Buddhist saviour-goddess with numerous forms, widely popular in Nepal, Tibet, and Mongolia. She is the feminine counterpart of the bodhisattva (“Buddha-to-be”) Avalokiteśvara. According to popular belief, she came into existence from a tear of Avalokiteśvara, which fell to the ground and formed a lake. Out of its waters rose up a lotus, which, on opening, revealed the goddess. Like Avalokiteśvara, she is a compassionate, succouring deity who helps men “cross to the other shore.” She is the protectress of navigation and earthly travel, as well as of spiritual travel along the path to Enlightenment.

In Tibet she is believed to be incarnate in every pious woman, and the two wives—a Chinese princess and a Nepali princess—of the first Buddhist king of Tibet, Srong-brtsan-sgam-po, were identified with the two major forms of Tārā. The White Tārā (Sanskrit: Sitatārā; Tibetan: Sgrol-dkar) was incarnated as the Chinese princess. She symbolizes purity and is often represented standing at the right hand of her consort, Avalokiteśvara, or seated with legs crossed, holding a full-blown lotus. She is generally shown with a third eye. Tārā is also sometimes shown with eyes on the soles of her feet and the palms of her hands (then she is called “Tārā of the Seven Eyes,” a form of the goddess popular in Mongolia).

The Green Tārā (Sanskrit: Śyāmatārā; Tibetan: Sgrol-ljang) was believed to be incarnated as the Nepali princess. She is considered by some to be the original Tārā and is the female consort or sexual partner of Avalokiteśvara. She is generally shown seated on a lotus throne with right leg hanging down, wearing the ornaments of a bodhisattva and holding the closed blue lotus (utpala).

The white and green Tārās, with their contrasting symbols of the full-blown and closed lotus, are said to symbolize between them the unending compassion of the deity who labours both day and night to relieve suffering. Under the influence of Tibetan Lamaism the different forms of Tārā multiplied to a traditional 108. Tibetan temple banners frequently show 21 different Tārās, coloured white, red, and yellow, grouped around a central green Tārā. The figure of the “self-born” Buddha, Amitābha, is often shown in her headdress, as she, like Avalokiteśvara, is considered to be an emanation of Amitābha.

In her ferocious, blue form, invoked to destroy enemies, she is known as Ugra-Tārā, or Ekajaṭā; as a red goddess of love, Kurukullā; and as a protectress against snake bite, Jāṅgulī. The yellow Bhṛkuṭī is an angry Tārā, with frowning brows.