Wrathful deities
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A notable feature of Tibetan Buddhism is the emphasis on wrathful deities, often alternative manifestations of normally peaceful deities. True to their name, in Tibetan art, wrathful deities are presented as fearsome, demonic beings adorned with human skulls.
Though these awesome, hair-raising images seem contradictory to Buddhist ideals, they are not personifications of evil or demonic forces. Rather they symbolize the dynamic activity of an enlightened being, brought forth to tame negative or unsettling impulses in the human mind. In addition to destroying the passions of the mind, the purpose of gods is also to protect the faithful. The wrathful deities, who symbolize the tremendous effort it takes to vanquish negativity, especially perform this function.
Wrathful deities can be divided into several categories:[1]
- The Herukas (Tb. tRak-thung, lit. "blood drinker"), which are enlightened beings that adopt fierce forms to express their detachment from the world of ignorance.
- The Protectors (Sanskrit pāla), usually subdivided into three categories:
- Dharmapālas or "Protectors of the Law" are bodhisattvas, beings one step from enlightenment, which have taken a vow to assist other sentient beings on their path
- Lokapālas or "Protectors of the World" are guardians of the four cardinal directions
- Kṣetrapālas or "Protectors of the Region"
- The Wisdom Kings (Sanskrit vidyarāja), known particularly as the protectors of the Five Wisdom Buddhas; more a feature of Japanese than Tibetan Buddhism
