Dear Lee,

Yes, the other enlightened protectors such as the ones you have mentioned are included when doing Serkym to Dorje Shugden, through they are not mentioned specifically in the serkym used for daily practice. When engaging in the Monthly Dorje Shugden puja, such as the one performed every month in Kechara Forest Retreat, these protectors are mentioned specifically when doing the serkym offering. The serkym offering during daily practice is the shorter one compared to the longer one done in the Monthly Dorje Shugden puja. I hope this helps.

Dear WLY,

1. This depends on the individual’s background and familiarity with Buddhism, Tibetan culture, etc. In Shar Gaden there is no standard process, it is based on the individual.

2. The majority of deities that deal with overcoming of lust specifically are the Highest Yoga Tantra deities. However, their practice require initiation and there many vows and commitments that you need to hold in order to engage in the practice. On a general level however, the practice of Wangze helps you to control your mind, include all disturbing emotions. If you have an overt issue with lust his practice can help you with controlling your lust so it doesn’t effect you: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-wangze-for-power-and-influence.html This is in regards to deity practice. The actually method to overcome lust is contemplate death and impermanence. I hope this helps.

Dear Kee,

There is a belief that when women menstruate they should not go near altars or prayers. However, Tsem Rinpoche explained that this only applies to certain chapels in temples, etc. If you are at a home and you have a normal altar to the Buddhas, meaning they are all enlightened deities, and not any unenlightened deities, then it is fine to go to the altar and do your daily prayers.

Due to the bodily cycle of a woman, the energies in their bodies are in a state of flux. Hence they can be negatively effected by the energies of certain unenlightened deities, so in certain temples and chapels to these deities, women who are menstruating should not go inside.

However, this only applies towards certain wrathful unenlightened deities. If you have a normal altar with the Buddhas then this is absolutely fine. Here in Kechara and on this website there are no such deities. I hope this answer helps. Thank you.

Hi Bhavisha,

Thank you for your questions.

1. In regards to the birds in cages, this is very difficult situation. Unfortunately, there is no much you can do, because the birds belong to their neighbours. Since two of the birds were born in the cage, they probably won’t be able to live outside in the wild on their own. If you free them, you may or may not actually save them if they cannot survive on their own. Similarly it will create trouble with your neighbours.

So you would need to keep talking to your neighbours and figure out a way that you can help the birds. Make sure that they are looked after even if they are in the cages physically. Make sure they are well, looked after, fed, etc. At the same time you should let them hear prayers and mantras so it blesses their mind, so one day they will be free of their suffering. If not in this life then in the next life.

2. Yes, the swastika has very special meaning in Buddhism. In relations to your birth mark, it could have a number of meanings. One of those is that perhaps in a previous life you were a Buddhist practitioner. But that is only one possibility. Even if this were the case this doesn’t actually have much impact on this life unless you practice spirituality. This may lead to the imprints from previous lives to open up in this life, boosting your spiritual practice.

3. In terms of dreams, many people these believe in their dreams. But actually dreams, in most cases is simply the subconscious trying to process things or work things out. Since you stated that your dreams are mostly of the past, you should sit down and contemplate those experiences. Perhaps there is something from your past that you need to work through and resolve.

In terms of lucidity in dreams, there are number of ways this can be achieved. Reciting Manjushri’s mantra can lead to this, but if relying on Manjushri’s mantra alone, depending on how strong your faith and conviction is, together with how much merit you have generated, it may take millions of millions of mantras to start gaining that lucidity. In general however, lucidity in dreams can also come about through single-pointed concentration meditation as outlined in the Lamrim teachings.

I hope this helps.

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for your questions.

1. For water offerings, make them before the first retreat session of the day. During subsequent sessions, add a couple of drops to each bowl to “refresh” them for that particular session. At the end of the day, after you last session has finished, clear all the water and turn your bowls upside down. This is just like if you were clearing the water offerings from your altar normally. Then the next day, before you start your 1st session of the day, make new water offerings. So in short, you need to make new water offerings daily, and only add a couple of drops to the bowls if you are doing additional sessions in the day, then clear at the end of the day.

2. If you are doing the serkym prayer during every session, then you need to offer fresh serkym during each session. This is different from the water offerings, where you only to add a couple of drops of water for each session. The serkym should be made fresh every session that you do the prayer.

