The Kinetic Power of Compassion

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She, naturally white in complexion, has seven eyes: three on the forehead, two on the palms and another two on the soles. The third eye on the forehead is the eye of foreknowledge and as refuge of the world, the eyes on her hands and feet lead sentient creatures to the isle of blissful liberation. Though the seven eyes of White Tara are not mentioned in the Sadhanamala,but they are ubiquitous in Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia and many other regions. In Nepal she is popularly called Sapta-Lochani Tara or Seven-Eyed Tara.

There are many legends about the origin of white Tara, according to one, Avalokiteshvara once spilled two tears to earth out of pure despair over muddleheaded humanity. Each tear formed a lake in which a lotus grew. When the lotuses opened there was a Tara in the center of each. The tear from his left eye produced the dark-colored Green Tara, the one from his right eye the white Tara. Moreover white Tara is believed to have been incarnate in the Chinese wife of the Buddhist king sRong-tsang-sgam-po, who was of white complexion according to Buddhist accounts.

Thus, the cult of White Tara is very popular in Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia and many other countries. Her popularity and fortune was ever on the increase on the increase as a merciful and benevolent comforter and helper of every soul in torment. She is invoked to save from perils threatening mankind. Tara, kinetic power of compassion (karuna) saves (tarayati) suffering creatures. The ceremonies of Tara are an integral part of Karmpa rituals. Her mandalas are worshipped from third to ninth of every month. On auspicious days there are special services to white Tara. In the daily ritual practices of the most important monasteries, at seven in the morning takes place the meditation on the mandala of Tara, which includes the recitation of her sadhana texts. The Tibetans pray to her for long life, for human life is infinitely precious. The ultimate goal of Buddhahood can be attained by striving in this human body.

In the mantra recitation and meditation, the white syllable Tam (for Tara) appears in the heart, and lights emanate from it. The syllable Tam at the heart suddenly melts and reappears as a white, eight-spoke wheel that in nature is the wisdom symbolized by white Tara. The wheel has five rims of mantra – from all the letters and from the wisdom-wheel shrine forth white lights. Devotee's body is filled with the nectar of immortality, and white lights emanate from each pore of the body to form an aura, a span in radius around him. Meditating thus, white radiance accomplishes the activity of pacifying illness, evil spirits, negative karmic forces, mental obscurations and hindrances as well as the completion of the natural span of life.

In the present thangka Goddess White Tara is seated in vajraparyankasana on the Lotus throne. Her right hand is in the varada mudra of charity and the left holding a stem of full-blown lotus flower. She is wearing exquisitely designed crown, earrings, necklaces, armlets, anklets, waistband etc. Her silk robes and scarves are beautifully decorated with floral motifs. There is a mandorla and rainbow-hued halo behind her body and head, respectively.

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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.