MOON OF WISDOM KNOWLEDGE

hemp, hemp satin, brazilwood, chestnut bark, fustic, iron, logwood, madder root, osage orange, turmeric. Niki & Yusuke Tsukamoto, 2018 22” x 29.5”

Feminine aspect of the bodhisattva of compassion, “Mother of all the Buddhas,” Tara protects the welfare of all beings and those who are devoted to her are especially fortunate. Tara was born from Avalokitesvara’s tears of compassion.

Depicted here as Pink Tara, a newly revealed manifestation of White Tara, (Sitatārā) with two arms seated on a white lotus and with eyes on her hand and feet, as well as a third eye on her forehead (thus she is also known as “Seven eyed”). She is known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity. She represents the enlightened activity of pacifying, for example overcoming sickness, causes of untimely death and obstacles to success in one’s life or one’s practice.

There are innumerable manifestations of Tara, as many as beings require bringing protection, long life and peace, overcoming obstacles and saving beings from danger.

Tara is one of the most beloved of deities, particularly by Tibetans. Legend has it that once, many eons ago during the time of Buddha Dundubhisvara, there lived a princess by the name of ‘Moon of Wisdom-knowledge’. She was a very devoted disciple and would daily set out many offerings to the Buddha and his sangha. Eventually she generated bodhicitta, the aspiration to attain enlightenment and become a Buddha herself, in order to help all living beings. Some bhikshus came to know of this, and urged her to dedicate the merits she had created to be reborn as a male. However, the princess rejected this advice, saying:

“Here there is no man, there is no woman, no self, no person, and no consciousness. Labelling “male” or “female” has no essence but deceives the evil-minded world”.

She went on to make the following vow:

“There are many who desire enlightenment in a man’s body, but none who work for the benefit of sentient beings in the body of a woman. Therefore, until samsara is empty, I shall work for the benefit of sentient beings in a woman’s body.”

From that time onwards the princess dedicated herself to winning full and complete enlightenment. Once she accomplished that goal, she came to be known as Tara, the Liberator.

There is another story regarding Tara, which tells of when Chenrezig had been working to help sentient beings for a very long time. He had been able to help hundreds of thousands of beings become free from samsara, but then realized there were still so many more beings suffering in samsara, and began to cry. From the pool formed by his tears a lotus arose and Tara appeared from the lotus, saying, “Don’t worry -- I will help you.” Thus Tara is associated with Chenrezig, as well as with Amitabha Buddha (she has a tiny image of Amitabha Buddha on her crown.