Garudas appear in many forms in Tibetan art, but they are most commonly depicted with the upper torso and arms of a man and the head, beak, and legs of a bird. Garuda is man bird, an enlightened deity for removing afflictions caused by nagas and earth spirits. In the Buddhist Pantheon, he may serve as the vehicle for Amoghsiddhi. He is almost always represented as human, except for large wings, which fold out from his shoulders.

According to his biography, the 8th century Buddhist mystic Padmasambhava introduced the phurpa to Tibet, where it is used ceremonially to remove the obstacle of duality, as well as in exorcisms. He wielded one when he founded the first Tibetan monastery in Samye.