Heruka

{{Short description|Beings in Vajrayana Buddhism}} {{Hatnote|Heruka is also a name for the deity of the Cakrasaṃvara Tantra.}}

'''''Heruka''''' ({{Langx|sa|हेरुक}}, {{langx|bo|ཁྲག་འཐུང}}, {{bo|w=khrag 'thung}}) is the name of a category of wrathful deities, enlightened beings in Vajrayana Buddhism that adopt a fierce countenance to benefit sentient beings. In East Asia, these are called Wisdom Kings.

''Herukas'' represent the embodiment of indivisible bliss and emptiness. They appear as ''iṣṭa-devatā'' ({{bo|t=ཡི་དམ་|w=yi dam}}) or meditational deities for tantric sādhanā, usually placed in a ''mandala'' and often appearing in ''Yab-Yum''.

==Derivation and meaning of the term== Heruka represents wrathful imagery with indivisible emptiness (śūnyatā), bliss, peace, wisdom, compassion (bodhicitta), and love. Herukas represent unified consciousness, with emptiness being a reflection of "non-phenomena" or emptiness which is "all love," or removal of imagery to reach universal love, mercy, and compassion-mind.

Heruka is revered as an fully enlightened Buddha who manifests in a wrathful form to guide seekers towards liberation. Interpretation of Heruka is similar to the female ḍākiṇī or buddha Vajrayogini.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Herukas – The unified consciousness with emptiness |url=https://mandalas.life/list/tibetan-buddhist-deities/herukas-the-unified-consciousness-with-emptiness/ |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=Mandalas Life |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Sanskrit term Heruka was translated into both Chinese and Tibetan as "blood drinker," which scholar Ronald Davidson calls "curious," speculating that the nonliteral translation is derived from an association the term has with cremation grounds and 'charnel grounds' (Sanskrit: ''śmaśāna'') (which absorb the blood of the dead).<ref>''Indian Esoteric Buddhism'' by Ronald Davidson. pg 213</ref> Sanskrit terms for blood drinker include ''asrikpa'', reflecting a Sanskrit word for blood (''asrik''),<ref>''A Sanskrit-English dictionary'' By Monier Monier-Williams, Ernst Leumann, Carl Cappeller. {{ISBN|81-206-0369-9}} pg 121</ref> and ''raktapa'', ''raktapayin'', or ''rakshasa'', derived from an alternate root term for blood (''rakta'').<ref>''A Sanskrit-English dictionary'' By Monier Monier-Williams, Ernst Leumann, Carl Cappeller. {{ISBN|81-206-0369-9}} pg 861</ref> Unlike the Chinese and Tibetan (''{{lang|xct-Latn|Tratung}}'', wylie: ''{{lang|xct-Latn|khrag 'thung}}'') terms used to translate it, the Sanskrit term heruka does not literally mean blood drinker, although the fact that it was rendered as such into two other languages strongly suggests an according Indian interpretive etymology.<ref>''The Cakrasamvara Tantra (The Discourse of Śrī Heruka): A Study and Annotated Translation''. by David B. Gray, Columbia University: 2007 pg 40 n. 124</ref>

==Eight Herukas of the Nyingma Mahayoga== {{main|Mahayoga}}

The eight ''Herukas'' (Wylie: ''sgrub pa bka’ brgyad'') of the Nyingma mahayoga tradition (and their corresponding sadhanas) are said to have been received by ''Padmakara'' from the Eight ''Vidyadharas'' (Tib. ''Rigdzin''), or Eight Great ''Acharyas'': Manjushrimitra, Nagarjuna, Vajrahumkara, Vimalamitra, Prabhahasti, Dhanasamskrita, Shantigarbha and Guhyachandra.[http://www.dharmafellowship.org/biographies/historicalsaints/lord-padmasambhava.htm#promulgating] They were proficient in the practices of, respectively:

1) '''Yamantaka''' (Tib. ''{{lang|xct-Latn|Jampal Shinje}}'', ''{{lang|xct-Latn|’jam dpal sku}}'') the wrathful Manjushri, the deity of body; 2) '''Hayagriva''' (Tib. ''Pema Sung'', ''{{lang|xct-Latn|padma gsung}}'') the wrathful Avalokiteśvara, the deity of speech; 3) '''Vishuddha'''/'''Sri Samyak''' (Tib. ''Yangdak Thuk'', Wylie: ''{{lang|xct-Latn|yang dag thugs}}'') the wrathful Vajrapani deity of mind; 4) '''Mahottara''' (Tib. ''Chem Chok'', Wylie: ''{{lang|xct-Latn|che mchog}}'') the wrathful Samantabhadra, the deity of enlightened qualities; 5) '''Vajrakilaya'''/'''Vajrakumara''' (Tib. ''{{lang|xct-Latn|Dorje Phurba}}'', ''{{lang|xct-Latn|phur ba ‘phrin las}}''), the wrathful Vajrasattva, the deity of purification; 6) '''Matarah''' (Tib. ''Mamo Botong'', ''{{lang|xct-Latn|mo rbod gtong}}'') the wrathful Akasagarbha, the deity of calling and dispatching; 7) '''Lokastotrapuja-natha''' (Tib. ''{{lang|xct-Latn|Jigten Chotod}}'', ''{{lang|xct-Latn|’jig rten mchod bstod}}'') the wrathful Ksitigarbha, the deity of worldly offering and praise; 8) '''Vajramantrabhiru''' (Tib. ''{{lang|xct-Latn|Mopa Dragnak}}'', ''{{lang|xct-Latn|mod pa drag sngags}}'') the wrathful Maitreya, the deity of wrathful mantras.

<gallery> File:Yamantaka Vajrabhairav.jpg|Yamantaka Vajrabhairav, British Museum File:A statue at Ancient Palace, Leh.jpg|Hayagriva File:Mahottara Heruka.png|Mahottara Heruka with 3 faces and 6 arms File:Unknown - Mahottara Heruka - 2002.13 - Dallas Museum of Art.jpg|Mahottara Heruka with 9 stacked faces and 18 arms File:Tibetan Thangka, anonymous, private collection.jpg|Mahottara Heruka with 21 faces and 42 arms File:Vajrakilaya (8557221604).jpg|Vajrakilaya File:Jigten Choto.jpg|Lokastotrapuja-natha </gallery>

''Padmasambhava'' is quoted in the Tibetan Book of the Dead: "The crucial point is indeed that those who have meditated on the formal description of these Herukakaya ('bodies of Heruka'), and also made offerings and praise to them, or, at the very least, have simply seen their painted and sculpted images, may recognise the forms that arise here and attain liberation."

==See also== * Wrathful deities

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==References== *Khenchen Palden Rinpoche. ''The Dark Red Amulet: Oral Instructions on the Practice of Vajrakilaya''. New York: Snow Lion Publications, 2009 {{ISBN|978-1-55939-311-9}}.

==External links== * {{Commons category-inline}}

Category:Herukas Category:Yidams