White Tara, a prominent deity in Buddhist tradition, is depicted with seven eyes primarily to symbolize her comprehensive wisdom and compassionate awareness, specifically detailing the significance of the three eyes on her face.
The Symbolic Vision of White Tara
While White Tara is traditionally depicted with a total of seven eyes, the symbolism of three eyes on her face is explicitly detailed:
- Three Eyes on Her Face: These three eyes on White Tara's face each hold distinct symbolic meaning related to her enlightened perception:
- The Third Eye (Forehead): This eye is positioned on her forehead. It symbolizes her profound ability to see the unity of ultimate reality. This represents her transcendent insight into the fundamental nature of all phenomena, transcending dualistic perceptions.
- The Two Primary Eyes: Her two standard eyes on her face simultaneously see the relative and dualistic worlds. These eyes signify her clear and compassionate understanding of the conventional, everyday world, with its distinctions and perceived suffering, enabling her to act effectively within it.
White Tara's Peaceful Nature
White Tara is consistently portrayed as a peaceful deity. Her multi-faceted vision, particularly that of her facial eyes, underscores her role in perceiving suffering across all realms and her capacity for boundless compassion. The combined vision allows her to perceive both the profound emptiness of reality and the intricate details of the world as experienced by sentient beings.
