Tara (Sanskrit: तारा, tārā; Tib. སྒྲོལ་མ, Dölma) or Ārya Tārā, also known as Jetsun Dölma (Tibetan language:rje btsun sgrol ma) in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements. In Japan, she is known as Tara Bosatsu (多羅菩薩), and little-known as Duōluó Púsà (多羅菩薩) in Chinese Buddhism.[1] Tara is a tantric meditation deity whose practice is used by practitioners of the Tibetan branch of Vajrayana Buddhism to develop certain inner qualities and understand outer, inner and secret teachings about compassion and emptiness. Tara is actually the generic name for a set of Buddhas or bodhisattvas of similar aspect. These may more properly be understood as different aspects of the same quality, as bodhisattvas are often considered metaphors for Buddhist virtues. The most widely known forms of Tārā are: Green Tārā, (Syamatara) known as the Buddha of enlightened activity White Tārā, (Sitatara) also known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity; also known as The Wish-fulfilling Wheel, or Cintachakra Red Tārā, (Kurukulla) of fierce aspect associated with magnetizing all good things Black Tārā, associated with power Yellow Tārā, (Bhrikuti) associated with wealth and prosperity Blue Tārā, associated with transmutation of anger Cittamani Tārā, a form of Tārā widely practiced at the level of Highest Yoga Tantra in the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism, portrayed as green and often conflated with Green Tārā Khadiravani Tārā (Tārā of the acacia forest), who appeared to Nagarjuna in the Khadiravani forest of South India and who is sometimes referred to as the "22nd Tārā" There is also recognition in some schools of Buddhism of twenty-one Tārās. A practice text entitled In Praise of the 21 Tārās, is recited during the morning in all four sects of Tibetan Buddhism. The main Tārā mantra is the same for Buddhists and Hindus alike: oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā. It is pronounced by Tibetans and Buddhists who follow the Tibetan traditions as oṃ tāre tu tāre ture soha. (courtesy wikipedia) Tara buddha bodhisattva Buddhist vajrayana mahayana Hindu goddess deity thangka mantra consort tantra Buddhism Hinduism meditation Sanskrit Tibet Tibetan Arya mother healer Bhutan Bhutanese India Indian peace coexist tolerance indian asian meditation yoga india anthropology anthropologie haute bohemian hippie boho chic new age unitarian hindu hinduism theravada tantrayana unity om mani padme hum Avalokitesvara Chenrezig Guanyin Kwanyin Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche deity His Holiness Dalai Lama travel travels traveler traveller thangka mandala mantra bhutan Nepal Nepalese Thailand Thai Cambodia Laos Laotian exotic unique unusual style decor design