The Cult of Tara

WORSHIP
recited before the rituals was written by Lord Lhak'ab Jigten
lotang; known simply as "the prayer calling the gurus from a
distance," it further describes itself as "the prayer to be recited at
the beginning and end of the contemplative period when evoking
in solitary contemplation." This prayer was recited at the beginning
of every ritual the monks performed for me; and since it is of inherent
aesthetic interest for its rhythmic variations, a translation is here
given. The prayer begins with a section in 8-syllable meter (x x x x
x x x x):
Dispelling the darkness of ignorance, glorious guru,
teaching the path of freedom, glorious guru,
saving from the waters of this world, glorious guru,
dispelling the disease of the five poisons, glorious guru,
the wish-fulfilling gem, glorious guru !
The meter then becomes 6-syllable (x x x x x x):
Master of all families,
head of all mandalas,
pervading master of the animate and inanimate,
glorious lord of this world and of nirvana,
essence of the four bodies and five knowledges,
inherent nature of the sixth Buddha, Bearer of the Vajra!
Then the prayer reverts to 8-syllable meter, but with a caesura
on the fourth syllable (x x x —x x x x):
Inherent nature of unchanging Dharma-body,
inherent nature of all-pervading Dharma-body,
inherent nature of great bliss of the Dharma-body,
inherent nature of knowledge of nonduality,
inherent nature of knowledge of the Innate !
And then once again the meter becomes 6-syllable (x x x x x x):
The lineage of the unequaled Gampopa,
the fathers and sons of the glorious Dragons,
the gracious personal guru:
look with eyes of compassion.
Look with eyes of compassion
upon us, beclouded with the darkness of ignorance.
Look with eyes of compassion
upon us, tormented with the disease of the five poisons.
• • • upon us, who think brief life is long.
• • • upon us, with no place of refuge.
• • • upon us, unaware of approaching death.
• • • upon us, clever in the eight worldly things.
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