Gur-gyi Mgon Po
By Chaya Chandrasekhar
9 June, 1998
Panjara, or "cage," Mahakala is a specific
form of the angry manifestation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. In Tibet
he is commonly known as Gur-gyi Mgon Po, or "Lord of the Tent,"
and is popularly worshipped by members of the lay Buddhist community. Gur-gyi
Mgon Po is said to reside in charnel fields, trampling over vanquished enemies
who hinder religious attainment. He is usually black, or deep blue in color
and is shown with three glaring eyes, fangs and hair that stands on end
with a vajra in it. In his two hands he holds a katrika, or
chopper and a kapala, or skull-cup, while his most distinguishing attribute,
a staff called a beng (Skt. gandi), rests in the crooks of his arms
(Wojkowitz, 50). Rhie and Thurman note that the beng was used as a gong
in monasteries to get monks to assemble for meditations and discussions.
As a result, Gur-gyi Mgon Po came to be considered the primary protector
of Buddhist monasteries (Rhie & Thurman, 223). The deity's ornaments
consist of a five-skulled crown, a garland of fifty severed heads, bone
ornaments and a tiger-skin loin cloth (Wojkowitz, 50). Each of these ornaments
symbolize his ability to overcome a specific hindrance which obstructs enlightenment
(Rhie & Thurman, 223).
The SAMA collection has five paintings with Gur-gyi Mgon Po as the central
deity. Although very different in style and execution, paintings 92.002a and 94.006 are similar
in composition and iconography. In both, the central Gur-gyi Mgon Po figure
is engulfed in flames at the top of which appears a Garuda bird. In both
paintings, Gur-gyi Mgon Po is flanked by Brahmanrupa Mahakala on the left
and Palden Lhamo, riding her khyang, on the right.
Brahmanrupa is Mahakala in the form of a holy Hindu man. He is shown as
a bearded figure, seated or standing on a prostrate human corpse. Brahmanrupa's
most distinguishing attribute is the thigh bone trumpet which he holds,
along with the chopper, in his right hand in 92.002a. In the second painting, the thigh bone trumpet is used
to secure Brahmanrupa's hair-knot, while he holds only the katrika,
or chopper, in his right hand. In his left hands, Brahmanrupa generally
carries a skull-cup and a lance. In 94.006, Brahmanrupa holds a flaming sword and katrika
in his right hands and also supports a vase with his left. A string of prayer
beads made of human heads is placed around his left forearm. According to
legend, Brahmanrupa Mahakala, appeared to the thirteenth century teacher,
Sakya Lama Pakpa, and aided him in teaching the Hevajra Tantra to the Mongol
emperor, Kubhlai Khan (Rhie & Thurman, 225).
Palden Lhamo, or Shri Devi in Sanskrit, seen on
the right side of both paintings, is one of the eight Dharmapalas, or protectors
of the Dharma, in Tibet. Her most characteristic feature is the feral, mule-like
khyang she controls and rides on. She is usually depicted as a fierce
hag, with flaming eyebrows, gaping, fanged mouth and drooping breasts. In
each of her four hands she holds a sword, a skull-cup, a lance or staff
and a trident.
The Adi Buddha, Vajradhara, appears in the top center of each of the SAMA
paintings. He is blue in color and holds a vajra in each of his crossed
hands. Here, Vajradhara is the progenitor from whom all the figures in the
painting emanate.
In 92.002a,
two monks, one in a Nyingma red cap, are depicted on either side of Vajradhara.
Five, two-armed forms of Mahakala are depicted below Gur-gyi Mgon Po. Each
appears in a vigorous, dancing posture, wielding various attributes. They
are probably Gur-gyi Mgon Po's attendants, or acolytes, who aid the deity
in his function as protector.
The top row in 94.006 is occupied by eight figures flanking the central Vajradhara
figure. Several of these figures are identified through inscriptions which
have been read by John C. Huntington. On the far left is the Heruka paired-deity,
Hevajra. Lineage teachers of the Nyingma order are depicted on either side
of Vajradhara. Identified by inscriptions, Sakya kunga tashi and Sa chen
are depicted immediately next to Hevajra. Long Chen Zanpo and Dorje chad
lu ga Zangpo are represented on the top right side of the painting, next
to Vajradhara. Although badly damaged, the white figure on the far right
may be Sita, or White, Mahakala in his characteristically straight, frontal
pose. Other figures, probably belonging to Gur-gyi Mgon Po's retinue, as
well as habitants of the charnel fields are also included in the painting.
Whether or not other figures were depicted along the lower edge of the painting
is unclear as it has been cut.
93.014
is a large painting in the SAMA collection with Gur-gyi Mgon Po, holding
his regular attributes, in the center, accompanied by a host of other deities.
Along the top are various deities of the Nyingma order. On the far left
of the painting is the Buddha Sarvavid Vairochana of the Sarvadurgati-parshodana-tantra.
He has six heads, instead of the customary four, and sits in the meditating
posture. To Sarvavid Vairochana's left is Vajradhara with his characteristic
pair of vajras. To his left is the paired-deity, Kalachakra, Vajrahumkara
or Chakrasamvara who are all identical in form and can be specifically identified
only through context. The male figure of the paired-deity holds a vajra
in each of his crossed hands, while supporting his female counterpart. She
holds a katrika in her raised right hand and a kapala in her
left, which is placed behind the male figure. The next two figures are representations
of the Buddha Akshobhya or, Shakyamuni, making the bhumisparsha,
or earth-touching, gesture. The second Buddha figure is crowned and holds
a vajra in his left hand placed on his lap. This identifies him as
Akshobhya Kuleshvara, or the master of the house, in the jina, or victor,
Buddha mandala. The figure to his left, seated making the abhaya,
or fear not, gesture is probably one of the three Dharma kings of Tibet.
