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Mahakala is a Dharmapala "Protector of the Dharma". The Six-Armed
Black Mahakala as shown here, is favoured by the Gelug order of Tibetan
Buddhism, and in this manifestation is considered to be a fierce and
powerful emanation of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.
Mahakala is characteristically depicted with a wrathful look, pot-bellied, bedecked with serpents which stand for the purification of anger. He wears a garland of severed heads and a crown of five skulls representing the five poisons of delusions, namely, lust, hatred, ignorance, pride and jealousy transformed into the wisdom of five Buddhas. He wears a tiger skin symbolizing the purification of desire. Mahakala has three eyes symbolizing his clear comprehension of three times; past, present and future. He stands against a background of blazing fire which symbolizes his ability to consume neurotic states.
His two feet symbolize wisdom and method. His left leg is straight and his right leg bent symbolizing his accomplishment of the benefit to oneself and to others. He tramples on the elephant-headed, Hindu god, Ganesha, (who has a human body and an elephant head) to symbolize his destruction and dispersal of great obstacles.
Mahakala's six arms symbolize the attainment of the six Perfections: generosity, patience, morality, diligence, meditation and wisdom.
In his upper right hand he holds a rosary of human skulls, the rosary symbolizes his continuous activity for the benefit of beings.
In his lower right hand he holds a drum or damaru which symbolizes his power over the dakinis.
In his two main and center hands, he holds a chopper (ritual curved knife) which cuts attachment to ego and a blood-filled skull cup or kapala which symbolizes the subjugation of the maras or evil ones.
His upper left hand holds the end of the tiger skin he is wearing.
In his lower left hand he holds a lasso which binds those who break their vows.
He has a trident on his upper left hand. The trident symbolizes his power over the three kayas; the spheres of desire, form and formlessness.
At one time, Avalokiteshvara thought that he would be able to subdue the degenerate beings of this Age of Darkness, yet seeing many beings practicing Dharma who were unable to escape from the Bardo realms (the period of the afterlife that lies between two different incarnations), he thought that through a wrathful form he could also protect them from the Bardo. Finally, he thought that beings in this dark age were poor and needy, experiencing only suffering and that through a wrathful form he could provide them with an antidote to their suffering so that their needs could be met by simply expressing the desire to escape their suffering.
With this three fold activity, his vow became even greater than before. From the heart of Noble Avalokiteshvara emerged a dark letter hum, which transformed into the instantaneous Protector of Wisdom. In all the Pure Lands, the ground shook with six kinds of earthquakes. The Conquering and Transcending One of Immensurable Light and other Tathagata of ten directions proclaimed with one voice: "Son of Noble Lineage, it is well that you have made this resolution. You shall have the empowerment of all the wisdom dakinis. You shall have the strength of the wrathful Yama, Lord of Death. You shall have the mountain spirits, the yakshas, the devils and the demons as your messengers. You shall embody the great wrathful empowerments of the Body, Speech, Mind Qualities and Activity of all the Buddhas throughout the three times." Ever since then, Mahakala has remained as the Protector of the Doctrine of all the Buddha fields.
This piece comes in four parts: the main body of Mahakala, the Ganesh, the base and the flame arch. The trident is also removable.
Mahakala is characteristically depicted with a wrathful look, pot-bellied, bedecked with serpents which stand for the purification of anger. He wears a garland of severed heads and a crown of five skulls representing the five poisons of delusions, namely, lust, hatred, ignorance, pride and jealousy transformed into the wisdom of five Buddhas. He wears a tiger skin symbolizing the purification of desire. Mahakala has three eyes symbolizing his clear comprehension of three times; past, present and future. He stands against a background of blazing fire which symbolizes his ability to consume neurotic states.
His two feet symbolize wisdom and method. His left leg is straight and his right leg bent symbolizing his accomplishment of the benefit to oneself and to others. He tramples on the elephant-headed, Hindu god, Ganesha, (who has a human body and an elephant head) to symbolize his destruction and dispersal of great obstacles.
Mahakala's six arms symbolize the attainment of the six Perfections: generosity, patience, morality, diligence, meditation and wisdom.
In his upper right hand he holds a rosary of human skulls, the rosary symbolizes his continuous activity for the benefit of beings.
In his lower right hand he holds a drum or damaru which symbolizes his power over the dakinis.
In his two main and center hands, he holds a chopper (ritual curved knife) which cuts attachment to ego and a blood-filled skull cup or kapala which symbolizes the subjugation of the maras or evil ones.
His upper left hand holds the end of the tiger skin he is wearing.
In his lower left hand he holds a lasso which binds those who break their vows.
He has a trident on his upper left hand. The trident symbolizes his power over the three kayas; the spheres of desire, form and formlessness.
At one time, Avalokiteshvara thought that he would be able to subdue the degenerate beings of this Age of Darkness, yet seeing many beings practicing Dharma who were unable to escape from the Bardo realms (the period of the afterlife that lies between two different incarnations), he thought that through a wrathful form he could also protect them from the Bardo. Finally, he thought that beings in this dark age were poor and needy, experiencing only suffering and that through a wrathful form he could provide them with an antidote to their suffering so that their needs could be met by simply expressing the desire to escape their suffering.
With this three fold activity, his vow became even greater than before. From the heart of Noble Avalokiteshvara emerged a dark letter hum, which transformed into the instantaneous Protector of Wisdom. In all the Pure Lands, the ground shook with six kinds of earthquakes. The Conquering and Transcending One of Immensurable Light and other Tathagata of ten directions proclaimed with one voice: "Son of Noble Lineage, it is well that you have made this resolution. You shall have the empowerment of all the wisdom dakinis. You shall have the strength of the wrathful Yama, Lord of Death. You shall have the mountain spirits, the yakshas, the devils and the demons as your messengers. You shall embody the great wrathful empowerments of the Body, Speech, Mind Qualities and Activity of all the Buddhas throughout the three times." Ever since then, Mahakala has remained as the Protector of the Doctrine of all the Buddha fields.
This piece comes in four parts: the main body of Mahakala, the Ganesh, the base and the flame arch. The trident is also removable.