Traditional Green Tara Thangka

Green Tara is the most famous female Buddha in the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon. She is also known as ‘Mother of all Buddhas’ and is regarded as the female manifestation of active compassion.

Green Tara stretches out her right foot and is, therefore, ready to step down and help all who call out for her or recite her mantra. She reaches out to grant all wishes and there are many stories of people that were saved from difficulties or fears when calling her name.

Being one of the most revered deities of Tibetan Buddhism, Tara is often seen as one of the first emancipated women.

The story goes she was a very devoted girl who used to pray for hours and making extensive offerings to the Buddhas. But when other, male, practitioners noticed her capacity they told her this was all useless unless she would pray for the next incarnation in a male body, as this would be the only way to reach enlightenment. But Green Tara had a deep insight that ‘female’ or ‘male’ are just labels we put on things and therefore she made the following adamantine vow:

Until Samsara is empty, I shall work for the benefit of all sentient beings in a woman’s body.

Thus she did, she became one of the first enlightened women.