A THANGKA OF SAMPUTA HERUKA

EASTERN TIBET, PALPUNG STYLE, 18TH CENTURY

Footnotes

Heruka, or "blood drinker", usually refers to male wrathful deities, often with three faces, six arms, four legs, wings, and a consort, who adopt a fierce countenance to benefit sentient beings. The "Eight Pronouncement Heruka" – including Yamari, Hayagriva, Samputa, Vajramrita, Vajrakila, Mamo Botong, Jigten Choto, Mopa Dranag – is one of the principal systems of meditation in the early Nyingma tradition.

In the Bardo Thodol (Tibetan Book of the Dead), Padmasambhava is quoted:

"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 moksha (liberation)."

Based on his attributes and colors, Samputa, the deity of the mind, is the principal heruka in this finely executed painting. In yab-yum with his lighter blue consort, Samputa's terrifying expression, on each of his blue, white and red faces, is heightened by his flaming eyebrows, bulging eyes, and gaping mouth. He is surrounded by eight kerimas, seven other yab-yum herukas, and a number of animal headed protectors. Some gather around the ancillary herukas in the four directions, some form circles of their own. At the bottom, the composition is enriched by lively portrayals of dakini goddesses and fierce protectors riding on animals. All of these fiercely benevolent servants of Buddhism are looked down upon peacefully by Shakyamuni flanked by Padmasambhava and other Nyingma teachers and treasure masters.

Contrasting the vibrant colors and vigor of the deities, the surrounding landscape is pleasant, tranquil, and restrained. It is rendered in a style developed by Situ Panchen Chokyi Jungne (1700-74) that was proliferated by the Karma Kagyu Palpung Monastery in Southeastern Tibet. Compare the painting to another of Mahottra Heruka in the Palpung style sold at Bonhams, New York, 17 March 2014, lot 37.

Provenance
Private California Collection


央達嘿嚕嘎唐卡
西藏東部，八蚌風格，十八世紀
布本設色。
喜馬拉雅藝術資源網2130號
72.5 x 56釐米（28 1/2 x 22英寸）

$800,000-1,200,000 港元

嘿嚕嘎，又稱"飲血者"，通常指一些男性忿怒尊，常見形像為三頭六臂四腿，帶翅膀並懷抱明妃，以忿怒形態保佑眾生。"八大嘿嚕嘎法"，包括忿怒文殊、馬頭明王、央達嘿嚕嘎、甘露嘿嚕嘎、普巴金剛、瑪莫嘿嚕嘎、非常忿怒施咒本尊、半忿怒本尊，是早期寧瑪派的主要禪修體系之一。

在中陰聞教得度（西藏度亡經）中，蓮花生說：

"關鍵之處在於，修行者坐禪嘿嚕嘎法身之描述，向其獻祭頌贊，或至少曾目睹其畫像或造像，便可能辨識其現形，獲得解脫。"

根據手持法器與膚色判斷，此幅精美唐卡的主像應為央達嘿嚕嘎，"意"之主尊。與淺藍色明妃呈雙身形態，央達嘿嚕嘎藍、白、紅三面表情凶狠，由火焰般的眉毛、怒瞪的眼睛與其闊口獠牙生動地呈現出來。周圍環繞八凱莉瑪、其他七雙身嘿嚕嘎、及眾多獸頭護法。獸頭護法中有的圍繞在附屬赫魯嘎周圍，有的自成一圈。畫芯下方，形態生動的空行母和騎獸護法使畫面更加豐富。上方蓮花生大士、寧瑪派祖師和掘藏師伴於釋迦牟尼兩側，寂靜安詳地觀望其下諸位忿怒相慈悲心的明王護法。

畫中風景平淡簡樸，給人以愉悅安寧之感，與前景中色彩濃烈富於動感的主尊護法形成鮮明對比。此中畫風由司徒班欽卻吉炯聶（1700-1774）所創，在西藏東南部噶瑪噶舉的八蚌寺中發揚。可參考一幅八蚌風格大殊勝嘿嚕嘎唐卡，成交於紐約邦瀚斯，2014年3月17日，拍品37號。

來源
加利福尼亞州私人收藏