Eight heruka sadhanas
<poem>
Eight heruka sadhanas (sgrub pa bka' brgyad).
Eight yidams and their corresponding sadhanas received by Padmakara from the Eight Vidyadharas.
8 Heruka Sadhanas
Eight yidams and their corresponding sadhanas received by Padmakara from the Eight Vidyadharas.
The eight Heruka Sadhanas are part of the meditative realization transmission which preserves essential instructions for practice.
Each of these sadhanas is connected with a particular root text and with various specific practices containing everything necessary for enlightenment. the were transmitted from Padmasambhava to eight of his disciples who were known as the Eight Great Acharyas.
The Eight Heruka Sadhanas are:
'jam dpal sku (gshin rje); Padma gsung; Yang dag thugs; rdo rje phur ba 'phrin las; bdud rtsi yon tan; ma mo rbod stong; ' jig rten mchod bstod; and dmod pa drag sngags.
Eight classes of herukas or means for attainment (sgrub pa bka' brgyad).
1) Yamantaka, the wrathful Manjusri, the deity of body ('jam dpal sku);
2) Hayagriva, the deity of speech (padma gsung);
3) Vishuddha, the deity of mind (yang dag thugs);
4) Vajramrita, the deity of enlightened qualities (bdud rtsi yon tan);
5) Vajra Kila, the deity of action (phur ba 'phrin las);
6) Matarah, the deity of calling and dispatching (ma mo rbod gtong);
7) the worldly deities of offering and praise ('jig rten mchod bstod); and
8) the worldly deities of wrathful mantras (mod pa drag sngags)
Eight Indian Vidyadharas (rgya gar gyi rig 'dzin brgyad).
Manjushrimitra, Nagarjuna, Hungchenkara, Vimalamitra, Prabhahasti, Danasanskrit, Shintamgarbha and Guhyachandra.
The eight chief recipients in Tibet of the Eight Sadhana Teachings transmitted by Guru Rinpoche:
King Trisong Deutsen,
Namkhai Nyingpo,
Sangye Yeshe,
Gyalwa Cho-yang,
Yeshe Tsogyal,
Palgyi Yeshe,
Palgyi Senge, and
Vairotsana.
<poem>
