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In Vajrayana Buddhism, a 'dharmapāla' (Tibetan ''drag-gshed'') is a type of wrathful deity. The name means "Dharma-defender" in Sanskrit, and the dharmapalas are also known as the 'Defenders of the Law (Dharma)' or the 'Protectors of the Law' in English.
In Buddhist iconography, they are invariably depicted as fearsome beings, often with many heads, hands or feet; blue, black or red skin; and a fierce expression with protruding fangs. Though dharmapalas have a terrifying appearance, they are all bodhisattvas or buddhas- embodiments of compassion that act in a wrathful way for the sake of sentient beings.
In Tibet, the eight main Dharmapalas are:

★ Mahakala (Tib. ''Nagpo Chenpo'')

★ Yama (Tib. ''Shinje'')

★ Yamantaka (Tib. ''Shinje Shed'')

★ Hayagriva (Tib. ''Tamdrin'')

★ Vaisravana (Tib. ''Kubera'')

★ Shri Devi (Tib. ''Palden Lhamo'')

★ Changpa

★ Prana Atma (Tib. ''Begtse'')
The practice of relying upon Dharmapalas began in ancient India as part of the Buddhist tantra tradition, and spread to Tibet and Japan.
In Tibet, most monasteries have their own dharmapala. Some of the better known Dharmapalas are: Mahakala in his many forms are emanations of Avalokiteshvara(sometimes related the Hindu god Shiva), ; Kalarupa and Yamantaka are considered emanations of the Buddha of Wisdom (Manjushri), and Shri Devi (Tib. ''Palden Lhamo'').
The main functions of a dharmapala are to avert the inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from gaining spiritual realizations, and to arrange all the necessary conditions for their practice. Dharmapalas can be Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or Dharmarajas (''Damchen'' in Tibetan). Only the protectors that have realized Shunyata are seen as an object of Buddhist refuge.
The ''Damchen'' were originally Tibetan mountain-spirits who were bound under oath to protect the ''Dharma'' by Padmasambhava and other Buddhist saints during the period of transmission of Buddhism from India to Tibet.
In Japan, the dharmapala Yamantaka (Daiitoku) is classified as a Wisdom King. Some other dharmapalas, notably Mahakala (Daikoku), belong to the fourth hierarchy of deities (''tenbu'').

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Related deities

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Related deities

In Tibetan Buddhism, there are two other classes of defender, the lokapālas and kṣetrapalas.

External links

★ Wrathful Guardians of Buddhism - Aesthetics and Mythology