Skull cup
The skull cup (Skt. kapala; Tib. ཐོད་པ་, tö pa, Wyl. thod pa) is a symbolic implement that represents the ability to sustain the bliss of nonconceptual wisdom.[1] When the skull cup contains blood (Tib. ཐོད་ཁྲག་, Wyl. thod khrag) it represents the conquering of the four demons.[2]
References
- ↑ bskyed pa'i rim pa cho ga dang sbyar ba'i gsal byed zung 'jug snye ma/ dge rtse ma h'a pandita tshe dbang mchog grub. Quoted in the glossary to Deity, Mantra and Wisdom, Dharmachakra Translation Committee.
- ↑ bskyed rim gyi zin bris cho ga spyi 'gros ltar bkod pa man ngag kun btus/ kun mkhyen bstan pa'i nyi ma. Quoted in the glossary to Deity, Mantra and Wisdom, Dharmachakra Translation Committee.