Sacred Painting
Click on image to enlarge
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
This is the original that belonged to my Mom now with my sister. The painting is around 2.5 x 3 inches. It is small and portable.
This is a small White Tara painting (Tzakaley) that was in the possession of my mother in New Jersey. Whenever she travelled she would take this Buddha along. When she was sick, she would hold this Buddha and do mantras. She said it was very powerful and sacred.
She told me when she was very sick and the doctors told her sisters/family to prepare as she would pass away in the hospital any moment and she was also in a coma, her family monk came to her hospital room. He did some rituals, placed this small painting if Tara above her head and hung it above her bed. Too everyone’s shock, she woke up the next day from a coma and said she is hungry. The doctors were flabbergasted as they never expected her to awake from the coma and her vitals were going down fast. My Mom told me this Tara saved her life.
From that day on, she kept this sacred White Tara near her all the time. It was very precious to her and she wouldn’t let me touch it. Of course I was very fascinated with this Tara.
My mom told, me when this monk was in Russia and imprisoned by the Red Army, in the night he prayed to this Tara and the cell door swung open on it’s own and he just walked out. The guards never saw him leave. So this Tara was in his possession at the time and now he passed it to my mom when she was very ill. The monk brought this Tara with him from Russia.. This Tara is now with my sister Lidshma. Good for her. Tara will bless Lidshma.
This is the White Tara that I drew and painted 35 years ago… I copied from my Mom’s original Tara image. Click on image to enlarge
As a child my mother wouldn’t let me handle or hold this Tara. I wanted to put Tara in my room and pray to her. Mom wouldn’t allow it. So one day, she as at work, I repainted it exactly and hid it the duplicate. I did it in water colors. I had my own copy now that I had painted and was real excited. My mom found it and freaked out. She said it was blasphemous for an ordinary kid like me to duplicate Buddhas in paintings. I got a huge scolding…. So she took my priceless copied painting and kept it in her room… When she passed away, my sister got the original and the water painted copy I did… My sister Lidshma passed the copy to my students a few days ago and I will be getting it soon. I haven’t seen this painting in over 35 years!! I painted this over 35 years ago as a kid in New Jersey secretly..I wanted a copy of this powerful Buddha… I wanted to have the exact same Tara in my room. Now I will after waiting a lifetime…
This is the White Tara that I drew and painted 35 years ago… I copied from my Mom’s original, because I wanted to have a powerful Buddha near me too. This painting was kept by my sister who recently passed it to my students who visited her to interview for my biography in Texas. I was around 10 years old I think when I painted this Tara. It is the same size as the original. I wanted it to be the same.
Tsem Rinpoche
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Just at the age of 10, one will never imagine that a child would have chosen to draw a Buddha’s painting. Also it’s in such details, that Rinpoche even have it the same size as the original one.
That’s also a good evidence that reincarnation is real. A good memory. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing that.
It’s always sweet and interesting to have Rinpoche share old memories. Beautiful sacred painting by Rinpoche. Amazing to know RInpoche as a small kid is so talented in drawing and painting . Yet after so many years the painting still looks good condition. Such a beautiful White Tara painting and now Rinpoche still paints. Rinpoche’s childhood days in New Jersey was not easy because of Dana’s objections to Rinpoche’s interest for dharma yet this holy image was placed on her altar showed that deep down in her she cared and loved Rinpoche in her own ways. Thank you Rinpoche and blog team for sharing this beautiful story.????
1984 Los Angeles-Left to right: Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, monk assistant to Zong Rinpoche and the 18-year-old Tsem Rinpoche prior to ordination. Read more- https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/me
Tsem Rinpoche at Kechara Forest Retreat, Bentong, Malaysia
谢谢仁波切的分享。
度母因为她成佛前的誓言令到她与身在末法时期的我们因缘特别深。 而且在西藏和其他地区， 很多度母像都向众生显示奇迹。 历史上很多大成就者都是依止度母得到成就， 比如阿底峡尊者。
度母化身众多， 其中最为人所知的就是21度母。 不过度母可以化现成更多形象来救度众生。
谢谢仁波切分享这张神圣的白度母画像。 根据仁波切的分享， 这张白度母画像多次显现奇迹。 其中一次就是仁波切养母在昏迷的时候接受他们的家庭僧侣利用这张白度母加持， 隔天仁波切的养母就苏醒了。
当然在很多其他地方也有其他的度母像在不同时间和地点向世人展现奇迹。
谢谢。
Beautiful sacred painting by Rinpoche. Amazing to know RInpoche as a small kid is so talented in drawing and painting . Yet after so many years the painting still looks good condition. Such a beautiful White Tara painting and now Rinpoche still paints.
Wow interesting stories behind the scared painting of the powerful white Tara. When we have trust and faith that’s how these powerful Tara will help us.
Thank you for sharing with us.
Thank you for sharing this holy photos and the story behind it. Rinpoche’s childhood days in New Jersey was not easy because of Dana’s objections to Rinpoche’s interest for dharma yet this holy image was placed on her altar showed that deep down in her she cared and loved Rinpoche in her own ways.
I am glad that this holy and sacred image of White Tara is now with Rinpoche.
Sacred lady, mother divine
Blazing wisdom, purity of white
Looking at how identical Rinpoche has painted this image of holy mother white tara brings so much peace whenever I see this image. The painting is so simple and humbling to have yet it is infused with so much compassion, wisdom and blessings. Indeed Rinpoche must have been connected to White tara in another time
This story is very sweet for me. Just because Rinpoche wanted to have a powerful Buddha next to him, he drew one on his own at a very young age and to have this picture the same size as the original.
