Mahasiddha Krsnacharya
Mahasiddha Krsnacharya (Main figure)
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Deity: Heruka Chakrasamvara (Sanskrit)
Alternative name: Khorlo Demchog (Tibetan)
Heruka is the principal deity of the Chakrasmavara 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. The form of Heruka Chakrasamvara depicted here is the two-armed form, in union with Vajra Varahi. All schools of Tibetan Buddhism treasure Heruka’s practice, including the Gelug School in which it is a main practice.
Deity: Mahasiddha Krsnacharya (Sanskrit)
Alternative names: Kanhapa (Sanskrit), Nagpo Chopa (Tibetan)
Krsnacharya is one of the 84 Mahasiddhas. He was ordained at Somapuri in ancient India, where he was also initiated into the mandala of Hevajra by the great Guru Jalandhara. After 12 years of diligent practice, he gained a vision of Hevajra and puffed up with pride, thought he had attained his final goal. It was then that a dakini appeared and scolded him. She told him that his vision was just part of the preliminaries and urged him to continue practising. Nevertheless, he couldn’t contain his urge to test his attainments and each time, the same scolding dakini would appear and chastise him back to his practice. On the fourth occasion, seven royal parasols and seven damarus (hand drums) appeared filling the air with their celestial beat. He set out for Lankapuri with 3,000 disciples and upon arrival, he skipped over the surface of the water and in that moment of pride, he thought that “even my guru couldn’t do this,” and immediately fell into the water. He washed ashore on a beach and his Guru appeared. He confessed his wrongful pride and his Guru merely laughed. His Guru told him to seek out his other disciple, Tantipa, for further teachings. He did seek out Tantipa and though undergoing several tribulations, he did not receive teachings. An encounter with a powerful dakini, left him mortally wounded and just before he left his mortal body and entered into the Paradise of the Dakinis, he bequeathed to his disciples, the initiation and practice of the headless Vajra Yogini, known as Chinnamasta in Sanskrit or Ucheyma in Tibetan. Krsnacharya is depicted riding atop an animated zombie mount, and is known for propagating a lineage of Heruka Chakrasamvara which has become one of three most famous Heruka lineages within Tibetan Buddhism.
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. Furthermore, he carries a jewel-spitting mongoose and a vajra hook to symbolise that he has the tremendous ability to bestow wealth and resources. He has great strength to overcome obstacles of the body, speech and mind, and create suitable conditions for our spiritual practice to flourish.
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Beautiful thangka of Heruka Chakrasamvara, Mahasiddha Krsnacharya and Dorje Shugden. Merely looking at the thangka is a blessing and it paints a thousand words. With the explanations more people will understand more about this thangka.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.