Norterma · Tāra of Wealth & Liberation

Golden Tara statue with warm light — evocative of Norterma

Who is Norterma

The Golden-Red Bestower of Abundance

Norterma — Nor Terma in Tibetan, meaning "Treasure Revealer" or "She Who Grants Wealth" — is the Eleventh of the Twenty-One Tārās in Vajrayāna Buddhism. She is described as semi-wrathful and radiant in golden-red, embodying the fierce compassion needed to cut through the roots of poverty and scarcity.

Upon her utpala flower rests a treasure vase that fulfils all wishes. Light radiates from the sacred syllable HŪṂ in her heart, showering down the wealth and glory of gods, nāgas, and humans alike — completely liberating all sentient beings from the suffering of poverty.

Her shower of blessings fills the entire world. She is invoked for material abundance, the removal of obstacles to prosperity, and the deeper spiritual wealth of wisdom and compassion — for Norterma understands that true poverty is the poverty of the mind.

The Sacred Words

Meaning of the Mantra

Oṃ

The Sacred Seed

The primordial sound of the universe — the essence of enlightened body, speech, and mind. It opens the mantra as an invocation to all awakened beings.

Tāre

Liberation from Suffering

From the root tṝ, "to cross." Tārā liberates beings from the great ocean of saṃsāra — from birth, old age, sickness, and death. She carries us safely to the other shore.

Tuttāre

Deliverance from Fear

"I entreat you, O Tārā." She protects from the eight great fears — delusion, anger, pride, envy, greed, wrong views, and the inner demons that obstruct the path.

Ture

O Swift One!

The vocative of tura — swift, willing, prompt. She springs into action without delay. This syllable invokes her enlightened activity and the fulfilment of the spiritual path.

Maṅgalaṃ

Auspiciousness & Blessing

Unique to Norterma's mantra. It calls forth auspiciousness, good fortune, and all-pervasive blessing — the qualities she bestows upon those who invoke her with sincere devotion.

Svāhā

So Be It

"Hail!" or "May a blessing rest upon this." The fire of blessing is established. In Tibetan pronunciation: Soha. The mantra is sealed and its power is released into the world.

"OM — from the source of all awakening! O Tārā — carry me beyond suffering! I entreat you, O Tārā — protect me from all fears! O Swift One — grant all auspiciousness, all wealth, all blessings. Svāhā — so be it, so shall it be!"

Sacred History

From Tears to Treasure

The tradition of Tārā is among the most ancient and beloved in all of Buddhism, spanning millennia and crossing continents — always guided by her swift compassion.

Ancient Origins · Sanskrit Tradition

Born from Compassion Itself

According to Buddhist legend, Tārā emerged from the tears of Avalokiteśvara — the Bodhisattva of Compassion — who wept at the immeasurable suffering of all living beings in saṃsāra. From those sacred tears a lotus bloomed, and from its heart arose Tārā: compassion made manifest as action.

1st Millennium CE · India & Nepal

Rise of the Tārā Cult

With the composition of the Tārā-mūla-kalpa, the principal Buddhist tantra associated with the goddess, Tārā became one of the most revered Vajrayāna deities in north India. Her worship spread to Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. The 21 Tārās — each embodying different qualities — were systematized in the Homage to the Twenty-One Tārās.

1042 CE · Tibet

Tārā Arrives in Tibet

The Indian master Atiśa — a devoted practitioner of Tārā who attributed his safe journey across the sea to her protection — carried her teachings into Tibet. She became one of the most beloved figures in all of Tibetan Buddhism, known as Dolma (སྒྲོལ་མ): "She Who Saves."

Nyingma Tradition · Terma Lineage

Norterma as Treasure Teaching

Within the Nyingma school — the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism — Tārā practices were preserved through both kama (transmitted teachings) and terma (hidden treasure teachings). Norterma herself embodies the concept of ter: treasure hidden in the earth, in water, and in the mind, awaiting the right moment to be revealed for the benefit of beings.

Today · Living Practice

A Global Presence

The Dalai Lama himself has recommended the Tārā mantra during times of uncertainty. From temples in Lhasa to meditation centres worldwide, Norterma's golden-red form continues to bestow blessings — her treasure vase ever-full, her compassion without boundary.

Sacred Iconography

Reading Norterma's Form

Every element of Norterma's iconography is a teaching — each attribute a doorway into understanding her liberating qualities.

Golden-Red Color

Her semi-wrathful golden-red radiance embodies the fierce compassion that cuts through the root causes of poverty — both material and spiritual.

Treasure Vase

The bumpa — an inexhaustible vessel resting upon her lotus — grants all wishes and endlessly pours forth abundance for all beings who sincerely invoke her.

Utpala Flower

The blue lotus symbolises purity and the blossoming of awakening even in the muddy waters of saṃsāra — enlightenment available to all without exception.

HŪṂ Syllable

Light radiates from the seed syllable HŪṂ in her heart, body, and speech — showering down the wealth and glory of gods, nāgas, and humans upon the world.

Semi-Wrathful Aspect

Unlike the peaceful Tārās, Norterma's semi-wrathful form signals that sometimes fierce compassion — not gentle comfort — is what liberates us most swiftly.

Her Name: Tārā

From Sanskrit tṝ — "to cross, to rescue, to liberate." Also "star" — the celestial guide who crosses the sky, always there to navigate us home through darkness.

Living Practice

How to Invoke Norterma

Norterma is invoked to remove the suffering of poverty — in its many forms. Material hardship, the poverty of opportunity, the scarcity of love, and the inner poverty of a mind obscured by fear and confusion: all are within her purview.

Traditional practice involves reciting her mantra with sincere motivation, visualising her golden-red form radiant with light, and the treasure vase pouring forth abundance in all directions. Even a single recitation, offered with an open heart, is said to plant a seed of liberation.

The Tārā mantra is one of the most widely chanted in Tibetan Buddhism — recited by children and elders, monks and laypeople. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has recommended it during times of collective difficulty and uncertainty.

The practice is open to all. No special initiation is required to begin reciting her mantra with sincere devotion, though deeper practices within the Tantric tradition are transmitted through qualified teachers.

"Her shower of blessings fills the entire world, completely liberating sentient beings from the suffering of poverty. The light of the syllable HŪṂ radiates from her body, speech, and mind, showering down all the wealth and glory of gods, nāgas, and humans."

— From the Tāra Maṇḍala teachings on the Twenty-One Tārās