The symbolism of Heruka's body

Question 1

Dark-blue colour

Answer 1

Wisdom Truth Body

Question 2

Head of Brahma

Answer 2

Nature Truth Body

Question 3

Skulls

Answer 3

Enjoyment Body

Question 4

Crossed vajra of various colours

“My hair is tied up in a topknot marked with a small crossed varja of various colours”

Answer 4

Emanation Body

Heruka has attained the four bodies and we should strive to do the same.

Need to abandon all objects to be abandoned, the phenomena of the basis.

Practice all stages of the path to enlightenment, the phenomena of the path.

Question 5

Twelve arms

Answer 5

Teaches us to abandon the cycle of twelve dependent-related links, samsara

Question 6

Elephant skin

Answer 6

Teaches us to abandon the ignorance of self-grasping.

Question 7

Lower garment of a tiger skin

Answer 7

Teaches us to abandon hatred

Question 8

Axe

Answer 8

Teaches us to abandon the faults of body, speech and mind.

Question 9

Curved knife

Answer 9

Teaches us to abandon conceptions grasping at extremes

Question 10

Three-pointed spear

Answer 10

Teaches us to abandon all imprints of the delusions of the three realms.

Question 11

Long necklace of fifty human heads

Answer 11

Teaches us to abandon ordinary appearances and conceptions by purifying the fifty inner winds.

Question 12

The bared fangs

Answer 12

Teach us to overcome the four maras.

Question 13

Heruka’s changing facial expressions

Answer 13

Teach us to turn away from wrong views and adopt correct views

Question 14

His treading on Bhairawa and Kalarati

Answer 14

Teach us to abandon the two extremes of existence and non-existence, and the two extremes of samsara and solitary peace.

Question 15

Six mudra-ornaments

Answer 15

Teach us to train in the six perfections

Question 16

Four faces

Answer 16

Teach us to realize emptiness by meditating on the four doors of perfect liberation:
1. Emptiness (the emptiness of all functioning things)
2. Signlessness (the emptiness of their causes)
3. Wishlessness (the emptiness of their effects)
4. Non-production (the emptiness of all non-produced phenomena)

Question 17

Skullcup brimming with blood

Answer 17

Blood symbolizes great bliss, skullcup symbolizes emptiness.
Together they symbolize the union of the two.

Question 18

Half moon on the left side of Heruka’s crown

Answer 18

Symbolizes the white bodhichitta in the crown melting and descending through the central channel, giving rise to the experience of the great bliss of the four joys.

Question 19

Ashes smeared all over his body

Answer 19

Symbolize this bliss pervading his entire body

Question 20

Heruka embracing Vajravarahi

Answer 20

Symbolizes that we need to complete our training in great bliss first with a visualized wisdom mudra and then with an actual action mudra.

Question 21

Heruka & Vajravarahi

Answer 21

Symbolizes Buddha’s omniscient mind, the indivisible union of bliss and emptiness.

Question 22

Heruka holds a vajra and bell

Answer 22

Symbolizing method and wisdom; together they teach us that we need to accomplish the union of method and wisdom.

Question 23

Elephant skin

Answer 23

Need to abandon the ignorance of self-grasping

Question 24

Tiger skin

Answer 24

Need to abandon hatred

Question 25

Nothing to symbolize attachment

Answer 25

We need some slight attachment in order to develop great bliss.

Question 26

Sound of damaru

Answer 26

Invokes all the Buddhas so that we can receive their blessings.

Question 27

Damaru

Answer 27

Symbolizes the blazing of the inner fire.

Question 28

Bell

Answer 28

Symbolizes clear light.

Question 29

Vajra noose

Answer 29

Our mind should always be bound by bliss

Question 30

Khatanga

Answer 30

Teaches us to recognize that the ultimate bodhichitta of inseparable bliss and emptiness appears as Heruka’s mandala and Deities.

Question 31

Heruka’s hair tied up in a top-knot

Answer 31

Teaches us that the realizations of generation stage and completion stage, and all other good qualities, are accomplished gradually.

Question 32

Three eyes

Answer 32

Symbolize his omniscient wisdom knowing all objects of the three times.

Question 33

Rosaries of five-pronged vajras

Answer 33

Symbolize five exalted wisdoms.

Question 34

Purpose of contemplating the symbolism:

Answer 34

Improve our divine pride and clear appearance of ourself as Heruka.

Question 35

‘In the precious celestial mansions as extensive as the three thousand worlds’

Answer 35

We should visualize the celestial mansion as large as the entire universe.