel-Producing, deep yellow, represents the South. His consort is Mamaki, "mine maker". All living beings are her children. The universe is hers. He is the protector of the Yamantaka gate.

c.       Amitabha, Padma family, Infinite Light, intense red in color, represents the West. Pandaravasisi is his consort, the "white robed one" who teaches meditative absorption when/where everything is yours. When you feel for everyone, then is born the Wisdom of Equality. Amitabha is the protector of the Hayagrive gate.

d.      Amoghasiddhi, the Karma kula family, The One of Unobstructed Success, plant green in color, represents the North, Samaya or Green Tara is his consort. She holds fearless compassion and All Accomplishing Wisdom. He protects the Amritakundalin gate.

e.       Vairochana, the Buddha or Tathagata family, The Illuminator, pure white in color sits in the Center. Akashadhateshvari, the sovereign lady of the sphere of infinite space is his consort. She is also the illuminator and carries the Wisdom Light and Emptiness.

Tantra sees Ssamsara and Nivrana as interrelated. as duality/non-duality, everything is and expression of higher vision, of higher reality, "as above, so below". Tantra sees the mundane as a reflection of Enlightenment.

Tantra begins at the highest point. It begins with direct experience. We must live "as if", fully. We must live impeccably and behave at all times as though we are already a fully Enlightened Being.

Some terms and phrases defined:

Movements constitute the objects ... material reality ... a continued and infinitely rapid succession of flashes of energy - "tsal" (particles or instantaneous events appearing as a wave). The two theories of this movement are: 1) continuous - as the flow of a quiet river and 2) discontinuous - intermittent, separate flashes of energy. Intervals are almost non-existent.

Senses are susceptible to education. Acuity can be increased and extended far beyond current use. Suspect the information given by the senses. Suspicion and doubt are an incitement to research (question and discover) and research is the way which leads to knowledge.

Illumination is the discovery of reality existing beneath appearances. Illumination is awareness of the place one occupies in this reality and beyond.

After investigation, believe that which you have yourself tested and found reasonable, and which is for your good and that of others.

"Reality" is the space between, it is the mind. It is the space between that we must transverse in order to enter enlightenment.

The mind is comparable with space, neither interior nor exterior. In its "depths" there is only the Motherwomb, the void, the potential of all creation. There is no place where mind is born, no dwelling place of mind, no cessation of mind, no past, present or future, no time, no space. It is void of any qualities or essence; it is impossible to grasp. It is found in the deepest meditations of mindlessness.

Liberation is a fundamental change in perception, ideas, and feelings. Free from any idea of death, one frees oneself in one's present life and with out leaving it.

Awakening resulting from transcendent and profound insight, which causes us to see more. It is a sphere where dualities, pairs of opposites do not exist.

Prajna Paramita is Excellent Wisdom. It is going beyond wisdom. It is "direct path". It is sudden liberation" after a lifetime of seeking. Prajina Pramita is not to spread teachings too lightly ... to those whose intelligence (perception) is too limited to grasp meaning.

Go Beyond. Go beyond virtue, vice, opinions, and beliefs. Go beyond mental constructs built by ordinary mind. Go beyond non-activity. Go beyond the direct path. Go beyond sudden illumination. Go beyond thought, existence, good and evil, time and space. Go beyond. To go beyond is to immerse worldly mind in original mind, which contains all because it is void, it is the Motherwomb.

The Void - In this void are born, act, and disappear all the phenomena perceived by our senses. We only imagine these scenes unfolding outside ourselves. The void is pure, unmixed. It is a state in which the elements do not produce any combination ... the elements do not give rise to phenomenon ... only latent, non-manifest forces exist. The void is inconceivable because of complete absence of manifestation. The void can only be experienced though union, through becoming void.

Buddha's Story on His Enlightenment

On enlightenment, the Buddha observed...

I have discovered profound truth, difficult to perceive, difficult to understand, accessible only to the wise.

And asked...

Of what use to reveal to men that which I have discovered? Why should I do so? It cannot be understood by those filled with hungers, with desires. It is mysterious, deep; hidden from busy minds, hidden from shallow minds. Only misunderstandings can come from teaching minds of ignorance.

The response...

There are some whose spiritual eyes and ears have only thin veils. There are some who will understand. There are some keen minds, ready for the gateway to open, for transcendent, transformational insight ... for direct knowing.

