Activity
Plant your own Past Continuous Tense Forest
GRADE LEVEL: Elementary School (4-5), Middle School (6-8), High School (9-12), College and Beyond
Background Information
Peaceful and Wrathful Deities
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The Buddhist deity Mahakala as a Brahman, 1700–1800.
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The vast Tibetan pantheon includes numerous peaceful and wrathful deities, who guide and protect believers on their paths to enlightenment. Among the images of peaceful deities are those of buddhas and bodhisattvas, great teachers, and high monks. Wrathful deities, such as the guardian deities, use their power to protect Buddhism and to destroy the three major obstacles to enlightenment: anger, greed, and ignorance.
The chart below shows differences between depictions of peaceful deities and those of wrathful deities. However, within the Tibetan pantheon there are many exceptions. For instance, while most peaceful deities have only one head and two arms, some depictions of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, have multiple heads and many arms. Adding to the complexity, peaceful deities can have wrathful manifestations and vice versa.
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PEACEFUL DEITIES |
WRATHFUL DEITIES |
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plain or jeweled halo |
flaming halo |
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jeweled crown necklaces and garlands of jewels |
crown of five skulls garland of freshly severed heads |
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usually one head and two arms |
numerous heads and arms |
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bodies of regular proportions |
squat bodies with rotund bellies |
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blue hair, hair neatly arranged |
orange hair, hair standing on end |
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two eyes |
three bulging eyes |
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serene expression |
fierce expression |
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hold peaceful objects such as lotus blossoms and vases |
hold fearsome weapons and implements such as curved choppers and skull bowls |
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peaceful gestures: meditation, dispelling fear, gift granting, or preaching |
threatening gestures |
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sit on moon (white) disk |
sit on sun (gold or orange) disk |
