Sunday Morning Weekly Puja With Lama Tenzin Sherpa

Tara is said to be the Mother of all the Buddhas; a female Buddha of compassion and wisdom who manifests in 21 different forms – some peaceful, some semi-wrathful, some fierce - and each form has their own iconography, mantra, and enlightened activity. Meditating on and praying to them can clear obstacles, enhance bodhicitta and intelligence, give long life, dispel poverty, and so on. Through gradually appreciating, practicing, and ultimately embodying Tara’s wisdom and compassion, we can make a positive difference both in ourselves and to others. Mahakala is considered to be an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. It is believed he manifested in this form to provide a more direct protection to practitioners, combining the aspects of compassion with the power to overcome obstacles.