Item: Heruka (Nyingma)

Heruka (Tibetan: drag tung. English: Blood-drinker): from the Lama Gongdu Cycle of Revealed Treasure (Tibetan: ter ma) teachings of the Nyingma tradition.

Sanskrit: Heruka Tibetan: Drag tung

Wrathful in appearance, yellow in colour, with three faces and six hands, he embraces the consort. The three right hands hold a sword, trident and skull stick. The left hold a moon, flames, and water. The red two-armed consort holds a skullcup and a six-pointed star. Standing on two prone forms, a sun disc and blue lotus seat, they are surrounded by the brightly burning orange and red flames of pristine awareness fire.

Various figures surround the central pair. At the bottom center is Guru Padmasambhava with minor figures standing in various dancing postures at the sides. At the top left and right are lineage lamas wearing monastic robes.

Sanggye Lingpa (1340-1396) discovered the ?Middling Collection of Precepts, the Gathering of the Guru?s Intention? (Tibetan: ka du bar wa la ma gong pa du pa) in the great cave of Puri Rinchen Barwa in the year 1364.

Jeff Watt 11-2000