Picture shows location of Bodhi seed.
About the BODHI SEED
(Sanskrit, Pali) = Awakened / Enlightened
This statue has a Bodhi seed sealed into the base and, generally, this seed can be heard rattling around if you pick up the statue and gently shake it a bit. However, some statues don't rattle, even though they still have the Bodhi seed, so it just depends on the amount of space initially reserved for the placement of this seed.
In general, this seed represents the attainment of enlightenment that Buddha reached while meditating under the Bodhi Tree.
The Bodhi tree is also known as the Fig tree. Bodhi seeds are the fruits of the Ficus religiosa, a kind of fig originally found in South Asia, and now is more common in other locations around the world as well.
The Herder Dictionary has this to say about the fig/bodhi tree.
"The Fig Tree - Revered as a holy tree by many peoples, it often symbolizes fertility and abundance. The Bodhi Tree is the fig tree under which the Buddha became enlightened (from Sanskrit bodhi, enlightenment); in a general sense it is a symbol of knowledge and enlightenment." The Herder Dictionary of Symbols, Chiron Publications, Wilmette, IL, 1993, pg 75
About GREEN TARA
KEYWORDS
Compassion ~ Power ~ Protection
The following quote comments on the Tara's green color. "Green indicates that Tara acts for the benefit of those who pray to her with the swiftness of wind." Quoted from Tara The Feminine Divine, Bokar Rinpoche, ClearPoint Press, San Francisco, CA, 2007, p44
MANTRA for GREEN TARA
Repeat the mantra 3, 7, 21, or 108 times
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA!
[ pronunciation ]
OHM - TAR RAY - TOO TAR RAY - TOUR AY - SO HA!
The Green Tara mantra guards us from sufferings, dangers, and sicknesses. The meaning of the mantra is loosely defined below.
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OM=Body, Mind, Speech (ALL PRAISE TO TARA)
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TARE=Liberates beings from sufferings (COMPASSION)
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TUTTARE=Liberates beings from danger (PROTECTION)
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TURE=Releases beings from sickness (POWER)
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SOHA=Laying the foundation (SO BE IT!)
BEFORE YOUR ITEM ARRIVES
If it helps you to know, before arriving at your home, your item was stored in a chest that has been Blessed by a Buddhist Monk. To read more about this Blessed Chest just click on About This Store and scroll down to "If it helps you to know ...".
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