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Tara Tenzin Gyatso,14th Dalai Lama
Tara
If monarchy is corrupting - and it is - wait till you see what overt empire does to us.
Daniel Ellsberg (b. 1931) economist and anti-war activist
Daniel Ellsberg (b. 1931) economist and anti-war activist
1st century aqueduct constructed by the roman empire. added to unesco's world heritage sites in 1985. pont du gard, france. october 2005
Pont du Gard
Pont du Gard, photo: Edouard Baldus (ca. 1815-1882), 1850sThe Pont du Gard is a Roman aquaduct crossing the river Gardon near Nimes (south of France). It is recognized as unique illustration of the technique used by the engineers and builders of the Roman empire.
Pont du Gard, photo: Edouard Baldus (ca. 1815-1882), 1850sThe Pont du Gard is a Roman aquaduct crossing the river Gardon near Nimes (south of France). It is recognized as unique illustration of the technique used by the engineers and builders of the Roman empire.
It is quite impressive to see infrastructure on the World Heritage list, and this site is very deserving of its place on the list. The structure is absolutely massive and an astounding feat of engineering. It is 50 metres high and is part of the aqueduct that ran to Nimes over a distance of 50km. If you look closely you can see that the arches are not actually the same size but vary slightly.
The top tier has the aqueduct running along it. It is possible to have a guided tour of this. I did climb up the banks with the hope of seeing inside, but unfortunately you can only see a locked door and a staircase. It was worth the climb though, as the view was very impressive (picture). You can walk across the bridge for free; well you actually walk on the 18th century one built next to the roman structure at the first level which mirrors it so you can’t see the difference from a distance. There are great views from the picnic area on the left bank and plenty of trails off around the area if you fancied a hike or cycle. If you want to go for a swim take an old pair of shoes as the water is very rocky and very cold; we found this out the hard way
On practical matters, there is a brand new interpretive centre on the right bank. Busses will drop you off near here. There are 3 buses from Avignon (the most useful leaves at 12) and there are slightly more regular buses from Nimes (worth a visit). A WARNING though, there is a bus stop at the entrance to the car park but busses do not stop here or even go past!!! And the times displayed do not relate to the actual times of busses; it was only thanks to a helpful parking assistant that we didn’t get stranded.This is an impressive site and makes a great day trip from any of the nearby cities. If you want to see how important this structure is have a look at the ‘fictional’ bridge on a €5 note and compare it to this one!
n our trip to France we have seen the Roman Pont du Gard, a part of the aqueduct that brought water by a 50 km long canal to the castellum divisorium of Nîmes, in the Narbonnaise region, from a spring near Uzès. To achieve an average of 34 cm par one km it follows sinuous pats or traverses the rock layer with galleries or is elevated on to walls or arches or bridges. The Pont du Gard goes over the deep valley of the river Gardon; it was constructed in 19 for order of Agrippa. It’s 49 m high and has three storeys: the first (142 m long) has six 22 m high arches and was used in Medieval times like a bridge, the second 8142 m long) eleven 20 m high arches and the last (275 m long), where runs the canal, thirty-five 7 m high arches. There was also adaptations of the devastating course of the river and the lips on the piers, the curved layout of the aqueduct and the opening of the main lower arch are designed to resist to the floods. The acqueduct use at the two lower levels stone blocks, that can weight up to six tons, and at the upper levels small stone rubble which hold the abuting flagstones of the canal.
The acqueduct is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen because of its impresivenesse and its incredible technique of consctruction; it's absolutely worth to be visit - you must park 500 m from it. It justifies the inscription also as the nicest Roman acqueduct in the world, one of the few incribed on the WHL, and the best exression of Romans' technique, but I think that also other Roman monuments in Provence (like that in Nîmes or Saint-Rémy-de-Provence) could be inscibed alone or together with one, two or all of the WHS of Arles, Orange and Pont du Gard.Photo: Pont du Gard - Aqueduct
Each time we have visited the Pont du Gard (Bridge over the Gard River), ten or twelve miles northeast of Nîmes, the weather has been sparkling clear, but rain or shine, it’s an awe-inspiring structure. The aqueduct was built without mortar between the stones (some weighted six tons), and we know engineering codes wouldn’t permit that these days. Of course it’s most likely that structures built under our engineering codes won’t last 2,000 years, either
History
It has long been thought that the Pont du Gard was built by Augustus' son-in-law and aide, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a Roman statesman and general. He was a close friend, son-in-law, lieutenant and defense minister to Octavian, the future emperor Caesar Augustus..., around the year 19 BC. Newer excavations, however, suggest the construction may have taken place in the middle of the first century A.D, consequently, opinion is now somewhat divided on the matter. Designed to carry the water across the small Gardon river valley, it was part of a nearly 50 km (31 mi) aqueduct that brought water from the Fontaines d'Eure springs near Uzès
Uzès
Uzès is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.It lies about north-northeast of Nîmes.-History:Originally Ucetia, Uzès was a small Gallo-Roman oppidum, or administrative settlement. The town lies at the source of the Eure, from where a Roman aqueduct was built in the first century BC,... to the Castellum in the Roman city of Nemausus (Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is a city in southern France. It is the capital of the Gard department. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and it is a popular tourist destination.-History:...). The full aqueduct had a gradient of 34 cm/km (1/3000), descending only 17 m vertically in its entire length and delivering 20,000 cubic meters (5 million gallons) of water daily.
It has long been thought that the Pont du Gard was built by Augustus' son-in-law and aide, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a Roman statesman and general. He was a close friend, son-in-law, lieutenant and defense minister to Octavian, the future emperor Caesar Augustus..., around the year 19 BC. Newer excavations, however, suggest the construction may have taken place in the middle of the first century A.D, consequently, opinion is now somewhat divided on the matter. Designed to carry the water across the small Gardon river valley, it was part of a nearly 50 km (31 mi) aqueduct that brought water from the Fontaines d'Eure springs near Uzès
Uzès
Uzès is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.It lies about north-northeast of Nîmes.-History:Originally Ucetia, Uzès was a small Gallo-Roman oppidum, or administrative settlement. The town lies at the source of the Eure, from where a Roman aqueduct was built in the first century BC,... to the Castellum in the Roman city of Nemausus (Nîmes
Nîmes
Nîmes is a city in southern France. It is the capital of the Gard department. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and it is a popular tourist destination.-History:...). The full aqueduct had a gradient of 34 cm/km (1/3000), descending only 17 m vertically in its entire length and delivering 20,000 cubic meters (5 million gallons) of water daily.
It was constructed entirely without the use of mortar. The aqueduct's stones – some of which weigh up to 6 tons – were precisely cut to fit perfectly together eliminating the need for mortar. The masonry was lifted into place by block and tackle
Block and tackle
A block and tackle is a system of two or more pulleys with a rope or cable threaded between them, usually used to lift or pull heavy loads.- Overview :... with a massive human-powered treadmill providing the power for the winch. A complex scaffold was erected to support the aqueduct as it was being built. The face of the aqueduct still bears the mark of its construction, in the form of protruding scaffolding supports and ridges on the piers which supported the semicircular wooden frames on which the arches were constructed. It is believed to have taken about three years to build, employing between 800 and 1,000 workers.
Post Roman
Block and tackle
A block and tackle is a system of two or more pulleys with a rope or cable threaded between them, usually used to lift or pull heavy loads.- Overview :... with a massive human-powered treadmill providing the power for the winch. A complex scaffold was erected to support the aqueduct as it was being built. The face of the aqueduct still bears the mark of its construction, in the form of protruding scaffolding supports and ridges on the piers which supported the semicircular wooden frames on which the arches were constructed. It is believed to have taken about three years to build, employing between 800 and 1,000 workers.
