21
Jun
2020
Interpreting Blue Tara Ekajati
Ekajati is Mahacinatara also known as one of the 21 Taras. Ekajati is along with Palden Lhamo deity is one of the most powerful and fierce goddesses of Vajrayana Buddhist mythology.
Ekajati is the protector of secret mantras and “as the mother of the mothers of all the Buddhas” represents the ultimate unity. She is the most important protector of the Vajrayana teachings, especially the Inner Tantras and terms.
Table of Contents
The History of the Deity Ekajati
In this segment, we will learn about the history of the Ekajati, after that, the Short etymological description of the word Ekajati itself.
Ekajati is one of the most powerful and fierce goddesses of Indo-Tibetan mythology.
Derivation of the Ekajati
Ekajati is also known as “Blue Tara”, Vajra Tara, or “Ugra Tara”. She is generally considered one of the three principal protectors of the Nyingma school along with Rahula and Vajrasadhu.
Ekajati appears as a liberator in the thangka of the Green Tara. Along with that, her ascribed powers are removing the fear of enemies, spreading joy, and removing personal hindrances on the path to enlightenment.
Ekajati is with Twelve Faces and Twenty-four Hands. The meaning of Ekajati is ral chig ma shal chu nyi chag nyi shu tsa shi in Tibet. And Ekajati is also known as One Braid in English.
Earlier, we studied the history of the Ekajati. Now we are going to learn about the iconography of the Ekajati.
Iconography of the Ekajati
In the iconography of the Ekajati, we will learn about her body posture, hand and leg gesture, and different representations of the Ekajati in thangka and statue.
Stance of the Ekajati
Goddess Ekajati is blue-black in color with twelve faces. Ekajati has the main face black. Ekajati has the five right faces the first is white, second yellow, third green, fourth red, and fifth smoky-colored.
Ekajati has the five left faces the first is red, second white, third yellow, fourth green, and fifth red-white. The upper face of Ekajati is smoky-colored.
Ekajati is with bared fangs and the brow gathered in a frow. Ekajati has each face three round red eyes. Ekajati has the twenty-four hand.
The right hand’s of Ekajati hold a sword, vajra, wheel, jeweled throne, hook, arrow, spear, hammer, pestle, curved knife, hand-drum, and prayer beads.
On the left hand of Ekajati, there is a bow, lasso, wrathful gesture, pennant, stick, trident, alcohol cup, lily, bell, ax, head of Brahma, and a skullcup.
The single plait of -yellow-brownish hair flows upward. Ekajati is adorned with five dry skulls. Ekajati wears a necklace of fifty fresh heads, the six ornaments, and snakes.
Ekajati is terrifying with a radiant face and flickering tongue. Ekajati is fearsome and ugly, short with a distended belly, large raised breasts.
Ekajati is wearing a tiger skin lower garment, the eight great snakes as ornaments, youthful and marvelous. The left leg of Ekajati is extended standing on a corpse seat.
Earlier, we studied the history of the Ekajati and iconography of the Ekajati. Now we are going to learn about depicting Buddhist deity Ekajati.
Depicting Buddhist Deity Ekajati Thangka
The thangka of the Ekajati is from Bhutan. It was made in between 1800 AD to 1899 AD. It is from Kagyu, Drukpa, and Buddhist lineage. The base of the painting is cotton ground mineral pigment. Currently, this painting is in the Rubin Museum of Art.
By depicting this thangka, we will see how Ekajati is presented with Marichi, Dharmadhatu Ishvari Marichi, Red Odiyana Krama Marichi, and Black Ekajati, etc.
Marichi
Marichi is at the top center of the thangka. Marichi has three faces and fourteen hands.
Dharmadhatu Ishvari Marichi
Dharmadhatu Ishvari Marichi is descending at the viewers left with six faces and twelve hands, yellow Pichu Marichi with three faces and eight hands, white Chunda with one face and four hands, Ekajati with one face and two hands, and green Janguli with one face and four hands.
Odiyana Krama Marichi
Red Odiyana Krama Marichi is at the descending right side of the Ekajati, with Red Odiyana Krama Marichi is with six faces and twelve hands Marichi. Marichi is with six faces and twelve hands. Yellow wrathful Marichi is with one face and two hands.
Yellow peaceful Marichi is with one face and two hands. And Ekajati with one face and four hands.
Black Ekajati
Black Ekajati is at the bottom center of the thangka. Black Ekajati has one face and six hands.
Previously, we studied the history of the Ekajati, iconography of the Ekajati, and presentation of Ekajati with different Buddhist deities such as Marichi, Dharmadhatu Ishvari Marichi, Red Odiyana Krama Marichi, and Black Ekajati, etc. Now we are going to learn about the representation of Ekajati with Brikuti.
Ekajati with Brikuti Thangka
Ekajati with Brikuti was painted around 1800-1899 AD. The base of the painting is cotton and the ground mineral pigment is used to color it. Ekajati belongs to Nyingma Lineage. This Masterpiece Thangka Art is private.
