8" Tibetan Buddhist Goddess Green Tara Brass Idol | Handmade | Made In India

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Legend has it that Tara was born from the compassionate tears of Avalokiteshvara (The Buddha of compassion): "Homage! Tara, swift, heroic! With a glance like flashing lightning, born from a blooming lotus sprung from the tears on the face of the Lord of the World!"

... Chapter III, Tara Tantra

The above verse refers to the legend of Tara's origin. Avalokiteshvara was looking down from his heaven on the world of suffering beings, and he wept to see that more and more of them were in pain. From the tears streaming down his face two Taras were born, a peaceful white one from the left and a fierce green one from the right. Tara is thus also often referred to as Avalokiteshvara's consort.

Green Tara is Tara's most dynamic manifestation. Her color symbolizes youthful vigor and activity. The Buddhist Lord of karma (action), Amoghasiddhi, is also associated with the green color, thus signifying that they belong to the same family. This is a further affirmation of the perception that Green Tara is a goddess of action.

She is depicted in a posture of ease with right leg extended, signifying her readiness to spring into action. The left leg is folded in the contemplative position on the lotus pedestal, the two together thus symbolizing the integration of wisdom and art. Her left hand, in the gesture of granting refuge holds the stem of a lotus that floats over her left shoulder as a symbol of purity and power. With her right hand she makes the boon-granting gesture (varada mudra) and holds another lotus.

She is shown seated on a lotus pedestal.

The followers of Green Tara believe that her special powers will help overcome dangers, fears, and anxieties, and that she will grant wishes. She is also believed to help one cross over from danger to safety or from suffering to happiness. Her femininity imbues her with soft and compassionate feelings, and she acts very quickly and directly as a savioress. Representing active compassion, she is particularly worshipped for her ability to overcome the most difficult situations. As the first Dalai Lama puts it, just by being called to help, she instantaneously saves the faithful from attacks by the following eight calamities:

lions and pride
wild elephants and delusions
forest fires and hatred
snakes and envy
robbers and fanatical views
prisons and avarice
floods and lust
demons and doubts.

This description by Nitin Kumar, Executive Editor, Exotic India.

References:

Beer, Robert. The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1999.

Chakraverty, Anjan. Sacred Buddhist Painting. New Delhi: Roli Books, 1998

Fisher, Robert E. Art of Tibet. London: Thames and Hudson, 1997.

Getty, Alice. The Gods of Northern Buddhism. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 1978.

Lipton, Barbara, and Ragnubs, Nima Dorjee. Treasures of Tibetan Art: Collection of the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Pal, Pratapaditya. Art of Tibet. Los Angeles: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1990.

Rhie, Marylin M. & Thurman, Robert A.F. Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet. London: Thames and Hudson, 1996.

Exploring the Mystical Beauty and Symbolism of Tara: An Insightful Journey

Tara is an important and revered deity in Tibetan Buddhism who appears as a female Bodhisattva. Buddhist monks and followers meditate on the image or deity of Tara to develop some good qualities such as compassion and kindness. Tara is known as the mother of compassion or liberation and is considered the female aspect of Avalokiteshvara (who possesses the compassion of all Buddhas). She manifests in different forms such as Green Tara and White Tara. Green Tara is associated with fearlessness and White Tara, as radiant as the moon, is associated with good health. Tara also appears in red, blue, and yellow colors.

Tara, being the ocean of compassion, descends to this material world to save fallen souls from the vicious cycle of repeated birth and death. Whoever visualizes and meditates upon the form of Tara crosses the ocean of material existence. She is often depicted as having a beautiful youthful body and sitting on a full-blown lotus resembling the form of Goddess Lakshmi.

What is Tara the goddess of?

Tara is usually associated with Tibetan Buddhism but in Chinese Buddhism, she is considered the female manifestation of Guanyin. She is given the position of the supreme mother who is full of compassion and mercy. She enlightens living beings about the nature of this material world (temporary and full of miseries) and heals their emotional and physical wounds. She encourages them to walk the path of self-realization and to uplift their consciousness in order to come of material existence.

What does the statue of Tara symbolize?

Just as a mother is very merciful towards her child; she cries when the child is in distress or pain, similarly, Tara acting as the mother of the world, is the embodiment of all compassion and mercy. She symbolizes various qualities such as peacefulness, empathy, wisdom, love, and kindness. She helps all living beings come to the real or true understanding of self. As a Buddhist practitioner concentrates on the form of Tara, he develops these qualities that help him advance in his spiritual journey.

Where should Tara statues be placed?

If you are planning to buy the statue of Goddess Tara, you can keep it on the altar of your home. This will help you to focus better on Tara"e;s form and invoke her energy. The form of Tara is beautiful to look at and therefore, you can also place the statue/deity on a clean table or a shelf in your living room to spiritualize the entire space, leaving a positive impression on the guests.