Wrathful Face

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Wrathful Face & Mask

Tibetan Buddhist Masks -just like in many cultures all over the world- are used as a means to transform identity.
This face is that of a Dharma protector, called Dharmapala in Sanskrit.
There are 8 protectors of the Tibetan Buddhist teachings, the list can be found below.

Wrathful Mask
Drawing on paper

Copyright: © Carmen Mensink 2015
Status: For sale

The Eight Dharmapalas

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Thangka painter painting the eyes of a wrathful deity

List of the 8 Dharmapalas:

  • Mahakala
  • Yama
  • Yamantaka
  • Hayagriva
  • Vaisravana
  • Palden Lhamo
  • Tshangspa Dkarpo
  • Begtse

You could view them as the ‘bodyguards’ of the tantras, the esoteric texts for the more advanced practitioner.

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“We show the same form as the evil so the evil can feel fear. The protective deities take a wrathful form in order to scare evil.” – Khenpo Konchok Namdak

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