The Indian Buddhist Iconography
by Benoytosh Bhattachacharyya | 1958 | 51,392 words | ISBN-10: 8173053138 | ISBN-13: 9788173053139
This page contains an iconography image of Green Tara: Mahattari and represents figure 201 of the book Indian Buddhist Iconography, based on extracts of the Sadhanamala English translation. These plates and illustrations represent either photographs of sculptures or line-drawing reproductions of paintings or other representations of Buddhist artwork.
Figure 201 - Green Tārā: Mahattarī
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Fig. 201: Mahattarī
(Nepal)
Strictly speaking, only those deities can be called Tārās to whom the mantra: “oṃ tārā tuttāre ture svāhā” is assigned. In the simplest form Tārās carry the night lotus in the left hand and exhibit the Varadamudrā in the right. Some of them bear the miniature image of Amoghasiddhi on their crowns, but others may not have any effigy of the Dhyāni Buddha.
From the colour of the different Tārās it will be possible to refer them to their respective Kulas or families presided over by the five Dhyāni Buddhas.
Mahattarī-Tārā may be distinguished by the Vajraparyaṅka attitude in which she sits, and also by the fact of her being represented without any companion whatsoever.