LIFE AS MYTH
JOURNAL
JOURNAL 2012
The seeds of wisdom
Leaning into the answer
Discovering the Isle of the blessed
LIFEWORKS
ATLAS
AUTUMN 2012
THE PURE LAND
Avalokiteshvara, temple tanghka. Date unknown.
It is said that Avalokiteshvara looked upon the world and its suffering and he wept. And from his tears a lake formed. And from the waters two lotus rose. And upon the two lotus White Tara and Green Tara sat. White Tara who sits full lotus in compassionate meditation. Green Tara who sits half lotus, one foot extended to the earth, engaged in compassionate action. And in this way the divine feminine emerged, emerges, is emerging.
Avalokiteshvara, White Tara and Green Tara, are the Buddhist deities (bodhisattvas) of infinite compassion and mercy. When a bodhisattva attains enlightenment, they do not choose to leave the world and its suffering but rather they elect to stay and bring enlightenment into it. According to Buddhist teaching, these bodhisattvas emanate a radiance which forms a pure land or world which fosters enlightenment. The pure land of each Buddha, therefore, is not a place separate from the world but is found embedded in it.
