In Buddhism, wrathful deities or fierce deities are the fierce, wrathful or forceful (Tibetan: trowo, Sanskrit: krodha) forms (or "aspects", "manifestations") of enlightened Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or Devas (divine beings); normally the same figure has other, peaceful, aspects as well. Because of their power to destroy the obstacles to enlightenment, they are also termed krodha-vighnantaka, "Wrathful onlookers on destroying obstacles".Template:Sfn Wrathful deities are a notable feature of the iconography of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, especially in Tibetan art. These types of deities first appeared in India during the late 6th century, with its main source being the Yaksha imagery, and became a central feature of Indian Tantric Buddhism by the late 10th or early 11th century.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
OverviewEdit
In non-Tantric traditions of Mahayana Buddhism, these beings are protector deities who destroy obstacles to the Buddhas and the Dharma, act as guardians against demons and gather together sentient beings to listen to the teachings of the Buddhas.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn In Tantric Buddhism, they are considered to be fierce and terrifying forms of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas themselves. Enlightened beings may take on these forms in order to protect and aid confused sentient beings.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> They also represent the energy and power that is needed in order to transform negative mental factors into wisdom and compassion.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Sfn They represent the power and compassion of enlightened activity which uses multiple skillful means (upaya) to guide sentient beings as well as the transformative element of tantra which uses negative emotions as part of the path. According to Chogyam Trungpa, "wrathful yidams work more directly and forcefully with passion, aggression, and delusion — conquering and trampling them on the spot."<ref>Chögyam Trungpa. The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa: Volume 3, Shambala, 2003, page 438.</ref>
In Tantric Buddhist art, fierce deities are presented as terrifying, demonic-looking beings adorned with bone ornaments (Template:Langx) such as human skulls and other ornaments associated with the charnel ground, as well as being often depicted with sexually suggestive attributes. According to Rob Linrothe, the sensual and fierce imagery represents "poison as its own antidote, harnessed obstacles as the liberating force" and notes that they are "metaphors for the internal yogic processes to gain enlightenment".Template:Sfn
They often carry ritual implements, or some of the ashtamangala, or "Eight Auspicious Symbols", and are depicted trampling on (much smaller) bodies personifying the "obstacles" that the deity defeats.
Tantric deitiesEdit
YidamsEdit
Template:Main article In Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana, Yidams are divine forms of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The tantric practitioner is initiated into the mandala of a particular meditational deity (Sanskrit: Iṣṭa-devatā) and practices complex sadhanas (meditations) on the deity for the purpose of personal transformation.<ref>Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2013). The Princeton dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press. Template:ISBN.</ref> This Deity Yoga practice is central to tantric forms of Buddhism such as Tibetan Buddhism and the Generation stage of the practice is dependent on visualisation based on the vivid iconography associated with their yidam. Yidams can be peaceful, fierce and "semi-fierce" (having both fierce and peaceful aspects), with each category having its own particular set of associated imagery. Fierce deities can be divided into male and female categories.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The Herukas (Tb. khrag 'thung, lit. "blood drinker") are enlightened masculine beings who adopt fierce forms to express their detachment from the world of ignorance, such as Yamantaka, Cakrasamvara, Mahākāla, Hayagriva, or Vajrakilaya.
Dakinis (Tb. khandroma, "sky-goer") are their feminine counterparts, sometimes depicted with a heruka and sometimes as independent deities. The most prevalent wrathful dakinis are Vajrayogini and Vajravārāhī. A common form of imagery is the yab-yum of a Buddha and consort in sexual union.
GalleryEdit
- Yamantaka Vajrabhairav.jpg
Yamantaka, also known as Vajrabhairava.
- Ekajati.jpg
Ekajati, also known as Blue Tara or Ugra Tara.
