The Buddhist Goddess Victorious Wisdom Tara (Jina-Prajna Tara)

Enlarge My gallery Comment Tag Share Download Image*
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/collections.lacma.org-images/remote_images/ma-79418-O3.jpg?ASv3lobFfe2Qow12RPP4jhMavh3N_zJr
View comments
No comments have been posted yet.
Add a comment
Please log in to add comments.
Enter your LACMA Collections username.
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
New to our collections website? Sign up to create an account and start saving your favorites. Please note that this account is not the same as the MyLACMA account you may have for ticketing and membership transactions.
Download powerpoint quality jpeg Download publication quality tiff
Current tags
This item has not been tagged yet.
Please log in to add tags.
Enter your LACMA Collections username.
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
New to our collections website? Sign up to create an account and start saving your favorites. Please note that this account is not the same as the MyLACMA account you may have for ticketing and membership transactions.
* Nearly 20,000 images of artworks the museum believes to be in the public domain are available to download on this site. Other images may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights. By using any of these images you agree to LACMA's Terms of Use.

The Buddhist Goddess Victorious Wisdom Tara (Jina-Prajna Tara)

Nepal, circa 15th century
Sculpture
Wood with traces of paint; copper ornaments inlaid with gemstones
24 1/2 x 14 1/4 x 12 in. (62.2 x 35.9 x 30.5 cm)
From the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Museum Associates Purchase (M.72.1.10)
South and Southeast Asian Art
Not currently on public view

Curator Notes

LACMA commissioned poet Karen Holden to compose a response to this artwork....
LACMA commissioned poet Karen Holden to compose a response to this artwork. To hear her poem, Words to Live By from the Buddhist Goddess Victorious Wisdom Tara, press the play button below or scroll down to read a transcript.



Words to Live By from the Buddhist Goddess Victorious Wisdom Tara
 

Hello humanity!
Tara here.

Buddhist.
Goddess.
Victorious.
Wisdom.
Tara.
To be exact.

That’s right.

Goddess of compassion
Healer of spiritual pain
Tender intercessor, in all
Cultures. Gazing at this
Sad world in soft-eyed
Sympathy, ready to take
You, yes you, lost soul
Into an infinite embrace

Right?

Sure. Whatever. It’s not
Like that’s not serious
Stuff. It is. (Sigh). But
There’s more than that
Just look at me, Mona Lisa
Smile, amused squint
Itching to wiggle my way
Into your consciousness

Remind you (yes, you)
All the crazy brain chatter
Is just that: Crazy. Brain
Chatter. Take it from me
Kid, if you want to live
A long, happy life, lighten
Up! Chill out! Relax! This
Too (really) shall pass

That’s all the victorious
Wisdom you’ll get from
Me. Here’s my advice
Hold your life lightly in
One outstretched hand
Pinch off the hard parts
Other hand up: Hello or
Step back, whichever

Is called for. Wear pretty
Jewelry and a festive hat
Rest on a lotus, if offered
One. Encircle everyone
You know with love. Even
If you get none back. And
Most important: Always
Be ready to dance

 

© 2014 Karen Holden

More...

Bibliography

  • Rosenfield, John.  The Arts of India and Nepal: The Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection.  Boston:  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1966.
  • Pal, Pratapaditya. Art of Nepal. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art; University of California Press, 1985.
  • Rosenfield, John.  The Arts of India and Nepal: The Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection.  Boston:  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1966.
  • Pal, Pratapaditya. Art of Nepal. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art; University of California Press, 1985.
  • Huntington, John C. and Dina Bangdel.  The Circle of Bliss:  Buddhist Meditational Art.  Columbus:  The Columbus Museum of Art; Chicago:  Serindia Publications, 2003.
  • Xingyun, editor. Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts. Los Angeles: Buddha's Light Publications USA, 2018.
More...