Vishvamata, Viśvamātā: 2 definitions

Introduction:

Vishvamata means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit term Viśvamātā can be transliterated into English as Visvamata or Vishvamata, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist Iconography

Viśvamātā (विश्वमाता) refers to a deity from the White Tārā family, according to Buddhist Iconography.—Viśvamātā. She has been described in the Sadhānamālā as one-faced, with the white complexion of the moon, white garments and a white serpent as her Vāhana. She carries the white lotus in the left hand and exhibits the Abhaya pose in the right. She has not been described as bearing any image of her sire. [...] Strictly speaking, only those deities can be called Tārās to whom the mantra: “oṃ tārā tuttāre ture svāhā” is assigned. [...] From the colour of the different Tārās it will be possible to refer them [viz., Viśvamātā] to their respective Kulas or families presided over by the five Dhyāni Buddhas.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Vishvamata in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Viśvamātā (विश्वमाता).—name of a goddess (form of Tārā): Sādhanamālā 240.1, 14.

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

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See also (Relevant definitions)

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