Enlightenment - Dhyanas

There are teachings called the Four Dhyanas. It is said that traversing these dhyanas is rare and often seems to be an impossible achievement. These steps or Dhayanas are guidepost to assist us on our path toward enlightenment.

Be seated for meditation.

Have strong resolve.

Develop unflinching determination.

Cultivate focused attention.

Keep your body calm and motionless.

Maintain a concentrated and one-pointed mind.

Stand apart from urges, desires, longing.

Enter the 1st state of meditation where the mind/thought still somewhat divided and diffuse. It is here where one may experience lasting joy.

Enter the 2nd state of meditation free from any wave of thought and experience the lasting joy of a unitive state.

Enter the 3rd state of meditation and become conscious in depths of the unconscious and allow your body to be flooded with joy.

Enter the 4th state by going beyond duality of pleasure and pain and the field of memory, beyond the reach of thought, into the realm of complete purity - reached through detachment and contemplation.

All everyday life is lived within the confines of consensus reality, like life within an eggshell with no understanding of what exists beyond the shell. Within the shell is all duality. Discovery of life beyond the eggshell allows one to move beyond the ordinary.

The four dhyanas allow us to see beyond the shell of space and time into another dimension. Voices of the great teachers reach us from the center of pure consciousness beyond space, time thought, and form. As we step through the gateway, beyond the veils, we hear the voices directly. We share what lies outside the boundaries of the mind. The four dhyanas are descriptions as guidelines so that we may know and understand our progress.

First Dhyana

Attention is withdrawn from the senses. It is turned inward, toward recollection, toward right attention. Strayed attention continually returns from the outside world to contemplative focus.

Two aspects of distraction are divided thought; doing two things at once and diffuse thought or what we understand as a wandering mind.

This centrifugal force of thought is gradually absorbed into the center.

To descend through the personal unconscious, one must practice focused attention during the day within ordinary activities. Master the passions and desires. Develop deep one-pointed mind (concentrated focus). When one is fully ready for enlightenment, one is able to sit and meditate and easily enter this region without distraction.

Second Dhyana

The senses are less demanding.

Distractions and breaks of concentration are less frequent and more easily put away.

Self Mastery moves one to much deeper levels.

Associations, desires, and thoughts are no longer disguised as rational unselfish behavior but are recognized as aspects of the "I, mine, and me of ego.

Go against self-will. There is no other way to gain detachment from self-centered conditioning.

Self-interest is transformed to interest of larger whole. The everyday world seems remote and you may feel immense pressure in your head. Concentration becomes lifeline.

The sub-conscious urges and preoccupations are absorbed in the single one-pointed focus. Each moment of thought is under control.

A revolutionary realization is awakened: thought is not continuous, not an unbroken flow. Thoughts are a series, discrete stills, passing too fast for ordinary perception.

Calm your mind and clear seeing occurs. There is no longer any emotional entanglement. You are free to respond through choice with compassion.

Thoughts are slowed until each separate thought is distinct, clear, and easily discernable.

You become awake in an "inner world" beyond ordinary description.

Third Dhyana

Discover that "Nothing" is between two thoughts.

There ... there is no movement in or of the mind.

Consciousness is like a still lake.

There is a moment, an instant when you glimpse beyond mind into deeper consciousness, a blinding glimpse of pure light with a flood of joy, a place of no mind and no thought.

All of life's lesser desires and satisfactions are recognized as insignificant.

The life focus becomes the desire to repeat the experience, "the most difficult challenge in the spiritual journey".

There is the feeling that you are outside the world, in the collective unconscious, the storehouse of consciousness, a strata shared by every creature.

You must (and you want to) take off your individual personality and leave it behind. There is no self interest ... no attachment to outcome ... and a continuing best effort.

You absorb and become everything; the past, all emotion, all events ... with kindness, with compassion, and with perfect balance.

You come to a place of "no more grief", a place completely beyond suffering.

"I", the previously separate self - made up of thoughts, desires, and motives - are all gone, and now are applied only to an old concept of "I". There is no guilt and no regret. The remaining feeling is like it happened to someone else.

Wait, practice, and continue to live the path with commitment, discipline, and joy.

Then the mind process stops and stays stopped. You slip through. The "waters of the collective close over you head", and you become part. You know firsthand, your inseparable-ness from the whole of creation.

The power of this experience lasts you entire lifetime ... to serve all life.

