Tara is the female deity of the Buddhist Pantheon.White Tara was born from a tear of the Boddhisatwa of compassion, Avalokiteswora.

She holds a very prominent position in Tibet and Nepal. Tara is believed to protect the human beings while they are crossing the ocean of existence.

Among two forms of Tara, White Tara is regarded as consort of Avalokiteswara, some times of Vairochana. Even at times she is also regarded as Saptalochana or Tara with seven eyes. Extra eyes on her forehead, palm, and feet. She has lotus flower at one or both of her shoulder. She is seated in full Vajra Posture. The practice of Tara is basically performed in to prolong life as well as for healing purpose.

Tara’s Bodhisattva Vow

Tara was once just an ordinary person, but after many lifetimes of practicing the Bodhisattva Path, she attained perfect enlightenment and vowed to stay and help all other creatures on their paths to enlightenment. The interesting thing about Tara is that she vowed not only to be a bodhisattva, but to do this in the form of a woman. Typically, in Buddhist thought, a Bodhisattva takes the male form.Tara’s vow is striking because it went against traditional teaching. Her inspiring independence, along with many other qualities, has lead her to be perhaps the most popular Bodhisattva in the Buddhist tradition besides Avalokitesvara.

Tara’s Qualities as a Bodhisattva

One of the characteristics of Tara is her title “Mother of All the Buddhas”. This represent her perfect wisdom, and also symbolizes the feministic quality of wisdom. (In Buddhist tradition wisdom is represented by the female while compassion by the male.). And, as we are all to be Buddhas eventually, Tara is also our Mother.

Another characteristic of Tara as a Bodhisattva is her role of saviouress. She leads all beings across the river of samsara to the shore of enlightenment. She is also called “She Who Leads Across”. Tara herself says, “I, O Lord, shall lead beings across the great flood of their diverse fears…” So not only does Tara help those who seek Nirvana; actually a major role she plays, but she also offers protection from the eight great fears. These are the fears of lions, elephants, fire, snakes, robbers, imprisonment, drowning, and demons. Of course in modern times we rarely fear snakes and elephants, so these outer fears are only symbolic of the eight inner fears, which affect us all. The inner fears are: pride, delusion, anger, envy, wrong views, avarice, attachment, and doubt. Tara helps to overcome all these inner negative emotions.

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Reference: Description of Gods, Goddesses and Ritual Objects of Buddhism and Hinduism in Nepal, Handicraft Association of Nepal

Picture: Shakyahandicraft