Customer Reviews

In Praise of Tara: Songs to the Saviouress

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After having read the book from cover to cover at least 3 times - I must say without doubt that it is indeed one of the best books available - not just on Tara, the great Mother Goddess / Bodhisattva embodying Lord Buddha's great skilful and active compassion - but also on Tibetan Buddhism and Buddhism in general - it provides accurate sadhana / practice texts on Tara at the end; provides accurate translation of Tara's popular Buddhist tantra in the content part of the book; especially, a wonderful translation of Tara's 21 Praises - one of the most popular ever - all my recommendation and congratulations to anyone who bought and read the book !

This book is very thorough. At first I thought it was just too much information, however, after extracting the material I really wanted, I now find myself going back to get more into the details. It is a great book!

The most important text in the book is the translation of the Tara Tantra, a dharma-door text into the Vajrayana or esoteric Tantra-vehicle of Mahayana Buddhism leading to enlightenment. The Tara Tantra is a foundation Kriya Tantra, the entry level tantra. It glorifies Tara the Mother of all Tathagatas and the Buddha teaches his foremoest spiritual progeny, Prince Manjushri, profound mantras for attaining siddhi (occult powers) and bliss. Also included are important Mahayana sutras concerning Tara told by Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and the important sadhanas or invokations of the deity Tara by the Indian and Tibetan bodhisattvas of antiquity. A book of infinite power.

Of all of my books on Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and especially Tara, this is by far and away the best book for everyone from the casually curious to the serious practitioner. If I could keep only one book in my library, this would be the book I would chose to keep (thank goodness I don't have to!). It is accurate to tantras, very wonderfully presents the 21 praises (in Sanskrit, Tibetan AND English), and contains all my favorite tantras, mantras and images. This book is inspired and definitely should be treated with the full respect due a praise of Tara. Martin Wilson's book is also vastly referenced and footnoted, beautifully organized, and easily read (and beautifully written). My only regret is that it is a sturdy paperback rather than a hardcover or cloth edition, because it gets so much use. I've added a non-animal skin cover to protect the book, which helps.

Come on. How can you critique someone who is translating ancient tantric text on the Goddess Tara? If someone is up to the task, bravo! And this dude is so CUTE...just look at him...you can see the light shining out of him!