Carpe Diem #402, Kokobunji (Temple 29)

Dear O-Henro ... Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Today we arrive at Kokobunji Temple (also known as Tosa Kokobunji) at Nankoku in Kochi Prefecture, this the 29th temple on our pilgrimage and it's devoted to Senju Kannon or Avalokitesvara. It is said that Senju Kannon was genderless and that he/she could take 21 different forms. One of this forms is called Tara it's the femine part of this deity. Tara is also known under e.g. names as Green Tara and Red Tara all colors stand for a different aspect of her.
She embodies many of the qualities of feminine principle. She is known as the Mother of Mercy and Compassion. She is the source, the female aspect of the universe, which gives birth to warmth, compassion and relief from bad karma as experienced by ordinary beings in cyclic existence. She engenders, nourishes, smiles at the vitality of creation, and has sympathy for all beings as a mother does for her children.



Green Tara

As Green Tārā she offers succor and protection from all the unfortunate circumstances one can encounter within the samsaric world. As White Tārā she expresses maternal compassion and offers healing to beings who are hurt or wounded, either physically or psychically. As Red Tārā she teaches discriminating awareness about created phenomena, and how to turn raw desire into compassion and love. As Blue Tārā (Ekajati) she becomes a protector in the Nyingma lineage, who expresses a ferocious, wrathful, female energy whose invocation destroys all Dharmic obstacles and engenders good luck and swift spiritual awakening.
Within Tibetan Buddhism, she has 21 major forms in all, each tied to a certain color and energy. And each offers some feminine attribute, of ultimate benefit to the spiritual aspirant who asks for her assistance.
These qualities of feminine principle then, found an expression in Indian Mahayana Buddhism and the emerging Vajrayana of Tibet, as the many forms of Tārā, as dakinis, as Prajnaparamita, and as many other local and specialized feminine divinities. As the worship of Tārā developed, various prayers, chants and mantras became associated with her.

The Mantra of Tara (Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha)

These came out of a felt devotional need, and from her inspiration causing spiritual masters to compose and set down sadhanas, or tantric meditation practices. Two ways of approach to her began to emerge. In one common folk and lay practitioners would simply directly appeal to her to ease some of the travails of worldly life. In the second, she became a Tantric deity whose practice would be used by monks or tantric yogis in order to develop her qualities in themselves, ultimately leading through her to the source of her qualities, which are Enlightenment, Enlightened Compassion, and Enlightened Mind.

Tosa Kokobunji (Temple 29)

enlightened soul
remains solid and truthful
full of compassion

full of compassion
Tara inspires her worldly followers -
lotus reaches for the sun

lotus reaches for the sun
finally enlightenment is near
Om Mane Padme Hum

(c) Chèvrefeuille

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until February 18th 11.59 AM (CET). I will publish our new episode, Zenrakuji (Temple 30), later on today if I have time enough ofcourse (I am in the nightshift).