Tara Space: Chants

Green Tara puja text
Green Tara practice tape

The text and recording of a lengthy Green Tara practice. The chanting is in Tibetan, with some Sanskrit. The text is in Tibetan script along with phonetic transliteration into English letters and an English translation. This is the only example that I know of a traditional Tibetan Tara practice presented in both textual and audio form. Available from the Kagyu Droden Kunchab Bookstore.

White Tara puja text

White Tara sadhana by Tenpai Nyinje, the Eigth Tai Situ. In Tibetan script along with phonetic transliteration into English letters and an English translation. Available from the Kagyu Droden Kunchab Bookstore.

Green Tara tape set

Three cassettes by Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche, of which the first two are commentary and question & answer, followed by a tape with chanting of a Green Tara practice. There is no printed text. The information and chanting are good, but the sound quality is somewhat limited, and Khenpo's accent can make his English a bit difficult to follow at times. Available from Snow Lion Publications.

Reciting in Honor of Tara (CD)

Tibetan chanting in honor of Tara, from Master Tharig Rinpoche and lamas at the Tharig Monastery in Nepal. In the first version, a synthesizer background adds a New Age ambience. This version is followed by recitations with voice alone. Makes very soothing listening. Available from Four Gates on their Tibetan Buddhist Chants and Praise Music page.

Trance Tara, by Jonathan Goldman (CD)

Layers of tambouras, Tibetan overtone chanting, and drumming with occasional chanting of the Tara mantra (Om Tara Tutare Ture Svaha) in the background. A nice presentation musically, though I'd have preferred the chanting to be more continuous and more in the foreground. Available from Snow Lion Publications or Amazon.com.

Voice of Tibet, H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche (CD)

A remarkable recording with solo chanting of a number of Tibetan mantras and short texts by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche. His voice is very uplifting. A few of the shorter mantras are written out in the liner notes, but no text is provided for the longer songs. Includes a Red Tara mantra (Om Tare Tam Soha) and a prayer to the Twenty-One Taras (though this does not appear to correspond to the prayer of that name that I've seen transcribed elsewhere). Available from Snow Lion Publications or from Tibetan Treasures.

Prayer: A Multicultural Journey of Spirit (CD)

Anthology of sacred music from various world religions, usually with traditional words and melodies combined with more modern musical accomponiment. Includes a very nice chant to Tara from Nada Shakti and a somewhat aimless Green Tara track attributed to the Dalai Lama. (They seem to have taken a short sound clip of the Dalai Lama reciting the mantra, and added a lot of ambient sounds and instrumentation behind it.) Available from Amazon.com.

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Border images are from a White Tara meditation card and poster available from Dharma Publishing, 2910 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702. 1-800-873-4276. http://dharmapublishing.com.