Green Tara and White Tara: Two Doors into the Heart of Compassion

Do you know any god that rushes to you whenever you need help? A god so fearless and compassionate and revered as the savioress. The goddess is Tara. 

But here’s the fascinating part: Tara isn’t just one form. She manifests in many forms. Two of the most powerful forms stand out as Green Tara and White Tara. 

Green Tara, the swift protector who removes obstacles. White Tara, the gentle mother who grants healing and long life. 

Together they reveal the full spectrum of compassion. Let's find out how they vary and their importance.

The Primordial Mother: One Tara, Many Manifestations

All Taras emanate from the ultimate source: Tara, the primordial Buddha. She represents the pure, empty nature of reality itself, inseparable from compassion. One who responds to the cries of all beings caught in the ocean of samsara. 

Her origin story traces back to an immeasurable time ago when she made a profound vow: until all beings are liberated, she would continuously manifest in female form to rescue them from sufferings. This vow distinguishes Tara as a timeless presence. 

Tara manifests in 21 primary forms, each with distinct qualities and symbolic colors. Among these, Green Tara and White Tara are the most widely venerated. Their practices are central across the globe. 

Yet, despite their popularity, there is often confusion. Many mistake them as different goddesses or as unrelated deities. In truth, they are two complementary emanations of the same Tara. But they embody different aspects of Tara’s boundless compassion. 

Green Tara: The Swift Protector

The Essence of Active Compassion

Green Tara, known as Shyamatara in Sanskrit and Drolma or Dolma in Tibetan. Symbolization of active compassion in motion. One who responds instantly to the suffering of beings. She is also known as “the Mother of all Buddhas.” 

Her green color is associated with the wind element, which is dynamic, swift, and unstoppable. 

Iconography and Symbolism: A Readiness to Act

A detailed study of her depiction reveals her entire philosophy:

• Green Skin: Represents the wind element (air), symbolizing speed and the swiftness of her compassionate response.
  
  
• Right Leg Extended, Left Leg Retracted: This asana is not one of comfort, but of readiness. She has one foot stepping out to help sentient beings, while the other is folded in meditative equipoise, indicating that her action is born from the profound stillness of wisdom. She is balancing between contemplation and action.
  
  
• Right Hand in Varada Mudra: The gesture of generosity, granting blessings, protection, and boons.
  
  
• Left Hand in Vitarka Mudra: Held at her heart, this gesture of teaching holds the stem of an utpala flower, a blue night-blooming lotus representing the purity of her compassion that works tirelessly, even in the "darkness" of samsara.
  
  
• Seven Eyes: On her face, hands, and feet, they signify her all-seeing compassion, constantly watching for suffering in all realms of existence.

Explore our Green Tara Thangka. You can also find it alongside thangkas of other deities.

Her Mantra and Practice: The Call for Immediate Aid

Her mantra, “OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA,” is a potent formula recited millions of times daily across the Himalayas. It is a call that is said to instantly reach her.

• TARE means liberation from samsara.
• TUTTARE means liberation from the eight great fears (external dangers like lions, elephants, fire, etc., which symbolize internal fears like pride, ignorance, attachment, and jealousy).
• TURE means liberation from disease and suffering.
• SVAHA means "so be it" or grounding the energy.

Practitioners call upon Green Tara for protection from fear, overcoming obstacles, finding success in endeavors, and receiving swift help in any crisis.

White Tara: The Mother of Longevity

The Essence of Serene Compassion

White Tara, also known as Sita Tara in Sanskrit and Dölma Karpo in Tibetan. She is a symbol of compassion in healing and nurturing aspects. 

Her white color, the radiance of the full moon, symbolizes purity, tranquility, truth, and the transcendent wisdom that sees all things as they are.

Iconography and Symbolism: A Embrace of Healing

Her form exudes a calming, maternal energy.

• White Skin: Symbolizes purity, healing, cleansing, and the pacification of suffering.
  
  
• Seated in Full Vajra Posture: Symbolizing her unwavering stability, peace, and timeless endurance.
  
  
• Seven Eyes: This is her most distinctive feature. Her seven eyes—two normal eyes, one on the forehead, and one on each palm and sole—reflect the attentive, best nature of her compassion, which sees the pain of all beings through the lens of wisdom. She is often called "The Seven-Eyed Goddess."
  
  
• Hands in Mudras: Her right hand is often in the varada mudra (giving), sometimes holding a triple-stranded mala representing the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha). Her left hand is in the vitarka mudra (teaching), holding the stem of an utpala flower.

Explore our White Tara Thangka. You can also find it alongside thangkas of other deities.

Her Mantra and Practice: The Elixir of Life

Her primary mantra is a variation on Green Tara's, often extended: “OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAMA AYUR PUNYE JNANA PUSHTIM KURU YE SVAHA.”

This translates to a more specific invocation: "OM! O Tara! I pray, "Please grant me longevity, merit, wisdom, and abundance."

Practitioners invoke White Tara for healing from illness, extending a healthy lifespan (for oneself or others), calming anxieties, and developing wisdom and inner peace.

Her practice is often associated with pacifying negative karma and creating conditions for sustained spiritual practice.

The Divine Dyad: A Unified Field of Compassion

To see Green and White Tara as separate is to miss the profound unity of their message. They are two sides of the same coin of compassion, addressing different but interconnected needs:

• Outer vs. Inner: Green Tara protects from outer obstacles—external dangers, sudden problems, and immediate threats. White Tara pacifies inner obstacles—sickness, mental afflictions, and the shortcoming of a premature death.
  
  
• Swiftness vs. Sustenance: Green Tara offers immediate rescue. White Tara offers long-term nurturing and the sustenance needed to walk the path over a full lifetime.
  
  
• Action vs. Wisdom: Green Tara is the activity of compassion. White Tara is the wisdom from which that compassion arises—the serene, knowing space that understands the root of suffering.

In practice, a devotee might call upon Green Tara to overcome an immediate financial or relational obstacle and then upon White Tara to heal the stress, anxiety, or illness that the situation caused. They work in tandem.

Critical Distinctions and Common Misconceptions

Do people mistake Green Tara and White Tara for one?

Yes, frequently. Those new to Buddhist iconography may see them both as “the female Buddha” and miss the critical doctrinal and functional distinctions. This conflation is the primary reason for a deep dive into their differences. 

In simple terms:

• Green Tata protects you in the moment of danger.
• White Tara sustains and heals you for the journey ahead. 

1. Can anyone chant the Tara mantras?

Yes, the core mantra “OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA” is widely recited for compassion and protection. 

2. Which Tara do I pray to?

• Green Tara: To overcome obstacles, courage, and immediate help.
• White Tara: For healing, longevity, calming the mind, and inner peace.

3. Why does White Tara have seven eyes?

White Tara’s seven eyes are the symbolization of her compassionate ability to see the sufferings of every being in every realm of existence. 

Embodiments of Our Own Potential

In the tantric view, Green Tara and White Tara are mirrors of our own innate potential. The active, courageous, and lively energy of Green Tara shows us that our compassion must be bold and immediate.

The serene, healing, and intelligent energy of the White Tara asks us to cultivate inner peace, to cure ourselves, and to develop the knowledge that sees all life.

Discover Buddha's Art of Healing if you're looking to get Green Tara and White Tara Thangka. We provide classes on painting them too if you're interested.