Post Roman
From the fourth century onwards, its maintenance was neglected, and deposits filled up to two thirds of the conduit space. By the ninth century, it became unusable, and the people of the area started using its stones for their own purposes. However, the majority of the Pont du Gard remains impressively intact.From the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages of European history is a period of European history covering roughly a millennium in the 5th century through 16th centuries. More specific starting and ending points are sometimes adopted by scholars to suit their respective specializations or current focus... to the 18th century, the aqueduct was used as a conventional bridge to facilitate foot traffic across the river, like its much smaller sister, the Pont de Bornègre
Pont de Bornègre
The Pont de Bornègre is an ancient bridge of the Roman aqueduct to Nîmes, which also includes the famous Pont du Gard, between the communes of Saint-Maximin, and Argilliers. It is located at the upper reaches of the approximately 50 km long aqueduct, 6.745 m downstream of the Eure source and.... The pillars of the second level were reduced in width to make more room for the traffic, but this jeopardized the stability of the structure. In 1702 the pillars were restored to their original width in order to safeguard the aqueduct. In 1743, a new bridge was built by a French engineer Henri Pitot
Henri Pitot
Henri Pitot was a French hydraulic engineer and the inventor of the Pitot tube.He became interested in studying the flow of water at various depths and was responsible for disproving the prevailing belief that speed of water increases with depth.In a Pitot tube the height of the fluid column is... next to the arches of the lower level, so that the road traffic could cross on a purpose-built bridge. The aqueduct was restored in the 18th century, by which time it had become a major tourist site, and was restored again in the reign of Napoleon III in the mid-19th century.The outstanding quality of the bridge's masonry led to it becoming an obligatory stop for French journeymen masons on their traditional tour around the country (see Compagnons du Tour de France
Compagnons du Tour de France
The Compagnons du Tour de France are a French organization of craftsmen and artisans dating from the Middle Ages, but still active today. Their traditional technical education techniques includes taking a tour, the Tour de France from the name, around France and being the apprentice of several...), many of whom have left their names on the stonework. Markings left by the original builders can also be seen, indicating the positions in which the dressed stones were to be placed: for instance, FRS II (standing for frons sinistra II, or "front left 2"). This is a tradition that has been partly continued by modern visitors, often looking to make their own markings.The Pont du Gard was added to UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...'s list of World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...s in 1985.In 1998 the Pont du Gard was hit by major flooding which caused widespread damage in the area. The road leading up to it and the neighboring facilities were badly damaged, although the aqueduct itself was not seriously harmed.The French government sponsored a major redevelopment project in conjunction with local sources, UNESCO and the EU which concluded in 2000, pedestrianising the entire area around the aqueduct and greatly improving the visitor facilities, including establishing a museum on the north bank. The project has been criticized for its cost (€33 million) and for the perceived loss of natural beauty of the surrounding landscape and area. During the redevelopment it was not possible to walk through the conduit at the top of the aqueduct; however guided crossings are now provided by the museum. The redevelopment has ensured that the area around the Pont du Gard is now much quieter due to the removal of vehicle traffic, and the new museum provides a much improved historical context for visitors.The Pont du Gard is today one of France's top five tourist attractions, with 1.4 million visitors reported in 2001.
See also
Eifel Aqueduct
Eifel Aqueduct
The Eifel Aqueduct was one of the longest aqueducts of the Roman Empire. It shows the great skill of the Roman engineers, whose level of technical achievement was lost in the Middle Ages and regained only in recent times....
Roman aqueducts
List of aqueducts in the city of Rome
List of Roman aqueduct bridges
External links
Official Pont du Gard museum website
Location of Pont du Gard (Michelin)
Photos of the aqueduct le Pont du Gard
Full Aqueduct (Uzès to Nîmes) website (in French)
Pont du Gard: Picture Galerie
600 Roman aqueducts with 35 descriptions in detail among which is the Pont du Gard
Ancient Places TV: HD Video of the Pont du Gard
ShowWikipediaFooter("Pont_du_Gard")
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages of European history is a period of European history covering roughly a millennium in the 5th century through 16th centuries. More specific starting and ending points are sometimes adopted by scholars to suit their respective specializations or current focus... to the 18th century, the aqueduct was used as a conventional bridge to facilitate foot traffic across the river, like its much smaller sister, the Pont de Bornègre
Pont de Bornègre
The Pont de Bornègre is an ancient bridge of the Roman aqueduct to Nîmes, which also includes the famous Pont du Gard, between the communes of Saint-Maximin, and Argilliers. It is located at the upper reaches of the approximately 50 km long aqueduct, 6.745 m downstream of the Eure source and.... The pillars of the second level were reduced in width to make more room for the traffic, but this jeopardized the stability of the structure. In 1702 the pillars were restored to their original width in order to safeguard the aqueduct. In 1743, a new bridge was built by a French engineer Henri Pitot
Henri Pitot
Henri Pitot was a French hydraulic engineer and the inventor of the Pitot tube.He became interested in studying the flow of water at various depths and was responsible for disproving the prevailing belief that speed of water increases with depth.In a Pitot tube the height of the fluid column is... next to the arches of the lower level, so that the road traffic could cross on a purpose-built bridge. The aqueduct was restored in the 18th century, by which time it had become a major tourist site, and was restored again in the reign of Napoleon III in the mid-19th century.The outstanding quality of the bridge's masonry led to it becoming an obligatory stop for French journeymen masons on their traditional tour around the country (see Compagnons du Tour de France
Compagnons du Tour de France
The Compagnons du Tour de France are a French organization of craftsmen and artisans dating from the Middle Ages, but still active today. Their traditional technical education techniques includes taking a tour, the Tour de France from the name, around France and being the apprentice of several...), many of whom have left their names on the stonework. Markings left by the original builders can also be seen, indicating the positions in which the dressed stones were to be placed: for instance, FRS II (standing for frons sinistra II, or "front left 2"). This is a tradition that has been partly continued by modern visitors, often looking to make their own markings.The Pont du Gard was added to UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...'s list of World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...s in 1985.In 1998 the Pont du Gard was hit by major flooding which caused widespread damage in the area. The road leading up to it and the neighboring facilities were badly damaged, although the aqueduct itself was not seriously harmed.The French government sponsored a major redevelopment project in conjunction with local sources, UNESCO and the EU which concluded in 2000, pedestrianising the entire area around the aqueduct and greatly improving the visitor facilities, including establishing a museum on the north bank. The project has been criticized for its cost (€33 million) and for the perceived loss of natural beauty of the surrounding landscape and area. During the redevelopment it was not possible to walk through the conduit at the top of the aqueduct; however guided crossings are now provided by the museum. The redevelopment has ensured that the area around the Pont du Gard is now much quieter due to the removal of vehicle traffic, and the new museum provides a much improved historical context for visitors.The Pont du Gard is today one of France's top five tourist attractions, with 1.4 million visitors reported in 2001.
See also
Eifel Aqueduct
Eifel Aqueduct
The Eifel Aqueduct was one of the longest aqueducts of the Roman Empire. It shows the great skill of the Roman engineers, whose level of technical achievement was lost in the Middle Ages and regained only in recent times....
