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The perfectly geometric portrayal of beautiful Gods in so many of the Tibetan
Buddhist paintings is balanced against depictions of horrible and monstrous
deities, deities that are clearly supported by the peaceful institution of
Tibetan Buddhism. From one point of view, we may consider these beings the
manifestation of wrath and chaos as forces of Enlightenment, that the furies
have been tamed and now serve the Truth with all their angry guise.
Many of these deities are described as "Avowed Ones" (sdom can), for freedom to be angry
they have promised to be angry only at those who threaten the Dharma. As such,
the "dark side" has, in Tantric tradition, been brought into friendship with the
"light side:" Both protecting the transmission, but using different methods.
For this reason methods are also divided into peaceful, productive, powerful,
and wrathful. As the deities that represent wrath also represent the protectors
of the Dharma, in another guise they are primary deities of the highest order.
Every Tantric Mandala has not only the guardians of the four directions
protecting the north south, east, and west of the mandala, there
stands at the entrance to the mandala a large black guardian, usually a form of
Mahakala. The practices connected to deities like Mahakala, Bairava, Shri Devi
(dpal ldan lha mo), and their kind are highly involved in converting the basest
of all things into the principle of Enlightenment itself. Sometimes the
practices are severe, and involve things like long retreats in grave yards.
Those who have made the practice of the great black deities their main practice
are usually supported by interests highly concerned with security. There are
stories that a master of Bairava can disappear and re-appear, can hear over long
distances, can understand every tongue, etc. A Mahakala master, even today,
will be sought to stand watch over any large ritual proceeding. The power and
importance of protection and security being combined with the function of the
deities of wrath make for a powerful combination.
In one tradition, Avalokitesvara, a deity of peace, was required to generate a
deity of wrath, Mahakala, to deal with a particularly rough problem in the
realms of Enlightenment. This is why this form of Mahakala is usually portrayed
with Avalokitesvara in the picture.
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