If you’ve studied Buddhism even briefly, you’ve probably heard of Tara. There are many different forms of Tara, but Green Tara and White Tara are the most commonly discussed. You might have learned to recite mantras to Tara or tried various Tara practices. But if we don’t fully understand the history and importance of Tara in Tibetan Buddhism, it may seem odd at first to recite mantras, meditate on, or connect with the qualities of Tara. Let’s shine a little light on that. You can find a short Tara teaching by Khen Rinpoche on the Namchak YouTube channel.
Who Is Tara?
Tara (occasionally referred to as the Tara Goddess) is most well-known as a female Buddha who embodies the divine feminine. In the Buddhist tradition, Tara is also discussed as a female bodhisattva who practiced the Buddhist path and eventually became a fully enlightened Buddha; at other times, she is recognized as a meditational deity. There is some overlap between these two manifestations. But before we get to that, let’s talk about Tara the Buddha.
In The Explanation of Tara by Taranatha Kunga Nyingpo, he recounts that long ago, a princess named Wisdom Moon had great faith and respect for the Buddha. She had heard the monks say she should pray to be reborn in a male body to practice the dharma and serve sentient beings more effectively. This event was at a time in history when women had even less freedom than today and were entirely subject to the authority of their families and husbands. She replied to them, saying, “Here, there is no man nor woman—no self, no person, no consciousness. The labels’ male’ and ‘female’ have no essence; the foolish worldly ones are thoroughly mistaken.”
What did Wisdom Moon mean?
Wisdom Moon was referring to the fact that gender is merely a conventional concept that doesn’t exist in ultimate reality, and so to cling to such ideas was foolish. She noticed that many men strove for enlightenment, but very few women had accomplished the benefit of all beings. Therefore, she pledged to strive for the benefit of beings in a woman’s body until samsara was empty. Wisdom Moon has always manifested in a female body through all her lifetimes on the paths of training and onwards as a fully enlightened Buddha.
Wisdom Moon remained in the royal palace, and through her meditative concentration, she could use and enjoy the objects of her senses without attachment. Since she did not need to reject them as someone on the monastic path would, she attained the meditative state called “liberating all beings.” This achievement allowed her to liberate many beings from samsara every morning and would not eat until she had established them in the realization of emptiness. She thus attained the name “Drölma,” which means “the Liberator.” She also made an oath before the Buddha Amoghasiddhi to protect beings from harmful obstacles, and is praised above all other deities for clearing obstacles.
So, that is the myth of Tara, the woman and the Buddha. But what does it mean to practice Tara?
Tara Meaning: Understanding Ultimate and Conventional Meanings
In Buddhism, when we discuss the idea of a deity, we discuss two kinds of deity: the conventional symbolic deity and the true deity of ultimate reality. When most of us think of a deity, we think of someone who looks somewhat human, has eyes and a mouth, and carries around some strange-looking ritualistic objects; but that’s not the whole story. A deity’s form conveys a particular feeling when we look at it.
The ultimate reality deity is described in the following lines from The Sublime Continuum by Aryasanga, “Here, there is nothing to clear away and nothing to add. When you purely see the utterly pure reality with the utterly pure view, you are completely liberated.” So, the real deity is emptiness, the freedom from all conceptual elaborations, primordial purity.
For example, at the Ewam Garden of One Thousand Buddhas, the central Buddha statue is of a deity named Yum Chenmo, the Great Mother. The real Great Mother is the perfection of wisdom itself, emptiness, and not some woman with eyes, a mouth, hands, and feet. In reality, that form points to a true essence: the union of emptiness and compassion. The understanding is that the more profound your realization of emptiness becomes, the more strongly compassion will naturally arise within you. Why? Because the root of all feels the ultimate connection and compassion for all. Its qualities include emptiness (no form, no solidity) and compassion.
Why do deities have a physical form at all?
As mentioned, there is also the conventional symbolic deity with outer characteristics of looking like a beautiful woman. Compared to the true deity of ultimate reality, it is much easier to describe the ultimate reality by relating it to the conventional symbolic deity. This can give us a sense of a Tara definition. We can point to the outer form and characteristics and talk about them, can’t we? It provides us with a convenient basis for discussion. Most likely, no one will randomly start a discussion on emptiness and compassion. However, profound discussions can proceed naturally if they see an image of the Great Mother as a beautiful woman and ask who she is or what she represents.