Roman aqueducts
List of aqueducts in the city of Rome
List of Roman aqueduct bridges
External links
Official Pont du Gard museum website
Location of Pont du Gard (Michelin)
Photos of the aqueduct le Pont du Gard
Full Aqueduct (Uzès to Nîmes) website (in French)
Pont du Gard: Picture Galerie
600 Roman aqueducts with 35 descriptions in detail among which is the Pont du Gard
Ancient Places TV: HD Video of the Pont du Gard
ShowWikipediaFooter("Pont_du_Gard")
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pont du Gard
Official Pont du Gard museum website
Pont du Gard at Structurae
Location of Pont du Gard (Michelin)
Photos of the aqueduct le Pont du Gard
Full Aqueduct (Uzès to Nîmes) website (in French)
Pont du Gard: Picture Galerie
600 Roman aqueducts with 35 descriptions in detail among which is the Pont du Gard
Ancient Places TV: HD Video of the Pont du Gard
[show]
v • d • eWorld Heritage Sites in France
Île-de-France
Palace and Park of Versailles · Palace of Fontainebleau and Park · Paris – Banks of the Seine · Provins · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1
Parisian basin
Amiens Cathedral · Belfries of Belgium and France2 · Bourges Cathedral · Cathedral of Chartres · Cathedral of Notre-Dame, former Abbey of Saint-Remi and Palace of Tau, Reims · Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Le Havre · Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes1 · Mont Saint-Michel and its Bay1 · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1 · Vézelay Church and Hill
Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Belfries of Belgium and France2 · Fortifications of Vauban1
East
Fortifications of Vauban1 · Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains and Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans · Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance, Nancy · Strasbourg – Grande Île
West
Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes1 · Mont Saint-Michel and its Bay1 · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1
South West
Bordeaux · Canal du Midi1 · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley · Pyrénées - Mont Perdu3 · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1 · Saint-Émilion
Centre East
Lyon · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1
Mediterranean
Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments · Canal du Midi1 · Carcassonne · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Gulf of Porto (Calanches de Piana • Gulf of Girolata • Scandola Reserve) · Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge, Avignon · Pont du Gard · Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and Triumphal Arch of Orange · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1
Overseas departmentsand territories
Lagoons of New Caledonia
1 Shared with other region/s · 2 Shared locally with other region/s and with Belgium · 3 Shared with Spain
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pont du Gard
Official Pont du Gard museum website
Pont du Gard at Structurae
Location of Pont du Gard (Michelin)
Photos of the aqueduct le Pont du Gard
Full Aqueduct (Uzès to Nîmes) website (in French)
Pont du Gard: Picture Galerie
600 Roman aqueducts with 35 descriptions in detail among which is the Pont du Gard
Ancient Places TV: HD Video of the Pont du Gard
[show]
v • d • eWorld Heritage Sites in France
Île-de-France
Palace and Park of Versailles · Palace of Fontainebleau and Park · Paris – Banks of the Seine · Provins · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1
Parisian basin
Amiens Cathedral · Belfries of Belgium and France2 · Bourges Cathedral · Cathedral of Chartres · Cathedral of Notre-Dame, former Abbey of Saint-Remi and Palace of Tau, Reims · Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Le Havre · Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes1 · Mont Saint-Michel and its Bay1 · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1 · Vézelay Church and Hill
Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Belfries of Belgium and France2 · Fortifications of Vauban1
East
Fortifications of Vauban1 · Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains and Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans · Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance, Nancy · Strasbourg – Grande Île
West
Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes1 · Mont Saint-Michel and its Bay1 · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1
South West
Bordeaux · Canal du Midi1 · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley · Pyrénées - Mont Perdu3 · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1 · Saint-Émilion
Centre East
Lyon · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1
Mediterranean
Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments · Canal du Midi1 · Carcassonne · Fortifications of Vauban1 · Gulf of Porto (Calanches de Piana • Gulf of Girolata • Scandola Reserve) · Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge, Avignon · Pont du Gard · Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and Triumphal Arch of Orange · Routes of Santiago de Compostela1
Overseas departmentsand territories
Lagoons of New Caledonia
1 Shared with other region/s · 2 Shared locally with other region/s and with Belgium · 3 Shared with Spain
Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama (born 1935)
statue of tara, mother of all activities, made in tibet (13th century) rubin museum of art, new york. october 20
Goddess of Compassion - One Who Saves
Diamonds are Her Sacred Stone.
Tara or Arya Tara, also known as Jetsun Dolma, is a female Bodhisattva typically associated with Tibetan Buddhism. She is the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements.
Tara is actually the generic name for a set of Bodhisattvas of similar aspect. These may more properly be understood as different aspects of the same quality, as Bodhisattvas are often considered metaphoric for Buddhist virtues. As Mahatara, Great Tara, she is the supreme creatrix and mother of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Tara is the Feminine Goddess Archetype in Hindu Mythology. Tara governs the Underworld, the Earth and the Heavens, birth, death and regeneration, love and war, the seasons, all that lives and grows, the Moon cycles - Luna - feminine - creation. Typically Tara is seen as a slender and beautiful woman of white complexion, long golden hair and blue eyes.
Her animals are the sow, mare, owl and raven.
She is the most popular figure in the Tibetan pantheon of deities, the beautiful goddess Tara, (pronounced tah' rah) whose name in means 'Star' - originated in Indian Hinduism as the Mother Creator, and her many representations spread from Ireland to Indonesia under many different names.
In later Hindu scriptures, she is depicted as one of the eight major aspects of the Divine Feminine Principle, a loving manifestation in contrast to the fiercesome Kali. Like a star that perpetually consumes its own energy, Tara represents the never-ending desires that fuel all life.
Adopted by Buddhism from Hinduism by the 3rd century B.C. , Tara appears in Buddhism, Jainism, and particularly, Tibetan Lamaism, as a complex array of manifestations: goddess of ascetism and mysticism, mother creator, protectress of all humans as they cross the sea of life.
The most widely known Taras are:
Green Tara, known for the activity of compassion, the consort of the Dhyani Buddha Amogasiddhi, and is incarnated in all good women.
White Tara, also known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity; also known as The Wish-fulfilling Wheel, or Cintachakra. As White Tara, she rose from a lotus blooming in the lake that formed from the first tear of compassion of great bodhisattva Avalokiteswara (whose human incarnation is the Dalai Lama), and is considered his consort.
Red Tara, of fierce aspect associated with magnetizing all good things
Black Tara, associated with power
Yellow Tara, associated with wealth and prosperity.
Blue Tara, associated with transmutation of anger
Cittamani Tara, a form of Tara widely practiced in the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism, portrayed as green and often confused with Green Tara
There is also recognition in some schools of Buddhism of twenty-one Taras. A practice text entitled "In Praise of the 21 Taras", is recited during the morning in all four sects of Tibetan Buddhism. Some Tibetan Buddhists practice a mantra meditation called Tara Practice. The main Tara mantra is; Om Tare Tu Tare Ture Soha.
The original bronze statue dating back to the 7th or 8th century A.D was found in the north-east of Lanka between Trincomalee and Batticaloa. Its total height is 143.75 cm or 56.6 inches. Her right hand is in the gesture of vara mudra and her left hand is in the gesture of vitarka mudra. The marked contrast of the slender waist against heavy breasts and hips is the ideal of feminine beauty. The goddess, dignified and graceful in this manifestation, represents the chastity and virtue and the embodiment of love, compassion, and mercy.
The vibrations of the name Tara can is found in other cultures.
Polynesian Mythology: Tara is a beautiful sea goddess
Latin: Terra, Mother Earth
Druids: called their mother goddess Tara.
Finland: An ancient legend speaks of Tar, the Women of Wisdom.
South America: indigenous tribe in the jungle call to their goddess, Tarahumara.
Native American: Cheyenne people tell of a Star Woman who fell from the heavens to the Earth. Out of her body all essential food grew. She sent her people to mate with the more primitive inhabitants of Earth, thereby giving them the capacity for wisdom.
Tibet:
Tara is known as The Faithful One, The Fierce Protectress, an archetype of inner wisdom. They speak of a transformation of consciousness, a journey to freedom. They teach many simple and direct means for each person to discover within themselves the wisdom, compassion and glory that is Tara. She is the feminine counterpart of the bodhisattva - Buddha-to-be - Avalokitesvara.
According to popular belief, she came into existence from a tear of Avalokitesvara, which fell to the ground and formed a lake. Out of its waters rose up a lotus, which, on opening, revealed the goddess. Like Avalokitesvara, she is a compassionate deity who helps souls 'cross to the other shore'. She is the protectress of navigation and earthly travel, as well as of spiritual travel along the path to Enlightenment.
In Tibet she is believed to be incarnate in every pious woman, and the two wives - a Chinese princess and a Nepali princess - of the first Buddhist king of Tibet, Srong-brtsan-sgam-po, were identified with the two major forms of Tara. The White Tara (Sanskrit: Sitatara; Tibetan: Sgrol-dkar) was incarnated as the Chinese princess. She symbolizes purity and is often represented standing at the right hand of her consort, Avalokitesvara, or seated with legs crossed, holding a full-blown lotus. She is generally shown with a third eye.
Tara is sometimes shown with eyes on the soles of her feet and the palms of her hands. Then she is called Tara of the Seven Eyes, a form of the goddess popular in Mongoli.
