Photo by Jaroslav Poncar.

Green Tārā as Saviouress from the Eight Dangers

by Eva Allinger

Forms of Tārā are frequently depicted in the temples of Alchi. The Three-Storeyed Temple (Sumtsek) alone contains several distinct manifestations of the goddess, the most famous of which is the group of five Tārās on the left side wall of Avalokiteśvara's niche.

Tārā Rescuing from the Eight Dangers (Aṣṭamahābhaya Tārā)  takes the prominent position on the gallery immediately above the right-hand niche of Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī. The peculiar form in which the goddess is depicted relates to two texts authored by the eighth-century Kashmiri scholar Sarvajñamitra, namely the Aṣṭabhayatrānatārā-sādhana (Toh 3681; Q no. 4503, vol. 81, 88.2.6 - 89.2.7) and the Āryatārāsragdharā-stotra (Toh 1692; Q no. 2563, vol. 59, 67.1.6 - 68.5.7).

In the meditational liturgy (sādhana), Sarvajñamitra describes the central Tārā as follows: she is green, with one face and eight arms. Her right hands bear a rosary (mālā), display the gestures of giving (varadamudrā) and fearlessness (abhayamudrā), and hold a jewel. The left hands hold a blue lily (utpala) and a flask (kalaśa), again show the gesture of fearlessness (abhayamudrā), and hold a book. What is peculiar to this textual source is that the Tārās who save humans from the eight kinds of danger are described as having varying appearances.

Sarvajñamitra's hymn of praise (stotra) describes the dangers in three phases. First, the nature of the danger is declared; then the victim invokes Tārā; finally, the peril is averted. These three phases are also visible in the depiction of the dangers around the mandorla of the central image.

By combining elements from both texts by the same author, the Alchi artist(s) arrived at a uniquely comprehensive way of depicting their subject. The Alchi representation is therefore not simply a reproduction based on a textual source, but rather reflects the contemporary teaching associated with this particular form of Tārā, which goes back to the Kashmiri author. As such, the depictions confirm the close association of Alchi with contemporary Kashmir.

  • Allinger, Eva. “The Green Tara as Saviouress from the Eight Dangers in the Sumtseg at Alchi.” Orientations 30, no. 1 (1999): 40–44.

Quotation below from Willson, Martin. In Praise of Tārā. Songs to the Saviouress. Source Texts From India and Tibet on Buddhism’s Great Goddess. Boston: Wisdom Publication, 1986, p. 258. This is the beginning of the second text by Sarvajñamitra mentioned above.