Green Tara

Tara is the Saviouress. While Tara is recognized in Hinduism as well as Buddhism, it is in the Mahayana and Vajrayana forms of Buddhism prevalent in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and parts of India that she is perhaps held most dear. She is the great Mother Goddess, the very embodiment of the Divine Feminine. Her boundless compassion has compelled her to lead innumerable beings to enlightenment. 

She is a great Bodhisattva. She took the vow to serve the Dharma and to actively perpetuate the spread of enlightenment until not a single unenlightened being remained. In addition to this aspect of the Bodhisattva vow, she further pledged to take birth only as a woman. From the Vajrayana or Tantric perspective she is a complete and perfect Buddha. She possesses every good quality without exception and she is free of all defilements and imperfections however slight. Tara is revered for her willingness to save devotees from harm, and danger of any kind. 

In this contemporary image Tara is shown seated on a lotus, with her right hand extended downward in the position which grants accomplishment and holding an utpala flower stem. Her left hand, raised in the gesture of protection and refuge granting, also holds the stem of an utpala flower which blooms just behind her shoulder. The right foot, shown slightly extended, rests on a lotus flower blossom. Her crown and jewelry are embellished with inlaid turquoise and coral. This is the type of copper statue gilded with gold leaf that is favored by many Tibetan Buddhists. 

This piece was cast using the tedious and exacting lost wax technique for which the Nepalese artisans are held in high regard. The resultant work is exceptional with a high degree of realism. The face and hands are exquisite, and her posture reflects traditional iconographic guidelines very precisely.
 

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Hindu Statue Gallery