GODS AND GODDESES OF ANCIENT INDIA
ANCIENT INDIA
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS INDEX
ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF ALL FILES
CRYSTALINKS MAIN PAGE
CRYSTALINKS MAILING LIST, NEWSLETTER, UPDATES
PSYCHIC READING WITH ELLIE
Emergence of Tārā as a Buddhist deity
Within Tibetan Buddhism Tārā is regarded as a Boddhisattva of compassion and action. She is the female aspect of Avalokitesvara (Chenrezig) and in some origin stories she comes from his tears:
Then at last Avalokiteshvara arrived at the summit of Marpori, the 'Red Hill', in Lhasa. Gazing out, he perceived that the lake on Otang, the 'Plain of Milk', resembled the Hell of Ceaseless Torment. Myriads of being were undergoing the agonies of boiling, burning, hunger, thirst, yet they never perished, but let forth hideous cries of anguish all the while. When Avalokiteshvara saw this, tears sprang to his eyes. A teardrop from his right eye fell to the plain and became the reverend Bhrikuti, who declared: 'Son of your race! As you are striving for the sake of sentient beings in the Land of Snows, intercede in their suffering, and I shall be your companion in this endeavour!' Bhrikuti was then reabsorbed into Avalokiteshvara's right eye, and was reborn in a later life as the Nepalese princess Tritsun. A teardrop from his left eye fell upon the plain and became the reverend Tara. She also declared, 'Son of your race! As you are striving for the sake of sentient beings in the Land of Snows, intercede in their suffering, and I shall be your companion in this endeavour!' Tara was also reabsorbed into Avalokiteshvara's left eye, and was reborn in a later life as the Chinese princess Kongjo (Princess Wencheng)."[2]
Tārā is also known as a saviouress, as a heavenly deity who hears the cries of beings experiencing misery in samsara.
The Tārā figure originated not in Buddhism but in Hinduism, where she, Tārā, was one of a number of Mother Goddess figures alongside Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Parvati, and Shakti. In the 6th century C.E., during the era of the Pala Empire, Tārā was adopted into the Buddhist pantheon as an important bodhisattva figure just a few centuries after the Prajnaparamita Sutra had been introduced into what was becoming the Mahayana Buddhism of India. It would seem that the feminine principle makes its first appearance in Buddhism as the "Mother of Perfected Wisdom" and then later Tārā comes to be seen as an expression of the compassion of perfected wisdom. However, sometimes Tārā is also known as "the Mother of the Buddhas", which usually refers to the enlightened wisdom of the Buddhas, so in approaching Buddhist deities, one learns not to impose totally strict boundaries about what one deity covers, as opposed to another deity.
They all can be seen as expressions of the play of the energies of manifested form dancing out of vast emptiness. Be that as it may, Tārā began to be associated with the motherly qualities of compassion and mercy. Undoubtedly for the common folk who were Buddhists in India of that time, Tārā was a more approachable deity. It is one thing to stare into the eyes of a deity who represents wisdom as void. It is perhaps easier to worship a goddess whose eyes look out with infinite compassion and who has a sweet smile.
Tārā then became very popular as an object of worship and was becoming an object of Tantric worship and practice by the 7th century C.E. With the movement and cross-pollination of Indian Buddhism into Tibet, the worship and practices of Tārā became incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism. Independent of whether she is classified as a deity, a Buddha or a bodhisattva, Tārā remains very popular in Tibet and Mongolia. And as Ms. Getty notes, one other reason for her popularity was that Tārā became to be known as a Buddhist deity who could be appealed to directly by lay folk without the necessity or intervention of a lama or monk. Thus, as Tārā was accepted into the ranks of Buddhist bodhisattvas, she became popular to both common folk as one to appeal to in daily life, and for monastics, as an entry way into understanding compassion and mercy as part of one's evolving path within Buddhism. (See also Guan Yin, the female aspect of Avalokitesvara in Chinese Buddhism.)
Today, Green Tara and White Tara are probably the most popular representations of Tara. Green Tara/Khadiravani is usually associated with protection from fear and the following eight obscurations: lions (= pride), wild elephants (= delusion/ignorance), fires (= hatred and anger), snakes (= jealousy), bandits and thieves (= wrong views, including fanatical views), bondage (= avarice and miserliness), floods (= desire and attachment), and evil spirits and demons (= deluded doubts). As one of the three deities of long life, White Tara/Sarasvati is associated with longevity. White Tara counteracts illness and thereby helps to bring about a long life. She embodies the motivation that is compassion and is said to be as white and radiant as the moon.
[edit] Origin as a Buddhist bodhisattva
Green Tara, Nepal, fourteenth century. Gilt copper inset with precious and semiprecious stones, H20.25 in, (51.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Louis V. Bell Fund, 1966, 66.179.
Tārā has many stories told which explain her origin as a bodhisattva. One in particular has a lot of resonance for women interested in Buddhism and quite likely for those delving into early 21st century feminism.
In this tale there is a young princess who lives in a different world system, millions of years in the past. Her name is Yeshe Dawa, which means "Moon of Primordial Awareness". For quite a number of aeons she makes offerings to the Buddha of that world system, whose name was Tonyo Drupa. She receives special instruction from him concerning bodhicitta — the heart-mind of a bodhisattva. After doing this, some monks approach her and suggest that because of her level of attainment she should next pray to be reborn as a male to progress further. At this point she lets the monks know in no uncertain terms that from the point of view of Enlightenment it is only "weak minded worldlings" who see gender as a barrier to attaining enlightenment. She sadly notes there have been few who wish to work for the welfare of beings in a female form, though. Therefore she resolves to always be reborn as a female bodhisattva, until samsara is no more. She then stays in a palace in a state of meditation for some ten million years, and the power of this practice releases tens of millions of beings from suffering. As a result of this, Tonyo Drupa tells her she will henceforth manifest supreme bodhi as the Goddess Tārā in many world systems to come.
With this story in mind, it is interesting to juxtapose this with a quotation from H.H the Dalai Lama about Tārā, spoken at a conference on Compassionate Action in Newport Beach, CA in 1989:
There is a true feminist movement in Buddhism that relates to the goddess Tārā. Following her cultivation of bodhicitta, the bodhisattva's motivation, she looked upon the situation of those striving towards full awakening and she felt that there were too few people who attained Buddhahood as women. So she vowed, "I have developed bodhicitta as a woman. For all my lifetimes along the path I vow to be born as a woman, and in my final lifetime when I attain Buddhahood, then, too, I will be a woman."
Tārā, then, embodies certain ideals which make her attractive to women practitioners, and her emergence as a Bodhisattva can be seen as a part of Mahayana Buddhism's reaching out to women, and becoming more inclusive even in 6th century C.E. India.
[edit] Tārā as a Saviour
Tara statue near Kulu, India.
Tārā also embodies many of the qualities of feminine principle. She is known as the Mother of Mercy and Compassion. She is the source, the female aspect of the universe, which gives birth to warmth, compassion and relief from bad karma as experienced by ordinary beings in cyclic existence. She engenders, nourishes, smiles at the vitality of creation, and has sympathy for all beings as a mother does for her children. As Green Tārā she offers succor and protection from all the unfortunate circumstances one can encounter within the samsaric world. As White Tārā she expresses maternal compassion and offers healing to beings who are hurt or wounded, either physically or psychically. As Red Tārā she teaches discriminating awareness about created phenomena, and how to turn raw desire into compassion and love. As Blue Tārā (Ekajati) she becomes a protector in the Nyingma lineage, who expresses a ferocious, wrathful, female energy whose invocation destroys all Dharmic obstacles and engenders good luck and swift spiritual awakening.[3]
Within Tibetan Buddhism, she has 21 major forms in all, each tied to a certain color and energy. And each offers some feminine attribute, of ultimate benefit to the spiritual aspirant who asks for her assistance.
Another quality of feminine principle which she shares with the dakinis is playfulness. As John Blofeld expands upon in Bodhisattva of Compassion, Tārā is frequently depicted as a young sixteen year old girlish woman. She oftens manifests in the lives of dharma practitioners when they take themselves, or spiritual path too seriously. There are Tibetan tales in which she laughs at self-righteousness, or plays pranks on those who lack reverence for the feminine. In Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis, Thinley Norbu explores this as "Playmind". Applied to Tārā one could say that her playful mind can relieve ordinary minds which become rigidly serious or tightly gripped by dualistic distinctions. She takes delight in an open mind and a receptive heart then. For in this openness and receptivity her blessings can naturally unfold and her energies can quicken the aspirants spiritual development.
These qualities of feminine principle then, found an expression in Indian Mahayana Buddhism and the emerging Vajrayana of Tibet, as the many forms of Tārā, as dakinis, as Prajnaparamita, and as many other local and specialized feminine divinities. As the worship of Tārā developed, various prayers, chants and mantras became associated with her. These came out of a felt devotional need, and from her inspiration causing spiritual masters to compose and set down sadhanas, or tantric meditation practices. Two ways of approach to her began to emerge. In one common folk and lay practitioners would simply directly appeal to her to ease some of the travails of worldly life. In the second, she became a Tantric deity whose practice would be used by monks or tantric yogis in order to develop her qualities in themselves, ultimately leading through her to the source of her qualities, which are Enlightenment, Enlightened Compassion, and Enlightened Mind.
