Giclee Print by Sunlal Ratna Tamang
11.75" x 16.5"

Kurukulle is a semi-wrathful red dakini, whose practice as a powerful subjugating goddess is popular in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Kurukulle was an early Indian tribal goddess, and her name is included in the Hindu text of the Lalita-sahasra-nama, which lists the thousand names of the 'glorious goddess' (Shri Devi) Lalita or Tripura Sundari. However, the Buddhist aspect of Kurukulle is mainly assimilated with the goddess Tara, particularly Red Tara and Vajratara. She is also known as Tarodbhava Kurukulle, meaning 'Kurukulle who has arisen from Tara'; or Uddiyana Kurukulle, who is specifically associated with the early Indian mahasiddha, King Indrabhuti, from Uddiyana in Western India. Her Tibetan name Rigjeyma (Rigs-byed-ma) means 'knowledge lady', and she is also known as Pema Khandro, the 'lotus-dakini', or Wangyi Lhamo, the 'powerful subjugating goddess'. - Robert Beer