Dorje Legpa – The Good Diamond

From the Diamond Way Buddhist UK blog

This is our second blog entry on the protectors invoked in the daily meditation practice of “Black Coat” used by Diamond Way Karma Kagyu Buddhists and some of the associated Buddhist iconography – we hope you enjoy it!

Dorje Legpa (Skt.Vajrasadhu) whose name means “Good Diamond” is regarded as one of the highest ranking “oath-bound” Dharma protectors (Skt.Dharmapala). He has a variety of forms and a large retinue which also includes three hundred and sixty of his own brothers. His chief officer and emanation is “The Oath-bound Dark Blacksmith”, Damchen Garba Nagpo in Tibetan, an equally important protective aspect.

Dorje Legpa is one of the native energies subdued by Padmasambhava and bound by oath to serve the Buddhist cause. Prior to Padmasambhava’s arrival in Tibet, local energies such as Dorje Legpa prevented the propagation of Buddhism. Through his tantric power, Padmasambhava subdued these beings and extracted from them a vow that promised their unending commitment to protect Buddhism.

As [[Damchen Garba] Nagpo]], he holds a vajra hammer made of meteoric iron in his right hand, and tiger-skin bellows in his left and rides on a billy goat with crossed horns, this is an actual kind of goat native to Tibet called a Dam Chen Ra “Oath-bound Goat”!

Source

https://buddhistartnews.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/dorje-legpa-%E2%80%93-the-good-diamond/