[edit] Tārā as a Tantric deity
Tārā as a focus for tantric deity yoga can be traced back to the time period of Padmasambhava. There is a Red Tārā practice which was given by Padmasambhava to Yeshe Tsogyal. He asked that she hide it as a treasure. It was not until the 20th century, that a great Nyingma lama, Apong Terton rediscovered it. This lama was reborn as His Holiness Sakya Trizin, present head of the Sakyapa sect. A monk who had known Apong Terton succeeded in retransmitting it to H.H. Sakya Trizin, and the same monk also gave it to Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, who released it to his western students.
Martin Willson in In Praise of Tārā traces many different lineages of Tārā Tantras, that is Tārā scriptures used as Tantric sadhanas. For example a Tārā sadhana was revealed to Tilopa, (988-1069 C.E.) the human father of the Karma Kagyu. Atisa, the great translator and founder of the Kadampa school of Tibetan Buddhism, was a devotee of Tārā. He composed a praise to her, and three Tārā Sadhanas. Martin Willson's work also contains charts which show origins of her tantras in various lineages, but suffice to say that Tārā as a tantric practice quickly spread from around the 7th century C.E. onwards, and remains an important part of Vajrayana Buddhism to this day.
The practices themselves usually present Tārā as a tutelary deity (thug dam, yidam) which the practitioners sees as being a latent aspect of one's mind, or a manifestation in a visible form of a quality stemming from Buddha Jnana. As John Blofeld puts it in his The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet:
The function of the Yidam is one of the profound mysteries of the Vajrayana...
Especially during the first years of practice the Yidam is of immense importance. Yidam is the Tibetan rendering of the Sanskrit word "Istadeva" — the in-dwelling deity; but, where the Hindus take the Istadeva for an actual deity who has been invited to dwell in the devotee's heart, the Yidams of Tantric Buddhism are in fact the emanations of the adepts own mind. Or are they?
To some extent they seem to belong to that order of phenomena which in Jungian terms are called archetypes and are therefore the common property of the entire human race. Even among Tantric Buddhists, there may be a division of opinion as to how far the Yidams are the creations of individual minds. What is quite certain is that they are not independently existing gods and goddesses; and yet, paradoxically, there are many occasions when they must be so regarded.
[edit] Sadhanas of Tārā
Tara statue. Gyantse Kumbum. 1993
Sadhanas in which Tārā is the yidam (meditational deity) can be extensive or quite brief. Most all of them include some introductory praises or homages to invoke her presence and prayers of taking refuge. Then her mantra is recited, followed by a visualization of her, perhaps more mantra, then the visualization is dissolved, followed by a dedication of the merit from doing the practice. Additionally there may be extra prayers of aspirations, and a long life prayer for the Lama who originated the practice. Many of the Tārā sadhanas are seen as beginning practices within the world of Vajrayana Buddhism, however what is taking place during the visualization of the deity actually invokes some of the most sublime teachings of all Buddhism.
In this case during the creation phase of Tārā as a yidam, she is seen as having as much reality as any other phenomena apprehended through the mind. By reciting her mantra and visualizing her form in front, or on the head of the adept, one is opening to her energies of compassion and wisdom. After a period of time the practitioner shares in some of these qualities, becomes imbued with her being and all it represents. At the same time all of this is seen as coming out of Emptiness and having a translucent quality like a rainbow. Then many times there is a visualization of oneself as Tārā. One simultaneously becomes inseparable from all her good qualities while at the same time realizing the emptiness of the visualization of oneself as the yidam and also the emptiness of one's ordinary self.
This occurs in the completion stage of the practice. One dissolves the created deity form and at the same time also realizes how much of what we call the "self" is a creation of the mind, and has no long term substantial inherent existence. This part of the practice then is preparing the practitioner to be able to confront the dissolution of one's self at death and ultimately be able to approach through various stages of meditation upon emptiness, the realization of Ultimate Truth as a vast display of Emptiness and Luminosity. At the same time the recitation of the mantra has been invoking Tārā's energy through its Sanskrit seed syllables and this purifies and activates certain psychic centers of the body (chakras). This also untangles knots of psychic energy which have hindered the practitioner from developing a Vajra body, which is necessary to be able to progress to more advanced practices and deeper stages of realization.
Therefore even in a simple Tārā sadhana a plethora of outer, inner, and secret events is taking place and there are now many works such as Deity Yoga, compiled by the present Dalai Lama, which explores all the ramifications of working with a yidam in Tantric practices.
The end results of doing such Tārā practices are many. For one thing it reduces the forces of delusion in the forms of negative karma, sickness, afflictions of kleshas, and other obstacles and obscurations. The mantra helps generate Bodhicitta within the heart of the practitioner and purifies the psychic channels (nadis) within the body allowing a more natural expression of generosity and compassion to flow from the heart center. Through experiencing Tārā's perfected form one acknowledges one's own perfected form, that is one's intrinsic Buddha nature, which is usually covered over by obscurations and clinging to dualistic phenomena as being inherently real and permanent.
The practice then weans one away from a coarse understanding of Reality, allowing one to get in touch with inner qualities similar to those of a bodhisattva, and prepares one's inner self to embrace finer spiritual energies, which can lead to more subtle and profound realizations of the Emptiness of phenomena and self.
As Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, in his "Introduction to the Red Tārā Sadhana", notes of his lineage: "Tārā is the flawless expression of the inseparability of emptiness, awareness and compassion. Just as you use a mirror to see your face, Tārā meditation is a means of seeing the true face of your mind, devoid of any trace of delusion".
[edit] Terma teachings related to Tārā
Terma teachings are 'hidden teachings' said to have been left by Padmasambhava (8th Century) and others for the benefit of future generations. Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo discovered Phagme Nyingthig (Tib. spelling: 'chi med 'phags ma'i snying thig, Innermost Essence teachings of the Immortal Bodhisattva [Arya Tārā]).[4]
Earlier in the 19th century, according to a biography[5], Nyala Pema Dündul received a Hidden Treasure Tārā Teaching and Nyingthig (Tib. nying thig) from his uncle Kunsang Dudjom (Tib. kun bzang bdud 'joms). It is not clear from the source whether the terma teaching and the nyingthig teachings refer to the same text or to two different texts.
[edit] Trivia
Buddhists in Russia recognize Russian president Dmitry Medvedev as the White Tārā.[6]
[edit] See also
Yeshe Tsogyal
Nairatmya
Mother Goddess
[edit] Footnotes
^ Buddhist Deities: Bodhisattvas of Compassion
^ From: Clear Mirror on Royal Genealogy by Sakyapa Sonam Gyaltsen (1312-1375), translated by McComas Taylor and Lama Choedak Yuthok as: The Clear Mirror: A traditional account of Tibet's Golden Age, pp. 64-65 . Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York. ISBN 1-55939-048-4.
^ Beyer (1978)
^ Masters of Meditation and Miracles, by Tulku Thondup, Shambhala Publications, 1999, p. 218
^ Biography of Pema Dudul
^ Odynova, Alexandra (25 August 2009). "‘White Tara’ Medvedev Pledges Cash". The Moscow Times. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/381174.htm. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
[edit] References
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (February 2008)
Beyer, Stephen (1978). Cult of Tārā. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-03635-2
Blofeld, John. Bodhisattva of Compassion: The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin. Shambhala Publications, Boulder, Colorado, 1977
Blofeld, John. The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet. Prajna Press, Boulder, Colorado, 1982
Thubten Chodron, How to Free Your Mind: Tara the liberator, Snow Lion Publications, 2005
Dalai Lama, H.H. Deity Yoga: In Action and Performance Tantra. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York, 1987
Dalai Lama, H.H. Worlds in Harmony: Dialogues on Compassionate Action. Parallax Press, Berkeley, CA, 1992
Getty, Alice. The Gods of Northern Buddhism. Charles E. Tuttle, Co. Rutland, Vermont, 1974
Govinda, Lama Anagarika.Creative Meditation and Multi-Dimensional Consciousness . The Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton, Ill., 1976
Kalu Rinpoche. Gently Whispered: Oral Teachings by the Venerable Kalu Rinpoche. Station Hill Press, Barrytown, New York, 1994
Karthar, Khenpo (Rinpoche). The Wish-Fulfilling Wheel: The Practice of White Tārā. Rinchen Publications, Kingston, New York, 2003.
