Mahakala: The Formidable Guardian of Tibetan Buddhism
Background and Significance:
In Hinduism and Buddhism, Mahakala is among the most often used formative deity from wrathful forms. "Maha" denotes great; "kala" denotes time or death, hence implying "beyond time or death". Known as eight protective deities from Trantic Buddhism, he is the Dharma guardian. Mahalkala is Shingon, Japanese Esteric Buddhism, in Tangmi, Chinese Esoteric Buddhism. Popularly known as "Daikokuten," or "Daheitian," this deity is another rendition of "Avalokiteshvara," "Dharmapala." In Hinduism he represents the consort of Goddess Mahakali and the Lord Shiva.
Emblems & Essence:
The essential component of Tibetan Buddhism, mahakala shows in many forms and hues that correspond with his several facets. The six hand Mahakala are the most often used ones; they are also the obstacle remover used in our work. Black Mahakala with two arms is the emanation of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig). The White Mahakala is meant to remove barriers in our practice and prosperity thereby enabling our capacity to assist other entities.
The legends of two hand Mahakala hold that the compassionate bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara promised to postpone his enlightenment until all people's sorrows were under control. Avalokiteshvara then took the form of eleven head and a thousand arms, yet he was unable to assist people everywhere. He considered a wrathful form he could defend them and offer antidote to their agony so that their need might be satisfied by just stating their need to be free from their misery. From the heart of Nobel Avalokiteshvara surfaced a black letter "HUM," which became the immediate Protector of Wisdom.
Varieties of Mahakala:
White Malikala
The guardian and prosperity deity is white mahakala. White in color, he had three eyes, six hands and hair blazing skyward. His technique is supposed to eliminate the barrier of limited resources that keeps us from serving the living entities. He motivates us to strive harder and shapes our goal of prosperity to be able to support family, society, and living entities.
White Mahakala: Story
Once Lord Atisha came upon an elderly man starved to death. Offering his own flesh to save the dying elderly guy, compassion drove him. The old man objected, stating he could not have a Monk's flesh. Atisha saw the god of compassion, Chengrezig, materialize as White Mahakala, helping suffering entities to reduce poverty in this period of hopelessness.
Two hands together Black Mahakala: Two armed servants Mahakala also goes as "Black-cloaked Mahakala" or "Dorje Bermagchen." He is regarded as guardian of the Karma Kagyu School. In the Newari community of Nepal, he is most well-known. The Mahakala tantra describes him as the form of releasing the pain of the living entity. Though he was the chief defender of the Karmapas, he was usually regarded as primary protector. He served as the primary Gyalwa Karmapas guardian. His image derived from the Nyingma school term and was accepted by the Karma kagyu during the period of Karma Pakshi, second Karmapas lama. He was the particular defender of the Karmapas and shown with his consort Rangjung gyalmo. From the first buddha, Ardhalma, and essentially worshipped for his spiritual wisdom and wisdom component of enlightenment, he changed. Holding the chopper, which stands for cutting through bad patterns including aggregation, hate, and ignorance, he is using his right hand. He is clutching a skull cup loaded with blood in his left hand.
Known as the "lord of tent," Panjaranatha Mahakala protected the shakya school from emanation of Manjushri. He is black. As we know, all colors are absorbed and melted into black; all names and shapes vanish into those of Malakal, therefore reflecting his all-embracing, comprehensive character. Standing atop the corpse of two human bodies, he represents the death of the negative and totally uprooting of the negative patterns like dead body and never return to life.
Four hand kahakala:
Known as "Chaturbhuja Gong Po Phyag Bzhi Pa," four hand Mahakala On the following four positive karmas, Mahakala appear with four arms:
Calm Obstacles, Sickness, and Problems Boost knowledge, life, and virtue.
Draw to persons for Dharma and Dharma Practitioners. Eliminate uncertainty, ignorance, and uncertainty. Of Tibetan Buddhism, he was the main guardian of The Karma Kagyu, Nyungma, Drukpa Lineage and Drikung kagyu. Found at the Nyingma school, he taught the Dzogchen teacher of Ekajati first hand. With his left hand he is clutching a skull; with his right hand, a chopper; with other two hands, Khatvanga from left hand and fiery sword from right hand. Khatvanga is a type of ceremony with three human heads—that of raga, or greed; of dvesha, or ill intent; and of moha, or delusion. The three origins of evil are thus overcome. With which Mahakala demolishes the ignorance, the fiery sword is the weapon of transcendental wisdom. The idea of attribute of Buddhist deities is related with overcoming ignorance and embodied the wisdom component of enlightens into their bodily forms.
Six hand mahakala:
Six hand motions. Mahakala goes also as "Shadhbhuja Gon Po Phyag Drug Pa." Considered as the manifestation of Mahakala, the strong and potent emanation of Avlokiteshvara, the Boddhisattva of compassion,
He represents the transmutation of five negative suffering of human nature and is wearing the crown of five skull, worn by all forms of Mahakala.
Ignorance changes into the wisdom of reality.
Pride can grow to be wisdom based on homogeneity.
The wisdom of awareness turns into attachment.
- Anger transforms in the mirror form akin to knowledge.
The six hand marks the six perfection, or successful accomplishment of shad paramita. Under the direction of boddhisattvas, they are practiced and perfect like:
Dana-paramita, or The Perfectness of Generosity Shila-paramita Shila-paramita) Shanti-paramita(peace) Viryaparaita, often known as Vigor Dhyana-paramita: Meditation Prajna-parmita: Insightful knowledge
She has the curved knife and a skull cup loaded with heart blood. She is clutching "damaru," a drum in the hourglass form, next right hand. Her upper most right hand is clutching a rosary of skulls. Hu used to count rosary constantly, signifying for constant labor, and Mahakala has cosmic achievements. She holds the three jewels of Buddhism—the buddha, the dharma, and the sangha—in her other left hand from a trident. Her right leg is bowed at the knee; her left leg is stretched.