3. For the torma offering mudra, the simple version is to hold your hands next to each other with palms facing up, as if you are holding a plate from underneath. Your hands should be held at least above your heart level. When you you finish each torma offering mantra, click with your right hand, using your thumb and middle finger. Bring your hands back into the torma offering mudra and continue reciting. Again when you finish reciting the torma offering click your fingers using your right hand again.

4. Yes, you change the protector section of the retreat (including serkym) to the Dorje Shugden instead of the Setrap one. Everything else should remain exactly the same.

I hope this helps.

Dear Luna,

There is nothing wrong with drinking the black tea or other drinks offered for Serkym. However, Tsem Rinpoche advised that it’s better not to drink the Serkym liquid. This is because it is an offering, and since it is an offering, its better not to partake of it once it’s offered. This mirrors Tsem Rinpoche’s advice for other offerings, such as food offerings. Once such offerings are made, they actually do not belong to you any more, they actually belong to the Three Jewels, so you should not use it. You can however give food offerings to others as a blessing. For Serkym, however, even in this case, Rinpoche advised that we dispose of it respectfully instead of giving it others to drink, for example pouring it outside on the ground, around plants, etc. Pouring it down a clean kitchen sink is acceptable also. This is to cut attachment or potential attachment that can arise towards to drinks used for Serkym.

Yes you can draw unenlightened deities, that is not a problem, because you are not worshipping them or taking refuge in them. Namkha Barzin and Methat are okay to draw because they are also under the retinue of Dorje Shugden, so if they get offended for whatever reason, Dorje Shugden will not let any harm come to you.

I have not read the book by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. However, Tsem Rinpoche advised not to recite mantras in the bathroom, on the toilet, etc. It is not very respectful on an ordinary level. If you have certain Highest Yoga Tantra initiations however, this can be different and you can do so. So perhaps the path that Lama Zopa was referring to in regards to Vajrasattva practice was from a Higher Yoga Tantra perspective, but I’m not sure. But that would entail having received the complete initiation from a qualified teacher, keeping all the associated vows and commitments (including Refuge vows, Bodhisattva vows and Tantric vows). I hope this helps.

Dear Lee,

Lord Kalarupa’s assistance compares exactly the same as Dorje Shugden. The only difference would be how they emanated their form, for what reason, what they protect specifically, etc. You can read about Kalarupa and other Dharma Protectors here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dharma-protectors-of-tibetan-buddhism.html

The main difference between the two in terms of practice however is that Dorje Shugden is said to be quicker in terms of us experiencing his help, due to the way that he manifested and the stronger karmic link with us. That being said, Kalarupa is a Protector that is heavily relied upon with the Gelug tradition. In fact, we are advised to do a Kalarupa puja before any type of retreat, including a Dorje Shugden retreat, in order to clear obstacles for our retreat to be successful. In the case of Dorje Shugden’s retreat, this is to create a stronger connection with him so we can benefit even more from his practice.

There is a difference between a puja and daily practice. Pujas are used to quickly clear the effects of a karma that has manifested or is manifesting. For example, you can engage in a Kalarupa puja to help clear obstacles such as difficulties, accidents, spirit problems, problems stopping us from engaging in Dharma practice, etc when those problems have already arisen and we are facing them. The daily practice of a Dharma Protector is slightly different, in that it stops those difficulties from arising in the first place. There are other differences as well, but that is the gist of the difference between the two.

Kalarupa helps us in the same manner that any Dharma Protector helps us. You can read more in the article that I sent above. Yes, Kalarupa is the special Protector of the Yamantaka practices but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t protect you if you don’t practise Yamantaka. If you pray to him, he will always help you, even if you don’t practise Yamantaka. He is an emanation of Manjushri, just like Dorje Shugden in fact. So even if you practise Lama Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga and pray to Kalarupa, he will still help you. I hope this helps.

Hi Rabten,

Tsa Sur is a smoke offering to the Three Jewels as well as those who have recently passed on and are in the bardo states. Such bardo beings are at the mercy of their karma, so the smoke offering is said to nourish them and alleviate some of their karma so they can take a good rebirth and not suffer as much. It’s a common practice among Tibetan Buddhists that this practice is performed during the 49 day period of a person’s passing to aid them on their journey to their next rebirth.

The offering is made by burning various types of herb incense, tsampa (roasted barley flour), butter, and other ingredients. Other types of commonly available herb incense such as sandalwood, white sage, etc., can also be added to the mix before it is burned.

