emaho

2021 | Dechen Shak-Dagsay

emaho – the Story of Arya Tara

‘emaho’ is a special word. It’s an exclamation used in ancient Tibetan Buddhist scriptures to describe the ‘wondrous, amazing moment of joy when the mind awakens’. I truly believe that every human being in the world has the innate longing for this feeling of ‘emaho’. It can manifest in various ways. Personally, I find this moment whenever I connect with the most exalted and marvelous female Buddhist goddess Arya Tara. This is why I felt this album should be called ‘emaho – the Story of Arya Tara’.

Many eons ago in ancient India lived a princess called Jhana-Chandra, which means ‘Wisdom-Moon’. In Tibetan her name is translated as ‘Yischi Dawa’. She was beautiful and had a big heart for all beings. Every day she accumulated countless merits and good deeds and was a faithful disciple of her teacher Buddha Dundubhisvara. Everyone admired this extraordinary princess. In order to attain full enlightenment, the monks urged her to wish that she will be reborn as a man in her next life. The princess laughed and replied: ‘There is no male, there is no female. To discriminate between male and female is the mind of a small being. There are neither men nor women, nor a self, nor beings.’ She vowed to return again and again in a female form in order to liberate all beings from suffering and to reach enlightenment in a female form. So, the Buddha Dundubhisvara gave her the name Tara, the ‘Swift Liberator’. She is also often referred to as Arya Tara – The Noble Tara’.

The music of ‘emaho’ will not only give you comfort and positive energy but will also encourage you to uncover your inner beauty, strength and confidence.

We could not have realized this beautiful album without the great support of incredible friends who believe in the transformative power of this music. We cannot thank them enough for their generosity and their trust. 

May the power of Arya Tara reach many hearts! emaho!
Yours Dechen