Tara (Sanskrit, "star") is a Buddhist savior-goddess especially popular in Tibet, Nepal and Mongolia. In Tibet, where Tara is the most important deity, her name is Sgrol-ma, meaning "she who saves." The mantra of Tara (om tare tuttare ture svaha) is the second most common mantra heard in Tibet, after the mantra of Chenrezi (om mani padme hum). The goddess of universal compassion, Tara represents virtuous and enlightened action. It is said that her compassion for living beings is stronger than a mother's love for her children. She also brings about longevity, protects earthly travel, and guards her followers on their spiritual journey to enlightenment.Before she was adopted by Buddhism, Tara was worshipped in Hinduism as a manifestation of the goddess Parvati.
The feminine principle was not venerated in Buddhism until the fourth century CE, and Tara probably entered Buddhism around the sixth century CE.
According to
Buddhist tradition, Tara was born out of the tears of compassion of the
bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. It is said that he wept as he looked upon
the world of suffering beings, and his tears formed a lake in which a
lotus sprung up. When the lotus opened, the goddess Tara was revealed.
A similar tradition has White Tara born from the tears of
Avalokiteshvara's left eye and the Green Tara born from those of his
right. In a third legend, Tara was born from a beam of blue light
emanating from one of the eyes of Avalokiteshvara. Tara is also the
consort ofAvalokiteshvara.
Green Tara, with her
half-open lotus, represents the night, and White Tara, with her lotus
in full bloom, symbolizes the day. Green Tara embodies virtuous
activity while White Tara displays serenity and grace. Together, the
Green and White Taras symbolize the unending compassion of the goddess
who labors day and night to relieve suffering.
In seventh-century Tibet,
Tara was believed to be incarnated in every pious woman. She especially
came to be associated with two historical wives of the first Buddhist
king of Tibet, Srong-brtsan-sgam-po (d. 649). His wife from imperial
China was said to be an incarnation of White Tara, while the king's
Nepalese wife was an incarnation of Green Tara. It may be that the
desire to regard both these pious women as incarnations of Tara led to
the concept of the goddess's green and whiteforms.
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'Buddha's skull' found in Nanjing
Nepal's "Buddha Boy" reappears
Boy chosen by Dalai Lama turns back on Buddhism
What is "Nirvana"?
Mystery of vanished "Buddha Boy" grips Nepal
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Reincarnation of the Tibetan Karmapa
Buddha Boy In Nepal Goes Missing Again
