Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Tara (Buddhist Deity) - White

སྒྲོལ་མ། སྣང་བརྙན་ཡོངས། 度母(本尊)(全像)
(item no. 15136)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1700 - 1799
Lineages Karma (Kagyu)
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Shechen Archives - photographs
Painting School Palpung / Situ
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Peaceful

Gender: Female

Interpretation / Description

Tara, White (Tibetan: drol ma, kar mo. English: the White Saviouress): peaceful in appearance, with one face and two hands, surrounded by eight Taras and eight vignettes illustrating the overcoming of the eight fears.

"...with a hue white like an autumn moon - radiant like a stainless crystal jewel, shining with rays of light, one face, two hands, and having three eyes; with the conduct of having sixteen years of age. The right hand is in the mudra of supreme generosity; the left holds with the thumb and forefinger the stem of a white utpala to the heart with the petals blossoming at the ear. Representing the buddhas of the three times the single stem is divided into three, in the middle is a blossoming flower, the right in fruition, the left in the form of a bud; adorned with various jewel ornaments; having various silk upper garments and a lower garment of red silk; seated with the legs in vajra posture. The palms of the hands and feet each have an eye - the seven eyes of pristine awareness." (Sachen Ngagwang Kunga Lodro, 1729-1783).

Jeff Watt 11-2000

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Buddhist Deity: Tara Main Page
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Buddhist Deity: Tara, White, Eight Fears (Palpung Style)
Buddhist Deity: Tara, White Main Page
Painting: Copies & Facsimiles
Collection of Shechen Archives: Gallery I
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Buddhist Deity: Tara, White (Eight Fears)
Buddhist Deity: Tara Masterworks
Buddhist Deity: Tara, White (Painting Masterworks)
Buddhist Deity: Tara, White (Palpung Composition)
Painting Style: Palpung - Peaceful & Semi-Peaceful Deities
Glossary: Painting Traditions & Styles - Names & Terms
Buddhist Deity: Tara, White Art History
HAR: Question & Answer Webinar