om tare tutare ture soha - meaning, discussion.
om Tare Tutare Ture soha
compassion courage clarity guidance
compassion courage clarity guidance
The Song.
Many Kirtan artists have recorded this well known mantra. Sacred Earth has a particularly moving recording of this mantra on their live album “Presence,” 2017, that complements well “Dancing Shiva”, the next song on this album. It well represents their style of performance in concert these days. It was the sound track for their website for a while. The CD sleeve has some particularly powerful imagery of Prem and Jethro that helps depict the special energy they can create in Kirtan.
The Mantra Discussed.
Tara is an important Name for Deity in Mahayāna Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism. Tutare and Ture are other Names related to Tara, that go with Tara and help us understand how Tara functions. Where Tara signifies compassion.
In this Sanskrit mantra, Tara appears as Tare, which is the locative form of the noun Tara. All these three Names are in the locative case, and therefore our mantra is about being located in compassion. May we be located in compassion, in our thought word and deed.
It’s best to start with oneself, with compassion for our own pain. The English word com-passion helps us understand how this functions.
Compassion for our own emotional pain involves a willingness to be with the painful feelings and actually feel them instead of thinking about them. In this, we can be like a good mother who will go to and stay with her little one when she or he is troubled by the fears of small and vulnerable children. Staying with the inner child until he feels better. Reassuring, supporting, protecting. Com = being with. So we can be with our hurt inner child, be with the pain, be with the passion.
As the mature and protective inner mother, we protect our inner child from destructive forces. We use our maturity to disallow pain filled and pain driven thoughts, for we know from experience this will only make it much worse for our inner child. We know the natural curiosity of our child will lure her back into exploring such unhelpful thinking, unaware of the danger. But we are protective, and we will not be lured like this.
Then we can be with the painful feelings, uncomplicated and undisturbed by painful thoughts. These hurtful thoughts will only make the problem worse, for they come from the ego, and not from our higher self. So we need to develop the skill of letting go of all thoughts, no matter how compelling and insistent they may be, and return our attention to something more stabilising. This is the heart of meditation training for transcendence.
A Course in Meditation is published on this website to help you in this endeavour. Based on my experience since 1982.
To be with our own painful feelings, to be with our hurt inner child, we need the courage to face the pain, and stop being afraid of painful feelings. Stop being frightened by our own experience. Stop fearing the fear demon. This is courage, this is being fearless.
This leads us to the next Name in our mantra, which is Tutare.
Tutare can mean being “free of fear” (note 1), which is courage.
When we have the courage to feel the pain, instead of running away from it, we can just allow the feelings to be there. Not wanting them to go away, not having aversion for them, not being frightened by them. Not judging them to be “bad”. Just practising tolerance and endurance.
This is called “mindfulness of feelings” or vedan-ānupassanā (see my satipatthana sutta webpage). When we are able to do this, it is remarkable just how quickly the painful feelings pass away and dissipate. And so we become unburdened by them.
As we persist with mindfulness practice, called sati, then sooner or later we will reach the Goal of purification practise - the complete release of pain. This is the Presence of Deity, which comes to visit us when the conditions are favourable.
This leads us to the next Name for our Deity : Ture, which can mean the culmination and Goal of compassion (note 2). This is the complete release of pain. Suffering, and the defilements that cause suffering, are our main obstruction to mental clarity, and they prevent us from thinking clearly. Yet this clarity of mind is needed to see deeply into the problems that beset us, and so come to a radical solution of lasting benefit. The pain prevents us from making the decisions we need to prevent further pain from arising in future. It is the vicious cycle of suffering causing more suffering.
Pain also prevents us from being truly at ease and content, obstructs enjoyment and appreciation of the good things we have, and pain destroys good will for the people and pursuits of our lives. Suffering feeds anger and this gives us energy to fight, which can be channelled into vigorous action. But the work is neither relaxed nor light hearted, and it is afflicted with real danger of injury, loss and damage. And all these things destroy good making.
This suggests the following meaning –
om Tare Tutare Ture soha
compassion courage clarity guidance
“Compassion needs courage. Together they (eventually) lead to clarity. May this theme guide us.”
Note 1. Lama Zopa Rimpoche defines Tutare as “freedom from the eight fears.”
Note 2. Sangha-rakshita defines Ture as “the culmination of the spiritual Path”.
In this Sanskrit mantra, Tara appears as Tare, which is the locative form of the noun Tara. All these three Names are in the locative case, and therefore our mantra is about being located in compassion. May we be located in compassion, in our thought word and deed.
It’s best to start with oneself, with compassion for our own pain. The English word com-passion helps us understand how this functions.
Compassion for our own emotional pain involves a willingness to be with the painful feelings and actually feel them instead of thinking about them. In this, we can be like a good mother who will go to and stay with her little one when she or he is troubled by the fears of small and vulnerable children. Staying with the inner child until he feels better. Reassuring, supporting, protecting. Com = being with. So we can be with our hurt inner child, be with the pain, be with the passion.
