At front, of this arch-shaped, Gau box, Green Tara is depicted; she is made of coral and seated in lalitasana on a coral lotus throne in a field of exquisite wire scrollwork (filigree). Her right hand is in Varada-mudra and holds a stem of lotus flower, while the left hand held at breast is in vitarka-mudra and also holds the stem of a lotus flower. Both the lotuses are composed of faceted emerald and ruby. The mm sized beads of faceted emerald and ruby surround the scene. The exterior wall of the box is decorated with knotted rope work and on the bottom wall twin turquoise and a red coral are set. There is hook at the top to hang the pendant and two more hooks are on each side of the box.
Tara is by far the most popular of the benefactory deity in Tibet and Nepal. She is a female Buddha and meditational deity. She is considered to be the goddess of universal compassion and the manifestation of the actions of all Buddhas. There are twenty-one forms of Tara the two most popular are Green Tara and White Tara. Green Tara's special powers will help overcome dangers, fears, and anxieties, and she also grant wishes. She helps one cross over from danger to safety or from suffering to happiness. Her femininity imbues her with soft and compassionate feelings and she will act very quickly and directly as saviouress. The sixteen perils from which Green Tara protects the believers are enemies, lion, elephant, fire, snake, robbers, prison, ghost, the sea, king's guards, kings messengers, conviction if accused, hail storms, loss of property, epidemic and diseases. Thus the amulet of Green Tara protects not only from several perils but also from diseases etc.
The cover of the box opens with a hinge at the right side to reveal the image of Shadakshari Lokeshvara (Avalokiteshvara). He is composed of turquoise and sits in vajraparyankasana on a coral lotus flower with turquoise base in a field of brilliant filigree work in wire. He is four-armed. His two main hands are held at his chest, holding the magic wish-granting gem, made of red coral, which stands for the spirit of enlightenment that consists of love and wisdom. His upper right hand holds a rosary, made of sterling wire, and his upper left hand holds a lotus flower, made of sterling with faceted ruby. Faceted emerald and ruby surrounded the image of Avalokiteshvara. The back of the box is engraved with the figure of vishva-vajra.
Shadakshari Lokeshvara, the "Six-Syllabled Lord of the world", is the manifestation of the compassionate Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara who embodies his six-syllable mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum. Though there are many interpretation of this mantra, one of the most important is that the sacred syllables invoke the Buddhas of the six realms of wheel of life, who are manifestations of Avalokiteshvara as he appears to the beings there to alleviate their suffering. By repeatedly reciting the mantra, Tibetans and many others who do practices centering upon Shadakshari invoke the presence of a Buddha for the benefit of beings in each of those realms, as well as for increasing their own compassion. This form of Avalokiteshvara is extremely popular in Tibet, and the Dalai Lama is regarded as his emanation. Moreover Avalokiteshvara is patron deity of Tibet. Thus Avalokiteshvara, the compassionate savior, helps to brings all beings from the six realms into enlightenment.
Select Bibliography
Alice Getty, Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1962
Barbara Lipton & Nima D. Ragnubs, Treasures of Tibetan Art, New York, 1996
Ben Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangka, Holland, 2001
Hannelore Gabriel, Jewelry of Nepal, London, 1999
Jane Casey Singer, Gold Jewelry from Tibet and Nepal, London, 1996
Lokesh Chandra, Transcendental Art of Tibet, Delhi, 1996
Marylin M. Rhie & Robert A.F. Thurman, Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet, Thames and Hudson, 1996
This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma, whose Doctorate thesis is on "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".
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