Quan Yin and Tara share the same experience of being females who have attained enlightenment and both are known as heavenly deities who hear and respond to the cries of the world. They also share the symbol of the lotus flower and both are depicted sitting on a lotus flower. Tara is often shown holding three lotus flowers, which represent the three different levels of enlightenment.
Like her sister Quan Yin, Tara shares many different myths about her origin. One legend describes Avalokiteshvara being overwhelmed by his task as a bodhisattva that two tears ran from his eyes, one became the White Tara and the other the Green Tara who assist him in responding to the cries of the world. Tara also works tirelessly for the benefit of all sentient beings, just like Quan Yin.
Another story Quan Yin and Tara share is when Tara reached a high level of realization, a Buddhist monk mocked her, saying that from then on she should consciously reincarnated as a male, since the body of a female poses more obstacles to enlightenment. Tara answered in absolute truth, there was no such thing as male and female, and vowed that she would incarnate exclusively as a woman in order to become enlightened in a female body. After she showed it was possible to reach enlightenment as a female, Tara became known in Tibet as the “Savioress” or “Liberator” and has provided inspiration for generations of spiritual practitioners of both genders ever since, as Quan Yin has done.
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