Dharmapala
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A dharmapāla is a type of wrathful god in Buddhism. The name means "dharma protector" in Sanskrit, and the dharmapālas are also known as the Defenders of the Justice (Dharma), or the Guardians of the Law. There are two kinds of dharmapala, Worldly Guardians (lokapala) and Wisdom Protectors (jnanapala). Only Wisdom Protectors are enlightened beings.
A dharmapāla is a type of wrathful god in Buddhism. The name means "dharma protector" in Sanskrit, and the dharmapālas are also known as the Defenders of the Justice (Dharma), or the Guardians of the Law. There are two kinds of dharmapala, Worldly Guardians (lokapala) and Wisdom Protectors (jnanapala). Only Wisdom Protectors are enlightened beings.
Tibetan Buddhism
mask depicting Mahākāla) There are many different dharmapalas in Tibetan Buddhism. Each school has its own principle dharmapalas and most monasteries have a dedicated dharmapāla which was originally comparable to a genius loci. The many forms of Mahakala are emanations of Avalokiteshvara. Kalarupa and Yamantaka are considered by practitioners to be emanations of Manjushri the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. Principal wisdom protector dharmapalas include: Prana Atma (Tib. Begtse) Ekajaṭī (Tib. ral chig ma) Mahakala (Tib. Nagpo Chenpo) Shri Devi (Tib. Palden Lhamo) Yamaraja/Dharmaraja/Kalarupa (Tib. Shinje) Other dharmapalas include: Bhairava (Nepali: भैरव) Citipati Mahakali Yamantaka (Tib. Shinje Shed) Hayagriva (Tib. Tamdrin) Vaisravana (Tib. Kubera) Rāhula (Tib. gza) Vajrasādhu (Tib. Dorje Legpa) Brahma (Tib. "Tshangs Pa") Maharakta (Tib. tsog gi dag po, mar chen) Kurukulla (Tib. rig che ma) Vajrayakṣa (Takkiraja) (Tib. du pai gyal po) The main functions of a dharmapāla are said to be to avert the inner and outer obstacles that prevent spiritual practitioners from attaining spiritual realizations, as well as to foster the necessary conditions for their practice.
Shingon Buddhism
In Japanese Shingon Buddhism, a descendant of Tangmi, or Chinese Esoteric Buddhism, dharmapālas such as Acala and Yamantaka are classified as Wisdom Kings. Other dharmapālas, notably Mahakala, belong to the Deva realm, the fourth and lowest class in the hierarchy of honorable beings.
Footnotes
References
Bibliography
Kalsang, Ladrang (1996). The Guardian Deities of Tibet Delhi: Winsome Books. (Third Reprint 2003) . Linrothe, Rob (1999). Ruthless Compassion: Wrathful Deities in Early Indo-Tibetan Esoteric Buddhist Art London: Serindia Publications. . De Nebesky-Wojkowitz, Rene (1956). Oracles and Demons of Tibet. Oxford University Press. Reprint Delhi: Books Faith, 1996 - . Reprint Delhi: Paljor Publications, 2002 - .
External links
Buddhist Protectors - outline page at Himalayan Art Resources Citipati Buddhist Protector - Citipati Ritual Mask
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