True Buddha Dharma-character Treasury – Mahabala
【Mahabala Mudra :】
Mahabala Mudra
Guru Performs Mahabala Mudra
Form the Tarjani Mudra by holding both the right and left hands in front of the chest and facing outwards as shown in the diagram above.
【Mahabala Seed Syllable :】
Seed Syllable Hum
【Mahabala Mantras :】
Heart Mantra:「Om。ma-ha-ba-la-ye。so-ha。」
Ghost Prohibiting Mantra:「Om。ma-ha-ba-la-ye。hum-hum-pei。」
【Mahabala Dharmalakṣaṇa Brief Introduction】
The color of Mahabala’s vajra body can be blue, red, yellow, or white. He has one face and four arms. His left leg is stretched outward while the right leg is bent. His golden hair stands straight up and is bound with snakes. His fangs are exposed. He wears a tiger skin skirt and sunlight jewels on his crown with Amitabha as his crown ornament. (There are five sunlight jewels which are white, very white. Above each of the sunlight jewels is an Amitabha.)
- One of his four arms holds a staff – to knock enemies out.
- One of his four arms holds a lasso – to bind.
- One of his four arms holds a whisk – to sweep away karmic hindrances.
- One of his four arms forms the Tarjani Mudra – to express subjugation.
【Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu Dharma Talk – Mahabala Background and Key Cultivation Formula】
Mahabala is a truly unique vajra deity of True Buddha School (TBS). He represents TBS lineage. One will not find this deity’s image anywhere but within TBS as he is the great dharma protector of TBS.
Although one may find Mahabala in Tibet his practice is not widespread. There are only a few who know about this deity and cultivate his practice.
”Mahabala” means ”mighty dharma protector.” He has vowed to protect TBS. His crown ornament is Amitabha. On a thangka Amitabha should be positioned at the top, Golden Mother of the Jade Pond to the right, and Smiling-face Ghost King to the left.
Mahabala is a vajra dharma protector manifested from the swirling heart of Padmakumara. On the Grandmaster’s right thumb, there is an image of Mighty Ghost King formed by the thumb print. Its resemblance to Mahabala is remarkable.
Mahabala (Smiling-face Ghost King) is one of the six primary attendants of Ksitigarbha.
In the chapter Descending to the Hell Realm in Sheng-yen Lu’s corpus, book 76, Evenings by Phantom Lakethe author states: ”Padmakumara encountered Ksitigarbha and his six attendants at the Holy Palace of Emerald Cloud. The six attendants are Yama Envoy, Jewel-holding Youth, Mighty Envoy, Great Compassionate Goddess, Treasury Goddess, and Heaven Envoy.”
Of the six attendants, it was Mahabala who was sent by Ksitigarbha to accompany Padmakumara for the purpose of saving sentient beings. This is why Mahabala became Padmakumara’s attendant. Mahabala is namely Mighty Envoy. Because of Mahabala’s smiling face, Living Buddha Lian-sheng addresses him as Smiling-face Ghost King. Mahabala is hidden in Living Buddha Lian-sheng’s right thumb.
This is how Smiling-face Ghost King came to be the attendant of Living Buddha Lian-sheng.
Mahabala is actually a vajra dharma protector of precepts. When cultivating for love and respect, one visualizes Mahabala in red color; subjugation, blue; purification, white; and enrichment, yellow.
Mahabala’s mudra is the Tarjani Mudra, which is namely the Wrathful Mudra, signifying intense anger.
His seed syllable is also ”hum.” The seed syllables of almost all the vajra dharma protectors, such as the five great vajra dharma protectors of Tibetan Buddhism, Hevajra, Guhyasamaja, Chakrasa?vara, Yamantaka, and Mahottara Heruka, are ”hum.”
Mahabala has four arms. One arm holds a vajra staff, for striking. One arm holds a celestial whisk. What is the purpose of a celestial whisk? It’s for purification. What is the purpose of the staff? It’s for knocking people out. One arm holds a vajra lasso. What is the purpose of the lasso? It’s for tying things up.
As for those disciples who have violated precepts, have no remorse, never think to repent, don’t follow the Confucian teaching of ”reflecting upon one’s actions three times a day,” and continue to violate precepts, Mahabala will knock them out with his staff, tie them up with his lasso, and haul them down to Ceaseless Hell.
What does ”ceaseless” mean? It means ceaseless in duration. If in this hell there was even so much as an instant for one to gasp for breath then this hell would not be called ”ceaseless.” It would be called ”intermittent” as one would be tormented for a certain time and would recover for a certain time.
”Ceaseless” also means ceaseless in suffering, ceaseless pain without the slightest respite.
Let me tell everyone. If one has violated precepts, as long as Mahabala uses his celestial whisk to sweep over one’s body one will become clean again. Because one has reflected upon one’s mistakes and repented, then let bygones be bygones.
Vajrayana also has this precept: ”With regard to those who violate precepts, if one is close to these people one will also become one who violates precepts.” Consequently, there is a need for distance and separation because those who have violated precepts will become contagious and infect other people.
Absolutely do not violate precepts or be in the company of those who violate precepts unless one is Mahabala and has already developed stability and power. ”I am forever pure. I go over to you to save you.” Otherwise, it is ”game over” because everyone will be dragged into hell if one who has violated precepts subsequently fools other TBS disciples into falling into traps and succeeds in having them follow him.
With regards to Mahabala’s practice for love and respect, one just gently taps the person whom one is interested in with the staff, and that person will become dazed and fall in love with one. Then, one can use the vajra lasso to bind the object of affection and bring them home to get married. This is a practice for love and respect.
For subjugation, one is to strike heavily with the staff followed by binding with the lasso and hauling down to hell. Mahabala can subjugate enemies and sweep away obstacles. He is capable of conquering all opponents.
Mahabala is also effective for love and respect. He can change the object of one’s affection from feeling no interest in one to having passionate feelings for one.
(Because Mahabala is a mighty Heruka the methods of practice are relatively aggressive.)
The greatest benefits of this practice are:
- A strong and healthy body
- Impressive in every way
- A mighty vajra
- Being invincible
(the ability to accomplish any wish.)
【Mahabala Ghost Prohibiting Practice】
Enshrine an image or a statue of Mahabala at home. Prepare offerings to him. Light three incense sticks.
One then stands inside the door of one’s house, forms the Mahabala mudra, and visualizes Mahabala standing at the door. One then chants the Mahabala mantra, ‘‘Om, ma-ha-ba-la-ye, hum-hum-pei.” 108 times.
Apply this same method of visualizing Mahabala, forming the mudra, and chanting the mantra 108 times, at every window in one’s house.
If one performs this practice, ghosts will not be able to enter the house.
One can perform this practice daily or once every 15 days.
Through this practice one’s home will be safe, peaceful, and pure.
If practitioners constantly chant the Mahabala mantra while walking, standing, sitting or lying down they will be safe and peaceful.
【Key Instructions by Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu during second transmission】
Mahabala is the True Buddha School’s vajra deity of precepts.
Mahabala is the integration of Amitabha, Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, Ksitigharba Bodhisattva, Padmakumara, and Mahabala.
Attaining spiritual union with Mahabala is equivalent to attaining spiritual union with Amitabha, Golden Mother of the Jade Pond, Padmakumara, Ksitigharba Bodhisattva, and Mahabala.
Mahabala Heruka Practice
Mahabala Ghost Prohibiting Practice
Aug. 27, 2016 Dharma Talk – Mahabala Heruka
Dec 31, 2016 The Second Transmission of Mahabala Uncommon Practice by Grandmaster Lu at Lei Tsang Temple in Taiwan