Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
The Purity of Heruka is a technical manual on the symbolic interpretation of the deity Heruka, framing the deity's attributes as the purified expressions of the Buddhist path. The text argues that the physical characteristics and implements of the deity are not mere ornaments but represent the perfection of the six pāramitās and the realization of primordial wisdom. By mapping specific objects—such as the axe, the khaṭvāṅga, and the skin of afflictions—to ethical discipline, concentration, and the destruction of conceptual construction, the text transforms the deity's form into a map of meditative absorption (samādhi). The reader is committed to a practice of visualization where the sensory details of the deity serve as antidotes to specific mental obscurations, ultimately leading to the indivisibility of self and other and the attainment of the five wisdoms. The work concludes by identifying the result of this process as the incineration of the aggregates by the fire of wisdom, resulting in the single taste of primordial jñāna.
Provenance
About this text
An explanation of the purification of Heruka, this work belongs to the classical Tibetan tradition. It is attributed to the Indian author Śraddhākaravarman. The text was translated into Tibetan by Śraddhākaravarman and the lo tsa ba rin chen bzang po, and it is preserved in volume ཞ of the Tengyur within the collection of the Śaṃvara and Related Tantras, where it spans eight pages. The work enacts a symbolic mapping of the deity's attributes to the nature of authentic absorption, or samādhi, which is distinguished from the paths of the Hearers and others. It argues that the implements of Heruka represent the purity of the perfections; for instance, the axe signifies the perfection of discipline in cutting through the conditioned and the abandonment of non-virtues, while the khaṭvāṅga represents the perfection of concentration used to abandon the distractions of the six sense bases. A scholar or serious reader consults this text to understand how the indivisibility of self and other is generated through the joy of great bliss and how the specific power of insight, as a distinction of the mind in which wisdom radiates, enables one to become a Sugata.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “The Purity of Heruka” (Toh 1481), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1481
Summary & commentary
Significance
This work is significant as it demonstrates the Anuttarayoga Tantra method of transforming afflictions and mundane objects into symbols of enlightenment. For the modern reader, it illustrates the sophisticated semiotic system used in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism to bridge the gap between conceptual study and meditative experience.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-10
Symbolic Purifications
A systematic decoding of Heruka's attributes, linking his implements and physical features to the perfections, the destruction of afflictions, and the nature of suchness.
Themes
The Perfections (Pāramitās) (2-5)
Transformation of Afflictions (6-7)
Primordial Wisdom (Jñāna) (4, 8, 10)
Non-duality and Suchness (2, 9)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
The Purification of Heruka. Homage to the Blessed One Mañjuvajra. Regarding the explanation of the purification of the Blessed, Venerable, and Glorious Heruka: it is the nature of the purification of authentic absorption (samādhi). "Authentic" (yang dag pa) means unerring, because it is not shared in common with the Hearers (śrāvaka) and others. Because the individual awareness of the mind and so forth are the very nature of consciousness in the form of the moon, the vajra, the five families, and the single aggregate, that itself is the stage of engagement through aspiration (adhimukti-caryā-bhūmi). "Aspiration" means superior aspiration; the meaning is that the conduct which is the identity of the single taste of all the factors of awakening (bodhipakṣa-dharma) without exception, meditated upon in the form of the deity through a distinguished [method], is the antidote to ignorance. Alternatively, the purifications of individual entities are neither different nor non-different. The four faces are the nature of the four joys: because they are the nature of the result, distinguished by the doors of liberation such as emptiness, which arise from the contact of the four great elements gathered together. In that regard, the first of the twelve hands holds a hand-drum (ḍamaru), which is the purification of the perfection of generosity (dāna-pāramitā); for in this way, one constantly hears the sound of the Dharma in the form of the maṇḍala circle in which self and other are indivisible. It is the antidote to stinginess and the robbing of the happiness of others. That itself is the stage of the "Very Joyful" (pramuditā).
This is because it generates the joy of great bliss in which self and other are indivisible. The axe is the purity of the perfection of discipline (śīla-pāramitā); for it cuts through the conditioned by means of the discipline of abandoning non-virtues such as taking life, as well as the corruption of discipline such as transgressing the samaya commitments regarding what is to be consumed. That itself is the Stainless Ground (vimalā-bhūmi), because it causes one to turn away from all misdeeds. The curved knife is the purity of the perfection of acceptance (kṣānti-pāramitā); for it completely cuts through the agitation of consciousness and the lack of acceptance caused by being struck by weapons, clubs, clods of earth, and so forth, due to the provocation of others. That itself is the Luminous Ground (prabhākārī-bhūmi); the meaning is that by remaining in an undisturbed mind, one destroys ignorance, and in its absence, one makes the stainless primordial wisdom (jñāna) perfectly clear. The trident is the purity of the perfection of diligence (vīrya-pāramitā); for it is the nature of the sharp three-pronged trident of the knowledge of body, speech, and mind, which is the antidote to the arising of the name and form of the lower realms, miserable destinies, hells, and so forth, which result from following non-pathways due to indolence, laziness, lack of diligence, and lack of enthusiasm. It is characterized by the diligence that exhorts the Sugatas. That itself is the Radiant Ground (arciṣmatī-bhūmi); "radiance" refers to rays of light.
