Green Tara – The Princess Who Became Tara
Exploring the Mother of All Buddhas, her rapid protection, and the legendary vow of active compassion
Green Tara is a female bodhisattva in Buddhism, revered as a profound symbol of active compassion and swift protection. Known widely as the "Mother of All Buddhas," she is deeply associated with mercy, healing, and spiritual guidance. Representing enlightened activity, she helps practitioners overcome obstacles, danger, fear, and life's deepest challenges. She is often depicted seated beautifully with one leg extended, signaling her immediate readiness to spring into action for those in need.
“There are many who desire enlightenment in a male body, but few in a female one. I vow to remain in female form until all sentient beings are liberated.”
The Sacred Mantra of Green Tara
The powerful mantra of Green Tara is an invocation utilized by practitioners to eliminate fear, dissolve inner obstacles, and fast-track the cultivation of compassion:
“Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha”
(ॐ तारे तुत्तारे तुरे स्वाहा)
The sacred syllables of this mantra carry profound transformative meanings:
- Om represents the sacred universal sound, connecting the practitioner directly to the ultimate purity of body, speech, and mind.
- Tare signifies liberation from worldly suffering, temporal problems, and the cycles of samsara.
- Tuttare represents the deliberate removal of the eight great fears and all deep-seated inner obstacles.
- Ture grants ultimate liberation, leading the consciousness toward true spiritual awakening and enlightenment.
- Soha represents the complete offering, dedication, and firm affirmation of the heart's prayer.
Spiritual Significance & Attributes
Devotees across the Himalayan traditions turn to Green Tara for her multifaceted spiritual presence and universal protection:
- Compassion in Action: Green Tara's striking green color embodies dynamic energy, healing, vital life forces, and rapid compassionate action.
- Posture of Readiness: She sits gracefully in the royal ease pose (Lalitasana). While her folded left leg demonstrates profound inner peace and spiritual strength, her extended right leg proves she is always ready to step down and help suffering beings.
- Divine Feminine Power: Having promised to remain in female form throughout her spiritual journey, she stands as a timeless symbol of feminine wisdom, courage, absolute strength, and spiritual empowerment.
- Protection from the Eight Fears: Practitioners pray to her for safety from the eight great external fears (lions, elephants, fire, snakes, thieves, water, imprisonment, and evil spirits), which simultaneously mirror inner mental defilements like pride, ignorance, anger, and jealousy.
Green Tara vs. White Tara
While both are aspects of the ultimate motherly compassion, they embody distinct roles within Buddhist practice:
| Core Aspect | Green Tara | White Tara |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | Represents swift action, active dynamic energy, and instantaneous protection. | Represents healing, maternal compassion, and the cultivation of a long life. |
| Obstacle Removal | Actively cuts through immediate dangers, dynamic fears, and external worldly obstacles. | Promotes deep spiritual health, vital longevity, and pacifies underlying karmic illnesses. |
| Somatic Posture | Seated with one leg extended, actively ready to help immediately. | Seated in a full lotus position, symbolizing peaceful wisdom and nurturing care. |
The Legend: The Princess Who Became Tara
According to sacred tradition, Green Tara was once an exceptional princess named Yeshe Dawa, which translates beautifully to “Moon of Wisdom.” She devoted her entire life to studying the Buddha's profound teachings, mastering advanced meditation, practicing vast generosity, and showing boundless acts of kindness.
When well-meaning monks advised her that she should pray for a masculine rebirth to achieve full, unhindered enlightenment, she famously refused. Breaking rigid gender boundaries in spiritual practice, she vowed to remain in a female body until every single sentient being was entirely liberated from suffering. Today, her legacy lives on as a supreme archetype of fearlessness and feminine enlightenment needed by all living beings.
Conclusion
Green Tara stands as the ultimate embodiment of compassionate action within Buddhism. Revered universally as a powerful protector who responds instantly to the heartfelt prayers of those in distress, she acts as a guiding light helping humanity overcome fear, navigate suffering, and gracefully step onto the path of ultimate wisdom and enlightenment.