By depicting this thangka, we will see how Ekajati is presented with Female protector Ekajati, Shri Devi, and Mahakala and Kriya tantra, etc.
Female Protector Ekajati
Ekajati is a principal female protector in both the Nyingma and Sarma Schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In the Nyingma School, she is the chief protector for the ‘Revealed Treasure’ traditions and manifests in numerous forms.
She often appears with only one eye and one tooth, sometimes with only one leg as in the red manifestation from the Longchen Nyintig tradition of Jigme Lingpa.
The different forms and descriptions of Ekajati are found in the various ‘Revealed Treasure’ texts of the Nyingma School.
Shri Devi
In the Sarma Schools Ekajati is the mother of Shri Devi and has a more typical appearance with one face, three eyes, and two breasts, always in a semi-wrathful visage and with one braid of hair.
Mahakala and Kriya Tantra
She is found in the various Mahakala Tantra texts originating from India. Ekajati is also found in the lower kriya tantra texts and more commonly in association with the important figure of Tara where she is often seen as an attendant figure standing on the left while the goddess Brikuti stands on the right side.
Previously, we studied the history of the Ekajati, iconography of the Ekajati, presentation of Ekajati with different Buddhist deities such as Marichi, Dharmadhatu Ishvari Marichi, Red Odiyana Krama Marichi, and Black Ekajati, and the representation of Ekajati with Brikuti. Now we are going to learn about the presentation of Ekajati with Hayagriva.
Ekajati with Hayagriva Thangka
Ekajati with Hayagriva was painted around 1400-1499 AD. The base of the painting is cotton and the ground mineral pigment is used to color it. Ekajati belongs to Buddhist Lineage. This Masterpiece Thangka Art is private.
By depicting this thangka we will learn about how Ekajati is presented with different deities such as Hayagriva and Amoghapasha.
Ekajati is wrathful in appearance. Ekajati is blue in color and has orange hair flowing upward. Ekajati is with one face and eight hands.
She wears wrathful ornaments and garments. She is standing in a posture with one leg bent and the other straight.
In the northern direction of the thangka, there is blue Ekajati. The four right hands of Ekajati hold a sword, lasso, lotus, and arrow. The four left hands of Ekajati hold a wheel, stick, trident, and bow.
She wears a tiger skin and is adorned with snakes and ornaments very fierce. Ekajati is Standing in a manner with the right leg bent. At the top right corner of the thangka, there is the principal deity Lokeshvara who is white in color with two hands.
Hayagriva
Hayagriva is at the top left in the thangka. Hayagriva is red in color with one face and four hands.
Amoghapasha
Amoghapasha is at the bottom left of the thangka. Amoghapasha is seated and who is red in color with one face and four hands.
At the right of the thangka, there is a green figure who is seated with one face and four hands. In other compositions of Amoghapasha, this last figure would be either yellow or white and identified as Bhrikuti.
Previously, we studied the history of the Ekajati, iconography of the Ekajati, presentation of Ekajati with different Buddhist deities such as Marichi, Dharmadhatu Ishvari Marichi, Red Odiyana Krama Marichi, and Black Ekajati, the representation of Ekajati with Brikuti the representation of Ekajati with Hayagriva. Now we are going to learn about Ekajati.
Ekajati Thangka
Ekajati was painted around 1800-1899 AD. The size of this painting is 59.69×44.45cm. The base of the painting is cotton and the ground mineral pigment is used to color it. Ekajati belongs to Nyingma Lineage. This Masterpiece Thangka Art is still preserved and kept in the Rubin Museum of Art.
By depicting this thangka, we will learn about the presentation of Ekajati with Mahakala tantra.
In the thangka, Ekajati is Black in color and fearsome in appearance. She has one central eye and one long white tooth, sharp, biting down over the lower lip. Her yellow hair flows upward like flames, twisted into a single braid.
She brandishes a stick adorned with an impaled corpse. Completely surrounded by smoke and flames. With the right leg raised in a dancing posture, she stands with the left foot pressing down on a prone figure lying atop a lotus blossom seat above a triangular throne decorated with nine human skulls.
Mahakala Tantra
Ekajati is found in the various Mahakala Tantra texts originating from India.
Mahakala is a deity common to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. According to Hinduism, Mahakala is a manifestation of Shiva and is the consort of Hindu Goddess Mahakali and most prominently appears in Kalikula sect of Shaktism.
Mahakala is a Sanskrit bahuvrihi of Omaha means great and Kala means time/death which means “beyond time” or death.
Previously, we studied the history of the Ekajati, iconography of the Ekajati, presentation of Ekajati with different Buddhist deities such as Marichi, Dharmadhatu Ishvari Marichi, Red Odiyana Krama Marichi, and Black Ekajati, the representation of Ekajati with Brikuti the representation of Ekajati with Hayagriva. And finally, we learn about Ekajati.