As the mature and protective inner mother, we protect our inner child from destructive forces. We use our maturity to disallow pain filled and pain driven thoughts, for we know from experience this will only make it much worse for our inner child. We know the natural curiosity of our child will lure her back into exploring such unhelpful thinking, unaware of the danger. But we are protective, and we will not be lured like this.
Then we can be with the painful feelings, uncomplicated and undisturbed by painful thoughts. These hurtful thoughts will only make the problem worse, for they come from the ego, and not from our higher self. So we need to develop the skill of letting go of all thoughts, no matter how compelling and insistent they may be, and return our attention to something more stabilising. This is the heart of meditation training for transcendence.
A Course in Meditation is published on this website to help you in this endeavour. Based on my experience since 1982.
To be with our own painful feelings, to be with our hurt inner child, we need the courage to face the pain, and stop being afraid of painful feelings. Stop being frightened by our own experience. Stop fearing the fear demon. This is courage, this is being fearless.
This leads us to the next Name in our mantra, which is Tutare.
Tutare can mean being “free of fear” (note 1), which is courage.
- the courage to feel or experience our own painful feelings, when they are uncomplicated by painful thoughts.
When we have the courage to feel the pain, instead of running away from it, we can just allow the feelings to be there. Not wanting them to go away, not having aversion for them, not being frightened by them. Not judging them to be “bad”. Just practising tolerance and endurance.
This is called “mindfulness of feelings” or vedan-ānupassanā (see my satipatthana sutta webpage). When we are able to do this, it is remarkable just how quickly the painful feelings pass away and dissipate. And so we become unburdened by them.
As we persist with mindfulness practice, called sati, then sooner or later we will reach the Goal of purification practise - the complete release of pain. This is the Presence of Deity, which comes to visit us when the conditions are favourable.
This leads us to the next Name for our Deity : Ture, which can mean the culmination and Goal of compassion (note 2). This is the complete release of pain. Suffering, and the defilements that cause suffering, are our main obstruction to mental clarity, and they prevent us from thinking clearly. Yet this clarity of mind is needed to see deeply into the problems that beset us, and so come to a radical solution of lasting benefit. The pain prevents us from making the decisions we need to prevent further pain from arising in future. It is the vicious cycle of suffering causing more suffering.
Pain also prevents us from being truly at ease and content, obstructs enjoyment and appreciation of the good things we have, and pain destroys good will for the people and pursuits of our lives. Suffering feeds anger and this gives us energy to fight, which can be channelled into vigorous action. But the work is neither relaxed nor light hearted, and it is afflicted with real danger of injury, loss and damage. And all these things destroy good making.
This suggests the following meaning –
- Ture can mean “clarity.”
om Tare Tutare Ture soha
compassion courage clarity guidance
“Compassion needs courage. Together they (eventually) lead to clarity. May this theme guide us.”
Note 1. Lama Zopa Rimpoche defines Tutare as “freedom from the eight fears.”
Note 2. Sangha-rakshita defines Ture as “the culmination of the spiritual Path”.
Another Interpretation.
I will adapt from the writings of Sangha-rakshita, for he was an important Western pioneer, teacher and leader for Mahayāna Buddhism. Quotes from him appear first in Google’s list of websites, for the meaning of this mantra.
Tare is the primary Name for this Deity. So it appears first in our mantra, where it can represent the first stage in spiritual practice and our transcendence from troubles and difficulties. Our efforts to better ourselves materially - securing an income, and learning essential work skills to improve our job prospects. Also our efforts for proper nutrition, rest and exercise, and home maintenance and cleaning, and caring for all our various possessions. In short, our worldly pursuits, which usually occupy most of our time and energy. Thus Tare can correspond to the basic principle of artha in Hinduism.
Thus Tare can mean “free from financial distress” or “compassion for financial distress.”
Thus Tare is foundational to our success. It is worthy of attention, and support.
Tutare is next in our mantra. It can represent the next stage in our spiritual practice. Our efforts to let go of painfilled and pain driven thoughts, in our purification practice. Our efforts to release the hurt that is currently troubling us. Our efforts to return to and re-establish our spiritual Qualities. Our efforts towards our own personal Liberation.
Thus Tutare can mean “free of defilement”, or “compassion for the pain of defilements”.
Ture is the culminating Name in our mantra. So it can represent the culmination of the spiritual path. When we have purified our own heart and mind, and thus established the best motivation in our relations to others. Then we can provide and deliver the best service and assistance to others. Both paid and unpaid.
So Ture can mean helping and assisting other people, in the most beneficial way. In a way that is beneficial to both us and them. This helps overcome egoic judgement of other people into the friendly and unfriendly, (or the “wicked” and the “righteous”.) It helps us avoid creating un-friends. It allows us to be more universal in our good will.
