Tara is closely related to Chenrezig* (Avalokitsvara), the Bodhisattva of Compassion. One story of her origin says that she was born from Chenrezig’s compassionate tears. People also think of her as the female manifestation of Chenrezig, or his consort.
Though all the manifestations of Tara share the characteristic of compassion through this connection to Chenrezig, it is White Tara who is most closely linked to his essential compassionate nature.
Her pure compassion for our suffering, which is thought to be greater even than a mother’s love for her child, is symbolized in images of White Tara by her white color. Her whiteness also indicates the “undifferentiated truth of the Dharma.“
* Chenrezig ist der tibetische Name für den Bodhisattva des Mitgefühls, dessen Sanskrit-Name Avalokiteshvara ist. Er symbolisiert das Mitgefühl aller Buddhas und ist in verschiedenen Formen wie einer mit tausend Armen Darstellung bekannt, um allen Wesen zu helfen, die Leiden erfahren.