MAHAKALA - GREAT COMPASSIONATE PROTECTOR

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Stories about cunning and mischievous crows abound in mythology and in the literature of many cultures both ancient
and modern.

Crows are mentioned often in Buddhism, especially Tibetan disciplines. The Dharmapala (protector of the Dharma)
Mahakala is represented by a crow in one of his physical/earthly forms.

In Hinduism, crows are thought of as carriers of information. They give omens to people regarding their situations. For
example, when a crow crows in front of a person’s house, he is expected to have special visitors that day. Also, in
Hindu literature, crows have great memories which they use to give information.

My favourite traditional English crow rhyme:

One for sorrow,

Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told.......

Mahakala

According to Shaktisamgama Tantra, the spouse of Kali is extremely frightening. Mahakala has four arms, three eyes
and is of the brilliance of 10 million black fires of dissolution, dwells in the midst of eight cremation grounds. He is
adorned with eight skulls, seated on five corpses, holds a trident, a drum, a sword and a scythe in his hands. He is
adorned with ashes from the cremation ground and surrounded by numbers of loudly shrieking vultures and jackals.
Among his side is his consort Kali and they both represent the flow of time. Both Mahakala and Kali/Mahakali
represent the ultimate destructive power of Brahman and they are not bounded by any rules or regulations. They have
the power to dissolve even time and space into themselves and exist as Void at the dissolution of the universe. They
are responsible for the dissolution of the universe at the end of Kalpa. They are also responsible for annihilating great
evils and great daemons when other gods, Devas and even Trimurtis fail to do so. Mahakala and Kali annihilates men,
women, children, animals, the world and the entire universe without mercy because they are Kala or Time in the
personified form and Time is not bound by anything and Time does not show mercy, nor does it wait for anything or
anyone

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Excerpting from the sacred Empowerment Text of the SIX ARM WHITE AND SIX ARM BLACK MAHAKALAS,
bb @ CAS attempts to paint a story ......

"...... Holy Chenrezig, overwhelmed with unspeakable sorrow and compassion at the limitless, boundless numbers of
beings, incessantly tormented by the myriad sufferings and pain in th six realms of existence, swooned unconscious,
unable to bear His own overpowering love for all .....

His Teacher, Buddha Amitabha, through His clarivoyance, saw Chenrezig so utterly discouraged and sad, sent forth a

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 powerful, brilliant beam of light and spoke to Him, "Son, despair not and never forget Bodhicitta and the Bodhisattva
Vows you have taken to strive in every way for liberation of all beings into eternity. Arise once more from your
unconscious state !! Forget not the vows you have taken and rest not until all beings have attained ultimate peace and
the permanent bliss of Enlightenment !! "

Chenrezig, thus exhorted by His Teacher, with unbridled courage once more, arose, donning One Thousand Arms and
Eyes in His thousand palms, manifesting the thousand Buddhas of our Fortunate Aeon, the Buddhas being rightly
called "Eyes of the World" and an accompanying one thousand Universal Emperors, who shall safeguard and uphold
the Buddhas' Teachings streamed from His thousand arms.

Resplendent beyond anything the world has ever seen, Thousand Arm Chenrezig stood strong, majestic, unshakeable,
brimming with renewed divine, supreme, pure love for our world. His thousand eyes attendant and witnessing the
ephemeral joy, the underlying pain of each and every being in samsara, beings so confused in their futile craving for
happiness, yet, slipping away, never permanent.

There are beings mired in poverty, poverty of every kind conceivable.

Chenrezig silently looked at all these beings, daily, slaving hard, slaving endlessly for food, food they both ate and
food they saved to bring home to feed hungry mouths of their beloved children and aged parents. With His
omniscience, Chenrezig witnessed, too, so many beings scrimping up pittance for repayment to obese masters living in
gold-plated mansions. These masters, like the humble workers, with the best of intentions, propped and pocked their
kids, force-feeding them to swallow this and that piece of studies, for "your future !!"; "for your good !!".

Curiously, so many of the rich are joyless, some are even blackly depressed. Life carries no meaning for them. They
see life as a bitch, then they die !!

Then, Chenrezig quietly saw, also, the noble sangha, following in the footsteps of the Buddhas. Some resided in abject
mountains, exerting every ounce for Enlightenment, for the well-being and happiness of all. There are, again, the great
Masters, teaching to their thousands of disciples, engaged in the building of great monasteries and medical halls, the
oasis of light and blessings in the chaotic world.

No Dharma is ever unchallenged by the Maras. In fact, the greater the Dharma, the greater the Maras !!

Chenrezig saw holy monks succumbing to temptations. He saw the yogi harrased with false visions and insights. The
cosmic battle wages on relentlessly, the Maras wanting beings to stay within His domain. They want to stay as the
King of Kings of samsara and every being shall worship them. There shall be no way, no way at all , except the way
through them !!

