The Origin of Tārā Tantra by Tārānātha, one of the most accomplished scholars of the unorthodox Jo-nan sect, strings together from various fragmentary sources a mine of legends and episodes on the origin and diffusion of Tara's tantra. Translated by David Templeman, this work is supplemented with voluminous notes, an excellent appendix and a comprehensive bibliography for the serious readers. Similar in style to the author's bkah. babs. bdun. ldan (1600), this work heralded Tārānātha's major historic work History of Buddhism in India written four years later in 1608. The Origin of Tārā Tantra, though dependent on legends and largely anecdotal, has nevertheless about it a strong feeling of historic time and provides an important and accurate account of the lineages of the Siddhas who worshipped Tārā and passed on her Upadesas, revelations and Tantra besides giving a background to the masters of the Tibetan Siddhas who grew from India's rich tantric soil.
