Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Kurukulla (Buddhist Deity) - Four Armed

ཀུ་རུ་ཀུ་ལེ། ནང་ལྷ། 作明佛母(佛教本尊)
(item no. 99092)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1800 - 1899
Lineages Sakya and Buddhist
Material Ground Mineral Pigment on Cotton
Collection Private
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Semi-Peaceful

Gender: Female

Interpretation / Description

Kurukulla together with Tinuma Yogini and Red Vasudhara. The three together are called the Three Small Red Ones and belong to the larger group known as the Thirteen Golden Dharmas of Sakya.

Kurukulla can be [1] her own entity, [2] an emanation of Tara or [3] an emanation of Hevajra.

"...the Goddess Kurukulla, with a body red in colour, one face and four arms. The first two hands hold an utpala bow and arrow drawn to the ear. The lower right holds a hook that subdues the Three Worlds, the lower left an utpala noose; with short fangs, the face is slightly smiling and slightly angry, with three eyes and adorned with two beautiful breasts, having the youthful form of sixteen years, with brown hair flowing upwards, adorned with five skulls having the nature of the Five Families as a crown, a necklace of fifty fresh heads and five ornaments of bone, wearing a tiger skin as a lower garment, standing on a human corpse with the head turned to the left, with the left leg extended. The toes of the right are placed on the thigh, as in a half vajra [posture] dancing manner, dwelling in the midst of a beautiful circle of sun rays, visible, but not solid, like the form of illusion." (Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrub (1497-1557). sGrub Thabs Kun bTus, vol.8, folios 528-555).

"Culmination of the pristine awareness and compassion of all conquerors, Well arising as the bliss-emptiness - Goddess of Power, Controlling all beings of the three realms with a charming form; Homage to the Dakini." (Nyingma liturgical verse).

Jeff Watt 8-2005 [updated 9-2014, 4-2017]

Related Items
Publications
Publication: Bod kyi thangka

Thematic Sets
Subject: Aphorisms for Himalayan Art & Iconography
Subject: Three Small Red Ones (Sakya)
Subject: Four Activities & Deity Colours Page
Buddhist Deity: Kurukulla Iconography
Buddhist Deity: Kurukulla Masterworks
Subject: Aphorisms (Chinese Language)
Buddhist Deity: Kurukulla Main Page
Subject: Thirteen Golden Dharmas of Sakya