White Tara Tibetan Buddhist Handmade Brocade Thangka

This White Tara thangka was handmade in Nepal. The border of this thangka is made from brocade. This thangka is 34 inches long and 20 inches wide.

Tara is perhaps one of the most popular Buddhas. She is a goddess of compassion and represents activity. One of the stories of Tara is that she was born as a princess and spent her life learning and doing good works. After she had spent a number of years in this way she was told that, because she had achieved so much spiritually, the monks would pray that she would be reborn as a man. She replied that there truly was no such thing as male and female, and that she would like to remain a female until everyone reached enlightenment. It is also said that Tara was reborn from Avalokitashvara's tears.

White Tara is also known as Sita Tara. The White Tara is said to be the mother of all Buddhas. She is white in color to represent purity and truth. Tara has two eyes, and one eye in the center of her forehead. She also has one eye on the palms of her hands and the soles of her feet. Tara sits in the lotus, or vajra position, and she is also worshipped for her beauty. Tara holds a lotus flower with three blooms in her left hand. These three blooms represent the past, the present, and the future.

The White Tara helps practitioners overcome obstacles, especially the obstacles towards enlightenment. The White Tara is also associated with longevity. The White Tara mantra is the "Tara Mantra," and some words are added in to increase youth and longevity. The White Tara's seed syllable is "Tam."