Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Green Tara Thanka

This is an old Thanka painting of Green Tara, painted in Newari style. Green Tara is represented seated on a lotus-throne, the right leg pendant, with the foot supported by a small lotus, the stem of which is attached to the lotus throne. She is slender, graceful in her pose, and dressed like a Bodhisattva and wears the five-leafed crown. These leaves of crown symbolize five Dhyani-Buddhas.

Some time in her crown, the five Dhyani-Buddhas are figured.
Her hair is abundant and wavy. Her right hand is in varad or 'charity' mudra, and her left, which is in 'argument' mudra, holds the lotus.
She has two full open [human] eyes, where as her another manifestation the White Tara has seven meditation [half-closed] eyes. The goddess may also be represented with a small image of Amoghasiddhi [one of the five Dhyani-Buddhas] in her headdress.

Green Tara is represented seated on a lotus-throne, the right leg pendant, with the foot supported by a small lotus, which symbolize she is free from samsara – through her practice and attainments. She is ready to help for her practitioner. Green tara is very immediate and quick. One calls to her for immediate assistance, and also often for help with worldly things like lover, wealth and so on, as well as spiritual things.
Newari Green Tara Thanka 4