Kongtrul, Jamgon. Creation and Completion: Essential Points of Tantric Meditation. Translated by Sarah Harding. Wisdom Publications, Boston, Mass., 1996
Norbu, Thinley. Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis. Jewel Publishing House, New York, N.Y., 1981
Taranatha, Jo-nan. The Origin of the Tārā Tantra. Library of Tibetan works and Archives, Dharamsala, India, 1981
Sherab, Khenchen Palden (Rinpoche). The Smile of the Sun and Moon: A Commentary on The Praise to the Twenty-One Tārās. Sky Dancer Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 2004
Tromge, Jane. Red Tārā Commentary. Padma Publishing, Junction City, CA, 1994
Tulku, Chagdud (Rinpoche). Red Tārā: An Open Door to Bliss and Ultimate Awareness. Padma Publishing, Junction City, CA, 1991
Vessantara. Meeting the Buddhas: A Guide to Buddhas, Bodhisattvas & Tantric Deities. Windhorse Publications, 1996
Willson, Martin. In Praise of Tārā: Songs to the Saviouress. Wisdom Publications, London, 1986
Diamonds are Her Sacred Stone.
Tara or Arya Tara, also known as Jetsun Dolma, is a female Bodhisattva typically associated with Tibetan Buddhism. She is the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements.
Tara is actually the generic name for a set of Bodhisattvas of similar aspect. These may more properly be understood as different aspects of the same quality, as Bodhisattvas are often considered metaphoric for Buddhist virtues. As Mahatara, Great Tara, she is the supreme creatrix and mother of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Tara is the Feminine Goddess Archetype in Hindu Mythology. Tara governs the Underworld, the Earth and the Heavens, birth, death and regeneration, love and war, the seasons, all that lives and grows, the Moon cycles - Luna - feminine - creation. Typically Tara is seen as a slender and beautiful woman of white complexion, long golden hair and blue eyes.
Her animals are the sow, mare, owl and raven.
She is the most popular figure in the Tibetan pantheon of deities, the beautiful goddess Tara, (pronounced tah' rah) whose name in means 'Star' - originated in Indian Hinduism as the Mother Creator, and her many representations spread from Ireland to Indonesia under many different names.
In later Hindu scriptures, she is depicted as one of the eight major aspects of the Divine Feminine Principle, a loving manifestation in contrast to the fiercesome Kali. Like a star that perpetually consumes its own energy, Tara represents the never-ending desires that fuel all life.
Adopted by Buddhism from Hinduism by the 3rd century B.C. , Tara appears in Buddhism, Jainism, and particularly, Tibetan Lamaism, as a complex array of manifestations: goddess of ascetism and mysticism, mother creator, protectress of all humans as they cross the sea of life.
The most widely known Taras are:
Green Tara, known for the activity of compassion, the consort of the Dhyani Buddha Amogasiddhi, and is incarnated in all good women.
White Tara, also known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity; also known as The Wish-fulfilling Wheel, or Cintachakra. As White Tara, she rose from a lotus blooming in the lake that formed from the first tear of compassion of great bodhisattva Avalokiteswara (whose human incarnation is the Dalai Lama), and is considered his consort.
Red Tara, of fierce aspect associated with magnetizing all good things
Black Tara, associated with power
Yellow Tara, associated with wealth and prosperity.
Blue Tara, associated with transmutation of anger
Cittamani Tara, a form of Tara widely practiced in the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism, portrayed as green and often confused with Green Tara
There is also recognition in some schools of Buddhism of twenty-one Taras. A practice text entitled "In Praise of the 21 Taras", is recited during the morning in all four sects of Tibetan Buddhism. Some Tibetan Buddhists practice a mantra meditation called Tara Practice. The main Tara mantra is; Om Tare Tu Tare Ture Soha.
The original bronze statue dating back to the 7th or 8th century A.D was found in the north-east of Lanka between Trincomalee and Batticaloa. Its total height is 143.75 cm or 56.6 inches. Her right hand is in the gesture of vara mudra and her left hand is in the gesture of vitarka mudra. The marked contrast of the slender waist against heavy breasts and hips is the ideal of feminine beauty. The goddess, dignified and graceful in this manifestation, represents the chastity and virtue and the embodiment of love, compassion, and mercy.
The vibrations of the name Tara can is found in other cultures.
Polynesian Mythology: Tara is a beautiful sea goddess
Latin: Terra, Mother Earth
Druids: called their mother goddess Tara.
Finland: An ancient legend speaks of Tar, the Women of Wisdom.
South America: indigenous tribe in the jungle call to their goddess, Tarahumara.
Native American: Cheyenne people tell of a Star Woman who fell from the heavens to the Earth. Out of her body all essential food grew. She sent her people to mate with the more primitive inhabitants of Earth, thereby giving them the capacity for wisdom.
Tibet:
Tara is known as The Faithful One, The Fierce Protectress, an archetype of inner wisdom. They speak of a transformation of consciousness, a journey to freedom. They teach many simple and direct means for each person to discover within themselves the wisdom, compassion and glory that is Tara. She is the feminine counterpart of the bodhisattva - Buddha-to-be - Avalokitesvara.
According to popular belief, she came into existence from a tear of Avalokitesvara, which fell to the ground and formed a lake. Out of its waters rose up a lotus, which, on opening, revealed the goddess. Like Avalokitesvara, she is a compassionate deity who helps souls 'cross to the other shore'. She is the protectress of navigation and earthly travel, as well as of spiritual travel along the path to Enlightenment.
In Tibet she is believed to be incarnate in every pious woman, and the two wives - a Chinese princess and a Nepali princess - of the first Buddhist king of Tibet, Srong-brtsan-sgam-po, were identified with the two major forms of Tara. The White Tara (Sanskrit: Sitatara; Tibetan: Sgrol-dkar) was incarnated as the Chinese princess. She symbolizes purity and is often represented standing at the right hand of her consort, Avalokitesvara, or seated with legs crossed, holding a full-blown lotus. She is generally shown with a third eye.
Tara is sometimes shown with eyes on the soles of her feet and the palms of her hands. Then she is called Tara of the Seven Eyes, a form of the goddess popular in Mongoli.
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Emergence of Tārā as a Buddhist deity
Within Tibetan Buddhism Tārā is regarded as a Boddhisattva of compassion and action. She is the female aspect of Avalokitesvara (Chenrezig) and in some origin stories she comes from his tears:
Then at last Avalokiteshvara arrived at the summit of Marpori, the 'Red Hill', in Lhasa. Gazing out, he perceived that the lake on Otang, the 'Plain of Milk', resembled the Hell of Ceaseless Torment. Myriads of being were undergoing the agonies of boiling, burning, hunger, thirst, yet they never perished, but let forth hideous cries of anguish all the while. When Avalokiteshvara saw this, tears sprang to his eyes. A teardrop from his right eye fell to the plain and became the reverend Bhrikuti, who declared: 'Son of your race! As you are striving for the sake of sentient beings in the Land of Snows, intercede in their suffering, and I shall be your companion in this endeavour!' Bhrikuti was then reabsorbed into Avalokiteshvara's right eye, and was reborn in a later life as the Nepalese princess Tritsun. A teardrop from his left eye fell upon the plain and became the reverend Tara. She also declared, 'Son of your race! As you are striving for the sake of sentient beings in the Land of Snows, intercede in their suffering, and I shall be your companion in this endeavour!' Tara was also reabsorbed into Avalokiteshvara's left eye, and was reborn in a later life as the Chinese princess Kongjo (Princess Wencheng)."[2]
Tārā is also known as a saviouress, as a heavenly deity who hears the cries of beings experiencing misery in samsara.
