Arts & Cultures Collections Database

Bodhisattva Green Tara. Tara is the most popular female bodhisattva in Tibetan Buddhism. There are many legends of her origin. One is that the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, having taken the vow to help all beings achieve enlightenment, once became discouraged and began to cry; from his tear sprang Tara. Green Tara protects against the eight dangers or calamities. In this painting each image of Tara protects a supplicant monk against a different calamity:
In the main image, against wild lions (representing pride)
From left to right across the top, against wild elephants (delusions), thieves (fanatical views), snakes (envy), imprisonment (avarice), and fire (hatred)
At the bottom, against demons (doubt) and floods (lust)
On the back of this painting are handprints that authenticate the painting, a common practice performed by important lamas. In this case, the handprints are identified in the inscription as those of Tshe-dbang-skyabs-mchog, a Mongolian lama who lived from 1759-1846.