The original picture is certainly very sacred. It has helped the lives of at least two persons. Perhaps I can only conclude that buddhas will help those who are in need and who pray to her sincerely.
Om Tare Tam Soha
This posting reminds me of the stories that Rinpoche has shared with us of his childhood in New Jersey and the abuse he had to endure due to Dana’s illness. Yet he never fought back, having deep compassion that she was suffering even when he was only a child then. The fact that Dana has kept this painting drawn by Rinpoche confirms this, that she loved Rinpoche underneath all the pain she must have suffered. To have the skill to draw and replicate so closely the original at age 10 tells us that this is a skill and talent from previous lifetimes.
Thanks you Rinpoche for sharing the precious stories behind this special Tara. How fortunate we were to have audience with her in Lidshma’s home and to finally see her after hearing so much about her and what an important, precious place she held in the lives of Dana and Rinpoche.
Most touching to us, as your students, is to hear that Dana kept this picture drawn by Rinpoche first on her dresser table and then later in her life, on her altar until the day she died. The painting was something precious to her too, for her to have kept it for so, so many years in spite of her (initial) objections to Rinpoche’s pursuit of Dharma. Rinpoche may have physically left Howell, but never left her heart.
Dearest Rinpoche,
Thank You so much for sharing with us the wonderful stories of white Tara! The experienced of the monk and Your mom went through and saved by Tara, it was a amazing!
It was inspired and amazed by Rinpoche aged 10 but could draw and duplicated the White Tara Tzakaley so well!
I pray that, with these wonderful stories of Rinpoche’s sharing, may benefit more and more people to practice and increase faith in Mother Tara. OM TAREE TU-TAREE TUREE SOHA!
love, angel
I am just discovering and learning about the White Tara known as the Mother of All Buddhas
from the wonderful story of Rinpoche The Sacred Painting.
In front of my computer is a piece of paper with The White Tara Mantra that I printed a few days ago to practice.
I choose an image of the White Tara at
http://tsemtulku.com/images/stories/resources/freepictures/deitypics/highres/WhiteTara_2009A.jpg
to meditate on as I am chanting the White Tara Mantra:
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAMA AYUH PUNYA JANA PUTRIM KURUYE SOHA
Infinite gratitude for your guidance and inspiration!
Such beautiful White Tara paintings and happy reunion again after so many years 🙂
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks fo sharing. The White Tara is very divine.
Thankks.
Despite the difficulties of getting the original painting of the sacred Tara, Rinpoche doesn’t reserve the painting for himself but instead share it with the world by putting them on the blog.
By posting the images of holy Buddhas on the blog, including the Sacred Tara on the blog, Rinpoche has made it possible for each one of us to carry the Buddhas along with us wherever we go simply by owning electronic gadget that has access to Internet connection.
Rinpoche’s act of selflessness and generosity in sharing the prayers, mantras, dharma teachings (text and videos) and sacred pictures of Buddhas on his blog have transformed our electronic gadgets into a mobile shrine that we can pray to and and listen to dharma teachings anytime, anywhere at our own convenience simply by accessing Rinpoche’s blog/facebook/website.
Thank you again for setting up this blog thank you again for all the contents inside the blog. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing these stories about the Tara painting. Seeing Rinpoche’s watercolour of the Tara and being able to bring it back was one of the highlights of the trip. I am so glad Rinpoche’s mother kept Rinpoche’s painting all those years and then Lidshma looked after it and now Rinpoche has it back.
Rinpoche’s painting of Buddha images from young is another example of how Rinpoche’s past lives of pure Dharma continues again in this life. From the US trip, we saw and heard so many people observe Rinpoche’s love for the temple, Buddhist images and the Dharma. We will share these lovely stories about Rinpoche’s childhood and youth soon.
It is a blessing to be able to see the original picture of the sacred Tara, as well the oine painted by Rinpoche when he was kid back then.
Thank you for sharing with us this sacred picture of Tara. Thank you.
How beautiful,thanks for sharing Rinpoche. I love White Tara,my niece gave me a statue of her..Im so pleased you will have your Tara painting back..Tara is incredible,she has helped me a lot..even when i dont ask for help she helps.x
Anything Sacred no matter how simple or old it may be or look, if kept with reference and devotion can definitely work wonders. May it be an old painting or old statue. But in the perciever’s eyes and minds it can save a situation. In Rinpoche’s mum’s case. Her monk has given her a small framed picture of a painting of White Tara. The monk must have done a lot of prayers to it. And so much energy is generated in the picture. Rinpoche’s mum was saved when she was very ill in hospital and the picture of White Tara was placed above her head and she came out of coma the next day. I understand in Ganden Monastery in Mundgod, India there is a Manjushri statue that speaks.
Dearest Rinpoche,
This is indeed an incredible story. Since reading the sms updates regarding this, I have been soooooo curious to see the painting Rinpoche did… and now here it is! How amazing this duplicate survived all these years! When I was a kid, I was drawing houses and people (and what they wore meticulously) in scenerios… now I have an Architectural/ID and Events Company… I believe that our dreams as a child do come true, it is just that we tend to forget what it was I think.
Much love… Andrew
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this wonderful story. It’s amazing to know RInpoche as a small kid is so attracted to Buddhism and Tara. I’ so excited for Rinpoche as you will be getting your Tara painting soon. It looks beautiful!
Tara is amazing… there are endless stories about her miracles and her work to save beings… there are so many talking images of Tara… I believe that if you pray to her sincerely and recite her mantra, she can dissolve any obstacle!
What a beautiful precious treasure!
Such an amazing story about Rinpoche high perseverance and endurance!
Such an amazing story!