DORJE LEKPA (Sanskrit: Vajra Sadhu). Oath bound worldly protector of the Nyingmapa School, guardian of the Revealed Treasure Tradition.

Wrathful, maroon in colour, he has one face, two hands, three round eyes, a gaping mouth and yellow hair flowing upward like flame. The first hand extended to the right holds a gold vajra and the left a human heart held up to the mouth. Resting against the shoulder is a red flag hoisted on a long staff. Adorned with gold earrings, necklaces and bracelets he wears a hat, round in shape and red, crowned with a half vajra. Attired in long flowing garments and boots, his body is well covered, seated atop a snow lion pressing down on a red corpse and sun disc above a lotus seat. The snow lion head is turned upward to show respect for the master; surrounded by thick black smoke and the flames of pristine awareness. At the edge of the flames are numerous wild animals, birds and beasts - messengers of Dorje Lekpa.

At the top center is Guru Padmasambhava wearing a lotus hat and long flowing robes. In the right hand he holds a vajra and in the left a skullcup and katvanga staff. To the left side is a wrathful deity, red, with one face and two hands holding a stick in the right and a lasso in the left; standing surrounded by flames. At the right right is a black wrathful deity holding a vajra in the right hand and a wrathful gesture with the left; in similar appearance.

At the middle left is Damchen Garwa'i Nagpo, the main attendant to Dorje Lekpa, (blue in colour) with one face and two hands holding in the upraised right a vajra hammer and in the left a blacksmith's bellows made of tiger skin. He rides on the back of a brown billy goat with the horns entwined. At the middle right is a peaceful figure, red in colour, well attired in long robes holding in the right hand a mirror held aloft. In the left hand is a long-life arrow with streamers.

At the bottom center is a slightly wrathful seated figure, red in colour, holding a hook in the right hand and a mongoose in the left; embracing a consort. At the left are five wrathful figures each with one face and two hands, riding on mounts of bird, goat, donkey horse and lion. At the right are six figures riding similar wild mounts with one red female in a standing posture at the lower right.

"At the blazing iron fortress of Uyug Shang, powerful son from the union with a Mu daemon, great in magical emanations, performing attentively the commands of bhagavan Vajrapani; homage to the herald of liberation, Dorje Lekpa." (Nyingma liturgical verse).

Indigenous to Tibet, the daemon Dorje Lekpa was subjugated in the 8th century by Guru Padmasambhava and oath bound as a Dharma protector. His primary function is to safeguard the Revealed Treasure texts (Terma).

The style of painting is called 'nag thang'- black scroll. Executed on a black background the figures are outlined with fine gold line and coloured pigments are added according to particular custom or the wishes of the patron and artist.

Jeff Watt 10-98