The Wrathful Protector Mahakala, Tantric Protective Form of Avalokiteshvara
Not on view
Avalokiteshvara plays a crucial devotional role as Mahakala, who is the ferocious protector of Buddhist teachings and, by extension, of the monastic community. Here, he stands with the flayed skin of an elephant over his shoulders and holds ritual implements in his six hands. Above, the celestial Buddha Amitayus presides over the scene and is flanked by ascetic mahasiddhas and monastic patriarchs from the Gelugpa order. The hyperrealistic painting style heightens the viewer’s emotional response, emphasizing Mahakala’s role as a destroyer of evil. A dedicatory inscription on the reverse, which could equally apply to a peaceful representation of Avalokiteshvara, reads in part:
My humble salutations to the most loving, compassionate of all times—the past—present and the future . . . To you I pray that my good deeds be of service to all living beings from now until the time when all have achieved Buddhahood. May you the Great Protector [Mahakala] always be near to us and help us to follow the path to righteousness.
On view from March 27, 2021–October 30, 2022
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