Tara was a Buddhist goddess who had many different forms, and was particularly popular in Nepal, Tibet, and Mongolia. She was the feminine equivalent of the bodhisattva (“Buddha-to-be”), as well as the guardian of navigation and earthly travel, as well as spiritual travel along the path of enlightenment. This figurine depicts the form known as “Green Tara”, who is generally seated on a lotus throne with her right leg hanging down, wearing the ornaments of a bodhisattva, and holding a closed blue lotus. The Vitarka Mudra is called the Gesture of Teaching, and is one of the most widespread mudra. It symbolizes the transmission of teachings and it can be done with both the right and the left hand. The palm of the hand is turned outwards to symbolize, not only the teaching through the discussion, but also without the use of words. The thumb and fore finger touch each other to form a circle that represents the flow of energy. The other fingers remain straight up.
To discover more about Tibetan Buddhist statuettes, please visit our relevant blog post: Tibetan Bronze Figurines.
