Hello everyone,
In today's video I would like to share the
the story of Tara with you.
In one of the tales, Avalokitesvara, who worked ceaselessly for all who suffer
looked at the world and realized that
all the sentient beings in the six realms were still suffering and cannot find the way out
the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara fell into despair
and the Tara was revealed from his tears
This tale was also recorded
Among them, "Da Fang Guang Man Shu Shi Li Sutra", the Prediction of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Chapter,
there is also a record.
When the Bodhisattva of Avalokitesvara settles down in the Pu Guang Dara Samadhi
the Bodhisattva's eyes emit great light with samādhi power
Dara Bodhisattva is transformed into a young girl from the light
Illuminate all beings with coolness and light
Show mercy to all beings like a loving mother
Vow to save all sentient beings from the sea of life and death
This is an offering from the Bodhisattva of Avalokitesvara
One of the verses
So the sutra also echoes the
legend that Tara is a female counterpart of Avalokitesvara
who was born from his tears.
This is a manifestation of compassion.
The scripture refers her as the Bodhisattva Duo Luo
There are also people who call her Tara.
She is the great light from the eyes of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara,
revealed in form of a young girl
The same is true of his vows in past life.
Many eons ago,
there was a world called Zhong Guang
an ancient Buddha named Gu Yin
and a Princess named Pāramitā Light (Wisdom Moon).
She was very faithful to
the Three Treasures.
She had been making cultivations and widely spreading the offerings.
Once a monk who was present has asked the princess:
"You have such
a pious heart in worshiping
the Three Treasures
your merits and virtues are incredible.
You must make a vow of male rebirth now so that
your female body will
be reborn into a male body
and you may continue your progress on the path of enlightenment
Your wish will certainly come true.
Why don't you make such a vow now
to facilitate your spiritual practice?"
This was what the monk has said to Princess Pāramitā Light.
Princess Pāramitā Light replied to him:
"I see that there is neither male nor female here,
no one, no a thing, and no Self.
The "male" and "female" are merely fictitious classifications
created by the unenlightened minds of this world."
And she continued:
"In the past, countless practitioners
have achieved Buddhabood as males
but very few of them became enlightened as females
I shall make a vow from the bottom of my heart
I shall faithfully develop Bodhicitta and make Bodhisattva practice
until I finally reach Buddhahood.
And I shall take on a female body to attain enlightenment and lead all beings
to attain enlightenment."
Princess Pāramitā Light answered this monk in this way.
So this is the tale of the Tara's vow
Her story was also recorded in the Origin of Tara.
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara
has benefited countless sentient beings in the infinite times
but the number of these suffering beings did not decrease much
There were still a lot of them
So from his tears a lotus flower
was emerged
and revealed the savior Tara as it opened.
This is who we now call Bodhisattva Duo Luo or Tara
Tara comforted Avalokitesvara and said:
"You don't need to be depressed
I would like to help you to free all beings from suffering."
Then she also made a Buddhist chant
expressing her willingness
to work with him to free the sentient beings.
So this is one of the stories
of how the Tara
has made vow to
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Tara is a counterpart of Avalokitesvara
and a Goddess of Compassion
Therefore
whenever Tara is mentioned in Buddhism
we know that she is another manifestation of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara
What Tara offers to all the sentient beings is
to constantly save them from sufferings and
remove all their obstacles and pains.
This is Tara's original wish
We are here today to share
about Tara's vow and
all kinds of touching deeds.
I believe it should be a good example for all of us Buddhists,
and it is also
an encouragement to us all.
Especially when women see Tara,
they may better relate to her.
Therefore, we have eliminated the issue
that many people are discussing about whether
the Bodhisattva of Compassion is a male or a female.
In fact, what Tara tells us is that in the ultimate truth,
there should be no difference in forms
and the difference is only
due to the various conditions of karma and sentient beings
Both Avalokitesvara and Tara
they respond to the convenience of skillful salvation of sentient beings
I hope this video
will be beneficial to you.
Thank you and I wish you all the best!