This one-of-a-kind thangka was masterfully painted by an artist in Nepal and given to Tara Mandala to support the building and adornment of the Trikaya Tara Temple. Green Tara, the female Buddha of the forest, provides protection from fears and obstacles. At the center of the thangka, she sits with one foot in the meditation posture and one foot in the world, thus embodying active compassion, and becoming a model for modern-day contemplative life. She is surrounded by nine-hundred and ninety-nine Taras, making one-thousand. If you look closely, you can see that each of one-thousand Taras is unique, each face transmitting her own beauty. This distinctive feature was made possible by the artist’s delicate and painstaking use of a one-hair brush.
Over the last 15 years, the Tara Thangka Campaign has raised $731,000 for Tara Mandala through individual $1000 sponsorships of 731 Taras. Now is your chance to sponsor a Tara and make a connection with this powerful, beautiful Thangka. Tara Sponsorships provide much-needed support for Tara Mandala operations and its many capital projects. Currently, there are 240 Taras left to be sponsored! Help us reach our goal to raise the final $240,000, complete the 1000 Tara Thangka. The Tara you sponsor can be dedicated in honor of a loved one, yourself or all sentient beings.
Each of the individual 1000 Taras corresponds to a number can be sponsored for $1,000 each.
People have fun choosing numbers signifying significant dates like the birthdays of their children, parents, pets or magical numbers. This has been a wonderful way for many people to weave their energy and tendrel to the blessings of Tara Mandala. There have been many touching moments in this process:
- a young man with AIDS with tears in his eyes gave in the name of everyone in the world living with AIDS;
- a mother gave to the child in her womb;
- a son gave to heal an estranged relationship with his parents.
Dedications have been made in the memory of a loved one, for parents, for each of their children or grandchildren. Some have sponsored in their own name, others for their enemies, a beloved pet, lineage holders of the past, a birthday, anniversary, or to remember a dear friend. It has been truly heartwarming to feel all these intentions support the temple and have this merit spread so widely.
Tara Sponsorship Options:
- A one-time donation of $1000
- Two donations of $500 each
- Twelve monthly donations of $84
- Twenty four monthly donations of $42
The thangka currently hangs in the Tara Temple and continues to radiate blessings. Be sure to stop and view this amazing piece of spiritual art next time you are at Tara Mandala!
“Tara is accessible even to those who have not received the initiation of Tara. She is simply present. The reemergence of Tara’s energy, her feminine wisdom, and her compassion are essential for the earth and all people right now. We are out of balance, and feminine wisdom is lacking. One problem for those who know this is that they are not sure how to find feminine wisdom. They ask, “How do I access it in myself and then bring it into the world?” Entering a practice like Green Tara creates the template for the development of that wisdom. In other words, it begins to help you access the wisdom of the feminine through the process of identification. This is important not only for women but for everyone.”
~ Lama Tsultrim, Green Tara Explanation & Commentary