As Guru Rinpoche, yet another manifestation of Chenrezig speaketh, "I shall never be far away from those with faith;
or even far from those without it.", the noble Chenrezig perfectly and seamlessly watcheth...... suddenly,
spontaneously, Chenrezig manfested as the loving mother Guan Yin, the fastly powerful Taras, the demonically
wrathful Palden Lhamo and the myriad holy forms into every spiritualities in the world, so long as they bring hope
and light to all. So long as they benefit, even if a bit, even if a little relief and meaning.

Then, Chenrezig manifested again. This time, the heroic SIX ARM WHITE MAHAKALA manifested from
Chenrezig's noble heart. White Mahakala shall comfort with wisdom, joy, guidance, protection and wealth - both
spiritual and material.

Simultaneously, the SIX ARM BLACK MAHAKALA manifested, especially for protection of all sincere practitioners
and extreme flourishing of the Dharma.

Throughout the aeons, Mahakala has came and to the first Dalai Lama, He roared, "A Master and Practitioner like you

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 need a Protector like me !!"

The White and Black forms of Six Arm Mahakalas has since skilfully enacted inconceivable deeds for the Dharma and
all beings, living true to Chenrezig's knowing as the noble Lord of Compassion..... "

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LEGEND OF MAHAKALA

By Ven. Lama Lodru

1.Origin of Mahakala

At one time in the past, the Lord of Great Compassion, the Noble Avalokitesvara, raised the idea of Enlhightenment,
the Bodhicitta, and then for countless aeons accumulated Merit. After passing through the Bodhisattva levels, he
received the special Great Light Empowerment. Then, as he entered the ranks of the Noble Sons of The Buddha, he
made this vow:.

"Throughout the samsaric World realms in the limitless space of the ten directions. I will benefit beings. I must liberate
all beings from Samsara. Not until all beings are established on the level of Buddhahood, not even one left behind in
Samsara, will I myself enter Buddhahood. Only when all beings without exception have been guided to Buddhahood,
will it be well for me to achieve it. Until then I will remain in Samsara for the benefit of all beings. And to ensure it,
may my Body be shattered into a thousand pieces if I should ever break this vow."

From then on, Avalokitesvara resided at the Potala Mountain. Through his limitless emanations, at every moment, he
accomplished the ripening and liberating of innumerable Sentient beings-it is and extent beyond our means to express.
And in this manner he passed uncountable years many, many kalpas.

Then, at one time, he Thought it possible that now he had delivered all beings from Samsara. With his omniscient
vision he looked, and saw that the realms of Sentient beings had neither increased nor diminished. Not only had they
not decreased in number, but now those Sentient beings near him were in the Age of Darkness, and were even more
difficult to subdue.

Then saying, "Now, I cannot benefit even one sentient being," Avalokitesvara broke the vow he had previously made,
and his Body shattered into a thousand pieces.

Then the Guru Lama who by his vow always holds us in his Compassion, the Noble World protector, who has
conquered and transcended, and because of his immeasurable Light is called The Buddha Amitabha, vividly appeared
and said:

"son of my family, it is not well that you have thus broken your vow. Now you must replenish your broken vow, and
make an even greater resolution to benefit beings."

The shattered Body of a thousand pieces, by Amitabha's Blessing, was united

into one Body with eleven heads and a thousand arms.

Avalokitesvara then Thought that his previous great vow could never be exceeded. And yet by it he had been unable to
benefit even a few beings. So for seven days he was unable to decide what to do.

Then he Thought that by means of a wrathful Form he would be able to subdue the degenerate beings of this Age of

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 Darkness, And, Seeing many beings who practiced Dharma and yet were unable to escape from the Bardo realms, he
Thought that by a wrathful Form he could also protect them from the Bardo. And lastly, he Thought that the beings in
this Dark Age were poor and needy. experiencing only Suffering, and that by a wrathful Form he could provide them
with an antidote to their Suffering, so that their needs could be met by their simply making the wish.

With this three-fold activity his vow became even greater than before. From the great of Noble Avalokitesvare
emerged a dark blue HUNG letter, which transformed into the Instantaneous Protector of Wisdom. In all the Pure
Lands, the ground shook with sex kind of earthquakes. The Conquering and Transcending One of Immeasurable Light
and all other Tathagatas of the ten directions proclaimed with one voice:

"Son of the family, 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
yaksas, the devils and the demons as your messengers. You shall embody the great wrathful empowerment's of the
Body, Speech, Mind, Qualities, and Activity of all the Buddhas throughout the three times.

Ever since then, Mahakala has remained as the Doctrine Protector of all The Buddha fields.

II. Transmission of the Sadhana

Once when the Completely Perfect Buddha was in the village of Rajasthan, a dancer there felt great devotion to him
and made vast offerings of songs, music, and prayers. Nearly six hundred years after The Buddha passed into Nirvana,
the dancer was reborn a human. he was called the Mahasiddha Savaripa, Lord of the Hermitage.

