Category: Buddhist Iconography

Dorje Drollo – The Wrathful Emanation of Guru Rinpoche

Dorje Drollo is one of the eight manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava with extremely wrathful expression. However, Dorje Drollo rides a tiger side saddle surrounded by the flames of pristine awareness. Additionally, he has the expression of a fierce deity with three glaring eyes. The three eyes symbolize his knowledge of the past, present and future. He wields the Vajra in his right hand which symbolizes the union of mundane knowledge and the ultimate wisdom. Furthermore, he wears the vulture feather on top of his cap similar to Guru Rinpoche and he ultimate wisdom. Guru Padmasambhava manifested in this form in order to subdue the negative and evil forces at the thirteen different places in Himalayan region.

 

 

Gesture and Attributes

Dorje Drollo is dark – red or maroon in color and terrifying in appearance, as if the three worlds were on fire. Is presence is overwhelming, with a radiance that outshines the sun and moon, while his three round red wisdom eyes stare in every direction. He expresses his wrath by biting down upon his lower lip with his sharp upper teeth and fangs, his orange facial twists upwards and emits fiery sparks and his matted hair – locks hand down as a tawny mass of curls.

 

With his right hand raised towards the heavens in the threatening tarjani gesture he holds a nine – pointed Vajra made of meteorite iron that emits a storm of fiery sparks, with each spark taking the form of the syllable HUM, which subdue all spiritual pride. In his left he holds a phurba or dagger made of meteorite iron, which emits a shower of sparks in the form of thousands of Mahakalas. The sharp triangular point of his phurba pierces through the hearts of all demonic enemies. He wears gold and bone ornaments, and like Guru Rinpoche three robes that signifying his accomplishments of discipline, meditation and wisdom. The first is an inner ‘secret’ white robe, showing he has perfected the Bodhisattva – vehicle. The second is a blue robe symbolizing his perfection of the mantra – vehicles. The third is the outer yellow and red embroidered monastic robe of a bhikshu, representing his perfection in upholding all of the pratimoksha vows. As the originator and master of all Buddha activity, he wears the black – hat or Vajra – crown of the Karmapa.

 

He abides within a blazing mass of awareness – fire and swirling wind, as he stands upon his Dakini – consort in the fierce from of a pregnant tigress, with his right leg bent and his left leg extended in Heruka – posture. The tigress tramples upon the form of an enemy – demon, who lies upon his back above a triangular Dharmodaya or blissful ‘reality – source’, which crowns the summit of the ‘blazing mountain’ and contains a swirling ocean of fresh blood.

Kache Marpo – The Emanation of Hayagriva

 

Kache Marpo is a very ancient Buddhist deity originating from the time of Guru Rinpoche, a thousand years ago. Kache Marpo was installed as one of the Dharma Protectors in Samye Monastery by Guru Rinpoche in the past, as one of the protective divinities to help increase the growth of Dharma in the country of Tibet and the surrounding areas. Kache Marpo is considered an emanation of Hayagriva, which makes him a fully accomplished enlightened being and also a Buddha who appears in a worldly form.

 

Gesture and Attributes

Kache Marpo has a red face, three eyes and two arms. He gnaws his lower lip with his upper teeth and has bared fangs to scare away obstacles and maras. He wears the helmet of an ancient warrior with five flags fluttering in the wind, representing the five Dhyani Buddhas. In ancient times, warriors would wear flags on their backs to denote who they are, where they are from, their rank, and so on. He wears a full set of leather mail on his body which enables him to stop arrows and other projectiles that are shot at him. But in Dharma terms, it represents that he is impenetrable because he has achieved full enlightenment.

 

In his right hand which is swinging up in the air, he holds a long spear and in his left hand, he holds a noose. The noose is dragging a human-like form, which represents our negative karma, our sufferings, our problems, and our pains in samsara. The human is bound and tied, meaning that Kache Marpo has the power to bind our obstacles. He pierces the human with the long spear held in his right hand, further enforcing his ability to destroy our obstacles.

 

He rides on a horse over an ocean of blood. The blood represents all suffering that is inherently existent in samsara and the projections within samsara. When he rides over this ocean, it signifies that he is above and beyond any type of suffering.

 

 

Iconography

In the Nyingma tradition, he is very much worshipped in the form of Tsiu Marpo. Later when Dorje Shugden manifested, Tsiu Marpo saw the benefits of Dorje Shugden’s practice and activities, and on his own free will, he took an oath to become one of Dorje Shugden’s ministers. So, he is practiced within the Nyingma tradition as Tsiu Marpo and within the Gelugpa tradition as Kache Marpo.

 

In Tibet, there are many famous Kache Marpo oracles. They can come in peaceful or wrathful form, and are very well known for the accuracy of their advice. Even though they are oracles of Kache Marpo, when the oracle takes trance, Dorje Shugden the King will enter first. After the King leaves, Kache Marpo will then come and speak on behalf of the King (Dorje Shugden).

 

There is a very famous oracle in Tibet called the Panglung Oracle, whose picture I have included here. During the Cultural Revolution in 1959, he was consulted by H.H. Trijang Rinpoche for the safety of His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama. When he was consulted, Dorje Shugden entered first, then Kache Marpo entered and pronounced that the Dalai Lama should leave Tibet immediately. This event is well recorded by the monks who witnessed this as well as the monks who actually carried the messages back and forth. So, one of the most famous Kache Marpo oracles in Tibet who was very, very well known for his accuracy was the one who gave the prophecy that the Dalai Lama should leave Tibet.