It is intended that the specific power of insight, which is a distinction of the mind in which wisdom radiates, is that by which one becomes a Sugata. The khaṭvāṅga is the purity of the perfection of concentration. In this way, through one-pointed concentration, the distractions of the six sense bases are abandoned. When the aggregates and so forth are severed from the head down to the ends of the feet without exception, their being of a single taste in inner emptiness and being immovable is like a conch, a kunda flower, the moon, and pure crystal; this is because it has become the very nature of the mind. That itself is the stage "Difficult to Conquer" (Sudurjayā), because it is extremely difficult for the opposing side, Māra, to overcome. The bell is the purity of the perfection of insight. In this way, insight is the antidote to immoral conduct, verbal conventions, and so forth. Because it perfectly teaches beings through the melodious sound of the precious speech of the Dharma and the application of non-arising, it is the stage "Manifest" (Abhimukhī). This is because the expression "all phenomena are non-arising" has become manifest, and thus the speech is irreversible; the meaning is that through that nature of phenomena (dharmatā), the fruit of omniscience is attained. The vajra is the purity of the perfection of skillful means. That which applies itself to and diligently practices generosity and so forth is skillful means.
This is because they are the very antidotes to stinginess and other such non-expedient means. Their results are the five wisdoms, such as the mirror-like wisdom and so forth, which, in their respective order, are of a single nature, being the very essence of the profound and the vast. That itself is the "Far-Gone" (Dūraṃgamā) bhūmi, because by means of the path of the indivisibility of emptiness and great compassion, through the experience of supreme bliss and so forth, it causes all sentient beings to go far in a single instant; the meaning is that it causes them to attain [this state]. The "lotus vessel" is the purification of the perfection of aspiration (praṇidhāna-pāramitā). Thus, at the time of first generating the mind of enlightenment, it is the aspiration made through the vow, "May I become the glorious Heruka," and so forth. Being adorned with the ornament of aspiration that is dedicated to the welfare of sentient beings, it serves as the antidote to that craving which, rooted in a cognition that is not aspiration, causes one to be cast into saṃsāra. This is because it is filled within with the nectar of wisdom and because it accomplishes the welfare of oneself and others without distinction and without interruption. That itself is the meaning of the "Immovable" (Acalā) bhūmi. The "lasso" is the purification of the perfection of power (bala-pāramitā), because it serves as the antidote to the appropriation of conceptualization through the absence of any deficiency in strength, might, and capacity. It is the uninterrupted engagement with the Dharma that is correctly and immovably established.
Because it brings about total mastery. That very [ground] is the Excellent Intelligence (sādhumatī); "Excellent Intelligence" is a virtuous mind, for it severs the grasping of conceptual construction. The Blessed Vajravārāhī is the purity of the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā). Thus, she symbolizes the spontaneously present wisdom of omniscience, which is free from the signified and the signifier, and is of the nature of the great bliss of a single taste beyond expression. She is the acceptance that renders non-apparent the ignorance of grasping at a self and "mine," and the grasping at things as real, acting as the antidote to them. She completely severs both sides of dullness and agitation. For that very reason, because she severs those, she is the curved knife (kartṛkā); and because she tastes the equality of those two, she is the vessel completely filled with blood. That very [ground] is the Cloud of Dharma (dharmameghā); for the nature of phenomena (dharmatā), which is free from conceptual elaboration, is the "cloud," because like a cloud, it moistens with a natural stream of water, meaning it satisfies the entire realm of sentient beings without exception. The head of Brahmā is the nature of the Māra of the aggregates (skandhamāra); for that very Brahmā, who possesses the ego-grasping that produces the body consisting of the five aggregates within the three realms and who speaks erroneously, is the delusion born from the Māra of the aggregates such as form. In order to sever the pride of the consciousness that grasps at an "I," [she holds it].
The meaning is that Brahmā has four faces. Bhairava is the nature of the Māra of the afflictions (kleśa-māra); the afflictions have desire as their root, and desire is Maheśvara. Through the pride of expansion and contraction driven by the attachment of desire, that which binds the self is saṃsāra. Because his body is aged and worn out by the uneven and the like, and his eyebrows, beard, and so forth are of a terrifying nature, and because his speech is of the nature of thundering and so forth, [he is so called]. In order to reverse that pride, he tramples him face down with his left foot, without being constrained by play and without effort; this is the meaning. Kālarātri is the nature of the Māra of the Lord of Death (mṛtyu-māra); she is the destruction and emptiness of the aggregates. Because she is the nature that makes the profound saṃsāric phenomena—possessing the nature of the three times, past, future, and present, and consisting of the internal and external—into a single nature of nirvāṇa, and because she is devoid of all continuity of a mind of anger, and is the night of ignorance and darkness free from desire, [the Lord] touches her with his right foot; this is the meaning of definitely grasping the wisdom in the form of great bliss (mahāsukha). Great desire is the authentic method; this is the meaning. The elephant hide is the Māra of the Son of the Gods (devaputra-māra); "God" refers to Maheśvara, and his "son" is one born from him. The great elephant is the Lord of Obstacles (vighneśvara).