At one time Savaripa was absorbed in object-less samsdhi in adesolate cemetaru in cool forest. As the morning
dawned, he saw in the sky a beating Damaru hand-drum. Then the Protector of Wisdom Mahakala appeared in great
brilliance and bestowed his Heart Mantra and may sadhanas upon Mahasiddha Savaripa. shri Savaripa's Life, because
of his intellect and ascetic conduct, became like that of the sun and moon. He went on reside on the Glorious Mountain
of the South. There, additionally, Noble Avalokitesvara, Vajra Yogini, Noble Tare, and other deities each bestowed
their sadhanas upon him.

One thousand years later. Lord Matri Gupta or in Tibetan. ("Concealer of his Kindness"), whose se4cret name is "Non-
dual Vajra" (Skt. Advaya Vajra), was living in Vikramasila, Although he was accomplished in Form Meditation, and
had thereby received Power, still he had not comprehended the meaning of awareness. So he prayed to special deities,
who told him, "Go to the Glorious Mountains of the South, into the compassionate care of the Lord of the Hermitage."
He proceeded to the Glorious Mountain, and from Mahasiddha Savaripa received the limitless deep teachings of
Mahamudra. His vision of awareness was like the sky.

Then maitri was instructed to go and spread the deep meaning of the Doctrine. He wrote commentaries on the sadhanas
of the four deities whose Blessings he had received. After twenty-one days of Meditation. He accomplished the
sadhana of Mahakala. and the Dharma-Protectors came under hes control. Mahakala extractecd the essence of great
Spiritual treasures and, with other presents, gave them to Maitri. His many wishes were accomplished.

Although in Tibet there were many transtators of the Doctrine of Mahakala, today their lineages do not remain. The
only through, deep, and unmixed version of this Doctrine is that of the learned Khyungpo Naljor-an unequalled stream
of Blessings, a glorious, rich, and flourishing activity, pervading all the earth.

The lerned Khyungpo, at age fifty-two, went to Nepal, and then for about fifty human years travelled back and forth
from Tibet to Nepal and India. He studied with one hundred and fifty learned teachers in India, and completely
accomplished their doctriness. When he was about to return to Tibet, he gave the remainder of his Dharma provisions,
including much gold, to Mairi, and said "we have few comforts in Tibet, Please give us a great sign that will bring
Wealth."

Then Maitri told Khyungpo Naljor the foregoing biography of Mahakala, said "He is also called the Black One of
Great Compassion. Also, the Lord of the sandalwood Place. As much as you rely on him, your wishes will all be

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 fulfilled. As much as you think upon him, your obstacles will be carried away. If you pray to him, even though you
have not accomplished his Meditation, he will show his face to you.

"Achieving only an ordinary accomplishment in his Meditation will bring extraordinary results. I am gibing you a
protector who is like a wish-fulfiling jewel." he said, and gave the complete instructions on Mahakala.

Later, when Khyungpo returned to Tibet, he gave the Empowerment and instructions of this manakala lineage to his
main disciples, Lopon cho-kyi sherab, Khyenchen Latopa, Gonchok kar. Shang-gon Dhos-seng, Mokchokpa Rinchen
Tsundrup, and many other Tibetan disciples.

Today this unbroken lineage is till maintained guy the lamas His Holiness Karmapa Rangjung Rikpae Dorje, and the
Venerable All-Knowing Kalu Rinpoche.
III. Symbolism of Mahakala

The Protector's Body color is dark blue, symbolic of the changeless Dharmakaya. His three eyes symbolize his clear
comprehension of the three times, and the vivid manifestation of the three bodies of Buddha. The crown of five skulls
symbolize the five poisons-Anger, desire. Ignorance, Jealousy, and pride-transformed into Five wisdoms. His six arms
symbolize the completion to the six perfection-Generosity, Patience, Morality, Diligence, Meditation, and Wisdom.
The tigug knife symbolizes the cutting of ego-attchment. The skull bowl filled with blood symbolizes the subjugation
of Evil ones. The rosary symbolizes his continuous activity for the benefit of beings. The Damaru hand-drum
symbolizes his Power over the Dakinis. His trident symbolizes his Power over the three spheres-desire, Form, and
formless. The also symbolizes his action of bending those who break their vows. His two feet symbolize means and
Wisdom. That his left let is straitght and his right leg bent symbolize his accomplishment of benefit to self and others.
He tramples on the Binayaka, to symbolize his destruction and dispersal of great obstacles. The sun on which he
s5tands symbolizes his illumination of the darkness of Ignorance. The Lotus seat symbolizes purity undefiled by
Samsara. The blazing Fire symbolize his action to consume neurotic states of Mind. The tiger skin he wear symbolizes
the Purification of desire: the elephant skin. Purification of pride: the snake, Purification of Anger. All his other
ornaments symbolize that he has the complete qualities of The Buddha.

(......, at Kagya droden Kunchab felt a need for the Life story of the Protector of Wisdom. Not being able to turn his
face from their request, poor old Lama Lodru has written this Wishing from the bottom of his Heart to benefit beings./
Nice day, nice month./ May Virtue increase.)

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