Green tare
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Tibetan script :
སྒྲོལ་ ལྗང །
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Wylie transliteration : sgrol ljang
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Pronunciation in IPA : [
ʈʂøɲtɕaŋ ]
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Official transcription of the PRCh : Zhoinjang
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THDL transcription : Dröljang
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Other spellings: Döldschang
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| Chinese name |
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Traditional :
綠 度 母
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Simplified :
绿 度 母
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Pinyin : Lǜdùmǔ
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Shyama-Tara or Green Tara (literally: "Green Liberator") is a female, peaceful Buddha and Bodhisattva of Tibetan Buddhism . The green tara is the main form in the mandala of the 21 taras , each expressing different facets of their buddha activity. Although the green tara appears comparatively very late in the Buddhist literature of Vajrayana (first Tibetan translation in the 12th century), it originally comes from an Indian star goddess and was worshiped in the Indian Mahayana from the 3rd century onwards . In Tibetan Buddhism, the green tara is now worshiped like no other bodhisattva. The worship of the 21 taras is one of the most common sadhanas .
Origin and legends
The Nepalese princess Bhrikuti , one of the consorts of King Songtsen Gampo , is considered her emanation . Bhrikuti brought the first images of Buddha to Tibet . She belongs to two families of Buddha, she is the consort of Amoghasiddhi (also of green color), but according to legend she was born from the tears of compassion by Avalokiteshvara and thus also belongs to his lotus family. For this reason, the head of the lotus family Amitabha , but sometimes Amoghasiddhi as well, occasionally hovers over their heads .
According to another legend, many ages ago the green Tara achieved many merits as Princess Jnanachandra. Monks who realized this urged the princess to ask for a rebirth as a man so that she could attain full enlightenment . The princess refused, however, called the differences between the sexes a mirage and took the vow to work in a female body until all beings were liberated.
description
| External danger (fears) | Inner correspondence |
|---|---|
| 1. Leo | Proud |
| 2. Elephant | Delusion |
| 3. Fire | anger |
| 4. snake | envy |
| 5. Robbers | Wrong views |
| 6. Prison | Avarice |
| 7. Flood | desire |
| 8. Demons | doubt |
The green Tara embodies the active compassion of all Buddhas and it is supposed to protect against the eight kinds of fear. Likewise, it is said to increase the original wisdom and is praised for its wish-fulfilling qualities. She is ascribed a particular speed in fulfilling wishes and protecting against danger, which is symbolized by her sitting posture ready to get up.
Although green tara is also supposed to fulfill worldly desires, her main concern is to lead practitioners to enlightenment. In this way, one can understand the eight fears against which the green Tara protects as symbols for the inner obstacles on the way. Already the first Dalai Lama Gendun Drub wrote a praise to the green Tara, in which he described the relationship between the external dangers and the internal obstacles.
Practice and mantra
Due to the great popularity of this Bodhisattva, there are many methods of practice, ranging from the initial forms to the advanced exercises of Tantra . Depending on the possibilities and aspirations, it should be possible to achieve worldly happiness as well as perfect Buddhahood . There are even special phowa practices associated with the green tara .
There is also a recitation practice associated with the green tara, as with other Tibetan deities . Among the followers of Vajrayana the opinion is held that one can be harmed if one recited it without having received the appropriate initiation. In Tibetan Buddhism in particular, the mantras that belong to these practices are usually kept secret, you only learn them at initiation. However, the peaceful mantra of the green tara is widespread in Tibet: "Om tare tuttare ture soha" (Tib. Pronunciation, actually svaha ).
presentation
As a peaceful appearance she is green in body color. Its special characteristic is that the one sits on the lotus throne with the right leg stretched out, resting on a lotus (position of activity) and the left leg drawn in meditation position . As an expression of her countless merits, she is wrapped in rich, mostly rainbow-colored robes and wears precious bodhisattva jewelry .
In the most widespread representation, she holds a fully unfolded white lotus flower in her right hand in the mudra of generosity (palm stretched forward). With the thumb and forefinger of her left hand, she holds the stem of a blue, half-open Utpala lotus at heart level. Each of these flowers has three buds, symbolizing the green Tara as the embodiment of enlightened action as the mother of the Buddhas of the past, present and future.
Occasionally, their hair is crowned by an image of Amoghasiddhi or Amitabha , sometimes they are symbolized only by a green or red gemstone in their diadem. Syama-Tara is depicted alone or in the company of other (21) Taras, she has a face and two or (less often) four arms.
It can also form a triad with Mahamayuri and Marichi .
literature
- Lama Thubten Yeshe: The Green Tara - Feminine Wisdom. Diamant Verlag, Munich 1998, ISBN 3-9805798-2-4
- Martin Willson: In Praise of Tara . Songs to the Savior. Wisdom Publications, 1996, ISBN 0-86171-109-2
Web links
- Pronunciation of the mantra: [1]
- himalayanart.org: Buddhist Deity: Tara, Green