To his left is probably the Nyingma teacher, Long Chen Jampa, identified
by the manner in which he places his hands (John C. Huntington, unpublished
Research Database on the Nyingma Iconography). The figure in the right corner
is also another Nyingma teacher, probably Lodothaya, who sits making the
dharmachakra, or teaching, gesture, with his hands (John C. Huntington,
unpublished Research Database on the Nyingma Iconography). Two lotus stems,
probably bearing attributes, are depicted on either side of the teacher.
Two fierce figures on either side and two monks
in the center are depicted in the second row from the top. The figure on
the far left holds a pair of vajras in each of his crossed arms and
may be a specific form of Mahakala. To his left is probably the monk, De
Sheg Zur Rinpoche, identified by the vajra and ghanta held
in each of his crossed arms. The monk on the right side of the painting
holds a lotus in his right hand and a book, resting on his lap, with his
left. A bull-headed, angry deity occupies the far right position of this
row, and holds a katrika and kapala in his hands.
The three figures depicted vertically on the left side of the painting are
a four-armed Mahakala-type figure on the top, probably Sita, or "White,"
Mahakala in the middle and the guardian king, Vaishravana, or Jambhala below.
The top figure cannot be identified precisely. The middle figure, although
not white in color, may possibly be Sita Mahakala identified by his frontal
posture. The lower figure is that of Vaishravana, the guardian king of the
north. He rides on his snow lion holding a dwaja, or banner, in his
right hand and a mongoose, in his left. The mongoose, who overcomes the
snakes of avarice, also identifies Vaishravana as the god of wealth (Rhie
& Thurman, 161). Vaishravana is also one of the eight Dharmapalas, or
protectors of the Dharma, in Tibet.
The three corresponding figures on the right are Hayagriva at the top, the
goddess, Ekajati in the middle, and probably a form of the four-armed Mahakala
at the bottom. Hayagriva is shown with three heads and six arms. Three characteristic
green neighing horse's heads are visible in Hayagriva's hair. The goddess,
Ekajati in her characteristic blouse-like, shoulder garment and the tiger-skin
skirt is depicted below Hayagriva. She displays the abhaya, or fear
not, gesture with her right hand and holds a vase filled with ambrosia,
against her breast, in her left hand. The lower figure, probably a form
of Mahakala, holds a sword and katrika in his right hands and prayer
beads and a kapala in his left.
Several figures, probably belonging to Gur-gyi Mgon Po's retinue, occupy
the lower section of the painting. Identifiable among them are the goddess,
Palden Lhamo, represented directly below the lower four-armed Mahakala on
the right side of the painting. Yama and his sister Yamari, standing on
the copulating bull and female figure, are depicted directly below Palden
Lhamo. A two-armed Mahakala, holding the katrika and kapala,
is seen directly below the central Gur-gyi Mgon Po. Below him are five dancing
jina prajna dakinis depicted in the colors that correspond to the five jina,
or victor, Buddhas. The dakinis hold a katrika in their raised right
hands and a skull-cup and trident in their left.
Rahula, the personification of the eclipse is depicted in the lower left
corner of the painting. Half human and half snake, his belly marked with
a gaping mouth and his body covered with eyes, Rahula is particularly important
to the Nyingma sect and thus strengthens the painting's Nyingma connection.
Two dancing, skeletal figures are represented in the lower right corner
of the painting. These figures, known as chitipathi, or "Lords
of the Charnel Field" are reminders of the impermanence of worldly
phenomena.
Such paintings, executed on black grounds, are generally placed in shrines
known as a gonkhang, or "house of angry ones." The gonkhang
is a dark shrine in which images of the powerful protectors and benefactors
of the religion are worshipped. The dim lighting in a gonkhang as
well as the black grounds of the paintings create an ethereal environment
in which the deities manifest themselves. During esoteric rituals, a devotee
visualizes the gonkhang deities as vast in size, filled with compassion,
and vibrant with energy. The devotee also realizes that he or she is identical
with the deity and recognizes the compassion and energy within oneself which
motivates the performance of altruistic deeds for the benefit of others.
The last two paintings of Gur-gyi Mgon Po in the SAMA collection are two
mandalas with the deity in the center. The two mandalas are almost identical
in their iconography but vary greatly in presentation. #92.060, the black mandala painting, communicates concepts through
written incantations known as dharanis. In the colored mandala, the
concepts are illustrated as deities to be visualized during a ritual or
meditation. The two mandalas are conceptually identical and the dharanis
and the images of deities are interchangeable.
In the colored mandala, # 92.064 in the SAMA collection, six emanations of Gur-gyi Mgon
Po are depicted in each of the lotus petals around the central figure. Animal-headed
deities serve as guardians of the rectangular gates on the four sides of
the inner section of the diagram. The outer ring is divided into eight sections,
each representing a charnel field. The charnel fields include specific trees,
carrion eaters and great ascetics. Each field also has one of the protectors
of the eight cardinal and intermediary directions riding on his specific
animal mount. Charnel fields are places in which the mandalas are to be
visualized. In the black mandala, the dharinis are invocations through
which a devotee realizes the potential of the corresponding deity. The ten
directional deities represented around the outer ring of this mandala include
the guardians of the eight directions as well as the two that protect the
zenith and nadir of the world system.
References:
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