Fourth Dhyana

The everyday world takes on mundane characteristic of ordinary reality. Unity may seem far away. Conditioned instincts of mind are stilled but not destroyed.

Maintain the third dhyana of unity until the seeds of mundanity are burned away. They do burn completely away.

Know that mind is a field of forces, forces that can be utilized to bring all beings to enlightenment.

Determine to harness the power of the unconscious in everyday life - for the highest good of all concerned.

Even in dreams, retain an awareness of unity.

Then: experience a flood of light and discover that walls of every kind fall away. All consciousness is unified. You are awake in the depths of unconsciousness. You discover that life is a seamless whole.

Return to surface of consciousness. Pick up appearance of personality. (Carlos Costanada calls this "controlled folly.)

Live all you have achieved clothed in a thin layer of humanity so "light shines through. Become transparent. Some people choose to remain in a blissful state and decide to let their bodies go, to transcend. Others remain in the plane of form to help others.

In the Unity of the Universe we experience immense compassion with penetrating vision, "seeing". We see that the separate self of substance is an illusion. The outside world and the inner realms are arbitrary. Everything takes place in One field of forces ... both matter and mind. Matter (form), energy, mental events, and physical events are the manifest structure (the fabric, the net) of consciousness. There are continuous changes in the sea of primordial energy. Mind and the physical world are only different aspects of the same Ultimate consciousness.

*********

Dharmas are thought quanta - "states of being" - which arise and die. Each moment is now. The succession of moments is perceived as time. "I" am a series of separate mental events temporarily associated with a physical form, a series of separate births and deaths of physicality defined as form.

First, we take refuge: direct focus to three jewels, the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sanga. We focus and find the mind of wisdom that will affect a positive frame of mind, positive action, and positive karma. We relate to the absolute source for inspiration. Every empowerment began with this process of refuge and focus.

After refuge, requirements for continuing were: awakening a pure attitude, surrendering negative attitude (impure activity), having a genuine request for empowerment and a desire for enlightenment not only for ourselves but for all beings. The motivation is that "all beings are experiencing suffering and I want to bring all beings from suffering into perfect liberation."

The process we followed with all the empowerments was:

1. prostrations,

2. mind manifests all worthy objects of offerings,

3. reject accumulated karma,

4. rejoice, request enlightened beings to continue turning dharma wheel,

5. request enlightened beings to stay here (to help bring all beings to enlightenment),

6. dedication of all accumulated virtues and merit for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Our motivation and attitude was to be:

1.      practice for the benefit for all beings and for the highest good - without exception.

2.      a committed mind of aspiration

3.      body, speech, and mind - all worthy offerings

4.      universal mandala

Carol's Buddhist Empowerments

My first refuge was taken with Lama Karma Dorji - Resident Teacher of Kagyu Shenpen Kunchab Buddhist Center in Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism in Santa Fe, NM on May 18, 1995. During the next few weeks I took several empowerments. Empowerments are initiations and are direct transmissions of powers and abilities. A brief overview of some of my empowerment initiations follow.

Tara - OM TARA TUT TARA TURE SWAHA Carol's empowerment - 6/30/95 Friday by His eminence Kalu Rimpoche

Tara (Drolme) is the most important female Bodhisattva. She represents the maternal aspects of compassion. She protects people as they are crossing over the "Ocean of Existence ". She appears as different colors, primarily white and green.

White Tare (Sitatara or Svetatara) has seven eyes in her head, palms of her hands and the soles of her feet so she can perceive anyone who needs her help in any directions.

Green Tara (Syamatara or Harit Tara) is the protector against all dangers.

Mahakala - OM BENZRA MAHALALA CHING CHETA BICANAN BINATAKA HUMG HUNG HUNG PE PE SOHA

Mahakala was originally a hostile demon but was tamed by Padmasambva by means of magical strength. He then became a protector and an assistant to help their pupils to attain supreme insight. He has flaming red hair and aureoles and crowns consisting of five skulls.

Vajrayana - VAJRA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA AH Carol's empowerment - 7/1/95 Saturday evening

Vijrayana is the "Diamond Vehicle" also known as Tantrayana or the final doctrine. This is based on the concept that every being is a potential Buddha. It is only ignorance and confusion obscuring spirit. This is the cause of suffering. Insight and right action can dispel the obscurations and can lead to enlightenment.