The Six Arms White Mahakala - Wealth And Prosperity

Who are Mahakalas? What are the forms?

Mahakala literally translates as Great Time Foe," meaning “beyond time and death.” Maha is Sanskrit and means "great,” and “Kala” means time.

Mahakala emanates from Avalokiteshvara—to remove all our obstacles to practice—and may appear in different forms and colors that symbolize his functions. The most famous of these is six-armed black Mahakala, the ferocious remover of obstacles to our practice. 

There are also two-armed and four-armed forms in different meditation lineages. Most Mahakalas are enlightened protectors, and most, but not all, emanate from Chenrezig. 

Who is White Mahakala? 

White Mahakala is the essence of protection and prosperity in Tibetan Buddhism. He is believed to be an emanation of the Avalokiteshvara, the Lord of the World. As a Bodhisattva, the deity is associated with compassion and wrath in a protective form, which helps overcome obstacles.

The white six-armed form of Mahakala is famous for removing obstacles to our practice involving lack of support, resources, or prosperity, which limit our ability to help other beings. He is the Mahakala who relieves poverty and brings us prosperity. 

White Mahakala brings prosperity and wealth. 

Does it seem counterintuitive that Buddhist practices include “good fortune” practices—especially when Buddha taught renunciation? 

Does it seem selfish to ask for enlightened help with our obstacles, such as poverty, stress, or resources? It shouldn’t. Imagine if fully renounced monks are starving, unable to find a bowl of rice. 

How can they meditate? How can they practice Bodhichitta when they can’t even find food for themselves? And how can the lay community support the monks when they can’t feed themselves? 

White Mahakala is also known as Shadbhuja Sita Mahakala. He is called gon po kar po chag drug pa in Tibetan and the White Lord with Six Hands in English. 

White Mahakala, a wealth deity of the Kriya class of Tantra, satisfies the economic needs of Tantric Buddhists. 

Homage to Lord Chintamani, Holy Avalokiteshvara, the gathered compassion of all Buddhas of the ten directions and three times; to that emanation, the Six-Handed Protector, devotedly with the body, speech, and mind, I bow.”

The white Mahakala is more unusual than the customary black form. He is especially popular in Mongolia as the main protector deity of Mongolia, given such distinction by the third Dalai Lama.

The teachings of the White Mahakala were brought to Tibet in the eleventh century by Khedrup Khyungpopa, who also brought the teachings of the Six-armed Black Mahakala.

Performing the White Mahakala ritual is supposed to bring endless wealth to the needy practitioner in such things as a family, material goods, food, power, knowledge, and spirituality.

The lineage of White Mahakala: Vajradhara, Jnana Dakini, Shri Shavaripa, Lord Maitripa, Mahasiddha Rahulagupta, Khedrup Khyungpo Naljor, Nyam Med Rinchen Tsondru, Bonton Kyergangpa, etc. 

Do you cherish our devoted work? 

Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development? 

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in 2008, we have been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 16 years. 

We have exceptionally constrained support and do not receive subsidies or funding from people in general.

Please help us develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you but all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us enhance our work and accomplish more for a better and brighter future.

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. With your support, it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheels in the world. 

Aspiration for Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen, may it arise and not decrease. But increase further and further. 

Dedication of Merit 

By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then. 
Having defeated the enemies wrongdoing. May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.
 
*Note.
I do not own or infringe any copyright on the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and/or studios
The picture(s) are intended for editorial use only.