White Tara

Introduction

White Tara, known as the "Mother of all Buddhas" holds a deep root in Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Being a compassionate bodhisattva, She embodies compassion and maternal nurturing. Also, she embodies the essence of healing and longevity. The title ‘white tara’ represents her pure and compassion nature, symbolized by her white complexion.

The tara in her name can be translated into “star” or “saviour”. As her name suggests, she is a goddess of guidance and illumination, as well as a goddess willing to assist all sentient beings in their liberation from samsara. So, Being Tara involves selflessness, ready to response to the needs of others, and a dedication to the path of enlightenment.

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According to legend, she arose from a tear shed by the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, signifying her compassion for all beings. White Tara is revered for her ability to bestow longevity, healings, and protection. Beyond physical healing, White Tara's compassionate touch extends into the mental and emotional realms. Her presence is supposed to bring comfort and inner peace during times of emotional distress.

Iconography

White Tara is often portrayed with a radiant white complexion and serene expression, seated in a meditative posture on a white moon disc placed upon a lotus arising from a lake of water. Her iconography portrays her as a beautiful, loving mother with a body as radiant as a thousand autumn moons. She sits in a meditative posture with both legs crossed and facing upward. With her right hand, she holds a lotus while displaying the varada mudra, and she holds another lotus while displaying a protective mudra with her left hand. She is adorned with various jewels, ornaments, and silk robes. White Tara’s hair is tied in a topknot, and she is wearing a five-pointed crown on her head with a visual of Amitabha Buddha in the center of the crown.

Key features associated with White Tara:

Color: She is depicted with a radiant white complexion, symbolizing her pure and enlightened nature. The white color symbolizes her ability to remove negativity and bring positive attributes.

Seven eyes: she is depicted with seven eyes: two regular eyes, a third eye in her forehead, and other eyes in the palms of her hands and soles of her feet. Seven eyes represent her vigilant compassion to see through the sufferings of every sentient being in all the directions.

Posture: she is portrayed sitting in a meditative posture in a moon disc placed upon a lotus with her two feet facing upward. Lotus represents the purity and potential of

enlightenment within the impure world.

Right-Hand Gesture: Her right hand is in varada mudra, or giving mudra, symbolizing fulfillment of wishes and granting boons.

Left-hand gesture: Her left hand is in protective mudra, symbolizing refuge and protection.

Holding the stem of a lotus flower: White Tara often holds a lotus flower, also known as utpula, in her hand, representing purity and the blossoming of enlightenment.

Crown: White Tara's upper hair is tied in a topknot, and she wears a crown with a jewel or an image of Amitabha Buddha, emphasizing her connection to the Pure Land. The crown has five pointings, symbolizing five Dhyani Buddhas.

Ornaments: Being a bodhisattva, she wears all the jewels and robes of a bodhisattva. Ornaments include a crown, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and flowing robes, representing her Bodhisattva nature.

Symbolism and attributes

White Tara's symbolism reflects purity and compassion. Her radiant white complexion signifies the pure nature of enlightenment. Seated on a lotus in muddy water, she represents the potential for enlightenment within an impure world. White Tara's seven eyes, including those on her palms and feet, signify her compassionate attentiveness and her deep commitment to witnessing the suffering of all beings in the world. The Varada Mudra on her right hand symbolizes the fulfillment of wishes and the boundless generosity of compassion, and the protective mudra on her left hand symbolizes the gesture of reassurance.

White Tara: The Origin of the Tear

In Buddhism, one of the prominent beliefs holds that White Tara emerged from the tears of Avalokiteshvara as he gazed upon the misery of the world surrounding all sentient beings. The teardrops fell to the ground and formed a lake. A lotus rose out from the water of the lake, and from it, Green Tara and White Tara were born after the lotus opened its petals. After blooming out of the lotus, Green Tara and White Tara assured Avalokiteshvara they would help liberate sentient beings. On the way to fulfilling her vow to Avalokiteshvara and liberating countless sentient beings, her name became renowned among all Buddhas.

White Tara mantra

“Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pustim Kuru Svaha”

Om - Represents the universal sound and the essence of ultimate reality.

Tare - In the mantra, ‘Tare’ liberates people from the true sufferings of samsara, the problems experienced from birth to death.

Tuttare - In the mantra, ‘Tuttare’ liberates us from the eight fears present in this world: external dangers and internal conflicts.

Ture - In the mantra, ‘Ture’ liberates sentient beings from illness and disease, signifying the end of suffering.

Mama - Symbolizes that the one reciting the mantra is ready to possess the virtues offered by White Tara.

Ayur - Represents long life.

Punya - Represents good merits.

Jnana - Represents wisdom.

Pushtim - Represents prosperity.

Kuru - Represents to do it now.

Svaha - Represents may the blessings be upon."

Besides the meaning of each part of the mantra, the mantra as a whole holds an enormous power.Simply reciting the entire mantra provides you happiness and fulfilment beyond what your mind can perceive. The mantra above holds a healing power within itself. Devotees chant the mantra with the intention of healing physical, mental, or emotional ailments. As she protects devotees from obstacles and illness, devotees turn to White Tara seeking for a long, healthy, and fulfilling life. Being a compassionate bodhisattva, worshipping her provides devotees a compassionate heart, clear soul, and wise mind.