Item: Tara (Buddhist Deity) - (general)
| Origin Location | Tibet |
|---|---|
| Date Range | 1400 - 1499 |
| Lineages | Buddhist |
| Size | 12.70cm (5in) high |
| Material | Bronze |
| Collection | Rubin Museum of Art |
| Catalogue # | acc.# F1997.52.2 |
Classification: Deity
Appearance: Peaceful
Gender: Female
Green Tara of the Sandalwood Forest (Tibetan: drol ma jang ku seng den ngag. English: the Green Saviouress, or The One who Liberates).
Tibetan: Drol ma jang ku
She has one face and two hands, the palm of the right in the mudra (gesture) of supreme generosity holds the stem of a lotus blossoming at the right ear. Held to the heart, the left thumb and ringfinger hold an utpala flower, blossoming at the left ear. Peaceful, smiling and youthful she is adorned with flowing silks and various ornaments. With the right leg slightly extended in a relaxed manner and the left drawn up, she rests atop a lotus seat.
Tara is a completely enlightened buddha and having promised to appear in the form of a female bodhisattva and goddess for the benefit of all beings she especially protects from the eight fears. Practiced in all Schools of Tibetan Buddhism Tara is second in popularity only to Avalokiteshvara. Her practices are found in all classes of tantra - Nyingma and Sarma.
Jeff Watt 3-2002
Sculpture: Metal
Collection of Rubin Museum of Art: Sculpture (Gallery 1)
Sculpture: Female
Subject: Female Imagery Introduction
Sculpture, Metal: Buddhist Deities