作明佛母，一面四臂、具三目，橘红发上冲，以五骷髅为冠，五十颗人头为项鬘发网、耳垂、腕镯、臂环、胫钏、腋络等骨饰庄严。身红色，三目圆睁，卷舌，露齿。
左第一手张红乌巴拉花弓，右第一手执红乌巴拉花箭作射势。右第二手以忿怒印，执红乌巴拉花之钩上扬，左第二手以忿怒印，缠红乌巴拉花之绳下放。周身并饰以红珍宝与红花作成之璎珞，腰围虎皮裙。右脚屈曲，左脚鹤立，左踏赤裸外道魔女之心口上，以莲花日轮为座，安住在“般若”烈焰火聚中。
作明佛母，又称咕噜咕列佛母，为佛教密宗掌管权威及怀法的本尊，亦被认为是二十一度母之红色度母化现，藏传力量女神。四手三眼，身红色，金发怒冲，手持莲花钩斧，搭箭拉弓，作射箭姿，腰系虎皮裙，颈挂人头，头戴骷髅冠，身佩珠宝璎珞。足下踩一魔，若身居火中，具大权威势。
佛母一面表法性一味，三目象征通达三世，四臂表四种成就或四无量心，怒容表达调伏四魔，本尊红色为怀爱法，摄十方最殊胜本尊之一。
功德遍摄三界自在任运，所作皆能成就得名，故又称三界自在空行母;或称怀柔佛母。其功德广大胜深，实是无以比量。相传，清朝乾隆皇帝和民国军阀汤芗铭就修持过此法，因而得到极大福报。
受此法灌顶并如法修持，可增长无量福报功德，财富增长，学佛修行之资粮无缺，增长人缘、权势，受部属、亲友爱戴，能圆满各种世间与出世间之事业，凡一切有情应感恩此佛母之大悲种性。
虔修此法举凡诸般世俗男女婚嫁，有情人终成眷属、人缘佳、聪慧、貌美等，念其咒不仅速应且怀柔六道众生、利益解脱轮回，诸多利益不胜言表。
作明佛母后来辗转传到藏地，称为萨迦派不出寺墙十三金法之一，据说乾隆皇帝就曾修此法，而使人人皆敬重。普通人修持此法，可以使他人见着生欢喜心，也有摄财的作用。此法在以前，很少传授，现传授的也不多，极其珍贵。佛母全身红色，代表慑服人心；四臂代表四种成就（息灾、增财、慑服人心和诛杀恶魔）；花箭、钩和绢索代表自然节制一切的气力以及能慑服三界人天的威力。以此为本尊修持，可以迅速增长福德、智慧和财富，天人共敬。
The sublime Kurukulle is a female deity who is red in colour. Her practice is one that invokes upon the activity of control and magnetisation. She is in dancing posture and has four arms holding a bow, an arrow made of flowers, a noose and a vajra hook of flowers. Kurukulle is considered to be a manifestation of Red Tara, one of the twenty-one Taras of the old Tara Tantras. Interestingly, her name is actually Kurukulla although her name is popularly pronounced as Kurukulle, due to the Tibetan pronunciation of her mantra and Sanskrit grammar. Kurukulle is also very popular among the Newar (Nepali) Tantric Buddhists in general.
Within the Sakya order of Tibetan Buddhism, Kurukulle is counted amongst “the Three Great Red Ones” or Marchen Korsum. This group of deities is included in the Thirteen Golden Dharmas, a series of practices that were transmitted in ancient times from India and Nepal to Tibet. Takkiraja and Maharakta Ganapati form the rest of the Three Great Red Ones. Takkiraja is depicted in solitary form and his name literally means the King of Desire. He manifests the activity of control and stems directly from the Guhyasamaja Cycle of Tantras. On the other hand, Ganapati Maharakta is related to the Chakrasamvara Cycle of Tantras. In fact, this Ganapati is regarded as an emanation of Avalokiteshvara. These teachings are called Golden Dharmas because they are very precious teachings and also in remembrance of the old days when intrepid Tibetan translators had to travel to India and offer a lot of gold for the teachings obtained from the early Indian masters.
Within the large Sakya collection of sadhanas known as the Drubtab Kuntu, there are five sadhanas for the propitiation of Kurukulle. According to Sakya scholars, the scriptural source for the practice of Kurukulle is found within the Shri Hevajra Mahatantraraja and transmitted in accordance with the tradition of Lalitavajra. It descends down from the Mahasiddha Virupa and the Tibetan translator Drogmi (993-1050 CE).
