Featured as part of Encountering Religions in Asian Art
Historical Period(s)
Second half of 17th century
Medium
Gilt copper alloy, turquoise, enamel, and coral
Dimensions
H x W: 48.3 x 31.8 cm (19 x 12 1/2 in)
Geography
Central Tibet
Credit Line
The Alice S. Kandell Collection
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S2011.12a-c
Title: Tara (one of the Famed Twenty-one Tara Emanations)
Type: Sculpture
Associated Religious Tradition: Buddhism[BOOD-hiz-uhm]a widespread Asian religion founded by the Historical Buddha in northern India in the fifth century BCE.
Origins
Geography: Central Tibet
Date: ca. 1650–1700
Physical Properties
Material: Gilt copper alloy, turquoise, enamel, and coral
Dimensions: H × W: 48.3 × 31.8 cm (19 × 12 1/2 in)
Crediting Information
Collection: Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Credit Line: Gift of Alice S. Kandell
Accession Number: S2011.12a-c
Tara is the protector and helper of all those on the Buddhist path. Tibetan Buddhists, both laypeople and monastics, worship Tara in many ways and in many forms. To fulfill her devotees’ spiritual goals and worldly needs, she can be approached as a Buddha[BOOD-huh]literally, “Awakened One”; a being who has awakened to the true reality of existence and is thereby liberated from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. A Buddha teaches others the path to enlightenment., a bodhisattva[BO-dee-SAAT-vuh]literally, “enlightenment being”; a person who, inspired by compassion, vows to become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings., or a goddess on whom to meditate.
Tibetan artists visualize Tara as a bejeweled and beautiful bodhisattva. A bodhisattva is a stage on the long and difficult path to becoming a Buddha. The journey to awakening begins with a sincere vow to become a Buddha for the benefit of others. Those determined to follow this path to Buddhahood[BOOD-huh-hood]the state of being a Buddha and the goal of all bodhisattvas. are called bodhisattvas.
Although Buddhas and bodhisattvas are technically beyond gender, they are typically depicted as men. Men at this time were viewed as superior. While other female bodhisattvas had become male to attain Buddhahood, Tara vowed to remain in a female body. Although Tara’s female form amplifies her nurturing qualities, her choice transformed the nature of Buddhahood, which had been traditionally understood as masculine, into that which is truly universal.
In Tibetan Buddhism[BOOD-hiz-uhm]a widespread Asian religion founded by the Historical Buddha in northern India in the fifth century BCE., each bodhisattva[BO-dee-SAAT-vuh]literally, “enlightenment being”; a person who, inspired by compassion, vows to become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings. has many forms, identified by their posture, expression, hand gestures, and skin color, as well as by the objects they hold and the beings who surround them. Tara, the supreme savioress, is typically represented as a graceful young woman with a benevolent smile.
Here, Tara sits with one leg folded and the other extended, her foot resting on a lotus, a symbol of purity that denotes her exalted spiritual status. Many interpret her posture as indicating her readiness to help her devotees. Her body sways gently. While the sculpture is golden, its specific motifs—including Tara’s upraised hand gesture, representing teaching, and the vase she holds containing the nectar of immortality—signal that this is White Tara, the giver of long life and compassionate healing.
This regal artwork was created through a technique called repoussé. First, the artist shapes the three-dimensional contours of the sculpture by hammering copper. Once the pieces are assembled from multiple hammered and fire-treated segments, the sculpture is gilded and painted before inlays of semiprecious stones are added. The earrings, necklace, and crown of this altarpiece were cast separately.
The sculpture is hollow. During the ceremony of consecrating the sculpture for worship, monks deposited relics, prayers written on paper, and flowers made from precious metals in its interior. Overall, this relatively large sculpture was made either for the altar of a monastery or the home shrine of a wealthy merchant or aristocrat.
Worldwide, the most popular Buddhist goddess today is Tara. Consecrated images of Tara reside in almost every Tibetan monastery in the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Nepal, and Northwestern India. Consecration of a sculpture intended for worship occurs through an eye-opening ceremony. Buddhist devotees often place offerings of paper money and food items on the altars of bodhisattvas, Buddhas, and other deities in order to receive their blessings.
Many Tibetans also live in the diaspora today, having migrated to India, Europe, and North America. Numerous Tibetan Buddhist centers exist in the United States. In 2011, the Kadampa Center for the Practice of Tibetan Buddhism[BOOD-hiz-uhm]a widespread Asian religion founded by the Historical Buddha in northern India in the fifth century BCE. in Raleigh, North Carolina, installed a shrine to the twenty-one forms of Tara before a diverse congregation.
Together, they chanted the Twenty-one Taras sadhana, a ritual for invoking the powerful presence and protection these deities bestow. The Twenty-one Taras also appear in the Wisdom of the Goddess exhibition on a thangka (a painting on cloth). Thangkas historically have been used as a ritual support for meditation, specifically in terms of visualizing that the central deity resides in one’s heart.
What aspects of this artwork do you think would most inspire devotees of Tara? Give one or two reasons why this might be the case.
Consider the materials and methods the artist used to make the object. Also carefully consider the artist’s use of style, colors, and textures. How might some of these formal elements work together to create an impact on viewers?
Who is the goddess Tara? Why is her story important to some Buddhists?
What is the meaning of Tara’s posture and mudras (hand gestures)?
What do the objects around Tara symbolize?
Diamond, Debra, ed. Paths to Perfection: Buddhist Art at the Freer|Sackler. London: Giles 2017
Great Compassion bodhi[BO-dee]literally, “awakening”; the emergence out of ignorance into a profound and complete understanding of the world. This leads to liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, facilitating entry into nirvana. Prajna Temple. “Who is White Tara.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGKmg8YM5mA
Keown, Damien. Buddhism[BOOD-hiz-uhm]a widespread Asian religion founded by the Historical Buddha in northern India in the fifth century BCE.: A Very Short Introduction. 2nd Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013.
Lopez, Donald S., Jr. Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West. Chicago, Il: University of Chicago Press, 1998. Reprinted with a new preface. Chicago, Il: University of Chicago Press, 2018.
Willson, Martin. In Praise of Tara: Songs to the Saviouress. Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications, 1986.
YoWangdu Experience Tibet. “Green Tara mantra[MAAN-truh]sacred syllables that effect change when recited in their original Sanskrit.: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqXBwU8FhrE
