In praise of Tārā : songs to the Saviouress : source texts from India and Tibet on Buddhism's great Goddess

The most dearly loved of all the Buddhist deities is the blissful goddess Tara. She acts with lightning speed to aid those in distress and to fulfill their wishes. In Praise of Tara is a complete guide to understanding this Buddhist goddess, including a history of the Tara Tantra, canonical and practice texts, and lyrical praises. "Amongst all Buddhist deities, the most dearly loved is the blissful, beautiful, and often mischievous goddess Tara. As bodhisattva, she defied tradition when she attained omniscience in female form. As mother goddess, she embodies the feminine archetype in us all and shared a close kinship with Demeter, Inanna, and the Virgin Mary. And as deity of tantric Buddhism, she acts with lightning speed to aid those in distress and fulfill her supplicants' wishes. For centuries, Tara has inspired some of the most marvelous Buddhist literature ever written. This collection includes a history of the origin of the Tara Tantra, canonical and practice texts, and lyrical praises."--BOOK JACKET Amongst all Buddhist deities, the most dearly loved is the blissful, beautiful, and often mischievous goddess Tara. A bodhisattva, she defied tradition when she attained omniscience in female form. As mother goddess, she embodies the feminine archetype in us all and shares a close kinship with Demeter, Inanna, and the Virgin Mary. And as deity of tantric Buddhism, she acts with lightning speed to aid those in distress and fulfill her supplicants' wishes. For centuries, Tara has inspired some of the most marvelous Buddhist literature ever written. This collection includes a history of the origin of the Tara Tantra, canonical and practice texts, and lyrical praises. The most dearly loved of all the Buddhist deities is the blissful goddess Tara. She acts with lightning speed to aid those in distress and to fulfill their wishes. __In Praise of Tara__ is a complete guide to understanding this Buddhist goddess, including a history of the Tara Tantra, canonical and practice texts, and lyrical praises.