Tara is a female Bodhisattva who is said to have been formed from tears shed by Avalokitesvara. These stemmed from his realization of how many suffering beings there were dependent on his deliverance. Like Avalokitesvara, it is Tara's compassionate nature that she is noted for. There are twenty-one forms of Tara but it is Green Tara and White Tara that are the most popular. White Tara is portrayed as having seven eyes, one on each hand and foot and three in her face.

Tara is not only a bodhisattva, but also a goddess. Her name can have two meanings: either “star” or “one who takes across.” Tara’s name means “One Who Saves”. Her compassion for living beings and her desire to save them from suffering is said to be stronger than a mother’s love for her children. Tara is the Bodhisattva who represents the miraculous activity of all the Buddhas of the past, present, and future. 

Tara overcomes unharmonious conditions and destroys external threats and obstructions. She is the ultimate reality, the true body of the Buddhas. She is the immovable source from which the miraculous saving activities emerge. Tara shakes the three worlds, dispels the effects of poison, eliminates conflicts and nightmares, cures diseases, and overcomes ghosts and demons. 

Tara is the savior from the eight dangers. Just by being called to help, she instantaneously saves the faithful from attacks by: 1. lions and pride; 2. wild elephants and delusions; 3. forest fires and hatred; 4. snakes and envy; 5. robbers and fanatical views; 6. prisons and avarice; 7. floods and lust; and 8. demons and doubts. Her left hand is raised with extended three fingers upward, in the gesture of granting refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddhism—the Buddha (Teacher), the Dharma (Teaching), and the sangha (Community). 

In Tibet Tara is the consort of Avalokiteshvara and is called “Drolma”. Many in Tibet consider her their Mother, just as Avalokiteshvara is their Father. Not only is she the Mother of Tibet, but also the “Mother of All the Buddhas” because she is a manifestation of the Prajna-paramita or “Perfection of Wisdom.”

White Tara is a goddess which embodies the spirit of Compassion. She wears the Bodhisattva ornaments. A Bodhisatva vow is to continue to return to this world until the enlightenment of allsentient beings. The White Tara “Vow” is to know her love, to know love, and the inate desire that arises from love which is to share love with all, recognizing our oneness. The Rainbow Body practice is often identified with her. The white of her light when put through the prism of this life shines through as a rainbow, representing the diversity of all life. She is the experience of oneness of all colors, all beings and her love and compassion for all comes from loving herself which is all. She has seven eyes, the two usual ones, one in the middle of her forehead and eyes in her hands and feet. This symbolizes that all of her activities are done with omniscient awareness. She is said to bring health and prolong life. Operating from the space of this compassionate love generates a long and fulfilling life.

The Myth of White Tara
The myth of the White Tara began when she showed up as the tear of Avalokiteshvara. She appeared when Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of all Buddhas, moved into a state of compassion, when his mind and his heart met in wisdom, and the suffering he saw because the the lack of this balance, made him cry. Then he could see Her, or it is said she appeared. For that is who she is, the compassion expressed in that tear. It could be said the tear cleared the eye to see her. She is the expression of compassion. It is time to let the waters flow, let our tears cleanse and nourish, let it dissove fear in all its manifestations especially hatred.

White Tara is an emanation of Tara who is connected with longevity. One calls on her for health, strength, and longevity.

Her white colour indicates purity, but also indicates that she is Truth complete and undifferentiated.

She wears the Bodhisattva ornaments.

She has seven eyes: the two usual eyes, plus an eye in the centre of her forehead and eyes in her hands and feet. These indicate that she sees all suffering and all cries for help, even in the human world, even in the worlds of pain, using both ordinary and psychic or extraordinary means of perception. She carries day lotuses.

This Tara is also known as Samaya Tara, meaning Vow Tara. This refers to Tara’s vow to save all beings and also to our vow, which is a Bodhisattva vow like Tara’s.

Whereas the Green Tara is a young girl and has a mischievous or playful nature, the White Tara is represented as a mature woman, full-breasted and wise.

Some practitioners comment that the energy of the two Taras feels a little different.

Green tara is very immediate and quick. One calls to her for immediate assistance, and also often for help with worldly things like lover, wealth and so on, as well as spiritual things. She feels very close.

White Tara seems to help more with longer-term problems, particularly problems of physical or mental health. It sometimes seems as if she is more distant, harder to contact at first. Then it is as if she sends us healing energies and mystical power and understandings.

Tara’s Vow
Long ago in an age before which
there was nothing else,
the Victorious One, the Tathagata Dundubhisvara
came into existence and was known as the Light
of the Various Worlds.
The Princess “Moon of Wisdom”
had the highest respect for his teaching,
and for ten million, one hundred thousand years,
made offerings to this Enlightened One,
to his attendant Sravakas,
and to countless members of the Sangha of Bodhisattvas.

The offerings she prepared each day
were in value comparable to all the precious things
which filled a distance of twelve yojanas
in each of the ten directions,
leaving no intermediate spaces unfilled.

Finally after all this
she awoke to the first concepts of Bodhi-Mind.
At that time some monks said to her:
“It is as a result of these,
your roots of virtuous actions,
that you have come into being in this female form.
If you pray that your deeds accord with the teachings,
then indeed on that account you will change your form
to that of a man, as is befitting.”

After much discourse she finally replied,
“In this life there is no such distinction
as “male” and “female,”
neither of “self-identity,”
a “person”
nor any perception,
and therefore attachment to ideas
of “male” and “female”
is quite worthless.
The weak-minded are always deluded by this.”

And so she vowed:
“There are many who wish to gain enlightenment
in a man’s form,
and there are but few who wish to work
for the welfare of living beings
in a female form.
Therefore may I, in a female body,
work for the welfare of beings
right until Samsara has been emptied.”