Green Tara mantra
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The Bodhisattva-Goddess Tārā (or Tara)
Tara means "star," "planet," or "she who ferries across." She is a bodhisattva embodying compassion in the female form of a young goddess. She is often considered to be such an advanced bodhisattva that she is actually a Buddha.
Tara’s name is said to derive from the verb meaning "to cross" or "to traverse". In Pali the verb tarati means "to get to the other side." This word is cognate with the Latin "trans" (across). The word Tara also literally means "star."
Standing Tara statue at Taraloka (FWBO Photos)
An interesting overlap between these two senses is the use of stars in navigation. The Pole Star, used at least for millennia to guide travelers, was known as Dhruva-Tara (the immovable star). Tara becomes a focal point on the far shore that helps us guide our lives in a safe direction. We can take her enlightened qualities of wisdom and compassion as our guide, moment by moment, as we navigate our lives.
A third meaning of "tara" is "the pupil of the eye," again suggesting a focal point and conveying a sense that Tara watches over those who navigate the treacherous waters of life in search of the further shore of liberation.
Tara’s name in Tibetan is Dölma, which means "She Who Saves." She is seen as guarding against the Eight Great Terrors of lions, elephants, fire, snakes, robbers, imprisonment, shipwreck or drowning, and man-eating demons. In each case these terrors are symbolic of spiritual dangers. For example, the First Dalai Lama described the demons against which Tara offers protection as being our self-consuming spiritual doubts.
Comments
Comment from Surya
Time: August 20, 2007, 3:09 am
I remember my teacher said that a Bodhisattva doesn’t have a sex. It’s not male neither female. So, regarding what you’ve said about “female Bodhisattva” here, I think it’s better to say: a Bodhisattva whose appearance is more in female form
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: August 20, 2007, 11:35 am
Yes, it’s true that these archetypal Bodhisattvas are beyond being classifies as male and female, and it is more accurate to say she’s in a female form. That’s true of the “male” Bodhisattvas as well, who are really just manifesting a male form.
Comment from Cora
Time: December 29, 2007, 1:34 pm
Thanx so much for your prompt reply.
If the the v then sounds like a w, and the a’s sound like father……..??? wouldn’t it sound like swaaaahaaaaa????
Re: Green Tara Mantra ( svaha )
Cora Namaste
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: December 29, 2007, 1:59 pm
Yeah!
PS. And I’ve now posted an MP3 version of the file on this page. As long as you have Flash installed in your browser you should be able to play it OK.
Comment from Bon
Time: May 11, 2008, 2:09 pm
Thank you so much for such a concise and easily understood explanation. I am giving a set of prayer flags, which carry the image of the Green Tara, to a healer who has shown me tremendous compassion. I appreciate this information as I can now include it with the gift so as to explain it’s significance and relevance.
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