Green Tara is a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. A Long Time ago, in ancient times, there was a kingdom where a noble princess named Tara, GyanaChandra (Yeshe Dawa in Tibetan), lived. His father’s kingdom was filled with joys, pleasures, and prosperity. The people were also generous and kind. Even the Buddha (Tathagata) of that time lived in a hut on the mountain surrounded by jungle in the center of the kingdom. The palace where she used to live was not far from the Buddha’s living hut.
The Buddha was walking to beg donations throughout the kingdom. His way was just next to the palace, so the princess could see him since she was very young. When she was young, she was surprised to see such a great man begging. His affectionate nature and great teachings impressed her to be his follower. The king’s family and people would go into the hut on a specific day of each month to listen to teachings and meditate. Since she had grown younger, she prayed and offered precious treasures as offerings to the Buddha. She deeply practiced Dharma and applied Dharma teachings to beings with sincerity.
One day, one of the Buddha’s monks advised her to pray for rebirth as a man to attain enlightenment. She replied to the monk that she did not wish to be reborn as a man to attain enlightenment because she needed to prove that even a woman could attain enlightenment. She expanded her compassionate heart broadly, continued Dharma practices with great intensity.
With her great devotion to the Buddha, she became a female bodhisattva. As much as she was aware of beings’ sufferings, she appeared in different forms in different situations to rescue beings from suffering. She was the great savior who could remain in just a moment when obstacles arose for beings. She was a loving mother who saved swiftly when beings were in trouble.
The origin of Green Tara
The origin of the green Tara is associated with the ancient period’s Buddha (Tathagata), who was a former Buddha than the Shakyamuni Buddha. Her name was Tara (Yeshe Dawa in Tibetan). She was a great devotee of the Buddha. The Buddha provided guidelines to attain bodhichitta and eventually achieved bodhisattva wisdom, becoming a female bodhisattva. Another fact was associated with Avalokishwara. She was born from a blue lotus which grew in the pond of Avalokishwara’s tears. The Avalikishvara wept to see beings had remained in samsaric sufferings, although he had been rescuing them from the cycle of existence. According to Buddhism, she was believed to be born as a universal mother who healed beings’ illnesses, sufferings, physically and mentally.
Why was Green Tara called Tara?
Tara is the word of the Devanagari language associated with India and Nepal. In English is “Rescuer” who saves beings who have encountered all kinds of obstacles, sufferings.
She was in a radiant green color to symbolize that neither hesitation should be taken to call her, and seated on the lotus with her right leg extended was to symbolize responding to her aid in the motion of wind. She lifted beings who had been trapped on the shore of suffering’s ocean during their crossing across suffering.
Tara was also called the healing goddess since her ability was to be turned into the wind element to reach swiftly as wind. She was also associated with nature, she could rise as the sun, if beings needed to be protected from the external forces.
Why do the daily practice of Green Tara?
The monks, yogis, and ordinary people practice to green Tara, concentrating their minds and thinking that green Tara is just living own front and she has blessed them directly. The practices help to remove the delusion forces of negative karma, sickness, and obstacles. The practitioners assume own to be Green Tara at the time to generate Bodhichitta in the heart to develop generosity and compassion.
Bodhichitta cannot be achieved if the mind and heart are only consumed by negative thoughts and the delusional aspect. Therefore, followers practice the Green Tara, allowing their hearts to turn to the qualities of the Green Tara. The ordinary practitioners in a worship rite appeal to the Green Tara for protection and aid in daily life affairs. Her secret practices and tantric sadhanas allow practitioners to develop their awakened qualities to attain enlightenment.
The Green Tara’s role and meaning
The Green Tara is the liberator, she would present when she is called in need, in danger, and fear, instantly with the direct force, wise and unconditional aid. The Green Tara protects beings from the eight fears (Astabhaya) or eight dangers (Astaghora). The eight dangers or fears are: 1. Lion, 2. Elephant, 3. Fire, 4. Snake, 5. Thief/ Robber, 6. Water, 7. Infectious Disease, and 8. Demon. Each of these outer dangers is also associated with Inner afflictions that keep beings trapped in sufferings, such as the lion represents pride, the fire represents anger, the snake represents jealousy, the robber represents wrong view, the water represents desire and attachment, the infectious disease represents craving, and the demon represents doubts
The Green Tara’s 21 forms
The Green Tara represents the complete range of enlightened activity in her 21 manifested forms to cover all needs-outer, inner, and secret.