Similarly, when we meditate on a deity such as Tara in any of her various forms, all the characteristics of her outer form are there for us to connect with her enlightened qualities and activities. For example, her two arms can represent emptiness and compassion, and holding a lotus can represent living in samsara without being negatively affected by it. Some may think that the explanation of the true deity of ultimate reality is acceptable, but that the forms and characteristics of the conventional symbolic deity are just something made up, but that is not the case.
What influences a deity’s physical form?
There are a few things to consider here. First, when beings spend their lives on the path, making aspirations and practicing, and finally attain Buddhahood, they are liberated by some particularly powerful aspect of their practice. For example, Chenrezi was liberated by the power of compassion, and Manjushri by wisdom. Those powers influence the way that they appear to others. In the West, we think of them as archetypes, or aspects of the vast and undifferentiated ground of being.
When we practice Chenrezi, we visualize his physical form and repeat his mantra, which brings us closer and closer to his nature of compassion until a certain point where we become buddhas in the nature of compassion itself. It is just like putting a stick in the fire. First, it gets hot, then it begins to burn, and ultimately, the stick transforms into pure fire. In that case, not only does our mind become enlightened, but the way our form appears to others changes as well.
Another consideration is that Buddhahood has two aspects, the dharmakaya and the rupakaya. The dharmakaya is the aspect of true reality that ordinary minds can’t see, hear, or conceive of. If that were all there was to Buddhahood, then what would be the point of all our aspirations to help beings while on our path of practice? To help others, there are also aspects of Buddhahood called the rupakayas or the form bodies. These forms appear in any way necessary—again, various aspects of the ground of being—to help beings from the space of dharmakaya—the realization or immersion in the true reality. The Buddhas can appear in various forms to work with individual needs and inclinations.
Tara Practice
Another distinction made in connection with a meditative practice of Tara as a deity is that:
- Some practices are focused primarily on the supreme spiritual attainment of Buddhahood while bringing the common spiritual attainments as a side effect; and
- Some are focused primarily on attaining the common spiritual attainments (gaining influence, eliminating obstacles, etc.) while bringing the supreme spiritual attainment of Buddhahood as a side effect.
Tara practice is the latter of these two. One of the main reasons that people practice Tara is to eliminate obstacles in their lives and spiritual paths. While that may be their focus, the practice is still leading them ever nearer to Buddhahood.
Green Tara vs. White Tara
There are numerous Tara practices in Tibetan tradition. One of the most common practices related to Tara is the recitation of The Praises to the Twenty-One Taras. In this prayer, there are praises of 21 forms of Tara, each with her appearance and particular qualities and activities—yet again, different archetypal aspects of the divine ground of all. Two of her most common forms are Green Tara and White Tara. Green Tara practices generally focus on eliminating obstacles and accomplishing activities, while White Tara focuses on pacifying illness and extending one’s life force.
There are also practices that focus on individual forms of Tara and develop one aspect of her qualities and activities. There are different levels of practice, ranging from outer practices to innermost secret practices that deal with yogas connected with our subtle channels and energies. There are stories of people finding protection from dangerous situations merely by remembering Tara or reciting her name.
Anyone who trusts Tara can reach out to her by reciting her name, praises, or mantra. Suppose you want to engage in the tantric practices that take Tara as a meditational deity. In that case, receiving the transmissions and teachings from an authentic and experienced teacher is always best. While there is always benefit in saying her name and thinking of Tara, it’s far more effective if you take advantage of the transmissions and instructions from someone qualified.
Image courtesy of Osel Shen Phen Ling
We wish you the blessings of Tara, at whatever time and in whatever form is best for you!
Join us this September to deepen your connection with Green Tara, the swift and fearless embodiment of awakened compassion. Under the guidance of Jetsunma Jamyang Palmo, a revered teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, we will be guided through teachings, practice, and reflection while connecting with sangha (beloved community) at the serene Namchak Retreat Ranch in Hot Springs, Montana.
When: Thursday September 11th – Wednesday, September 17th 2025
Where: Online and In-Person at the Namchak Retreat Ranch