Goddess White Tara grants long life to her devotees and helps practitioner overcome obstacles. Moreover she grants wishes to her devotees and protects them from danger and distress. The worship of Tara is commonly found throughout Tibet and in other northern Buddhist countries. Her popularity and fortune was ever on the increase on the increase as a merciful and benevolent comforter and helper of every soul in torment. She is invoked to save from perils threatening mankind. Tara, kinetic power of compassion (karuna) saves (tarayati) suffering creatures. The ceremonies of Tara are an integral part of Karmpa rituals. Her mandalas are worshipped from third to ninth of every month. On auspicious days there are special services to white Tara. In the daily ritual practices of the most important monasteries, at seven in the morning takes place the meditation on the mandala of Tara, which includes the recitation of her sadhana texts. The Tibetans pray to her for long life, for human life is infinitely precious. The ultimate goal of Buddhahood can be attained by striving in this human body.
There are twenty-one forms of Tara the most popular are White Tara and Green Tara. The Japanese believe that Tara made two vows to conquer evil (as Green Tara) and to save human beings (as White Tara. Tibetans believe that White Tara reincarnated in the Chinese wife of the great Tibetan king sRong-tsan-sgam-po. There is popular legend about the origin of White Tara, once Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara spilled two tears to earth out of pure despair over muddleheaded humanity. Each tear formed a lake in which a lotus grew. When the lotuses opened there was a Tara in the centre of each. The tear from his left eye produced the dark-coloured Green Tara, the one from his right eye the White Tara. A dark skin tone is often indicated by green. The Chinese princess had a light skin tone, the Nepalese Bhrikuti was much darker.
In this painting she is shown seated in vajraparyankasana on moon disk on lotus flower against a brilliant aureole and moon disk. Her right hand is in varamudra, the gesture of offering material and spiritual gifts and the left hand, held near the chest, is in abhaya-mudra and holds a full-blown lotus flower. She has a lovely young face and smiling countenance, as she is filled with compassion for all beings. She looks down with tranquility, as White Tara feels equal compassion for all. Her black hair is partly upswept in knots with decoration on it and partly falls on her shoulders. There is a small image of Amitabha Buddha in her headdress. She is adorned with gold crown, Hoop earrings, Choker, armlets and anklets. Her silk robes and scarves are decorated with floral motifs. She also wears a scarf, tied diagonally in her left shoulder. The background depicts blue rays of light with stars. The painting is suitable for sadhana and practices Goddess White Tara.
This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma. His Doctorate thesis being: "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".
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