Material: Four-armed Mahakala. Buddha card

Size: 8.5X5.3 cm

Narrative:

The Four-Armed Mahakala is a retinue of Heruka, protecting all the activities of Heruka. His full name is “Auspicious Protector Four-Armed Mahakala.”

For guidance, practitioners seek constant blessings from their gurus and deities so that they can accomplish all worldly and transcendental Buddhist undertakings. Therefore, offerings to Mahakala and all the guardian deities can help to eliminate demonic hindrances and karmic obstacles, especially those caused by anger.

Thangka has a profound influence and meaning in Tibetan Buddhism. It is a religious scroll painting that usually depicts the Buddha, Bodhisattva, guardian deities or religious scenes, and is regarded as an important tool for spiritual practice.

**Influence**

1. **Religious practice**: Buddha cards are used in meditation and practice to help practitioners focus on the Dharma and deepen their understanding of Buddhist teachings through visualization.

2. **Cultural inheritance**: Buddha cards carry the art and culture of Tibetan Buddhism, promote cultural exchanges between Han and Tibetan peoples, and enable the outside world to gain a deeper understanding of Tibet’s religious beliefs.

3. **Rituals and Offerings**: In temples and homes, Buddha cards are often hung or offered as part of religious ceremonies, symbolizing piety and respect for Buddhism.

**MEANING**

1. **Wisdom and Compassion**: The Buddha and Bodhisattva in the Buddha card symbolize wisdom and compassion, reminding practitioners to practice Buddhism and treat all living beings with compassion.

2. **Cosmology**: Many Buddhist cards depict mandalas, which represent the structure of the universe and the perfection of Buddhism, and symbolize the harmony between the inner and outer worlds of practitioners.

3. **Karma and reincarnation**: Some Buddhist cards depict the cycle of life and death, reminding practitioners to pay attention to the cause and effect of karma and work hard to be free from reincarnation.

Buddha cards are not only works of art, but also one of the core beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism. Its existence allows practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of Buddhism through visualization, and to maintain their reverence and practice of Buddhism in their daily lives.