rDo rje Chenmo is one of the guardian goddesses of lokuttara in the guardian deity system of Tibetan Buddhism, her main task is to maintain the peace of Buddha and protect Buddhist dharma and she is usually represented in a fierce, intimidating appearance. The belief in this deity, starting from Phyi dar(the second propagation of Buddhism) and continuing to the present, is mainly concentrated in the mNga’ ris skor gsum region of ancient west Tibet. A textual study on the historical formation and changes in belief of rDo rje Chenmo is important for illuminating the royal pedigree of the Guge Kingdom in Tibetan history and the origin of the guardian deities of Tibetan Buddhism. Through a textual examination of the early Tibetan documents about rDo rje Chenmo, and by investigating and analyzing extant images depicting the deity, this paper explores the symbolic connotation and social function of the guardian deities in Tibetan Buddhism from the perspectives of historical origin, iconographical changes, and inheritance of religious and ritual practices.
