The boundless compassion and enduring spirit of love that was the foundation of the Buddha’s teachings needs to be protected.
During the empowerment of Mahakala he stressed over and over that this is not some aggressive form but indeed one of compassion and love. It is a protector of love. It is a protector of our own innate Buddha nature. He went on to say that a protector is not some exterior being, or an imaginary floating idea, it is in fact our practice itself. Refuge isn’t a person we depend on, we must actually strive to become refuge itself. Like a great Samurai aways respects their enemies, we must also respect our emotions, good or bad. To be a fearless protector we must coexist with these emotions, but never let them carry us away. We must gain the qualities of a Buddha so that we can benefit all beings. We must strong, but soft and caring as well. The protector is always both soft and strong, and he draws his great power directly from the heart.
Karma Kagyue Diamond Way Buddhist Retreat Center "Karma Guen" Lama Ole Nydahl Jigmé Rinpoché