In short, our mantra can mean –
Tare - Compassion for financial distress.
Tutare - Compassion for the pain of defilements.
Ture - Compassion for the troubles of others.
Tare - Free from financial distress.
Tutare - Free from the pain of defilements.
Ture - Best service to others.
Ture can also mean “overcoming duality”. Transcending the duality of “us” separated from “them”, or “me” isolated from “you” (where “you” can also refer to Deity.)
Ture can mean “compassion for suffering of others” or “best service to others”.
I have described these three Names of Deity in terms of our efforts in spiritual practice. Of what we need to do to experience Tare, Tutare and Ture.
But Presence or the Presence of Deity is really the result of our efforts. What will come to us, sooner or later, if we persist in our spiritual practice with diligence, and wisdom. And the more effective our efforts, the sooner will Deity come to us.
Doctrinal Notes.
Lama Zopa Rimpoche defines Tutare as “liberation from the eight fears”. This refers to 8 defilements that are traditionally listed in the doctrine –
1. Lions, which symbolize pride;
2. Wild elephants, which represent delusion or ignorance;
3. Forest fires, which represent hatred;
4. Snakes, which symbolize jealousy;
5. Robbers, which represent false or fanatical views;
6. Prisons, which symbolize greed;
7. Floods, which represent attachment; and
8. Demons, which symbolize the doubts that arise from delusion.
Or they more commonly refer to a shorter list of 3 defilements –
Tare is the primary Name for this Deity. So it appears first in our mantra, where it can represent the first stage in spiritual practice and our transcendence from troubles and difficulties. Our efforts to better ourselves materially - securing an income, and learning essential work skills to improve our job prospects. Also our efforts for proper nutrition, rest and exercise, and home maintenance and cleaning, and caring for all our various possessions. In short, our worldly pursuits, which usually occupy most of our time and energy. Thus Tare can correspond to the basic principle of artha in Hinduism.
Thus Tare can mean “free from financial distress” or “compassion for financial distress.”
Thus Tare is foundational to our success. It is worthy of attention, and support.
Tutare is next in our mantra. It can represent the next stage in our spiritual practice. Our efforts to let go of painfilled and pain driven thoughts, in our purification practice. Our efforts to release the hurt that is currently troubling us. Our efforts to return to and re-establish our spiritual Qualities. Our efforts towards our own personal Liberation.
Thus Tutare can mean “free of defilement”, or “compassion for the pain of defilements”.
Ture is the culminating Name in our mantra. So it can represent the culmination of the spiritual path. When we have purified our own heart and mind, and thus established the best motivation in our relations to others. Then we can provide and deliver the best service and assistance to others. Both paid and unpaid.
So Ture can mean helping and assisting other people, in the most beneficial way. In a way that is beneficial to both us and them. This helps overcome egoic judgement of other people into the friendly and unfriendly, (or the “wicked” and the “righteous”.) It helps us avoid creating un-friends. It allows us to be more universal in our good will.
In short, our mantra can mean –
Tare - Compassion for financial distress.
Tutare - Compassion for the pain of defilements.
Ture - Compassion for the troubles of others.
Tare - Free from financial distress.
Tutare - Free from the pain of defilements.
Ture - Best service to others.
Ture can also mean “overcoming duality”. Transcending the duality of “us” separated from “them”, or “me” isolated from “you” (where “you” can also refer to Deity.)
Ture can mean “compassion for suffering of others” or “best service to others”.
I have described these three Names of Deity in terms of our efforts in spiritual practice. Of what we need to do to experience Tare, Tutare and Ture.
But Presence or the Presence of Deity is really the result of our efforts. What will come to us, sooner or later, if we persist in our spiritual practice with diligence, and wisdom. And the more effective our efforts, the sooner will Deity come to us.
Doctrinal Notes.
Lama Zopa Rimpoche defines Tutare as “liberation from the eight fears”. This refers to 8 defilements that are traditionally listed in the doctrine –
- ignorance,
- attachment,
- anger,
- pride,
- jealousy,
- miserliness,
- doubt and
- wrong views
1. Lions, which symbolize pride;
2. Wild elephants, which represent delusion or ignorance;
3. Forest fires, which represent hatred;
4. Snakes, which symbolize jealousy;
5. Robbers, which represent false or fanatical views;
6. Prisons, which symbolize greed;
7. Floods, which represent attachment; and
8. Demons, which symbolize the doubts that arise from delusion.
Or they more commonly refer to a shorter list of 3 defilements –
- greed,
- hatred, and
- delusion.
For more translated Sanskrit mantras :
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©Copyright by Mike Browning, 2021. You are permitted and encouraged to copy text from this webpage and use as you see fit, provided it is not harmful to mantra-translate.
