Twelve-Armed Gelug Heruka
Twelve-Armed Gelug Heruka (Main figure)
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(Top to bottom): Heruka Chakrasamvara, Dorje Shugden and Four-Faced Mahakala.
Deity: Heruka Chakrasamvara (Sanskrit)
Alternative name: Khorlo Demchog (Tibetan)
Heruka is the principal deity of the Chakrasamvara Tantras. He is a meditational Buddha of the Highest Yoga Tantra classification, which means that his practice has the potential to bring us directly towards enlightenment within one lifetime. Heruka’s practice uniquely utilises desire as a means towards achieving liberation from samsara or suffering. Heruka is also one of the main Tantras that most of the 84 Mahasiddhas of ancient India relied upon in order to gain their great attainments. All schools of Buddhism treasure Heruka’s practice, including the Gelug School in which it is one of the main practices. The distinguishing iconographic feature of the form favoured by the Gelug School has both of Vajra Yogini’s legs wrapped around Heruka’s waist in an embrace of union.
Deity: Four-Faced Mahakala (English)
Alternative names: Chaturmukha Mahakala (Sanskrit); Gonpo Shel Shi (Tibetan)
Four-Faced Mahakala is a Dharma Protector associated explicitly with the Heruka Tantras and is propitiated by Heruka practitioners for spiritual protection and for the granting of material necessities so that they can concentrate on their spiritual practice. Four-Faced Mahakala has a very close connection with Dorje Shugden. In his previous lives as great lamas and teachers, Dorje Shugden as a lama relied on Four-Faced Mahakala as one of his primary protectors.
Deity: Dorje Shugden (Tibetan)
Alternative name: Vajra Rudra (Sanskrit)
Dorje Shugden is an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. He took the form of a Dharma Protector in order to safeguard the Buddha’s teachings, especially the important teachings on the Middle Way View. Reminiscent of Manjushri’s form, Dorje Shugden carries a meandering sword and rides a snowlion that represents the fearlessness of a fully enlightened Buddha. Thus, he has great strength to overcome obstacles of the body, speech and mind, and create suitable conditions for our spiritual practice to flourish. Furthermore, he carries a jewel-spitting mongoose and a vajra hook to symbolise that he has the tremendous ability to bestow wealth and resources.
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Buddha Shakyamuni manifests in the form of Heruka Chakrasamvara for the benefit of all beings. He is considered the source of this high tantra. The great Heruka is often depicted with four faces, twelve arms, and in union or complete embrace with his beauitiful consort, Vajravarahi. This meditational deity Chakrasamvara is blue-black in color commonly referred to as Heruka by the Gelugpas. Together with
Dorje Shugden and Four-Faced Mahakala in this beautiful thangkas paints a thousands words. Very special and powerful to have.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.