While Theravāda Buddhism emphasizes Arahatship as the supreme spiritual goal, Mahāyāna Buddhism sets its sights on the Bodhisattva path, culminating in full Buddhahood. Within this framework, Mahāyāna offers rich and varied images of female spiritual perfection, both symbolic and embodied.
One of the central feminine images is Prajñāpāramitā, the “Perfection of Wisdom,” revered as the mother of all Buddhas. She appears prominently in the earliest Mahāyāna texts, like the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. Though “Prajñā” is grammatically feminine, her significance is not limited to grammar — she represents liberating insight into emptiness, the foundation upon which Buddhahood itself is born .
Mahāyāna thought often pairs wisdom (prajñā) with skillful means (upāya-kauśalya) — the compassionate application of insight. In tantric Buddhism, this pair is gendered: wisdom is seen as feminine, and skillful means as masculine. Their union — symbolized in both inner visualization and external ritual — reflects the complete integration of spiritual faculties needed for enlightenment .
From around the 5th century CE, female Bodhisattvas began appearing more frequently in Mahāyāna texts and iconography. Among the most beloved is Tārā, often called the Saviouress. Revered especially in Tibetan Buddhism, she is seen as the mother of all Buddhas. Her 21 forms, especially the Green and White Tārās, embody gentleness, swiftness, and deep compassion. Devotees experience her as an approachable deity, always ready to protect and comfort those in distress .
Another iconic figure is Guānyīn (Kuan-yin), originally male as Avalokiteśvara but increasingly depicted as female in Chinese Buddhism. Her transformation into a female form reflects the growing cultural recognition of nurturing compassion as a feminine ideal, and her popularity among women seeking protection, healing, or assistance in childbirth further deepened her identification as a maternal figure .
In tantric Buddhism, the union of male and female deities — often portrayed in sexual embrace (yab-yum) — symbolizes the merging of wisdom and compassionate means. Some tantric texts go further, teaching that women, through appropriate practice, can attain full enlightenment in a single lifetime. This is a powerful affirmation of feminine potential and dignity within spiritual life .
Furthermore, Mahāyāna includes teachings on soteriological androgyny — the idea that true spiritual realization requires integrating both masculine and feminine traits, regardless of one’s biological sex. Gender becomes not a barrier but a means of transformation, offering a path toward wholeness and liberation for all beings .
Thus, Mahāyāna Buddhism does more than permit the spiritual achievement of women — it elevates feminine symbolism as an essential and active force in the path to awakening. Through wisdom mothers, saviouresses, and compassionate protectors, female spiritual perfection is not only visible — it is celebrated.