English
On Sunday, Jul. 20, 2025, 3:00 pm, at Rainbow Temple, True Buddha School Dharma King Living Buddha Liansheng Sheng-yen Lu will preside over a Mahakala Homa Ceremony, discourse on Surangama Sutra, and bestow empowerment for Mahakala Uncommon Practice. (Live Webcast Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLl20r-KQlapX_5fT-N3cOw)
【Mahakala Mudra :】
Place your right wrist above your left wrist, so that the back of your palms are facing each other. Cross your index fingers, middle fingers, ring fingers and little fingers. Keep your thumbs straight and upward.
【Mahakala Seed Syllable :】
or 
【Mahakala Mantra :】
「Om, ma-ha-ka-la-ye, so-ha。」
【Mahakala Dharmalakṣaṇa Brief Introduction】
Mahakala, known as Daheitian in Chinese, has two, four, or six arms. The two-armed Mahakala is the karma protector of the Karma Kagya School. He has a wrathful expression to subdue inner demons. He is a symbol of fearlessness.The six-armed Mahakala has one head and three round, bloodshot, glaring, and wide-open eyes. His blackish blue body emits blazing flames and he appears extremely ferocious. He wears a white elephant hide with the elephant's head facing down and the legs resting on his shoulders and legs. Mahakala clutches the elephant's leg with his uppermost right hand and carries a trident in his uppermost left hand. There is a skull damaru in his middle right hand and a noose in his middle left hand. The hands from his primary arms carry a skull cup and a crescent knife. Besides the elephant skin, there are green snakes slithering around him, necklaces on his neck, and white snakes wrapping around his ankles and wrists. These symbolize Mahakala's subjugation of the dragon kings and Yaksas. A tiger skin garment is worn around Mahakala's waist, which is encircled by human skulls.
Although Mahakala has six arms, he only has two legs. His right leg is bent at the knee and his left leg is outstretched. He straddles on a white elephant lying face up. The white elephant is holding a skull cup in its left hand and a big turnip in its right hand.
Mahakala's bluish black body symbolizes the unchangeable nature of his Dharmakaya. His three eyes symbolize his apprehension of the three lives, and the manifestation of Buddha's three bodies. The crown of five skulls symbolizes the transformation of the five poisons into five wisdoms. His six arms symbolize the six Paramitas. The crescent knife symbolizes the termination of all attachments. The Kapala filled with blood symbolizes the subjugation of mara hindrances. The bone rosary symbolizes his never ending work in saving sentient beings. The damaru symbolizes that his Dharma protective power exceeds the karma dakinis'. His trident symbolizes his might above the Three Realms (Desire, Form, and Formless Realms.) The vajra noose symbolizes his restraint over those who transgress the religious rules. His two feet symbolize expedient means and wisdom. The sun disc below his feet symbolizes illuminating the darkness of ignorance. The lotus seat symbolizes the pureness uncontaminated by the secular world. The back blazing fire symbolizes the destruction of chaos and unsettled mind. The tiger skin garment symbolizes the eradication of greed; the elephant skin, the removal of pride, and the snake, the defeat of anger. All his other respectable ornaments symbolize that he has all the virtues of Buddha. Mahakala's formidable Dharma power is insurmountable. Fortune, prosperity, longevity, and wealth are all under his jurisdiction.
【Living Buddha Liansheng Sheng-yen Lu Dharma Talk - Mahakala Background and Key Cultivation Formula】
Daheitian is known as Mahakala in Sanskrit. His other names are "Great Dark God," "Great Dark Sky God" and "Mahakala Heaven." He is the Dharma protector of the three roots of Guru, Principal Deity, and Dharma Protector.
Mahakala is very special and has many identities. He originates from "Ksetra" according to Buddhism. Where does he actually come from?
The legends all differ from each other. Some say that Mahakala is Mahavairocana - Vairocana Tathagata's manifestation. Some say he is Mahesvara's (Hindu's "Destruction God," Shiva) manifestation. Some believe that he is Guanyin Bodhisattva's manifestation. In Hinduism, Mahakala is named Lord Shiva, who is manifested by Shiva, who is Mahesvara, the God of Destruction.
In Japanese East Vajrayana, Mahakala is one of the "Seven Lucky Gods" or "Seven Gods of Fortune."
Generally restaurant kitchens tend to enshrine and worship Mahakala because he is God of the Kitchen. In Tibet, Mahakala is head of Sitavana, the God of Cemeteries, who is in charge of all cemeteries.
Mahaka is head of all protectors, also Tibet's great protector of Dharma. How strong is his power? Even though he is only the God of Cemeteries, all the formless are under his command. He can also call together all ghosts and spirits.
Mahakala has a unique mudra. Those without receiving the empowerment are not allowed to form this mudra. This mudra is called "Ghosts and Spirits Invocation Mudra."
Mahakala's power is very strong. White Mahakala is manifested by Guanyin Bodhisattva. Therefore, Mahakala can deliver spirits in the nether land to a pure Buddha kingdom.
In the past, when Siddhartha was meditating under a bodhi tree, many evil spirits tried to intrude and harass Siddhartha. Siddhartha summoned Mahakala for protection. Mahakala subdued all the evil, so that Siddhartha could obtain enlightenment. When Padmasambhava entered the Samye Monastery in Tibet, many evil spirits also tried to cause trouble. Padmasambhava asked Mahakala to help eradicate all the obstacles from the evil spirits, so that the construction of the Samye Monastery could be completed.
Mahakala is the most important Dharma protector of wisdom in Tibetan Vajrayana. If a tantric practitioner makes offerings, worships and praises Mahakala sincerely every day, Mahakala will guard the tantric practitioner day and night, without ever leaving the tantric practitioner. In this way, obstacles from practicing tantra, difficulties in livelihood, poverty, curses or spells, intrusion from evil spirits, and harm from the enemies will be overcome quickly. The tantric practitioner's internal, external, and tantric obstacles will be eliminated. Success will be facilitated by eradicating calamity, enriching, love and respect, and removing subjugation. One's fortune, wisdom, longevity, authority, fame and wealth will increase, and one's family will be auspicious, prosper, and live in harmony. Mahakala fulfills all living being's kind wishes.
To worship Mahakala: First invite the Mahakala statue to your home on the "Chu" day. In the afternoon, decorate your shrine with offerings and burn incense. Worship and recite the Mahakala mantra to invoke Mahakala to descend to your home. Place the Mahakala statue in the middle of the beam above your home's entrance.
The Mahakala Tantra describes Mahakala as the manifestation of Mahesvara, who roams around graveyards and cemeteries with many other ghosts, spirits and their families. They eat human flesh and develop superior strength. They are so brave and strong that they always win all their battles. Therefore, Mahakala is also known as the "Battle God."
Mahakala sadhana
March 26, 2011 Dharma Talk - The Identity of Mahakala
July 28, 2013 Dharma Talk - Mahakala, Commander of All Spirits and Ghosts
!!Please be aware that before engaging in any True Buddha Vajrayana practices, one must first take refuge and receive the respective empowerment.!!
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