Item: Kurukulla (Buddhist Deity) - Four Armed

Kurukulle (Tibetan: rig che ma. English: The One of the Action Family), Goddess of Power.

Kurukulla is a Tantric Buddhist meditational deity originating in India. She has a standard recognized appearance that is very common along with other forms that are less well known. There are numerous forms and lineages of Kurukulla arising from the Kriya and Anuttarayoga classes of Buddhist tantra of the New (Sarma) traditions and many forms from the 'Terma' (Revealed Treasure) discoveries of the Nyingmapa Tradition. She can appear peaceful or semi wrathful and in a range of colours from white, pink and blue to her more typical red colour. In the Kriya tantras she is often portrayed, but not exclusively, as a red power emanation of Tara. However, most forms of red Tara are not Kurukulla. In Anuttarayoga, from the Hevajra and Vajrapanjara Tantras, she is a power emanation of Shri 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).

Jeff Watt 8-2014