- Chakrasamvara - Google Art Project.jpg
Chakrasamvara, a semi-wrathful deity, depicted in yab-yum with consort
- Vajrakilaya (8557221604).jpg
- Dancing Vajravarahi (Dorje Pagmo) LACMA M.90.195.jpg
Dancing Vajravarahi (Dorje Pagmo)
- Troma Nagmo closeup.jpg
- Hevajra-Tibetan.jpg
- The Wrathful Deities of the Guhyagarbha Tantra.png
The Herukas of the Guhyagarbha Tantra
- Beijing 2009-1027.jpg
Kalachakra statue
- Samye16.JPG
- Yamari, Rakta (Buddhist Deity) 16th century Boston MFA.jpg
Wisdom KingsEdit
In East Asian Buddhism, Wisdom Kings (Sanskrit vidyarāja), are seen as divine manifestations of the Buddhas, who act as protectors, messengers, and defenders of the Buddhist Dharma.<ref>Baroni, Helen Josephine (2002). The illustrated encyclopedia of Zen Buddhism. New York: Rosen Pub. Group. p. 100. Template:ISBN.</ref> In East Asian Vajrayana and Chinese Esoteric Buddhism the Five Wisdom Kings are regarded as manifestations of the Five Tathagatas. In Chinese Buddhism, the Eight Wisdom Kings and Ten Wisdom Kings are regarded as manifestations of different bodhisattvas and buddhas.<ref>Template:Cite thesisTemplate:Pn</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite thesisTemplate:Pn</ref>
- Acala at Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum.JPG
Acala, "The Immovable One"—manifestation of Buddha Mahavairocana
- Kongo Yasha wood statue.jpg
Vajrayaksa, "The Devourer of Demons"—manifestation of Buddha Amoghasiddhi
- Daiitoku myoo painting.jpg
Vajrabhairava, "The Defeater of Death"—manifestation of Buddha Amitābha
- Gundari.jpg
The Wisdom king Kundali, "The Dispenser of Heavenly Nectar"—manifestation of Buddha Ratnasambhava
- Gōzanze Kiburi-ji.jpg
Trailokyavijaya, "The Conqueror of The Three Planes"—manifestation of Buddha Akshobhya
ProtectorsEdit
The Protectors (Sanskrit pāla) or Dharmapāla (Dharma protectors), are powerful beings, often Devas or Bodhisattvas who protect the Buddhist religion and community from inner and outer threats and obstacles to their practice.<ref>Heart Jewel: The Essential Practices of Kadampa Buddhism, pages 71-3, Tharpa Publications (2nd. ed., 1997) Template:ISBN</ref> A Dharmapala can also be a Garuda, Nāga, Yaksha, Gandharva, or Asura.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Other categories of Protectors include the Lokapālas or "Four Heavenly Kings" and [[Kshetrapala|Template:IAST]] or "Protectors of the Region".
Eight DharmapalasEdit
A common Tibetan grouping of Dharmapāla is 'The Eight Dharmapalas' (Template:Bo), who are understood to be the defenders of Buddhism. They are supernatural beings with the rank of bodhisattva who "are supposed to wage war without any mercy against the demons and enemies of Buddhism".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Eight Dharmapala are:<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref>
- Yama, the god of death
- Mahakala, the Great Black One
- Yamantaka, the conqueror of death
- Vaiśravaṇa or Kubera, the god of wealth
- Hayagriva, the Horse-necked one
- Palden Lhamo, female protectress of Tibet
- White Brahma or Tshangs pa
- Begtse, a war god from Mongolia.
GalleryEdit
- Vajrapani American Museum of Natural History.jpg
- Palden Lhamo, Tawang Monastery.jpg
- Todaiji13s4592.jpg
Vaiśravaṇa (Bishamonten), one of the four Heavenly Kings, at Todaiji
- Guardian of Phra Meru Mas of Bhumibol Adulyadej - Vessavana (left side).jpg
A thai depiction of Vaiśravaṇa (Vessavana).
- GanpatiTibetan.jpg
- Citipati-buddhist-deity.jpg
- Yellow Yama (?) and Consort on Bull, Nyingmapa Buddhist or Bon Ritual Card LACMA AC1998.253.1.jpg
Yama, lord of death
- Hayagriva Samye Ling July 09.jpg
Hayagriva, the "horse-necked"
- Rahula and his Assembly - Google Art Project.jpg
Rahula, an oath-bound protector of Dzogchen
- Korea-Gangwon-Woljeongsa Heavenly King 1690-07.JPG
Virūpāksa—King of the West, one of the Four Heavenly Kings at Wolijeongsa, Korea
- Ho-phap Kuyen-thien.JPG
Dharmapala (Hộ pháp in Vietnamese) statue at Bút Tháp Temple, Vietnam
See alsoEdit
- Buddhist deities
- Chinese mythology
- Hindu mythology
- Japanese mythology
- Korean mythology
- Vietnamese mythology
- Tibetan art
ReferencesEdit
SourcesEdit
External linksEdit
- Wrathful Guardians of Buddhism—Aesthetics and Mythology
- Wrathful Deities
- Sacred visions : early paintings from central Tibet, fully digitized text from The Metropolitan Museum of Art libraries