Satan: Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?

[Mars Man]

If I may here, just for a little highlighting:

I Would much more so tend to reason that there is very little connection between the Egyptian trinity of Horus, Osiris, and Isis, the older desert god, Set (or later Seth) and the later development of the Hebrew satan. Also, I would have to do some more research on the matter, but I'm under the impression that full blown mythical analogies of light .vs. dark as representations of good .vs. evil is not that old, and not that widespread.

Kali (or khali, meaning black or dark in Sanskrit) is actually from Hinduism, and is a consort to Shiva. Is it that that god-model may have slipped into Tibetan theology somewhere along the way? Earliest descriptions (the Pali texts) on the other hand do not seem to present Buddhism as having any model or character which would fit either the Jewish or the Christian satan, where as some later sects of Buddhism do.

 

[Chi65]

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Kali (or khali, meaning black or dark in Sanskrit) is actually from Hinduism, and is a consort to Shiva. Is it that that god-model may have slipped into Tibetan theology somewhere along the way? Earliest descriptions (the Pali texts) on the other hand do not seem to present Buddhism as having any model or character which would fit either the Jewish or the Christian satan, where as some later sects of Buddhism do.

Mahakala also is seen as Shiva, by he way. . .while Kali is a woman

Mahakala is a Sanskrit bahuvrihi of maha ("great") and kala ("black"). The Tibetan name is Gonpo Phyag (Wylie: mGon po phyag ).
[edit] Description
Mahakala is relied upon in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. However, he is depicted in a number of variations, each with distinctly different qualities and aspects. He is also regarded as the emanation of different beings in different cases, namely Avalokiteshvara (Tib: Chenrezig) or Chakrasamvara (Tib: Korlo Demchog, Wylie: 'khor-lo bde-mchog).
Mahakala is typically black in color. Just as all colors are absorbed and dissolved into black, all names and forms are said to melt into those of Mahakala, symbolizing his all-embracing, comprehensive nature. Black can also represent the total absence of color, and again in this case it signifies the nature of Mahakala as ultimate or absolute reality. This principle is known in Sanskrit as "nirguna", beyond all quality and form, and it is typified by both interpretations.
Mahakala is almost always depicted with a crown of five skulls, which representing the transmutation of the five kleshas (negative afflictions) into the five wisdoms.
(thus also seen as the protector of wisdom. C.)
The most notable variation in Mahakala's manifestations and depictions is in the number of arms, but other details can vary as well. For instance, in some cases there are Mahakalas in white, with multiple heads, without genitals, standing on varying numbers of various things, holding various implements, with alternative adornments, and so on.

from wiki:
Mahakala - Wikipedia

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Anyhow, they never saw or see it half as fixed, as the christians then did.
There is always a way through or around, never an endless hell (dark, an analogy in itself for us, because in Germany hell means bright, light, hehe, in contrary to a dark cave=Hoehle=Hoelle, but a cave with fire can be very warm, bright, sociable and cosy in the winters. . .) in mind.
You maybe surely right, to say, that it came from Hinduism, but I could not yet find a link to such origin (except the above, stating the nevertheless clear linguistic part) as for how and when. Would be interesting.
Also what was picked up and transformed during the old contacts between east and west, from our side.
Its for sure good to know about him and Fudo in Japan, who is just another metamorphoses on the way east. This time also additionally absorbing a chinese legend about a famous loyal general (generals play a certain role in korean shamanism, for example, as mountain gods, called before many ceremonies, walking on swords etc.), hence the kind of sword and his good reputation in China and Japan, plus some shamanistic fire-rituals, as stated before.

 

[Mars Man]

Just one last comment here--to otherwise avoid staying off-topic for too long:

What is interesting, as you have also brought up, Chi65 san, is that Shiva (or siva) can also be seen as female, and is seen as destroyer and creator, just as kali is--and which is probably why the latter is said to be a consort of the former. That these god-models were in Hindusim before the outset of Buddhism is very well substantiated. Shiva was also part of a trinity including Brahma, and Vishnu.

How Tibetan Buddhist circles mixed them up with Buddhist thought, would be a study indeed.