The Dolma 21 prayer, known formally as the 21 Praises to Tara (Phyag ’tshal nyer gcig ma), is one of the most beloved spiritual practices in Tibetan Buddhism. It honors Tara (Tibetan: Dölma), the female Buddha of swift compassion and liberation. The Story of Tara's Origin
The "full story" often associated with this prayer describes Tara's birth from a tear of compassion:
The Tear of Chenrezig: Long ago, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig), looked upon the world and saw the immense, unending suffering of sentient beings.
The Vow: Overwhelmed by the scale of the task, a single tear fell from his eye. This tear transformed into a lotus, and from the blossoming lotus, Tara appeared.
The Promise: She promised Chenrezig that she would take the form of a woman and assist him until all beings were liberated from suffering. The 21 Praises
The prayer consists of 21 verses, each dedicated to a specific manifestation of Tara that represents a different aspect of her enlightened activity:
I understand you’re looking for a PDF of the Dolma (Tara) 21 Praises in Tibetan. This is a well-known text in Tibetan Buddhism.
However, I cannot directly provide or link to a PDF file. Copyright status varies by edition/translation, and many online PDFs may be unofficial.
Here’s how you can reliably find a Tibetan PDF:
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"dolma 21 prayer" tibetan pdf
or use Tibetan: སྒྲོལ་མ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཉི་ཤུ་རྩ་གཅིག་གི་བསྟོད་པ། (21 Praises to Tara)
Check with Dharma centers (e.g., Sogyal Rinpoche’s center, Chokgyur Lingpa lineage) – they often offer free PDFs for practice. dolma 21 prayer in tibetan pdf
Be cautious of sites asking for payment – this prayer is widely available for free in Tibetan.
21 Praises to Tara Dolma Nyishu Tsachig ) is a fundamental prayer in Tibetan Buddhism. You can find several versions of this prayer in PDF format for study and practice: Maitripa College PDF
: Provides the full Tibetan transliteration alongside the English translation. Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
: Features a combined text including the prayer and brief explanations of each of the 21 Taras. Kagyu Shenpen Kunchab PDF
: Offers the prayer in a rhyming English meter with transliterated Tibetan. FPMT Practice Text : A formal layout suitable for standard daily practice. Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive Core Mantra
While the 21 Praises are lengthy, they are often paired with the primary Tara mantra: "OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA" YoWangdu: Experience Tibet Significance of the 21 Taras
Each of the 21 emanations represents a specific enlightened activity to benefit sentient beings: Praises to the 21 Taras (PDF)
Here’s a short write-up you could use for a website, blog, or resource listing:
Title: Dolma (Tara) 21 Praises Prayer in Tibetan – PDF Download
Description:
Discover the sacred Dolma Chagtsa Chonyi (21 Taras Praises), a revered Buddhist prayer dedicated to Arya Tara—known as Dolma in Tibetan. This text invokes the 21 manifestations of the Mother of all Buddhas, each representing a different aspect of enlightened activity, protection, and compassion.
This PDF provides the prayer in Tibetan script (Uchen), ideal for practitioners who follow along during pujas, daily recitations, or study sessions. Reciting the 21 Praises of Tara is believed to remove obstacles, dispel fear, and grant swift blessings. The Dolma 21 prayer , known formally as
Contents of the PDF:
How to Use:
You can download, print, or view the PDF on any device. It is recommended to receive the oral transmission (lung) from a qualified lama, but anyone may recite the praises with devotion.
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Note: This PDF is shared for non-commercial, spiritual use. Please respect the sacred nature of the text.
The Dolma 21 Prayer, formally known as the Praise to Tara with Twenty-One Verses of Homage (Tibetan: sgrol ma la phyag 'tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa), is one of the most beloved and widely practiced liturgies in Tibetan Buddhism. It is recited daily by monks, nuns, and laypeople alike to invoke the swift, compassionate energy of Arya Tara to dispel obstacles and bring about both temporal and spiritual success. Accessing the Dolma 21 Prayer PDF
High-quality PDF versions of the 21 Praises to Tara, featuring Tibetan script, phonetics, and English translations, are available through several authoritative Tibetan Buddhist organizations:
Lotsawa House: Offers the root text in Tibetan, Sanskrit, and English, with various downloadable formats.
FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition): Provides a comprehensive prayer book version with visualizations and preliminary prayers.
Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive: Includes combined texts for practice and study.
84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha: A scholarly translation from the Tibetan Kangyur. Summary of the 21 Manifestations
The prayer consists of 21 verses, each addressing a unique form of Tara with specific enlightened qualities: Benefits of Green Tara Practice - SamyeLing.org Search on sites like:
The 21 Praises to Tara (Tibetan: Dolma Nyishu Tsachig) is one of the most beloved and widely practiced liturgies in Tibetan Buddhism. It serves as both a devotional hymn and a profound meditational tool, invoking the twenty-one unique emanations of the Bodhisattva Tara. The Essence of Dolma: The Mother of Liberation
In Tibetan tradition, Tara (or Dolma) is revered as the "Mother of all Buddhas". She represents the active, swift compassion of the enlightened mind. Legend states she was born from the tears of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion, who wept for the endless suffering of sentient beings; his tears formed a lake from which a lotus grew, revealing Tara.
Unlike distant deities, Tara is celebrated for her accessibility. She famously vowed to remain in a female body until Samsara is emptied, challenging the notion that enlightenment is tied to gender. Structure and Symbolism of the 21 Praises
The prayer consists of 21 verses, each dedicated to a specific form of Tara with its own color, posture, and spiritual specialty. Praises to the Twenty-One Tārās - Lotsawa House
Subject: Digital text resources for Praises to the Twenty-One Taras (Jetsun Dolma). Target Audience: Tibetan Buddhism practitioners, Tibetan language students, and scholars.
The "21" is not random. In Buddhist numerology, it represents the 21 major aspects of enlightened wisdom. Each Tara also corresponds to a specific worldly crisis. For example:
When you recite the Tibetan text, you are not just reading—you are invoking these qualities directly.
Below is the essence of the prayer. If you have a specific lineage translation you prefer (e.g., FPMT, Dzogchen, or Gelug), the core Tibetan text remains the same, though phonetic spellings may vary slightly.
Before downloading a PDF, it is essential to understand whom you are connecting with. Dolma (Skt: Tara) means "the Liberator" or "She who saves across the ocean of samsara." She is a fully enlightened Buddha who, according to lore, vowed to appear in a female form for all kalpas to alleviate suffering.
The 21 Taras represent 21 distinct manifestations or aspects of this single enlightened energy. Each Tara has a specific name, color, and function. They are not separate deities but facets of a single diamond of compassion. The prayer is a rapid method for removing obstacles, dispelling fear, and cultivating wisdom.
The 21 Taras include, but are not limited to:
Each stanza in the prayer describes a physical posture, a mantra, and a specific benefit.
Because the text is a sacred dharma treasure, always avoid sites that copy copyrighted translations without permission. Instead, try: