Dalai Lama’s Controversial Thoughts About Four-Faced Mahakala and Setrap
(Pastor David Lai and Tsem Rinpoche)
The Dharma Protector Setrap. Click on image to enlarge.
On the last day of the 1st Gelug Conference held on 24th June 2015, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a speech before a congregation of Gelug lamas, abbots and practitioners from all over the world. During the talk, the Dalai Lama claimed that the Dharma Protector Setrap had given mistaken prophecies to Dagyab Rinpoche as well as officials from Minyak Khangtsen (fraternity house) of Drepung Loseling Monastery.
His Holiness was referring to two important dough ball divinations requesting Setrap for his advice. Both Dagyab Rinpoche and the monastic officials had performed these divinations during crucial eleventh-hour deliberations as to whether they should remain where they were or flee Tibet for India. According to the Dalai Lama, the results of the divination indicated that it would be better for the Minyak Khangtsen monks as well as Dagyab Rinpoche to remain in Tibet. However, Dagyab Rinpoche thought about the Dalai Lama and his two esteemed tutors who had already escaped to India after the Cultural Revolution spread to Tibet. With this in mind, Dagyab Rinpoche decided to disregard the divination results from Setrap and left Tibet as well.
Saying that these incidents had deeply embarrassed Setrap, His Holiness the Dalai Lama then went on to describe another one of Setrap’s “mistakes” as the recognition and enthronement of Dorje Shugden as a Dharma Protector. The Dalai Lama also mentioned that Four-Faced Mahakala had made the same mistake in recognising and enthroning Dorje Shugden as a legitimate Dharma Protector and claimed that he had a dream in which he wrestled with a statue of Four-Faced Mahakala. During the ensuing struggle, one of Mahakala’s arms broke off. Although the Dalai Lama laughed and seemed to be joking, humour was definitely not what he had in mind. In speaking of Setrap and Four-Faced Mahakala’s mistakes, and in referring to his dream, the Dalai Lama was actually trying to discredit both Setrap and Four-Faced Mahakala and, by extension, discredit their recognition of Dorje Shugden as a legitimate Dharma Protector.
Since these senior Dharma protectors Setrap and Mahakala are widely accepted as highly enlightened beings and therefore, they knew that it was time for a special protector to arise according to karmic circumstances of the people of this time. Therefore, the enlightened Setrap and Mahakala assisted and enthroned Dorje Shugden as an authentic dharma protector. We can see the unique and close relationship of these protectors with each other. It’s because of this close relationship, that Dorje Shugden’s enlightened quality is confirmed which perhaps prompted His Holiness to say something about this matter.
The question is, do His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s claims hold water when one considers the illustrious history and lineage of these two great enlightened Dharma Protectors?
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/DLonSetrapMahakala.mp4
English Translation
“Is it Drepung Minyak Khangtsen?” [asking someone]
They did a dough ball divination to Setrap about whether they should remain in Tibet or leave. Wow, they totally trust Setrap [sarcastic laughter]. The result was they should remain.
Setrap released the bridge. [His Holiness the Dalai Lama is referring to a Tibetan proverb. Tibetan rope bridges are tied on either end to secure them. Thus, the Dalai Lama is saying that Setrap untied the bridge and released it i.e. Setrap made a big mistake.]
At Sangphu Ling, Dagyab Rinpoche also requested Setrap for another dough ball divination, and the result also was that he should remain [in Tibet and not flee to India]. Dagyab Rinpoche thought to himself that the Dalai Lama and his two tutors [Kyabje Ling Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche] had already left, so there was no point in heeding Setrap’s advice. So Dagyab Rinpoche also left. That wasn’t the first time Setrap was intensely embarrassed [Tib.: shamdrey]. During the time of the 5th Dalai Lama, Setrap also made big mistakes. So it is like this.
In relations to Dorje Shugden, there is some responsibility from Setrap’s side. When Dorje Shugden first became a Protector, it was Setrap who first took him in [inferring that it was Setrap who first recognised Dorje Shugden as a Protector]. And then Four-Faced Mahakala also received Dorje Shugden as a Protector and accepted him.
Anyway, it is not very important but I once had a dream about a huge statue of Four-Faced Mahakala and he was talking to me about Dorje Shugden. Then I said to him that I practise Palden Lhamo only. I had a fight with Mahakala and I was wrestling with him. I won and one of his arms broke. And I won [laughter]. So it is something like that.
History and Lineage of Four-Faced Mahakala
Within Tibetan Buddhism, there are 75 forms of Mahakala. One of these, Four-Faced Mahakala, also known as Chaturmukha Mahakala in Sanskrit, is an ancient protector deity who has been worshipped since the time of the great Nalanda Monastery in India. The great pandits and mahasiddhas of Nalanda Monastery relied on Four-Faced Mahakala, who is an emanation of the Bodhisattva Manjushri and the main protector of both the Guhyasamaja and Chakrasamvara Tantras. Since these tantric systems were widely practised within the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, Four-Faced Mahakala became an important Dharma Protector.
Four-Faced Mahakala within the Guhyasamaja Tantra
The name Guhyasamaja (Sanskrit) or Sangwa Dupa (Tibetan) literally means ‘Secret Assembly‘. ‘Secret assembly’ here refers to the gathering of psychic energies within the body in order to achieve higher states of Enlightenment. Considered the ‘King of Tantras’, the Guhyasamaja Tantra is one of the oldest Buddhist tantric systems of ancient India and belongs to the highest Anuttarayoga Tantra classification.
A thangka of Guhyasamaja in union with his consort Sparshavajra. In the lower right corner is Four-Faced Mahakala. Click to enlarge.
There are two main traditions of the Guhyasamaja tantric system: the Arya tradition and the Jnanapada tradition. It was the great Tibetan translator Nyen Lotsawa who received the Manjuvajra Guhyasamaja (Jnanapada tradition) initiation from the dakini Risula, together with the initiation of Four-Faced Mahakala in accordance to the Guhyasamaja Tantras. She also entrusted him with a dark-skinned Brahmin, a member of the Indian religious caste, as a servant. When Nyen Lotsawa and the Brahmin arrived in Nepal, the servant took on the appearance of a monk, which was more conducive for travelling within Tibet. After Nyen Lotsawa passed away, the monk remained with Lama Nam Ka’upa and then later with Sachen Kunga Nyingpo. This servant is widely believed to have been none other than Four-Faced Mahakala himself.
Within the Sakya tradition, it was considered inappropriate to reveal the wrathful form of Four-Faced Mahakala to those who had not received initiation. For this reason, the iconographic tradition of painting Four-Faced Mahakala in the form of the Brahmin servant, Nyen Lotsawa, arose. This representation of Four-Faced Mahakala later came to be known as Brahmanarupa Mahakala. He is portrayed as an old dark-skinned mendicant holding a human skull-cup filled with blood in his upraised left hand and a thigh-bone trumpet in his right. His hair, beard and eyebrows are white and he is surrounded by four attendant dakinis.
Later, Lama Tsongkhapa established the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, into which he incorporated both the Guhyasamaja practice and the propitiation of Four-Faced Mahakala. However, less emphasis was placed on secrecy so there was no need to hide representations of Mahakala. Hence, the vast majority of Tibetan and Mongolian paintings of Four-Faced Mahakala follow the Gelug depiction.
In the 16th Century, it was His Holiness the 3rd Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso who incorporated the practice of Four-Faced Mahakala into mainstream monastic life. This practice was actually relied upon by the monks of Drepung Tantric College but when they founded Namgyal Monastery, the personal monastery of the Dalai Lamas, Four-Faced Mahakala became a central practice that has been relied upon ever since.
This form of Mahakala, known as his ‘accomplishment form’ is usually depicted with four faces. His right face is white, his left red, the main face blue-black, and the face on top is the colour of smoke. His primary pair of hands hold a curved flaying knife and a skull-cup filled with blood. His secondary pair of hands hold a raised sword on the right and a spear on the left. He stands in the ancient pose of an Indian warrior, with his right leg bent and left straight, standing atop a human corpse. Surrounding him with frightening appearances are his four attendant dakini goddesses: Dombini, Chandali, Rakshasi and Singhali Devi. They are black, red, yellow and green in colour respectively.
These are just some of the esteemed Indian and Tibetan lineage masters of the Guhyasamaja Tantras, almost all of whom have relied upon Four-Faced Mahakala as a Dharma Protector: Vajradhara, Nagarjuna, Balimtapa, Buddhajnana, Marmedze Zangpo, Shrideva, Drime Bepa, Ratnavajra, Ratnakirti, Risula Dakini, Nyen Lotsawa, Lama Nam Ka’upa, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo and many other lineage masters in the Sakya and Gelug traditions.
Four-Faced Mahakala within the Chakrasamvara Tantra
A thangka of 12-armed Heruka in union with his consort Vajrayogini. Four-Faced Mahakala is depicted in the lower left corner and on the lower right is Dorje Shugden. Click to enlarge.
Like the practice of Guhyasamaja, the Chakrasamvara Tantra (known in Tibetan as Khorlo Dechog) belongs to the highest Anuttarayoga Tantra classification. There are three main lineages of Chakrasamvara transmissions, teachings and practice, which originated with the Indian Mahasiddhas Luipa, Ghantapa and Krishnacharya. They were all transmitted to Tibet and exist to the present day.
These are just some of the esteemed Indian and Tibetan lineage masters of the Ghantapa lineage of the Chakrasamvara Tantras, almost all of whom have relied upon Four-Faced Mahakala as a Dharma Protector: Vajradhara, Vajrapani, Maha Brahmin Saraha, Acharya Nagarjuna, the Protector Shavari, Luipa, Darikapa, Vajra Ghantapa, Kumarapada, Jalandharapa, Krishnacharya, Guhyapa, Nampar Gyalwai Shap, the Acharya Barmai Lobpon, Tilopa, Naropa, the Pamthingpa Brothers, Lama Lokkya Sherab Tseg, Lama Mal Lotsawa, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo and many other lineage masters in the Sakya and Gelug traditions.
So, both the Guhyasamaja and Chakrasamvara Tantras have the propitiation of Four-Faced Mahakala as part of their lineage. Furthermore, aside from these two tantric systems, these masters were also holders of other crucial lineages of both Sutra and Tantra, and are therefore considered to be some of the most important Buddhist masters of their time.
Both Setrap (bottom right) and Four-Faced Mahakala (bottom centre) are depicted in this thangka of Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen (centre) and his previous incarnations Panchen Sonam Drakpa (left) and Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen (right)
Now, consider the calibre of the lineage masters who have relied on Four-Faced Mahakala, and bear this in mind while listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s criticism of Four-Faced Mahakala as the defeated Protector of his dream, and as a Protector who is fallible and capable of making “mistakes” such as enthroning Dorje Shugden as a legitimate Dharma Protector. Could these great masters, spanning centuries, have all been wrong about their reliance on Four-Faced Mahakala?
Brahmarupa Mahakala, a form of Four-Faced Mahakala. Click on image to enlarge or for more high resolution thangka downloads click here.[
History and Lineage of the Dharma Protector Setrap
A thangka of Setrap and his emanations (Body, Speech, Mind, Qualities and Activities). Click on image to enlarge.
The other Dharma Protector who was targeted in the Dalai Lama’s speech is the enlightened Protector Setrap. In the original ‘fulfilment ritual’ to the great Protector Setrap, it is recorded that his practice can be traced all the way back to ancient India. Around the 11th Century CE, Ngok Lotsawa Loden Sherab (1059-1109 CE), a previous incarnation of Dorje Shugden, travelled to India in order to receive precious teachings on the Sanskrit language and the Indian treatises under the great masters of India.
After spending a number of years in India, Lotsawa Loden Sherab was about to return to Tibet when the abbot of a monastery in Bodhgaya wanted to entrust a Dharma Protector to Loden Sherab. The abbot clairvoyantly knew that an extraordinary Protector would be needed to safeguard the teachings as they were being transmitted into Tibet. According to the account, the abbot entered the Protector Chapel of his monastery and made a request. He told the various Protectors of his intentions and asked who would be willing to travel with Loden Sherab to Tibet. It is said that Setrap answered the request and was thus chosen.
Lotsawa Loden Sherab brought the practice of Dharma Protector Setrap from India to Tibet
During his journey to Tibet, Lotsawa Loden Sherab used his meditative powers to ascertain that Setrap was in fact an enlightened being. That means Setrap has the tremendous ability to protect and provide for practitioners on the path to Enlightenment, and clear obstacles to propel their spiritual progress.
Upon his return to Tibet, Lotsawa Loden Sherab enthroned Setrap as the Dharma Protector of Sangphu Neutog Monastery. This monastery was originally built by his uncle, Ngok Lotsawa Lekpai Sherab, one of the few surviving students of Dipamkara Srijnana Atisha at that time. Loden Sherab went on to become foremost in the mind training teachings and established Sangphu as one of the most prestigious monasteries in Tibet. According to historical records, in its heyday, Sangphu had easily over 20,000 monks.
At a later date, Sangphu Monastery was absorbed by the Gelug tradition, becoming a part of Gaden Monastery. A major fire had broken out at Sangphu Monastery, which resulted in many monks transferring to Gaden. These monks were housed in Gaden Shartse Monastery and they brought along with them the practice of propitiating Setrap. Over time and out of the many other Dharma Protectors, Setrap was chosen by senior monks to be the official Dharma Protector of Gaden Shartse Monastery and has remained its primary protector ever since.
This Setrap statue, made by His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, is housed in Gaden Shartse Monastery. Click to enlarge.
Considered to be the wrathful emanation of the Buddha Amitabha, Setrap has been propitiated by the great tulkus, geshes, and ordinary monks of Gaden Shartse Monastery for hundreds of years. Up to this day, the monastery conducts monthly pujas propitiating their five main protectors, including Setrap. All of the monks join in the pujas with no exceptions, which means that while residing in the monastery, the 14th Dalai Lama’s junior tutor His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche would have propitiated Setrap as part of these monthly rituals.
Could someone of Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s calibre have recited liturgies for a Protector that the Dalai Lama claims makes mistakes in dough ball divinations? And can an enlightened Dharma Protector of Setrap’s calibre, relied upon by hundreds of monks, have made a mistake in enthroning Dorje Shugden as a legitimate Dharma Protector? Bear this in mind while listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s criticism of Setrap and Mahakala.
Divining the future
In his speech, His Holiness the Dalai Lama implied that when Dagyab Rinpoche and Minyak Khangtsen invoked upon Setrap, the Protector gave a mistaken prophecy and advised them to remain in Tibet instead of leaving for India.
There are far-reaching implications for such a statement. When His Holiness the Dalai Lama says that Setrap made mistakes with the dough ball divinations, then he is effectively saying that:
- Setrap cannot be relied upon, either because he is by nature harmful or because enlightened beings like Setrap do not have the power of unlimited clairvoyance. By logic however, we know that this is not true – attained masters like Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche would never have propitiated Setrap if he was a harmful being, and Dagyab Rinpoche and Minyak Khangtsen would have sought a different protector’s advice instead of Setrap’s, if there were limitations to his clairvoyance. Both parties chose to seek his advice, and both chose to ignore it. Hence, the decision they made is more a reflection of their personal choices than of Setrap’s abilities. Dagyab Rinpoche, for instance, decided not to follow the divination because he wanted to be near His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his two tutors, and not because he thought that the divination was wrong.
- Divinations as a form of seeking answers from the enlightened beings cannot be relied upon. Although His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s statements were intended to raise doubts over Setrap’s clairvoyance, they also call into question the entire tradition of Tibetan divination. Divination in the Tibetan tradition relies on the enlightened beings and their clairvoyance for accurate answers; since the enlightened beings operate from Bodhicitta, their answers will only benefit and never harm the receiver. However, because sentient beings lack the merit to commune directly with the Buddhas, divinations bridge this gap between the Buddhas and ourselves, so that we can receive guidance on questions that we do not know the answers to. We also know that His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself does not doubt divinations, since he himself continues to rely on the practice.
In retrospect, the divination from Setrap was not mistaken. Although it was beneficial for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his two tutors to flee Tibet for India, the same may not have applied to Dagyab Rinpoche and the monks of Minyak Khangtsen. Over the years, the situation in Tibet has dramatically improved, especially if one is not involved in any form of protest against the government. Many great masters and high lamas had remained in Tibet in order to continue the transmission of Dharma, upkeep the monasteries and give spiritual strength to the six million Tibetans who remained in Tibet. Perhaps Dagyab Rinpoche would have been much more beneficial in Tibet had he remained than immigrating to Germany. These last few decades the Tibetans have stopped coming into exile as situation in Tibet has drastically improved. Many of the exiled monks have returned to Tibet. Even His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been asking China repeatedly to return to Tibet and China. He sent his emissary Samdhong Rinpoche to China in 2018 to secretly negotiate his return to Tibet but the negotiations did not go well to the ire of Indian authorities who were not informed. If Dagyab Rinpoche and the monks of Minyak Khangtsen had remained, they would have been part of the revival and restoration of monastic institutions which is occurring in Tibet today. Therefore, Setrap’s divination may not have been wrong about remaining in Tibet after all. For 600 years, a great seat of learning and meditation, Gaden Shartse Monastery as well has hundreds of thousands of practitioners have relied on Setrap as their principle protector and attest to his spectacular benevolent interventions in critical times in their lives and they continue to trust in him.
Revisiting the Dream
In his speech, not only did His Holiness the Dalai Lama try to reduce Setrap’s credibility by portraying him as a deity prone to making mistakes, but the Dalai Lama also showed Four-Faced Mahakala to be somewhat impotent. The Dalai Lama recalled a dream he had had in which he and a life-sized statue of Four-Faced Mahakala disagreed about Dorje Shugden. When the two of them wrestled, the Dalai Lama broke Mahakala’s arm.
But while the Dalai Lama laughed and revelled in his supposed victory over Four-Faced Mahakala, he revealed nothing about the exchange he had with the deity. Did Mahakala scold the Dalai Lama for banning Dorje Shugden? Many senior monks, high lamas, lineage holders and yogi monks mentioned in hushed whispers that Four-Faced Mahakala was in fact giving a sign clearly to the Dalai Lama not to ban Dorje Shugden as no benefit would arise from it. Now past two decades since the ban started, many in the monasteries and Tibetan communities mention there has been no benefit in the ban against Shuden and it should cease already. The breaking of the arm in the dream is not so much Dalai Lama winning over the argument, but his relationship with Mahakala being damaged perhaps as suggested by erudite masters in cautious tones. Or did Mahakala advise the Dalai Lama to stop discriminating against Shugden practitioners? Why did Mahakala even appear to the Dalai Lama in a dream in the first place?
It has been suggested that Four-Faced Mahakala appeared to caution His Holiness the Dalai Lama against upholding the Dorje Shugden ban. This theory would certainly match a different interpretation of the dream that has been suggested, which is less flattering of the Dalai Lama. Four-Faced Mahakala is actually an important protector for the Dalai Lama because he is connected to the Guhyasamaja and Chakrasamvara lineages that the Dalai Lama received from his teachers. Since the Dalai Lama received these tantric practices from them, he has commitments towards the practice of Four-Faced Mahakala. Mahakala’s broken arm could therefore actually indicate broken samaya (spiritual bond) between the Dalai Lama and his teachers.
Four-Faced Mahakala and Setrap were also the Protectors of Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, the lama who later became Dorje Shugden. It is said that when Dorje Shugden arose in his current form, Setrap and Four-Faced Mahakala enthroned him as a Dharma Protector. Since the Dalai Lama has banned the practice of Dorje Shugden, the ban directly contradicts Four-Faced Mahakala’s enlightened action of recognising Dorje Shugden. Therefore, it is logical that the Dalai Lama has endangered his samaya with Four-Faced Mahakala, because he instigated a ban on a deity that Mahakala enthroned.
What is equally unsurprising is the way in which His Holiness the Dalai Lama narrated the story. The Dalai Lama prefaced his recollection of the dream with a disclaimer, saying that the incident was not important. So one has to wonder if it is not important, why even mention it at all? The Dalai Lama has done this on countless occasions in the past, raising a serious topic while laughing and keeping things lighthearted even though the audience knows what the real message is – that Four-Faced Mahakala is somehow lacking or not powerful, and the Dalai Lama is victorious over Mahakala because he is right about Dorje Shugden and the deity is wrong. It may seem to be a joke but in reality, the Dalai Lama is planting seeds of doubt in the minds of onlookers and observers.
The Dalai Lama’s casual attitude towards the impact of his statements can also be seen as disrespectful when examined from another perspective. If Four-Faced Mahakala in the dream were to be replaced with Jesus, Amitabha, Shiva, Krishna, Mahavira or another deity from a different religion, how would it make followers of that religion feel to see the Dalai Lama making jokes about breaking off or destroying that deity’s arm and “winning” the fight? Would they be pleased to see the Dalai Lama laugh over what is clearly not a trivial or laughing matter?
Moreover, those familiar with the traditions and culture of Tibet would know that there is a Tibetan belief that deities and practices that originate from India are more “trustworthy” than deities that arise from within Tibet. Seeing that the practices of both Four-Faced Mahakala and Setrap were brought to Tibet from India, the Dalai Lama has to be more cautious when criticising these established protector deities who have been respected and venerated across generations of Tibetan Buddhists over the centuries.
Ramifications of the Dalai Lama’s Statement
But why did His Holiness the Dalai Lama spend so much time at the Gelug Conference speaking against Setrap and Four-Faced Mahakala? What was all of this done for? Only one thought springs to mind – to delegitimise Dorje Shugden and attack his credibility. Setrap and Four-Faced Mahakala enthroned Dorje Shugden as a legitimate Dharma Protector but if they are no longer credible, then the decision they made regarding Dorje Shugden’s enthronement becomes easy to attack and question.
Before rushing to believe what His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said about Four-Faced Mahakala and Setrap, it would therefore be wise to consider the implications of the Dalai Lama’s words. These words have tremendous weight and consequence for all practitioners as it might lead one to wrongly conclude the message into these 7 points:
1. His Holiness the Dalai Lama undermines people’s faith in the Protector deities
By trivialising their abilities and making them out to be powerless and inconsequential, His Holiness the Dalai Lama discourages practitioners from having full faith and confidence in these Dharma Protectors. Who would want to rely on a Dharma Protector who is unable to give accurate predictions that even high lamas heed? That would mean the enlightened beings who manifest as Dharma Protectors do not really have the wisdom or omniscience to perceive the future, which makes them no different to you and I.
The fact is that enlightened beings do not make mistakes and if the Dalai Lama prays to Four-Faced Mahakala every day as part of his Guhyasamaja and Chakrasamvara practices, then Four-Faced Mahakala did not make a mistake. Enlightened beings, by nature, abide in perfect wisdom and compassion. They have long removed any obscurations to omniscience, and are able to perceive the nature of all beings. A powerfully established emanation such as Four-Faced Mahakala therefore would not be capable of making mistakes about Dorje Shugden or anything else.
Hence it does not make sense for the Dalai Lama to rely on Four-Faced Mahakala, then turn around and say that Mahakala can be wrong and is mistaken. If an enlightened being such as Mahakala can be mistaken, why does the Dalai Lama pray to him? It would mean that he is not a worthy being to take refuge in and is incapable of protecting practitioners or guiding them along their path to Enlightenment. But this is exactly what the Dalai Lama is inferring in his statements about both Setrap and Four-Faced Mahakala.
2. His Holiness the Dalai Lama invalidates all of Tibetan Buddhism
Believing what the Dalai Lama says about Setrap and Four-Faced Mahakala invalidates many great Tibetan lineages that propitiate these two Protectors as powerful enlightened beings. These Protector practices encompass not only the Gelug lineage, but also the Kagyu and Sakya lineages as well. Even the older Nyingma lineage propitiates Four-Faced Mahakala amongst their pantheon of Dharma Protectors.
Therefore, the entirety of Tibetan Buddhism is undermined when established Dharma Protectors like Four-Faced Mahakala and Setrap are trivialised in this manner. In order for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be right, all the illustrious lamas, mahasiddhas, geshes, yogis and great practitioners of all four traditions have to be wrong. Does this make sense?
3. His Holiness the Dalai Lama invalidates the widely-practised Chakrasamvara Tantras
The Chakrasamvara Tantra happens to be one of the core tantras of the Gelug, Kagyu and Sakya schools, and Four-Faced Mahakala is propitiated in order to protect practitioners and the lineage of this tantra as a whole. Similarly, the lineage masters who practised and promoted this tantra would also be invalidated and this includes not only the Tibetan masters, but ancient Indian masters too, since the practice originated in India.
For instance, the great Indian Acharya Nagarjuna, who is a holder of both the Chakrasamvara and Guhyasamaja lineages, composed the following praise to Four-Faced Mahakala. Was Arya Nagarjuna wrong in his description of Four-Faced Mahakala’s qualities and siddhis?
Praise to Four-Faced Mahakala by Arya Nagarjuna
HUM
Great bodhisattva who annihilates
In a cannibal’s form all evil beings
And who destroys the three-storied city:
O fearful one this praise is offered you
With great energy and admiration.
You who are liberated from this world
And said to have been a brahmin before
Have attained the supreme of all siddhis
And have reached the state of transcendent bliss.
Your holy body is as quick as thought
And renowned throughout all the universe.
Liberator of all worldly beings
In battle you are always the victor.
Yamas and ma-mo directly praise you.
You wear a blue silken upper garment,
Your manifest body is at one time
Most beautiful yet still it horrifies.
Wherever you look your eye terrifies
And brings all beings to humility.
Your eye bestows the highest of siddhis.
You lead countless beings to wisdom bliss.
O compassionate and courageous lord,
I constantly offer praises to you.
4. His Holiness the Dalai Lama contradicts the Sakya tradition
Setrap has been highly propitiated within the Sakya tradition – together with Dorje Shugden and Kache Marpo – as part of a triad of protector deities called the Gyalpo Sum (Three Kingly Protectors). When the Dalai Lama expresses doubts in Setrap’s clairvoyance, he undermines the great Sakya tradition as well, which has a long, authentic and established lineage.
5. His Holiness the Dalai Lama contradicts his teachers
His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s junior tutor, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, is known to have practised Heruka Chakrasamvara intensely and, by extension, Four-Faced Mahakala as well. So the Dalai Lama’s statements about fighting with Four-Faced Mahakala and “winning” are contradictory to his teacher’s faith and belief in this ancient Protector.
Sadly, what His Holiness the Dalai Lama is doing is nothing new since he has previously claimed that his own teachers were mistaken about Dorje Shugden and their practice of the protector deity was wrong. The Dalai Lama contradicted his own gurus, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Kyabje Ling Rinpoche for their acknowledgement of Dorje Shugden as an authentic practice. In this current case, he contradicts his own teachers with regards to Four-Faced Mahakala, as well as his commitments to uphold the lineages of tantra he received from them.
6. His Holiness the Dalai Lama contradicts all of Gaden Shartse Monastery
Setrap has been propitiated as the principle Dharma Protector of Gaden Shartse Monastery for centuries. This monastery is home to innumerable tulkus, geshes, and ordinary monks, many of whom are either secretly or openly attained beings. Hence, if the entire Sangha of Gaden Shartse has the confidence to rely on Setrap, after having approved of his ability to protect us, it would be utterly illogical to believe that the entire monastic assembly could be mistaken about the nature and ability of their own Dharma Protector.
7. His Holiness the Dalai Lama contradicts himself
His Holiness the Dalai Lama previously visited Gaden Shartse Monastery’s Setrap chapel and consecrated it, cementing his previous confidence and veneration of Setrap as an authentic Dharma Protector. This directly contradicts the speech in the video, wherein the Dalai Lama turned around and expressed doubts about Setrap’s clairvoyance.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the Dharma Protector Setrap’s chapel in Gaden Shartse Monastery, South India and consecrated it with prayers. Why consecrate the Chapel of Setrap if Dalai Lama finds Setrap to be unreliable? Remember Setrap is very good ‘friends’ with Dorje Shugden and Four-Faced Mahakala. You are known by the ‘friends’ you keep as the old saying goes. Gaden Shartse Monastery, the first Gelugpa institution in Tibet founded by Lord Je Tsongkapa 600 years ago is one of the most prominent educational institutions in Tibet having produced countless masters, tantrikas, scholars, yogis and teachers for the last 600 years. From Gaden Monastery many other Gelugpa Monasteries arose. Setrap is one of the main protectors of this veritable institution which produced the highest teachers in Tibet past and present. Surely Gaden Shartse Monastery will not simply adopt any protector to be their main protector for 600 years.
His Holiness the great 5th Dalai Lama also composed a praise to Setrap which is part of the liturgy recited monthly in Gaden Shartse Monastery to this day. Was the current Dalai Lama’s previous incarnation also wrong when he praised Setrap as “the great guardian Protector of the teachings”? Did the great 5th Dalai Lama also make a mistake?
Praise to Setrap by H.H. the 5th Dalai Lama
In raksha’s form, a ruby mountain glorious with a hundred-fold
Embrace of the southern ocean’s submarine fire,
Emanation in a dance of all possible fury,
Praise the great guardian Protector of the teachings!
Wearing brightly blazing leather helmet on your crown,
And leather mail glittering with exceedingly bright light,
Mounted on beautifully saddled, bridled wisdom horse,
Exploring the three realms in a single instant, praise to you!
Raising great cudgel dispatching millions of armed hosts,
At heart holding the noose which binds enemies and obstructers
At belt hang tiger-skin quiver, leopard-skin bow case and sword
The powerful great wild ‘tsen’, praise to you!
Dancer who sends forth peaceful and wrathful emanations
Of body, speech and mind, qualities and activities,
With powerful ability to exhibit any appearance whatsoever
Praise to your transformations as wild ‘tsen’, devas and nagas!
Monks, tantrikas, tribals, youths and clowns,
Cocks, cats, black snakes, apes & so forth,
Praise the numberless dreadful emanations
In your entourage which fill the expanse of earth and sky!
Cause the precious teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni,
The assembly which spreads them through teaching and practice,
And the sponsors of those who uphold the teachings,
To increase and flourish like the waxing moon!
In all worlds pacify interruption without exception,
Such as disease, starvation, arguments and conflict,
And, as when people live to 80,000 in Jambudvipa,
Set beings in perfection, fresh culmination of joy!
Especially cause the spread and flourishing of all Dharma centres,
Together with all its followers, those who understand
Through study, the two supreme and six ornaments’
Scriptures on the perfections, valid cognition and so forth.
In brief, since we entrust to you, Great Dharmapala,
Our spiritual abode, people, property and all,
Protect us throughout day and night’s six periods,
And spontaneously exert peaceful, increasing, powerful and wrathful enlightening influence!
Think For Yourself
After examining the many ramifications of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s statements, it is obvious that if we were to follow his line of reasoning, it would undermine the great Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the tantric lineages that descend from the time of Nalanda in ancient India. It is clear the immediate purpose of the statements was to undermine the authority of Dorje Shugden as a Dharma Protector since both Four-Faced Mahakala and Setrap enthroned him as such. But in doing so, the Dalai Lama questioned the very nature of both Four-Faced Mahakala and Setrap. If they are not enlightened beings, then why pray to them at all within Tibetan Buddhism?
Interestingly, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is fond of saying there is no ban against Dorje Shugden and it is just advice. Yet, just to attack and criticise Dorje Shugden, the Dalai Lama has shown that he is willing to attack and devalue hundreds of years of practice and worship of two very legitimate and widely-recognised Dharma Protectors. That hardly sounds like the behaviour of someone who is “just giving advice”.
If one analyses these statements logically and in-depth, it is clear that if His Holiness the Dalai Lama claims that all previous lineage lamas were wrong about Setrap, Four-Faced Mahakala and Dorje Shugden, then the Dalai Lama opens himself up to be wrong about any number of issues. There is no telling what else the Dalai Lama could change his mind about next – what is the next established practice or lineage that the Dalai Lama is going to disagree with? Each time the Dalai Lama voices his disagreement about something, are we going to keep changing our decisions and altering our practices, and contradict our teachers in the process?
At the end of the day, it seems that people’s samaya and practices are dispensable in the quest to justify a particular view of a certain practice or protector deity. But was it really His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s intention to undermine the entire tradition, or to say something so absurd that it would get us to think about and analyse what he is saying, so that we may come to our own logical conclusions as to the authenticity of the practice?
Therefore, in order to avoid the pitfalls of breaking our samaya, lineage and practice, we should think with our own mind. To do this, we must arm ourselves with knowledge and faith that is born from understanding the entire situation. Once we have firm knowledge of the history and lineage, then we can be firm with our own practice.
As history has taught us, we should not denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Over the course of human history, many wars have been waged solely on the basis of religion, and whose god is worthy to be worshipped and whose is not. As human beings with intelligence, reason and free will, we should move beyond such differences and unite under what makes us all the same: our humanity. If you truly believe that the god or deity you pray to is great, then show it by being kind and compassionate towards everyone, instead of reinforcing discrimination and segregation over and over again.
In the end, we all can come to understand a person by the company he keeps. In the same line of thought, Dorje Shugden keeps really excellent company. We can conclude clearly that Setrap and Mahakala as highly enlightened beings that knew it was time for a special protector to arise according to karmic circumstances of the people of this time. Therefore, the enlightened Setrap and Mahakala ‘assisted’ Dorje Shugden and enthroned him as a dharma protector. We can see the unique and close relationship of these protectors. It’s because of this close relationship, that Dorje Shugden’s enlightened quality is confirmed which perhaps prompted His Holiness to say something about this matter.
But the bottomline is that Mahakala, Setrap and Dorje Shugden are very close with each other. They share a special connection together. Dorje Shugden being a new protector was enthroned by his ‘seniors’ Mahakala and Setrap according to tradition, therefore it is beyond doubt that these 2 protectors will not enthrone Dorje Shugden if he was not enlightened. Enthroning a protector is to introduce him to sentient beings. It is safe to conclude that these 2 highly enlightened protectors enthroned Dorje Shugden due to his enlightened and highly beneficial nature. We can definitely trust Four-Faced Mahakala and Setrap.
After all, at the end of the day, we pray to whatever we want to, because we understand what we pray to. No one should tell us what to pray to or put us down because of it. It is our choice to make.
For more interesting information:
- An Open Letter of Appeal to His Holiness the Dalai Lama (April 30, 2018)
- Dalai Lama’s sudden change of mind about China-backed Panchen Lama
- Dharma Protectors of Tibetan Buddhism
- 84 Mahasiddhas
- H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche
- Nepal and China: Two Old Civilisations Embrace
- Pilgrimage Through India & Nepal
- “The Tribune” Publishes Dalai Lama Planning to visit China! | “The Tribune”发表达赖喇嘛计划访问中国的新闻！
- Reuters publishes my thoughts on Tibetan self-immolation
- Reuters covers international Dorje Shugden conference 2018
- Milestone International Dorje Shugden Conference 2018 | 2018全球雄登代表大会开创历史新篇章 | ས་ཚིགས་འཛམ་གླིང་རྒྱལ་ཡོངས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཤུགས་ལྡན་ལྷན་ཚོགས ༢༠༡༨།
- Huffington Post: Shugden Acolytes Decry Ostracism Within Buddhist Ranks
- Huffington Post: When Machiavelli Dons Tibetan Robes
- Dorje Shugden – The Protector of Our Time
- Dorje Shugden: Our Personal Stories
- Dear Dalai Lama, please read this
- Dear Dalai Lama, With Folded Hands
- Why so rude?
- 700 Meet A Buddha (七百人幸睹佛现)
- Great Masters Speak about Tsem Rinpoche
- Dorje Shugden Retreat: A powerful practice to fulfill wishes
- Dorje Shugden People Do Not Go to the Three Lower Realms
- Why Accepting Dorje Shugden Is Good for Tibetan Democracy
- Why can’t the Dalai Lama ‘bind’ Dorje Shugden?
- H.E. Tsem Rinpoche’s first live streaming!
- The Dorje Shugden category on my blog
- Manjushri Nagarakshasa comes to KFR!
- They were not wrong
- Can Tibetan Lamas Make Mistakes?
- My plea to His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- My plea to His Holiness (Tibetan) | ངའི་༧གོང་ས་མཆོག་ལ་སྙན་ཞུ་ཞུ་རྒྱུར།
- The Fourteenth Dalai Lama & Dorje Shugden | ༧གོང་ས་ཆེན་པོ་སྐུ་འཕྲེང་བཅུ་བཞི་པ་མཆོག་དང་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཤུགས་ལྡན། | 十四世达赖尊者与多杰雄登
- The Fifth Dalai Lama & Dorje Shugden | ༧གོང་ས་ལྔ་པ་ཆེན་པོ་དང་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཤུགས་ལྡན། | 第五世达赖尊者与多杰雄登
- Dorje Shugden: My side of the story
- Should there be a separate autonomous Dorje Shugden state? Part 1
- Should there be a separate autonomous Dorje Shugden state? Part 2
- To Sum It Up
- The Buddhist Divide – An Unholy Campaign against Religious Freedom
- Tibetan Leadership’s New Anti-Shugden Video
- Updated: Dorje Shugden Teaching Videos
- The Dalai Lama Speaks Clearly About the Dorje Shugden Ban
- Nechung – The Retiring Devil of Tibet
- Will the Dalai Lama agree with this?
- The Tibetan Leadership Exposed in Modern Diplomacy
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Dear Rinpoche and pastor David,
First I do not believe that HHDL is an ordinary being. If he is ordinary, great masters even of DS lineage would not have paid deference to him, next would he have the merits to take homage and tribute from them.
If HHDL is not ordinary, then his ideas and dreams that seemed anti-DS would carry meanings that are deeper than we could understand at first glance. This is what I read:
1. HHDL is reminding everyone that lest they forget, DS was recognised by two eminent protectors. Through that, HHDL is indirectly rekindling interest in DS as well as undermining those who are anti-DS.
2. HHDL is affirming his anti-DS stand to PRC; the Chinese government, sensing that DS issue has divided the Tibetan community more deeply as HHDL criticised the other two prestigious protectors, would pump more resources to spread DS within China and beyond.
3. HHDL speech here would definitely invite criticisms against him personally. But as a deep-ground bodhisattva, I do not think he cares. After him, the institution of Dalai Lama is likely to decline in prestige and importance as China will appoint his successor. With that, opinions built up against him and his ideas could burst and overwhelm the CTA, forcing the ban to be lifted, leading to the swift recovery of the status of DS lineage. As such, HHDL is looking beyond his lifetime and playing the Long game.
To this, I bow to HHDL.
Rinpoche, please return soon to play your historic role in the coming era!
Mantras are sacred verbalized words that invoke the protection and blessings of the deity to whom the mantra is ascribed. Mantras are also the manifestations of Buddhas in the form of ‘sounds’, hence the various mantras of Dorje Shugden contain the essence of the Protector.
Dorje Shugden’s main mantra 多杰雄登主要咒语
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for peace 平和咒语
For gaining attainments through the energy of Peaceful Shugden, peace of environment and mind, harmony in one’s abode and dwelling area, and calming of disasters
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SHANTI SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for health 福寿安康咒语
For long life, increasing life, healing of disease and protection from diseases
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA AYU SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for increase 增长咒语
For gaining great merits and increase of all necessary needs, both material and spiritual
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA PUNYE SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for control 控制咒语
Of worldly deities, negative people and nagas and for influencing friends towards the positive
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA WASHAM KURU HO
Dorje Shugden’s mantra to grant protection 庇护咒语
Visualize that you are in the Protector’s mandala, fully protected from outside interferences. Recite when in danger or for dangerous situations, for protection while travelling or when residing in dangerous/hostile places
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA RAKYA RAKYA HUNG
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1544345059.mp4
Dear friends,
Tibet has produced many powerful meditations, rituals and guidelines to help us gain spiritual protection, gain wisdom and higher states of consciousness. In general Tibet has produced many powerful methods for the growth of our spiritual evolution. Dorje Shugden is an angel, a saint, a powerful spiritual protector-warrior who originated 350 years ago when a highly awakened Tibetan Lama fulfilled his vows to become a special being to grant protection, wisdom, material needs, safety when travelling (normal and astral travel) and spiritual awakening. Both the Great 5th Dalai Lama and the current His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama composed short yet effective prayers to invoke upon the power and blessings of this special saint and protector. One can recite either one of the prayers that you feel suits you, anytime or even daily. When you feel a special need for help, you can recite either prayer anytime. When you are feeling down, afraid or just need a blessing, you can recite them. After reciting either invocation, it is good to chant the mantra of Dorje Shugden: Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha.
You do not have to be a Buddhist or practitioner of any religion to invoke upon the blessings and protection of this special enlightened and awakened angel Dorje Shugden. He helps all without discrimination or bias as he is filled with compassion and love. Divinity has no boundaries, they help all who call upon them.
Enclosed are the prayers in English, Chinese and Tibetan.
May you be safe, protected and blessed.
Tsem Rinpoche
More on the Great 5th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2w7KHv6
More on H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2QdaL4n
Chapel (Trode Khangsar) built by the Great 5th Dalai Lama dedicated to Dorje Shugden in Lhasa – https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
—
亲爱的朋友们，
西藏产生了许多有助于我们得到精神庇佑、取得智慧和更高层次之觉悟的强大禅修法、仪式和教诲。总括来说，西藏产生了许多有助于我们在修行上取得提升的强有力方法。多杰雄登是一个天使，一位圣人和一名护法战士。他的崛起始于350年前，当一位高度觉悟的西藏高僧履行本身的承诺，化身为特别的护法，赐予我们守护、智慧、物质需要、出入平安（平日外游和神游时）和灵修上的觉醒。任何人都可以随时随地在任何时候念诵适合自己的祈愿文。当你需要特别的帮助时，你可以随时念诵任何一篇祈愿文。当你感到沮丧、恐惧或仅是需要加持时，你也可以持诵这些祈愿文。在念诵任何祈请文后，你应该接着念诵多杰雄登的心咒：嗡 班杂 维格 毗札那 娑哈 Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha。
要祈请多杰雄登这位特殊、觉悟和觉醒的天使赐予加持和庇佑，你无需是佛教徒或任何宗教的修行者。他总是没有分别或偏见，充满慈悲和慈爱地帮助一切众生。神圣是没有界限的，圣者会帮助有求于他的任何人。
以下附上英文、中文和藏文的祈愿文。
愿你平安，常受庇护和加持。
尊贵的詹杜固仁波切
更多关于第五世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2zsC3tG
更多关于第十四世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2r4aaDN
第五世达赖尊者为多杰雄登护法在拉萨建造的护法殿（布旦康萨）— https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
Divination (‘mo’) Text by Dorje Shugden
This is an important divination (‘mo’) text composed by Dorje Shugden himself. Dorje Shugden took trance of the Choyang Dulzin oracle lama, the senior oracle of Gaden Shartse Monastery, and instantly on the spot composed this text within two hours.
The divination text contains information on how to use dice to do divination for the future and is known to be highly accurate. When practitioners use this text, they will be in direct contact with Dorje Shugden to get answers to questions about the future. It is for those who have good samaya with Dorje Shugden and are free of the eight worldly dharmas to be of benefit to others in divining the future.
Tsem Rinpoche
DS-MO-choyang.pdf
All enlightened beings are worthy of homage and worship. They are the best beings to take refuge in and we should offer them our prayers as we can put our full confidence in them. Of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, I personally find that Manjushri is extremely important. This is because what keeps us in samsara (cyclic rebirth) is our total ignorance and misunderstanding of the reality of existence. What is necessary to penetrate this deep ignorance that keeps us bound in a perpetual state of reincarnation is wisdom. We need many types of wisdom which can be acquired by relying on Manjushri as our yidam (meditational deity). By focusing on his meditation, practice, mantra and path we can gain wisdom in order to have the tool to penetrate the reality of existence. Therefore, Manjushri is an extremely important Buddha for us to focus on and take refuge in.
Tsem Rinpoche
(Photograph: this is the beautiful outdoor Manjushri statue who is in a teaching pose. He is floating above a koi fish pond nestled among lush greenery in Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia)
每一位觉者都能成为我们朝拜、膜拜的对象。他们是我们至高、至好的皈依，我们应该向他们做祈请，并且对他们生起全然的信念。在众佛菩萨之中，我个人认为文殊菩萨极为重要。这是因为使我们身陷娑婆（轮回）的是我们自身的无明，以及对实相的曲解。智慧是一种必要，它能穿透我们深不见底的无明，那个使我们受困于无止境投生的无明。我们需要多种智慧，而依止文殊菩萨作为我们的本尊，即能使我们成就多种智慧。透过文殊菩萨的观想、修持法门、心咒及修行道路，我们能成就智慧，拥有了知实相的“器具”。故此，专注于文殊菩萨的修持法门、皈依他，对我们而言都极为重要。
詹杜固仁波切
（相片：这尊户外文殊菩萨像呈转法轮姿。他被茂密的草木环绕，安坐在马来西亚克切拉禅修林的鱼池之上。）
8 pictures of the Sakya Monastery to share, where Protector temple Mug Chung is located. This is the monastery where Dorje Shugden was enthroned first as a Dharma protector in Tibet over 400 years ago by the highest Sakya throneholders and masters. Since then when people are doing Dorje Shugden prayers and pujas, they invoke his holy wisdom presence from Mug Chung Protector Chapel in Sakya Monastery in Tibet.
Be blessed with these rare videos featuring explanation and advice about Dorje Shugden practice by His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche in his own voice. The teaching was requested by Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the earliest masters who taught Tibetan Buddhism in the West.
Video 1: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Explains Dorje Shugden Initiation and Benefits (With English Subtitles)
Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet. At the request of Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Tibetan Buddhism in America, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche gives clear explanation and advice about the life-entrustment initiation of Dorje Shugden and how to go about the practice and get the maximum benefits in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzFMvlxAqtc&feature=youtu.be
Video 2: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche speaks on the History and Lineage of Dorje Shugden (With English Subtitles)
In this video, an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche talks about the incarnation lineage of Dorje Shugden and how the practice arose, with examples of Dorje Shugden’s previous lives that reveal his powerful spiritual attainments and contributions. This very rare teaching was given at the request of Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s student, Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Buddhism in the West to many disciples since the 1970s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIzKSJgK618&feature=youtu.be
For more information: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/kyabje-zong-rinpoches-advice-on-dorje-shugdens-practice.html
Many come to Kechara Forest Retreat in Bentong, Malaysia to make offerings and prayers to the increase form of Dorje Shugden who appears like a prince and rides on a golden horse. Many report having their wishes fulfilled and return many times. Am happy to see this. Tsem Rinpoche
You can learn more about this form of Dorje Shugden here: https://bit.ly/2wxQyes
and
See video of this chapel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEK35F_O5Hg
COMPASSION at its best: His Holiness the Dalai Lama explained in Ladakh, 31 July 2018:
“Usually at the beginning of an empowerment there is a ritual to drive away interferences. But I no longer feel it’s consistent to regard some beings as evil forces. At the start of each day I cultivate altruism, but in the evening we say, ‘May the evil forces be driven away.’ There seems to be a contradiction here that I’m no longer keen to comply with. I’m not highly realized, but I have great confidence in the power of Bodhichitta.”
Source: https://bit.ly/2wVsqSb
———————————————-
This latest statement by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is excellent. I fully believe in his compassion and I hope he will fully implement it.
All negative beings take rebirth with negative minds due to deep attachments. The attachments result in negative states of rebirth and angry minds that carry out harmful actions, like spirits or hungry ghosts who can be very bothersome because they are very angry as they died in the state of attachment in their former rebirths.
Indeed we need to generate compassion towards these beings, especially the formless type, as it would be the best remedy to stop their harm. We can recite mantras with love and bless them with it. While reciting prayers, we can meditate on them being at peace. When we generate compassion towards these harmful interferences of the formless type, many of them will calm down and stop their harm and even go away. Some of them, you can talk to them and subdue their harm and they will stop harming completely if they feel your love. That is how you can help them.
Many high masters of India and Tibet generated great compassion towards certain ghosts, spirits or interferers and subdued them in this manner and even made them into protectors of regions. I’ve witnessed this with one of my lamas where he subdued a female spirit that crossed over the Himalayas. After making the spirit promise it will not harm others, my lama gave the spirit a drink to seal the promise.
Since the Dalai Lama has manifested saying Dorje Shugden is negative (although many high lamas disagree), then he can apply this method to Dorje Shugden. He can ‘subdue’ Dorje Shugden by generating tremendous love, prayers and talking nice to Dorje Shugden who will be ‘subdued’. Then people are henceforth ‘free’ to practice Dorje Shugden without more discrimination, segregation and being called degrading names for practicing this protector.
Give peace a chance. His Holiness the Dalai Lama can generate great love towards Dorje Shugden and all the hundreds of thousands of Dorje Shugden practitioners that love the Dalai Lama and miss him like I do. May His Holiness the Dalai Lama bring peace and heal the rift with Dorje Shugden practitioners.
May His Holiness live very long and always be healthy,
Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
Reading- https://bit.ly/2wWQGUh
Medicine Buddha puja encourages healing of all levels – physical, mental and emotional healing for those in need.
High resolution file of this thangka is available for download for all dharma practitioners around the world and for those who just want sacred images in their environment. Enjoy, be blessed and share this with others.
Here is the link to free download of this image and many other images: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/downloads/buddha-images.html?nggpage=7
For the first time available, Dorje Shugden and his entourage of 32 asssistants of his mandala.
Dorje Shugden is a powerful protector deity who is also an emanation of Manjushri, a wisdom bestowing Buddha. Therefore, he has great ability to help us to progress further on the spiritual path. He does this by helping us to overcome obstacles and problems for the modern individual.
Due to his enlightened nature, Dorje Shugden is able to manifest 32 deities and within the same abode resides Setrap and Kache Marpo:-
1. 5 Dorje Shugden families or emanations. They consists of the following:-
– Dulzin Dorje Shugden, which performs activities to eliminate inner and outer obstacles.
– Shize, which performs activities to pacify all illnesses and disease.
– Gyenze, which performs activities to increase all desirable material and spiritual wealth.
– Wangze, which performs activities to control difficult people and circumstances.
– Trakze, which performs activities to wrathfully eliminate all insurmountable obstacles and life-threatening situations.
2. 9 Mothers. They represent protection of the five senses and developing control of the four elements. These are all attributes that signify their ability to assist tantric practitioners with their higher meditations.
3. 8 Guiding Monks. They represent the Eight Great Bodhisattvas (Avalokitesvara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Samantabhadra, Maitreya, Kshitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Sarva-nivarana-viskambini) and they bring about the growth of the Dharma, through the Sangha, Dharma practitioners and Dharma establishments.
4. 10 Youthful & Wrathful Attendants. They represent the ten wrathful attendants to avert inner and outer obstacles. They are beings who are from Mongolia, China, Kashmir, India, Bengali, etc.
5. Setrap. He is a senior Dharma Protector from India and an emanation of Amitabha Buddha. He had enthroned Dorje Shugden as an authentic Dharma Protector. Therefore, he also resides within the same mandala of Dorje Shugden.
6. Kache Marpo. He is not an emanation of Dorje Shugden but he is still an enlightened Dharma Protector in his own right. He was originally known as Tsiu Marpo of Samye Monastery. However, he has placed himself under the service of Dorje Shugden as his chief minister, performing many activities in order to protect and benefit practitioners. Therefore, he stands guard at the main entrance of Dorje Shugden’s mandala. He often takes trance of qualified mediums to speak.
7. Namkar Barzin. He is the reincarnation of an old Mongolian monk and when he passed away in Phari area of Tibet, his spirit was placed as a powerful assistant of Dorje Shugden. He guards and protects buildings and great institutions especially those that benefit others. He rides on a mythical Gyaling animal that resembles a goat but with scales.
These sacred images are available on *Vajrasecrets. They are made of high quality alloy and are one of a kind. They are based on the lineage of His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s monastery, Tashilhunpo in Shigatse, Tibet. In fact, the iconography of these statues are based on detailed photographs taken by H. E. Tsem Rinpoche during a trip to Tashilhunpo’s protector chapel. These are based exactly as the 10th Panchen Lama’s personal collection.
Dorje Shugden mandala: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=131570
Dorje Shugden’s benefit and practice: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=62422
Dorje Shugden’s origins: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=106424
Dorje Shugden chapel in His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s Tashilhunpo Monastery in Tibet: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=68698
*Stand not included
His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama
Tibetans commonly refer to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama as the “sun and moon” of Tibetan Buddhism. They are the center of Tibetan Buddhist civilization, which draws to its sphere of influence millions of non-Tibetan practitioners. The Panchen Lama’s incarnation line began with the 16th abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen (1570 – 1662). He was bestowed the title of Panchen Lama by His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama after being declared as an emanation of Amitabha.
After being given the title, his three previous incarnations were posthumously also bestowed the title, making Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen the 4th Panchen Lama. He became a teacher to many Tibetans, Bhutanese and Mongolian religious figures, including His Holiness the 4th and 5th Dalai Lamas, and the 1st Jetsun Dampa of Mongolia. A prolific author, Chokyi Gyeltsen is credited with over a hundred compositions, including a number of commentaries and ritual texts that remain central in the Gelukpa tradition today. Along with his role as a teacher of the Dharma, the Panchen Lamas are usually responsible for the recognition of the rebirths of the Dalai Lamas, and vice versa.
The 10th Panchen Lama, Lobsang Trinley Lhundrub Chokyi Gyeltsen (19 February 1938 – 28 January 1989) continued both the spiritual and political roles of his predecessors. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, his contemporary, was even heard to say and echo the Panchen Lama’s own words that the Dalai Lama would safeguard Tibet from the outside while the Panchen Lama would safeguard Tibet from the inside, as he never left Tibet after the political troubles of 1959. He was truly loved by the Tibetans, all the way until his passing. When he taught, thousands of people would attend, not only from his own Gelug lineage, but masters and practitioners from all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
At his sprawling monastery of Tashi Lhunpo, he has a special chapel specifically dedicated to Dorje Shugden, where prayers and rituals are performed on a daily basis. In his great omniscience the Panchen Lama held Dorje Shugden as the principal Dharma protector of the monastery. He also personally propitiated Dorje Shugden among other Dharma protectors, and even wrote extensive prayers and rituals to Dorje Shugden. These rituals and prayers are contained within his ‘sung bum’ or collected works, which are provided here. As such a great lama, with an erudite and clear understanding of the Buddhist scriptures, a teacher to millions in both Tibet and China, from an established incarnation line and an emanation of the Buddha Amitabha, he could not be mistaken about his practice of Dorje Shugden.
His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama is known for his composition of commentaries and practice texts that are still in use by contemporary Buddhist practitioners both in Tibet and across the world. One of these is a powerful ritual composition propitiating the compassionate Dorje Shugden.
Upon the request by Acharya Lobsang Jangchub to compose a shorter version of the prayer (sadhana) for the exhortation of activities of Dorje Shugden, Panchen Lama immediately composed an abbreviate form of Dorje Shugden’s Kangsol. This text is entitled “Manjunatha’s (Tsongkapa) Lineage protector Dorje Shugden and five forms wrathful propitiations and confessional prayers and fulfilment of activities rites” or “Melodious sound of Accomplishment of the Four Activities” for short. Once the prayers were completed, he had signs and strong feelings that Dorje Shugden has been working hard to protect the Buddhadharma in general and the lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa specifically.
Mirroring the abilities of one of his earlier incarnations, Khedrub Je, a disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa and master of both sutra and tantra, the Panchen Lama used his compositional skill and poetic prowess to create a masterful sadhana. Worthy of note is a praise in which the first letter of each verse is a Tibetan vowel. Such compositions are rarely seen, and have historically only been used when propitiating senior Dharma protectors such as Palden Lhamo and Kalarupa.
The Panchen Lama also stated that while composing the Dorje Shugden sadhana (prayers) he was filled with a sense of happiness and bliss. He ends the composition with not only his official title but his ordination name, Tenzin Trinley Jigme Choje Wangchuk, endorsing the validity of his work. He composed the sadhana in his own Tashi Lhunpo monastery while in the Hall of Clear Light and Bliss.
See the Panchen Lama’s writings and download: https://bit.ly/2KIfeXb
Dear Kecharians and friends,
Last night, I gave a teaching to a group of people who were in Kechara Forest Retreat. I shared with them the correct way to pray for our loved ones and why we shouldn’t “demand” Dorje Shugden with fulfilling our wishes but let Dorje Shugden decide what is the best outcome. He has infinite Manjushri wisdom beyond our own and we should trust this wisdom. Sometimes what we pray for is not what should be fulfilled. Sometimes what we don’t want turns out to be the better result in the future.
I also shared with them about a beautiful monk, Tsawa Pulthok Rinpoche, who was jailed and badly tortured by the soldiers for 19 years, starting back in 1959 in Lhasa, and yet he has no anger towards his torturers. He was released and had resettled in Nepal where I met him. For the remainder of his life, he spent his time in meditation, retreats and pujas for the public until he passed. He was glowing, happy and very proud of the fact he was a student of His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, which he told me when we met. He did full meditations on Vajra Yogini and short puja to Dorje Shugden daily in his small room in Kathmandu, Nepal where I had to honor to join in his prayers. He told me he was very happy to have his room to do his meditations, pujas and prayers openly. Whatever happened to him, he accepted as part of his karma and he spent much time in prison meditating and quietly teaching dharma to his other cellmates. He was very much respected in prison in Lhasa because he never showed anger, always meditated and consoled others, giving them great strength. He endured much hardship, torture and beatings but he never lost his monk vows. His full understanding of karma helped him not feel any anger or bitterness towards the soldiers. He told me that daily, he would meditate that the karma of others in prison would come to him. That all the torture and abuse he received was so others in prison did not have to suffer this. He said suffering for others was what kept him going and made him be able to endure the pain.
We are not bound by our experiences. We are bound by our choice. I also reminded those were present about the good person inside each and every one of us, and how we should not “bury” this good person with our excuses because the more excuses we give, the deeper this good person is buried and soon the layers of excuses will make it very difficult for us to find this good person. We are all beautiful good people and we should not let it get lost by lying, laziness, lack of integrity and procrastination. We all have a choice. If we have to make excuses, we should choose to make excuses to be a winner. When we win, we make ourselves happy and those around us happy.
The teaching session went well and it was spontaneous, and I requested the people who live and work in and around Kechara Forest Retreat for the talk. We had some good laughs to during the talk.
Thank you,
Tsem Rinpoche
‘If we trust in karma which exists, then there is no reason for anger’.
~ Tsawa Pulthok Rinpoche
If Setrap and Four Faced Mahakala are so not reliable, why didn’t Dalai Lama ban their practice? If they can give wrong prophecy how can we trust them to assist us in our Dharma practice? What if they lead us to the wrong paths?
Nechung gave many wrong prophecy too. One of them was Tibetans and the Dalai Lama would be able to return to Tibet very soon which didn’t happen at all. Knowing Nechung always gives wrong prophecy why is the Dalai Lama still consulting Nechung? Why didn’t he ban Nechung oracle?
It sounds ridiculous to ban a deity when all the Dalai Lama had was just a dream, he is not harmed in real life at all. There are many resources about Dorje Shugden here, we should read and learn so our faith in Buddhism, the protector and the teacher will continue to strengthen.
“If the Dalai Lama, if His Holiness the Dalai Lama can be harmed by Dorje Shugden, then we might as well not practice Buddhism anymore. If His Holiness the Dalai Lama can have his life shortened by a so-called evil spirit, any evil spirit, then can he be Avalokiteshvara? So on one hand you say, we say, I say, everybody says, he is Avalokiteshvara; on the other hand you’re saying that he can be harmed by an evil spirit… Which one is it? Can he be harmed by an evil spirit or is he Avalokiteshvara? Do you think Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Tara all take refuge in something else to protect themselves from Dorje Shugden? How illogical is that? How illogical of people to say His Holiness the Dalai Lama can be harmed by an evil spirit, any evil spirit or “Dorje Shugden” evil spirit. How is that possible?” – Tsem Tulku Rinpoche
Photo: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, young Tsem Tulku Rinpoche and Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s tutor Kensur Rinpoche Jampa Yeshe
This elderly & innocent monk in India was brutally attacked, find out why. Shocking – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=163953
DON’T MISS THIS! FANTASTIC NEW GREAT STUFF! High quality videos redressing the misinformation about Dorje Shugden practice and people and the current sad Tibetan situation and why they are losing ground in the world. Powerful and truthful – CLEAR VIDEOS – https://bit.ly/2LJbo35
Nice short video of a new LED signage reminding us of who we can go to for blessings in case of need: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBwrkaKUoH0
Listening to the chanting of sacred words, melodies, mantras, sutras and prayers has a very powerful healing effect on our outer and inner environments. It clears the chakras, spiritual toxins, the paths where our ‘chi’ travels within our bodies for health as well as for clearing the mind. It is soothing and relaxing but at the same time invigorates us with positive energy. The sacred sounds invite positive beings to inhabit our environment, expels negative beings and brings the sound of growth to the land, animals, water and plants. Sacred chants bless all living beings on our land as well as inanimate objects. Do download and play while in traffic to relax, when you are about to sleep, during meditation, during stress or just anytime. Great to play for animals and children. Share with friends the blessing of a full Dorje Shugden puja performed at Kechara Forest Retreat by our puja department for the benefit of others. Tsem Rinpoche
Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbzgskLKxT8&t=5821s
Amazing post!!!!!
Dear friends, For months we have been working on this BEAUTIFUL and meaningful mural in Kathmandu, Nepal. Please click here to enjoy the many stunning pictures of this mural: https://bit.ly/2LgOj8J
Tsem Rinpoche
Sakya tradition’s thangka of Dorje Shugden sitting on a throne within his palace with his four emanations and high Sakya Lamas nearby. Tsem Rinpoche
Antique Pelden Lhamo thangka with sacred Dorje Shugden at the bottom right. Can see Tsongkapa and Guru Rinpoche on the top also. Beautiful and holy.
How can a nun curse someone they do not even know and wish the person to die quickly and be born in hell? What kind of nun is this? Shocking! What more she’s cursing a Buddhist teacher and a monk?! Is this the face of Bhutanese Buddhist?
This is so shameful for her as a nun, her teacher, her monastery, her country and her King. A sangha should not behave in such a manner. A Sangha should carry enlightened Buddha’s teachings of compassion and wisdom to benefit all sentient beings.
A Sangha is not supposed to promote hatred and certainly should not be cursing or wishing another person to die. That wish itself is already breaking one of the vows.
A Sangha is one of the 3 Jewels, an object of refuge. They should not behave like an uncivilized person with so much hate. This is how bad the Tibetan Leadership has spread their lies and hate about Dorje Shugden and Shugden Buddhist practitioners.
Setrap is an ancient Dharmapala, who was responsible to bring the dharma to all over Tibet,spiritual practitioners of today are indebted to Lord Setrap without which much obstacles could have arisen in the spread of the dharma in Tibet. Lord Setrap is one with Amitabha, so his credentials are flawless. To invalidate Setrap, would be invalidating the years of service Setrap had rendered to sentient beings and the dharma.
To also put doubt into people’s minds about the 4 faced Mahakala is a dangerous move to undermine the efficacy of the tantra Heruka Chakrasamsvara.Such a dangerous move by the Dalai Lama is not something the Dalai Lama should be trivialising.
Thank you Pastor David and Rinpoche for sharing.
Mahakala and Setrap are dharma protectors for so many Tibetan and lineage can never be a mistakes.
Believe that H.H Dalai Lama tried to create public anttention on Dorje Shudgen.
May the ban be lifted asap and may there be peace and harmony among all.
Wow, the most amazing info i got from the article was, Dorje Shugden was actually recognised by the Four-Faced Mahakala.
HHDL kept saying Setrap and Mahakala made mistakes. If it is so then why still practice Dharma protectors? At first Dorje Shugden became demon, Now Setrap and Mahakala made mistakes, so the next one on the line will be Panden Lamo? Kalarupa? or Yamantaka? so who else we can trust now? Everyone is wrong but trust only HHDL.
[[In the 16th Century, it was His Holiness the 3rd Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso who incorporated the practice of Four-Faced Mahakala into mainstream monastic life.]]
But HHDL himself made Mahakala the protector of mainstream monastic.
Four-Faced Mahakala and Setrap are those one of the very old Dharma protectors which arise before HHDL time. Countless people practice especially those highest lamas. A highest lamas sure got lots of students. Hence by now both protectors practiced by countless people. I hope HHDL take back what he said because this is confusing and illogical.