The vināyakas, afflictions, obscurations, darkness, and the gloom of delusion act as obstacles to the attainment of profound and vast jñāna. By flaying the skin of those afflictions and spreading it like a canopy over a victory banner with both right and left hands, one ensures that there are no obstacles whatsoever. Furthermore, because it provides satisfaction like the cool shade of the great single taste—the non-duality of the two torments of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—this is the meaning. These very [qualities] constitute the twelfth buddha-ground. Thus, having conquered the power and the ego-grasping of the four māras, it is born from the realization of the power of meditating on the antidotes to great delusion and so forth. It is the mahāmudrā of the samantabhadra contact of the gathered [elements], the single taste, the stainless and unwavering jñāna of all aspects without exception, the essence of the non-dual dharmatā; this is the meaning.
The tiger skin represents both peace and wrath. Wrath arises from being fixated on the six objects, attachment to desires, and the great agitation of body, speech, and mind. Because it is the very nature of extreme wrath and because it intensely desires variety, the tiger is the form of variety. Having flayed and worn it, it is because of the nature of following the practice of the holy life (brahmacarya). The meaning is that, through the pacification of the pride of the knots of the sense faculties, it is of the nature of a momentary state free from wrath.
That itself is the vajra perfection of action. This means being skilled in the activity of mental engagement with great bliss through the gateway of the faculties, which are indivisible and unshakeable like a vajra; it is the nature of the conduct of primordial wisdom, which is the antidote to non-action. Attachment is the garland of human heads. This is because all beings are attached to and become fixated upon the aggregates and so forth for the sake of enjoyment. To reverse that, the Blessed One arranged the individual parts of those very aggregates, such as the head and so on, as distinct entities. By analyzing each of them, one realizes their lack of stability. Thus, from the neck down to the knees, the garland of very fresh skulls, resembling hanging clusters of flowers, represents the five aggregates. This is for the purpose of showing that the five aggregates, the four elements each consisting of five, and the five consciousnesses such as eye-consciousness, are all of the nature of bodhicitta. That itself is the precious lotus perfection. "Precious" refers to the vajra, and "lotus" refers to the source of phenomena (dharmodaya). From the awakening of these two, the nature of the body of great bliss, in which Ratnasambhava and Amitābha arise as a single taste, is the "other shore" or the "bank" beyond the five aggregates and so forth. Because one reaches and attains that Mahāmudrā, it is called a "perfection" (pāramitā); its nature is the garland of human heads—this is the meaning.
The complete purity of suchness is the matted locks and the crown. This demonstrates the indestructible unification of all suchness without exception. The two braids of hair, profound and vast, are twisted into a double braid and adorned at the crown with a crossed vajra (viśvavajra) of the five families. It is further embellished with five skulls, five finger-breadths in size, which are the nature of the five wisdoms (jñāna). On the left side, it is marked by the moon of the luminous wisdom (prabhāsvara). The meaning is that it is sealed by the wheel of passion, equal to the lord Akṣobhya, who is the nature of the three realms as a single taste.
Based on one aspect of sound being incapable of being moved by the indestructible, although the meaning of "unpleasant sound" arises in the manner of distraction, the characteristic of the cause for the arising of the essence of awakening in its entirety is the mudrā of the ears. The necklace is the complete abandonment of the speech of those with ill fortune, the nature of reciting mantras continuously day and night, and the nature of experiencing the nectar of jewels of perfect renown through the cause of liberating sentient beings. The bracelets are the meaning of turning away from the practice of killing and so forth, and the nature of the perfect glory of non-dual wisdom and the accumulations of merit and wisdom, characterized by the radiance of Vairocana. The sash is the Great Seal (mahāmudrā), the meaningful and non-barren.
It is the vessel of accomplishment together with its fruit, possessing the single taste of perfect primordial wisdom (jñāna). As for the "ashes," because the aggregates and elements have been incinerated by the blazing fire of primordial wisdom, they are without appearance; thus, it is as clear as crystal. It is completely anointed with the white bodhicitta, and the innate (sahaja), space, and the thread of primordial wisdom are made into the sash. The nature of the first Vajradhara, who has attained the ultimate limit, is the meaning of what is called "the ashes and the Brahma-thread." In that way, the Blessed One, the glorious Heruka, who possesses the nature of the sixteen moments, the thirty-seven factors of awakening (bodhipakṣadharma), the ten perfections (pāramitā), the ten grounds (bhūmi), and the six qualities such as mastery (īśvara), subdues the four Māras through the twelve links of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda). He is the ground of Vajradhara, characterized by the experience of the single taste of the primordial wisdom of great bliss, which is without decrease; this is the meaning of the thirteenth ground, known as "the utterly pure."
This concludes the Purification of Heruka, composed by the master Śraddhākaravarma. It was translated, edited, and finalized by that same master and the translator Rinchen Zangpo.