The late Indian Esoteric Buddhist text Sādhanamālā （Nos. 129-131） presents a sādhana of the goddess Cundā. However, there are several variations in her descriptions. She is commonly described as having a “white body color,” “one face and four arms,” “a sūtra on the lotus,” and “holding a bowl with both hands.” Further, in Chinese translations, although with a different number of arms, she is referred to as yellow-white Cundā.
The maṇḍala with Cundā in the center is not described in Sādhanamālā. However, the maṇḍala in the sādhana of the eight armed Kurukullā （No. 174） seats a red Cundā in red color in the northeast. Further, Kurukullā is called Red Tārā and is a goddess who accomplishes a controlling and subjugating power （vaśīkaraṇa）. This study clarifies that, compared to the white Cundā, red Cundā is expected to function in a controlling and subjugating manner in esoteric Indian Buddhism.
