Buddhism
The Buddhist pantheon has several female Buddhas, female bodhisattvas, historical people such as lineage founders, and dharma protectors. The three major sects—Vajrayana, Mahayana, and Theravada—have their origins in India, where a wide variety of gods are revered by people in different parts of the Indian cultural continent. These deities play an essential role in various sects of Buddhism and have various deities that are symbolically similar to Hindu and regional deities.
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Tara
Tara, also known as Jetsun Dölma, is a Tibetan Buddhist goddess. In Mahayana Buddhism, she is a female bodhisattva, and in Vajrayana Buddhism, she is a female Buddha. She is known as the "Mother of Liberation."
She manifests herself in multiple forms as diverse facets of the same quality. Sitatara, Shyamatara, Cintamani Tara, and Ekajati are some common Tara forms. Green Tara, also called Shyamatara, is regarded to be the original Tara and is the female consort of Amoghasiddhi, one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas. She is shown seated on a lotus with her right leg hanging down and holding a blue lotus. Tara also has 21 fundamental forms, each with its own hue and attributes. Based on this, there are five distinct systems for the various sets of Twenty-one Taras. Many famous goddesses have been included among the 21 Taras in Buddhist traditions.
(Read: Tara)
Maya, Mahapajapati Gautami & Yasodhara
Maya was the queen of King Uddhodana in the Shakya kingdom when Gautama Buddha was born. She is frequently shown in art as giving birth while standing under a tree and grabbing onto a branch overhead for support. Mahapajapati Gautami, also known as Pajapati, was the sister of Maya and she became the foster mother of Gautama Buddha after the death of Maya. She was the first female Buddhist nun. Until Gautama Buddha left his family, Yaodhar was married to him. She became a Buddhist nun and is regarded as an arahata, a highly enlightened individual.
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Prajnaparamita
Prajnaparamita is frequently depicted in Buddhist art as a female bodhisattva known as Prajnaparamita Devi. She is revered as a mother goddess and represents wisdom. She is commonly depicted in a yellow or white complexion and has two or four arms. In a four-armed iconography, her two lower hands are in a meditative gesture and the upper two arms are carrying a vajara and a scripture. Another depiction shows her lower hand in a Dharma teaching gesture while the other two hands are carrying a rosary and a scripture.
Marici
Marici is a Buddhist and Taoist deity, a female bodhisattva, and a guardian deity associated with the Sun, light, or dawn. Marici is revered as a benevolent divinity who can drive out evil spirits, difficulties, and influences. She is depicted in various forms. In her most common iconography, she is depicted with a yellow complexion, three faces, and eight hands. She is sometimes depicted in white and red skin with one to six faces, seated on a boar or a horse or riding a chariot driven by seven wild boars or seven blazing horses. Due to her iconography and significance, her origins link her to the Vedic deities Usha and Surya. The majority of Buddhist practitioners around the world, especially those who practice Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, recognize and worship her.
Read: Marici
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Yangchenma
Yangchenma is a Tibetan form of Saraswati. She is the goddess of wisdom, knowledge, music, and arts, and is depicted in white or red color, with a lute. She is also counted among the Twenty-One Taras, depicted in a white complexion, peaceful and smiling face, and carrying a lotus a mirror marked with the syllable Hrī.
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Dorje Yangchenma, also called Vajra Sarasvati, is the wrathful and fierce form of Yangchenma. She is shown in red color, with three heads and six arms. Her primary head is red, while the right head is white and the left one is dark blue. She is holding a sword, dharma wheel, book upon her utpala flower, lute, kartika knife, and brahma head.
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Usnisavijaya
Usnisavijaya is a female Buddha of longevity. She is depicted with three heads, two of Amitayus (a celestial Buddha) and Sitatara (White Tara), consisting of the three Buddhas of long life. She has eight hands, carrying different attributes.
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Sitatapatra
Sitatapatra is an independent goddess who protects against supernatural danger. She is depicted in multiple forms, from one face and two arms; to 1000 faces, 1000 arms and 1000 legs. She is regarded as the female counterpart of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, and is thought to be manifested by Gautama Buddha from his Ushnisha.
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