The Tārā figure originated not in Buddhism but in Hinduism, where she, Tārā, was one of a number of Mother Goddess figures alongside Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Parvati, and Shakti. In the 6th century C.E., during the era of the Pala Empire, Tārā was adopted into the Buddhist pantheon as an important bodhisattva figure just a few centuries after the Prajnaparamita Sutra had been introduced into what was becoming the Mahayana Buddhism of India. It would seem that the feminine principle makes its first appearance in Buddhism as the "Mother of Perfected Wisdom" and then later Tārā comes to be seen as an expression of the compassion of perfected wisdom. However, sometimes Tārā is also known as "the Mother of the Buddhas", which usually refers to the enlightened wisdom of the Buddhas, so in approaching Buddhist deities, one learns not to impose totally strict boundaries about what one deity covers, as opposed to another deity.
They all can be seen as expressions of the play of the energies of manifested form dancing out of vast emptiness. Be that as it may, Tārā began to be associated with the motherly qualities of compassion and mercy. Undoubtedly for the common folk who were Buddhists in India of that time, Tārā was a more approachable deity. It is one thing to stare into the eyes of a deity who represents wisdom as void. It is perhaps easier to worship a goddess whose eyes look out with infinite compassion and who has a sweet smile.
Tārā then became very popular as an object of worship and was becoming an object of Tantric worship and practice by the 7th century C.E. With the movement and cross-pollination of Indian Buddhism into Tibet, the worship and practices of Tārā became incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism. Independent of whether she is classified as a deity, a Buddha or a bodhisattva, Tārā remains very popular in Tibet and Mongolia. And as Ms. Getty notes, one other reason for her popularity was that Tārā became to be known as a Buddhist deity who could be appealed to directly by lay folk without the necessity or intervention of a lama or monk. Thus, as Tārā was accepted into the ranks of Buddhist bodhisattvas, she became popular to both common folk as one to appeal to in daily life, and for monastics, as an entry way into understanding compassion and mercy as part of one's evolving path within Buddhism. (See also Guan Yin, the female aspect of Avalokitesvara in Chinese Buddhism.)
Today, Green Tara and White Tara are probably the most popular representations of Tara. Green Tara/Khadiravani is usually associated with protection from fear and the following eight obscurations: lions (= pride), wild elephants (= delusion/ignorance), fires (= hatred and anger), snakes (= jealousy), bandits and thieves (= wrong views, including fanatical views), bondage (= avarice and miserliness), floods (= desire and attachment), and evil spirits and demons (= deluded doubts). As one of the three deities of long life, White Tara/Sarasvati is associated with longevity. White Tara counteracts illness and thereby helps to bring about a long life. She embodies the motivation that is compassion and is said to be as white and radiant as the moon.
[edit] Origin as a Buddhist bodhisattva
Green Tara, Nepal, fourteenth century. Gilt copper inset with precious and semiprecious stones, H20.25 in, (51.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Louis V. Bell Fund, 1966, 66.179.
Tārā has many stories told which explain her origin as a bodhisattva. One in particular has a lot of resonance for women interested in Buddhism and quite likely for those delving into early 21st century feminism.
In this tale there is a young princess who lives in a different world system, millions of years in the past. Her name is Yeshe Dawa, which means "Moon of Primordial Awareness". For quite a number of aeons she makes offerings to the Buddha of that world system, whose name was Tonyo Drupa. She receives special instruction from him concerning bodhicitta — the heart-mind of a bodhisattva. After doing this, some monks approach her and suggest that because of her level of attainment she should next pray to be reborn as a male to progress further. At this point she lets the monks know in no uncertain terms that from the point of view of Enlightenment it is only "weak minded worldlings" who see gender as a barrier to attaining enlightenment. She sadly notes there have been few who wish to work for the welfare of beings in a female form, though. Therefore she resolves to always be reborn as a female bodhisattva, until samsara is no more. She then stays in a palace in a state of meditation for some ten million years, and the power of this practice releases tens of millions of beings from suffering. As a result of this, Tonyo Drupa tells her she will henceforth manifest supreme bodhi as the Goddess Tārā in many world systems to come.
With this story in mind, it is interesting to juxtapose this with a quotation from H.H the Dalai Lama about Tārā, spoken at a conference on Compassionate Action in Newport Beach, CA in 1989:
There is a true feminist movement in Buddhism that relates to the goddess Tārā. Following her cultivation of bodhicitta, the bodhisattva's motivation, she looked upon the situation of those striving towards full awakening and she felt that there were too few people who attained Buddhahood as women. So she vowed, "I have developed bodhicitta as a woman. For all my lifetimes along the path I vow to be born as a woman, and in my final lifetime when I attain Buddhahood, then, too, I will be a woman."
Tārā, then, embodies certain ideals which make her attractive to women practitioners, and her emergence as a Bodhisattva can be seen as a part of Mahayana Buddhism's reaching out to women, and becoming more inclusive even in 6th century C.E. India.
[edit] Tārā as a Saviour
Tara statue near Kulu, India.
Tārā also embodies many of the qualities of feminine principle. She is known as the Mother of Mercy and Compassion. She is the source, the female aspect of the universe, which gives birth to warmth, compassion and relief from bad karma as experienced by ordinary beings in cyclic existence. She engenders, nourishes, smiles at the vitality of creation, and has sympathy for all beings as a mother does for her children. As Green Tārā she offers succor and protection from all the unfortunate circumstances one can encounter within the samsaric world. As White Tārā she expresses maternal compassion and offers healing to beings who are hurt or wounded, either physically or psychically. As Red Tārā she teaches discriminating awareness about created phenomena, and how to turn raw desire into compassion and love. As Blue Tārā (Ekajati) she becomes a protector in the Nyingma lineage, who expresses a ferocious, wrathful, female energy whose invocation destroys all Dharmic obstacles and engenders good luck and swift spiritual awakening.[3]
Within Tibetan Buddhism, she has 21 major forms in all, each tied to a certain color and energy. And each offers some feminine attribute, of ultimate benefit to the spiritual aspirant who asks for her assistance.
Another quality of feminine principle which she shares with the dakinis is playfulness. As John Blofeld expands upon in Bodhisattva of Compassion, Tārā is frequently depicted as a young sixteen year old girlish woman. She oftens manifests in the lives of dharma practitioners when they take themselves, or spiritual path too seriously. There are Tibetan tales in which she laughs at self-righteousness, or plays pranks on those who lack reverence for the feminine. In Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis, Thinley Norbu explores this as "Playmind". Applied to Tārā one could say that her playful mind can relieve ordinary minds which become rigidly serious or tightly gripped by dualistic distinctions. She takes delight in an open mind and a receptive heart then. For in this openness and receptivity her blessings can naturally unfold and her energies can quicken the aspirants spiritual development.
These qualities of feminine principle then, found an expression in Indian Mahayana Buddhism and the emerging Vajrayana of Tibet, as the many forms of Tārā, as dakinis, as Prajnaparamita, and as many other local and specialized feminine divinities. As the worship of Tārā developed, various prayers, chants and mantras became associated with her. These came out of a felt devotional need, and from her inspiration causing spiritual masters to compose and set down sadhanas, or tantric meditation practices. Two ways of approach to her began to emerge. In one common folk and lay practitioners would simply directly appeal to her to ease some of the travails of worldly life. In the second, she became a Tantric deity whose practice would be used by monks or tantric yogis in order to develop her qualities in themselves, ultimately leading through her to the source of her qualities, which are Enlightenment, Enlightened Compassion, and Enlightened Mind.
[edit] Tārā as a Tantric deity
Tārā as a focus for tantric deity yoga can be traced back to the time period of Padmasambhava. There is a Red Tārā practice which was given by Padmasambhava to Yeshe Tsogyal. He asked that she hide it as a treasure. It was not until the 20th century, that a great Nyingma lama, Apong Terton rediscovered it. This lama was reborn as His Holiness Sakya Trizin, present head of the Sakyapa sect. A monk who had known Apong Terton succeeded in retransmitting it to H.H. Sakya Trizin, and the same monk also gave it to Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, who released it to his western students.
Martin Willson in In Praise of Tārā traces many different lineages of Tārā Tantras, that is Tārā scriptures used as Tantric sadhanas. For example a Tārā sadhana was revealed to Tilopa, (988-1069 C.E.) the human father of the Karma Kagyu. Atisa, the great translator and founder of the Kadampa school of Tibetan Buddhism, was a devotee of Tārā. He composed a praise to her, and three Tārā Sadhanas. Martin Willson's work also contains charts which show origins of her tantras in various lineages, but suffice to say that Tārā as a tantric practice quickly spread from around the 7th century C.E. onwards, and remains an important part of Vajrayana Buddhism to this day.