谢谢讲法师与仁波切的分享。
看了这个视频让我大吓一跳。 尊贵的 达赖喇嘛说。。。Four-Faced Mahakala 与 Lord Setrap 是不对的！ 而且在梦里与 Four-Faced Mahakala 佛像打架， 尊贵的达赖喇嘛胜利了， 而且 Four-Faced Mahakala 断了一只手！
4 臂观音与 4 面大黑天打起来了。这个肯定是佛教里的大新闻， 而且视频可以清楚看到一些喇嘛吓到的样子。慈悲的4 臂观音尊贵的 达赖喇嘛， 您这么说肯定有原因。 但是这么一说会让藏传佛教被误解的。
尊贵的 达赖喇嘛告诉大家 600年久远历史由宗喀巴大师所创建的甘丹萨济寺的守护神，金甲衣护法是错的。金甲衣护法 保护 罗丁舍拉尊者把佛法带回西藏。罗丁舍拉尊者也多杰雄登护法的其中一位重要的转世。 金甲衣护法又把 多杰雄登 enthroned 为Sakya 派的护法。 如果多杰雄登护法是魔， 金甲衣护法绝对不会种下这个祸根。
所以我们必须要明白所有的含义， 绝对不可以麻木跟随，遇到不明白的一定要请示上师，绝对不可以出言伤人。
谢谢大家。
Thank You Rinpoche and Pastor David Lai for sharing this interesting article. It seems to me H.H. Dalai Lama is trying to push of attention of this powerful Dorje Shugden to public to another level; try to attract more public attention to this powerful protector. For me, H.H. Dalai Lama recognize this era powerful Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden in a unique way, He even this time involving the trust of the two powerful Protector, Four Faced Mahakala and Setrap, whom people has been trusting in thousands years to tell the world, Dorje Shugden is safe to practice and He is legitimate Dharma Protector. I would like to bow down to the great compassion of H.H. Dalai Lama from bottom of my heart
While HH Dalai Lama may has his view about Four Faced Mahakala and Setrap, the Buddhist or non Buddhist practitioners should weigh the comment and learn up about the subject before forming an agreement or disagreement. Mahakala and Setrap are enlightened dharma protectors that have been propitiate by many high lamas, tulkus for few hundred years. It will be strange if one were to say that their belief and practise were actually wrong. Mahakala is the emanation of Manjushri and Setrap is emanation of Buddha Amitabha. So how can both Mahakala and Setrap be wrong.
Dalai Lama may have state his comment due to certain reason which we may not understand now but ultimately, we should not follow the comment blindly without investigation and debate.
Setrap and Mahakala are established enlightened Dharma Protector. If that’s the case, how would it be possible that Dorje Shugden (enthroned by Setrap and Mahakala) a spirit? A fact is a fact… thanks Rinpoche and Pastor David for the sharing
Four-Faced Mahakala is an emanation of Manjushri and Lord Setrap is an emanation of Amitabha Buddha. They are enlightened Protectors of the Dharma and are recognised and propitiated in Tibetan Buddhist lineages. I respect H.H. the Dalai Lama and I believe H.H. is Chenrezig. Although H.H. has made some negative statements about the two Dharmapalas as well as Dorje Shugden, my faith in these Protectors has not diminished one bit. This is because I can think and rationalise for myself in order to determine whether what H.H. said is acceptable or not, based on logic. Lord Buddha taught us the principle of free inquiry, i.e. to examine or investigate, to reason out and test for ourselves statements regarding Buddhist practices and not be bound by blind faith. Here is what the Buddha said to his disciples about blind faith: “Brothers, when I speak to you, don’t accept it blindly, because you love and respect me. But examine it and put it to test, as a goldsmith examines gold by cutting, heating and hammering it to know whether it is genuine gold or counterfeit. If you see it is reasonable, only then accept and follow it.” The Buddha encouraged everyone to think things through for himself. So, this is what we should do in the case of the Dharma protectors. Think for yourselves. We don’t have to accept H.H. the Dalai Lama’s words blindly. I think this article has pointed out an important principle in Buddhism – that we have freedom of thought.
Hmmm…all i can say is it’s not nice of H.H.Dalai Lama to joke or put down any dharma protector, including Dorje Shugden. After all they are all Buddhas and H.H. Dalai Lama himself is also a Tibetan Buddhist. Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David for this great sharing ?
To me, the statements, whether jokingly or not, have serious ramification on the sanctity of Tibetan Buddhism. To invalidate the power of two sacred Dharma Protectors who had been practiced by significant numbers of Tibetan Buddhists for as long as they can remember is as good as telling the world that the lineage is flawed. If the lineage is flawed and tainted, what is the point of continuing the practices? While these statements from Dalai Lama are meant to prove His Holiness’ point of view on Dorje Shugden, I hope all practitioners exercise their logic/common sense to understand the issue before jumping to conclusion. Once doubts on the faith towards the divines are planted/arose, it is very hard to go away. Thank you for this sharing.
Well interesting.
You seriously had to show images of the Four-Faced Mahakala and disrespect the Sakya lineage didn’t you?
For one, the Three Kings AREN’T a major practice of the Sakya, nor is there much record of it except among Bonpo shamans of Nepal.
Two, since when was Mahakala ever consulted for divination? Are you daft? Why on earth would you do such a thing? Only certain deities like Dorje Yudronma, the 12 Tenma, the 5 Medicine Sisters, Palden Lhamo, Manjushri, Red Saraswati, and so on are consulted for divination. Why on earth Mahakala???!?!?!? Also, why on earth a spirit that has NOT been bound by an oath nor something we can rely on and now there is a controversy over this thanks to this spirit and his fellow gyalpos?
Three, WHY ARE YOU SHOWING IMAGES OF FOUR-FACED MAHAKALA!????!??? Do you know how heavy the samaya is? The only image that is allowed is Brahmin Mahakala, NONE ARE ALLOWED TO SEE WHAT TANTRA SAYS!!!!!!! How dare you disrespect the Sakya lineage I come from and its most sacred teachings!
Dear Dongho,
Thank you for taking the time to place your comment here. I would like to begin by correcting your misconceptions about the article. First of all, I would like to clarify that there is no mention anywhere in the article of consulting Mahakala for divination. What was mentioned was that the Dalai Lama consulted the Dharma Protector Setrap via dough ball divination. So, I hope it is clear to you now that there is actually no mention of consulting Mahakala for divination.
Since you deny the fact that Gyalpo Sum was not a major practice but that would mean that you admit that it was a historical and legitimate practice of the Sakyas. It does not matter if it was major or minor, the point is that it was once an authentic practice. Furthermore, I doubt that the Bonpos are practicing these deities because I find no evidence of that statement and why would they practice Buddhist deities? That I believe is your assumption.
With regards to images of Four-faced Mahakala, please bear in mind that he is a protector deity that is propitiated by other traditions aside from the Sakyas that do not have the same restrictions like the Sakyas have. Please don’t impose your traditional values on others and do not claim Four-faced Mahakala as belonging to the Sakyas. He may be a major protector of the Sakyas but he is actually an emanation of Manjushri that do not hold any labels and are above any sectarian restrictions.
Last of all, you alluded to the fact that Dorje Shugden is a spirit not bound by oath, which makes him unworthy of propitiation and refuge. That is really a small problem. Why can’t any Gelug, Sakya, Kagyu and Nyingma lamas just bind him and make him swear allegiance to the Dharma? Then we don’t have any more problems. Furthermore, why would the 30th Sakya Trizin enthrone him as a Dharma Protector? Why would subsequent Sakya Trizins practice and proliferate his practice? ( You can read it here – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/the-sakya-lineage-dorje-shugden.html ) You must remember that Dorje Shugden did not begin within the Gelug tradition. He was first a Sakya protector deity and was proliferated back to the Gelug. Then why would so many Sakya patriarchs proliferate a spirit that is not bound?
Well, it would take a sincere practitioner of any tradition to face facts and not be misled by hearsay and political statements of certain lamas and dignitaries. Most people after examining verifiable facts about Dorje Shugden have realized that the ban is in reality, a political problem and not a spiritual one. Whether you are willing to explore and investigate this matter is entirely up to you. But please understand that there are less and less people these days that hold the same views as you do on Dorje Shugden.
Please do no be offended by what I have to say because they are spoken with much thought and consideration for the lineage and practice. I have no wish to enter into an argument but wish to defend and explain what was brought up in your comment. I sincerely hope you will read the article with an open mind in order to absorb the facts it presents. I wish you all the best.
Dear Dongho,
You may find more information about the Gyalpo Sum here on Jeff Watt’s encyclopedic website – https://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=490
Please have a look, thank you.
What seems to be a joking statement, something which does not seem to be serious, especially to people who does not have in depth dharma knowledge. But thanks to Pastor David’s explanation, it caused me to re-look into this incident.
It seems that HH Dalai Lama has been making quite a lot of these contradictory statements for quite a while already. What I find it strange is that many of HH Dalai Lama followers seem to lose their ability to think logically. When HH Dalai Lama make some statement, they just fully agree without thinking logically. Or may be they did think but they dare not raise their doubt?
I really love Pastor’s logic here. You must scroll to the part about the ramifications and read very carefully. In a nutshell, if we take HH Dalai Lama logic, we might as well throw Tibetan Buddhism out of the window, and to some extend, might as well throw Buddhism out of the window, but we know that is not true. Buddha Shakyamuni did practice and get enlightenment and that is an aspiration for all of us. HH Dalai Lama has, in my opinion, put Himself into the spotlight and create topics for us to debate. My Guru said HH Dalai Lama is a Buddha and therefore I fully believe HH Dalai Lama is a Buddha. But as said before, most people suddenly lost the ability to debate when the statement is made by HH Dalai Lama.
I thank Pastor and Rinpoche for tirelessly bringing the method of debate in Buddhism to modern live (as we don’t have the merits to debate in the monastery debate courtyard).
🙏 I do respect his holiness but when rinpoche introduce me both Setrap and Dorje Shugden I came first with doubt in myself due to that stupid controversy now after years of practice not a day when I don’t pray dorje shugden and Setrap what they did to my miserable life they turn it to pure gold dharma virtues. 🙏