33” x 23” Black Mahakala Thangka Painting

Black Mahakala - The Protector of Wisdom

Black Mahakala is an aspect of Mahakala, one of the eight great Dharmasalas, or Dharma Defenders. Also known as the Protector of Wisdom, Mahakala is a wrathful deity who courageously protects the Buddhist teachings and those who study them from harm and evil forces. Despite Mahakala's always terrifying appearance, he is a Bodhisattva, an embodiment of compassion who acts for the benefit of all sentient beings. His function is to avert the inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from attaining spiritual realizations, as well as to foster the necessary conditions for their practice. It is said that by simply making a wish for protection to Mahakala, a sincere seeker's needs will be met.

Gestures and Attributes

Mahakala is depicted in a number of variations, each with different qualities and accoutrements. In most depictions, such as this one of his Black aspect, he wears a crown of five skulls. These skulls represent his transmutation of the five poisons (greed, hatred, ignorance, pride, and jealousy) into the five transcendent wisdoms. He is seen standing on the corpse of the elephant-headed god Ganesh, demostrating that he is the supreme destroyer of obstacles. His color Black further signifies his function of destroying evil and obstructions to the spiritual path. He is considered to be a fierce and wrathful aspect of Avalokiteshvara, Lord of Compassion.

He has six arms, symbolizing his attainment of the six perfections of a Bodhisattva. His two feet represent wisdom and method. In his upper right hand he holds a rosary of human skulls, which he continuously counts, demonstrating his unceasing activity for the benefit of sentient beings. In his lower right hand he holds a ritual drum, or damaru , which he uses to invoke all Buddhas to bless sentient beings, and whose sound is likened to the beautiful sound of the Dharma teachings. His upper left hand holds a trident, symbolizing his abandonment of the imprints of delusions of the three realms. His lower left hand holds a lasso, indicating his power to bind demons and evil forces. His two main hands hold a ritual curved knife, representing his ability to sever the root of delusion, and a skull bowl brimming with the blood of the four maras, symbolizing his realization of emptiness and his victory over the forces of death.