The practices themselves usually present Tārā as a tutelary deity (thug dam, yidam) which the practitioners sees as being a latent aspect of one's mind, or a manifestation in a visible form of a quality stemming from Buddha Jnana. As John Blofeld puts it in his The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet:
The function of the Yidam is one of the profound mysteries of the Vajrayana...
Especially during the first years of practice the Yidam is of immense importance. Yidam is the Tibetan rendering of the Sanskrit word "Istadeva" — the in-dwelling deity; but, where the Hindus take the Istadeva for an actual deity who has been invited to dwell in the devotee's heart, the Yidams of Tantric Buddhism are in fact the emanations of the adepts own mind. Or are they?
To some extent they seem to belong to that order of phenomena which in Jungian terms are called archetypes and are therefore the common property of the entire human race. Even among Tantric Buddhists, there may be a division of opinion as to how far the Yidams are the creations of individual minds. What is quite certain is that they are not independently existing gods and goddesses; and yet, paradoxically, there are many occasions when they must be so regarded.
[edit] Sadhanas of Tārā
Tara statue. Gyantse Kumbum. 1993
Sadhanas in which Tārā is the yidam (meditational deity) can be extensive or quite brief. Most all of them include some introductory praises or homages to invoke her presence and prayers of taking refuge. Then her mantra is recited, followed by a visualization of her, perhaps more mantra, then the visualization is dissolved, followed by a dedication of the merit from doing the practice. Additionally there may be extra prayers of aspirations, and a long life prayer for the Lama who originated the practice. Many of the Tārā sadhanas are seen as beginning practices within the world of Vajrayana Buddhism, however what is taking place during the visualization of the deity actually invokes some of the most sublime teachings of all Buddhism.
In this case during the creation phase of Tārā as a yidam, she is seen as having as much reality as any other phenomena apprehended through the mind. By reciting her mantra and visualizing her form in front, or on the head of the adept, one is opening to her energies of compassion and wisdom. After a period of time the practitioner shares in some of these qualities, becomes imbued with her being and all it represents. At the same time all of this is seen as coming out of Emptiness and having a translucent quality like a rainbow. Then many times there is a visualization of oneself as Tārā. One simultaneously becomes inseparable from all her good qualities while at the same time realizing the emptiness of the visualization of oneself as the yidam and also the emptiness of one's ordinary self.
This occurs in the completion stage of the practice. One dissolves the created deity form and at the same time also realizes how much of what we call the "self" is a creation of the mind, and has no long term substantial inherent existence. This part of the practice then is preparing the practitioner to be able to confront the dissolution of one's self at death and ultimately be able to approach through various stages of meditation upon emptiness, the realization of Ultimate Truth as a vast display of Emptiness and Luminosity. At the same time the recitation of the mantra has been invoking Tārā's energy through its Sanskrit seed syllables and this purifies and activates certain psychic centers of the body (chakras). This also untangles knots of psychic energy which have hindered the practitioner from developing a Vajra body, which is necessary to be able to progress to more advanced practices and deeper stages of realization.
Therefore even in a simple Tārā sadhana a plethora of outer, inner, and secret events is taking place and there are now many works such as Deity Yoga, compiled by the present Dalai Lama, which explores all the ramifications of working with a yidam in Tantric practices.
The end results of doing such Tārā practices are many. For one thing it reduces the forces of delusion in the forms of negative karma, sickness, afflictions of kleshas, and other obstacles and obscurations. The mantra helps generate Bodhicitta within the heart of the practitioner and purifies the psychic channels (nadis) within the body allowing a more natural expression of generosity and compassion to flow from the heart center. Through experiencing Tārā's perfected form one acknowledges one's own perfected form, that is one's intrinsic Buddha nature, which is usually covered over by obscurations and clinging to dualistic phenomena as being inherently real and permanent.
The practice then weans one away from a coarse understanding of Reality, allowing one to get in touch with inner qualities similar to those of a bodhisattva, and prepares one's inner self to embrace finer spiritual energies, which can lead to more subtle and profound realizations of the Emptiness of phenomena and self.
As Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, in his "Introduction to the Red Tārā Sadhana", notes of his lineage: "Tārā is the flawless expression of the inseparability of emptiness, awareness and compassion. Just as you use a mirror to see your face, Tārā meditation is a means of seeing the true face of your mind, devoid of any trace of delusion".
[edit] Terma teachings related to Tārā
Terma teachings are 'hidden teachings' said to have been left by Padmasambhava (8th Century) and others for the benefit of future generations. Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo discovered Phagme Nyingthig (Tib. spelling: 'chi med 'phags ma'i snying thig, Innermost Essence teachings of the Immortal Bodhisattva [Arya Tārā]).[4]
Earlier in the 19th century, according to a biography[5], Nyala Pema Dündul received a Hidden Treasure Tārā Teaching and Nyingthig (Tib. nying thig) from his uncle Kunsang Dudjom (Tib. kun bzang bdud 'joms). It is not clear from the source whether the terma teaching and the nyingthig teachings refer to the same text or to two different texts.
[edit] Trivia
Buddhists in Russia recognize Russian president Dmitry Medvedev as the White Tārā.[6]
[edit] See also
Yeshe Tsogyal
Nairatmya
Mother Goddess
[edit] Footnotes
^ Buddhist Deities: Bodhisattvas of Compassion
^ From: Clear Mirror on Royal Genealogy by Sakyapa Sonam Gyaltsen (1312-1375), translated by McComas Taylor and Lama Choedak Yuthok as: The Clear Mirror: A traditional account of Tibet's Golden Age, pp. 64-65 . Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York. ISBN 1-55939-048-4.
^ Beyer (1978)
^ Masters of Meditation and Miracles, by Tulku Thondup, Shambhala Publications, 1999, p. 218
^ Biography of Pema Dudul
^ Odynova, Alexandra (25 August 2009). "‘White Tara’ Medvedev Pledges Cash". The Moscow Times. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/381174.htm. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
[edit] References
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (February 2008)
Beyer, Stephen (1978). Cult of Tārā. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-03635-2
Blofeld, John. Bodhisattva of Compassion: The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin. Shambhala Publications, Boulder, Colorado, 1977
Blofeld, John. The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet. Prajna Press, Boulder, Colorado, 1982
Thubten Chodron, How to Free Your Mind: Tara the liberator, Snow Lion Publications, 2005
Dalai Lama, H.H. Deity Yoga: In Action and Performance Tantra. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York, 1987
Dalai Lama, H.H. Worlds in Harmony: Dialogues on Compassionate Action. Parallax Press, Berkeley, CA, 1992
Getty, Alice. The Gods of Northern Buddhism. Charles E. Tuttle, Co. Rutland, Vermont, 1974
Govinda, Lama Anagarika.Creative Meditation and Multi-Dimensional Consciousness . The Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton, Ill., 1976
Kalu Rinpoche. Gently Whispered: Oral Teachings by the Venerable Kalu Rinpoche. Station Hill Press, Barrytown, New York, 1994
Karthar, Khenpo (Rinpoche). The Wish-Fulfilling Wheel: The Practice of White Tārā. Rinchen Publications, Kingston, New York, 2003.
Kongtrul, Jamgon. Creation and Completion: Essential Points of Tantric Meditation. Translated by Sarah Harding. Wisdom Publications, Boston, Mass., 1996
Norbu, Thinley. Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis. Jewel Publishing House, New York, N.Y., 1981
Taranatha, Jo-nan. The Origin of the Tārā Tantra. Library of Tibetan works and Archives, Dharamsala, India, 1981
Sherab, Khenchen Palden (Rinpoche). The Smile of the Sun and Moon: A Commentary on The Praise to the Twenty-One Tārās. Sky Dancer Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 2004
Tromge, Jane. Red Tārā Commentary. Padma Publishing, Junction City, CA, 1994
Tulku, Chagdud (Rinpoche). Red Tārā: An Open Door to Bliss and Ultimate Awareness. Padma Publishing, Junction City, CA, 1991
Vessantara. Meeting the Buddhas: A Guide to Buddhas, Bodhisattvas & Tantric Deities. Windhorse Publications, 1996
Willson, Martin. In Praise of Tārā: Songs to the Saviouress. Wisdom Publications, London, 1986
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