Our Centre’s Name

“Maha Tare” is a Sanskrit word. “Maha” signifies something large and beneficial. “Tare” means a star in Sanskrit, here however it refers to the Bodhisattva Tara, a female Bodhisattva in the Buddhist tradition.

Our Centre’s Logo

Our Centre’s logo is a combination of four symbols; the wheel of dharma, the dharma text, a lotus flower and a scarf.

1. Wheel of Dharma (Sanskrit: Dharmacakra) is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism, it symbolising the turning of the wheel of the dharma by Shakyamuni Buddha. “Turning of the wheel of the dharma” means the Buddha’s teaching of the Dharma in the world. The Buddha turned the wheel of the dharma three times, first at the deer park in Sarnath, and later at Rajgir and Shravasti. The first turning of the wheel of dharma was the introduction of the Four Noble Truths. The second turning was the introduction of the Perfection of Wisdom (Nature of Emptiness). The third turning was the introduction of the doctrine of Buddha Nature. The wheel of the dharma in our logo symbolises our Centre promoting and spreading the three vehicles of Buddha’s teachings to the world.

2. Dharma Text: The Tibetan Buddhist Canon consists of Kangyur (Translated Words) and Tengyur (Translated Treatises). The dharma text in our logo symbolises the teaching of one of the most important commentaries of the Gelug tradition, The Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path (Lam-rim chen-mo) by Je Tsongkhapa.

3. Lotus flower: In Buddhism, the lotus flower symbolises purity as it is able to emerge from murky waters and yet remain perfectly clean. The Lotus flower in our logo symbolises spiritual awakening and enlightenment.

4. Scarf: The Scarf or Khata (commonly known in Tibetan), is a ceremonial scarf presented during important occasions as a gift. The Khata symbolises pure intention, devotion and good luck. The Khata in our logo symbolises the offering of the Khata to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha with the purest dedication and devotion. It also symbolises harmony and respect between our members and the community.