White Tara

Tara is the female manifestation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion. White Tara is particularly associated with long life and the removing of sickness. She holds a blooming white lotus flower in her left hand and extends her right hand in the “giving” gesture. In this thangka White Tara appears is surrounded by scenes representing the eight perils, from which she protects and saves those who call on her. The eight perils, shown from the upper right in clockwise order, are: 1) shipwreck and drowning; 2) bandits; 3) ghosts; 4) robbers and kidnappers; 5) execution; 6) wild elephants; 7) earthquake; 8) snakes. Each is accompanied by its own small White Tara with a large, translucent halo and seated on a lotus.