Thangka - Green Tara, Tibetan Thangka painted with oil colours on canvas
Thangka measurement frame with brokade wide above 40 cm - down 47 cm - length 67 cm.
Thangka size inside picture 27 cm X 37 cm
Tara represents the entire enlightened activities of all Buddhas and hence she is called the mother of the Buddhas of three times. It is said in sutra that Avalokiteshvara - Chenrezi saved and ferried over countless suffering beings from the sea of birth and death. It happened one day when Avalokiteshvara - Chenrezi looked at the misery of the world he shed tears out of great compassion in form his eyes. The tears turned into a lotus flower from which appeared white and green Tara who said to him, "Please don`t be sad, we`ll assist you in liberating living beings, althoug they are countless in number the power of vow is also immeasurable". Since than they had been liberating countless numbers of livingbeings daily.
Tara is said to be the Prajna of Buddha Amogasiddhi. She is the embodiment of air element and is thus green in colour. She is also called Irsyarati i.e. the nature of jealosy, when the defilement jealosy is transmuted it becomes all accomplishing wisdom. In Advayavajra Samgraha, she is said to be originated from the seed syllable Tam of golden green colour. Her recognition symbol is a green lotus (skt. Utpala). She belongs to Karma family. In the Mahayana cult, first of all the male principle was worhsipped. However, in the 7th cencury, the female principle was introduced in Buddhism in the form of Tara.
First of all, she was known in two forms: 1. White or Sveta Tara and 2. Green or Harit Tara.
Green Tara appears as a young beautiful maiden. Her symbol is a water lily (utpala) with petals closed. Her left hand shows the gesture of refuge vows and right hand the varada mudra because she is quick to answer the petitons of those who seek her aid. Tara is known as the great liberator of the eight kinds of fears or danger. The cultivation of Tara sadhana will eliminate all demoniac and karmic obstacles, eradictes disaster and lengthens one`s life span.
The Chinese Princess Wencheng, wife of Tibetan King Songsten Gampo is an incaration of White Tara. Toghether with the Nepali Princess Bhrikuti (Trisun), incarnation of Green Tara and also wife of king Songsten Gampo they introduced him to the Dharma, and Buddhism came to Tibet and Nepal.