The ability to make such an offering does not actually come from the smoke itself, but the practitioners ability to generate themselves as Chenresig or another type of tantric deity, usually belonging to the Kriya Tantra classification. As such, this offering can only be performed by those with the appropriate initiation and practice conferred by a fully qualified tantric guru. Though there are many texts available nowadays, the method to actually make the offering should be taught directly from your guru, otherwise the offering won’t actually be effective.

There are however, other types of smoke offerings that you can do. For example the smoke offering to Dorje Shugden, available here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/incense-offering-to-dorje-shugden.html If you would like to make prayers for someone who has passed on recently, you can do this sang offering to Dorje Shugden daily for 49 days, and request Dorje Shugden to help the deceased. This is actually very powerful in assisting them out of their current state of suffering as a bardo being, and leading them to take a fortunate rebirth. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Simplycurious,

It is definitely better to have statues that have the correct iconography. So when we are looking for statues for our altars, then we should try to find ones that are correct according to iconography.

However, since you already have the statue on your altar, and it has been blessed and consecrated, then Vajra Yogini is already there residing in it on your altar. There is no major problem.

You should keep your altar very well, clean it regularly and make abundant offerings to Vajra Yogini according to you means to generate merit and make a strong connection with her. Since her full practice requires initiation, you should strive to create the causes to receive her practice. Tsem Rinpoche wrote a very nice article detailing how to do this. You can read it here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/starting-on-vajra-yogini-now.html

Here are some other article that will be of interest to you:

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/vajrayogini-the-powerful-divine-red-lady.html

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/practicing-tantric-buddhas-without-initiation-or-commitment

I hope this helps to answer your questions!

Dear Anonymous,

> Both Methar and Namkar Barzin are not Buddhas. They are unenlightened Dharma Protectors. You can read more about them here:

Methar: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/methar-of-tengyeling-monastery.html

Namkar Barzin: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/invocation-to-namkar-barzin.html

> Taking Refuge can refer to two things:

1. The daily practice of Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels, as opposed to anything else. To take Refuge in a Guru and in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) means to have complete faith that they can show us the methods to bring out our full divine potential and ultimately, to lead us to full Enlightenment.

It allows us to link our presently limited capabilities with that of the unlimited compassion, wisdom and power of the Buddhas, as well as aspiring towards the attainment of those same qualities.

You can read more here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/taking-refuge-by-pabongka-rinpoche.html

2. The formal ceremony of Taking Refuge with a Guru, which creates a guru-disciple relationship.

> Interdependence was a teaching expounded by Buddha Shakyamuni in order to help us understand emptiness. This is a topic that is outside of the scope of this section to answer in detail. You can find about this in detail within the Lamrim teachings.

> Regarding specific practices to counter afflictive emotions apart from formal deity practices, you can refer to this book which details many different methods: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/insightful-meditation

> It is up to you how long you leave your fixed offering on perfume on your altar. The best would be to change every month, but this may not be possible due various circumstances. So some people change every 3-6 months and some people change every year. It’s up to you. You can give it to people to use, after offering, but you should not use it yourself, because it is an offering that you have made to the Buddhas.

> Certain lamas recommend worldly protectors compared to enlightened protectors or the practices of the Buddhas, because they can be helpful. Due to their form being in samsara and still a sentient being, we have strong karmic connections with them. Sometimes this means that their practice can be faster to see results that invoking upon the enlightened beings which takes merit and more effort. However, their help is only short term, whereas enlightened dharma protectors and the Buddhas can help us in the long term, all the way until we achieve enlightenment ourselves.

> Yes people from other religions/faiths can attain liberation from samsara, but not complete enlightenment. Complete enlightenment would necessarily require practice in both bodhicitta and emptiness. Higher beings that are worshipped are definitely very powerful beings, but they are still within the God Realms. From a Buddhist perspective, worshipping these types of beings will only provide temporary benefits, not the ultimate benefit (meaning complete enlightenment).

> Yes, all worldly deities can become enlightened. All sentient beings can become enlightened and achieve Buddhadhood, include humans, gods, animals, spirits, etc. The speed in which they achieve Buddhahood is up to their own effort and practice. Yes, that does mean in the future, we will be able to take refuge in them, because they will be enlightened. But at the moment, since they are not enlightened yet, we do not. Buddhists can take refuge in any being that has attained freedom from samsara or liberation (for example, the Arhats) and those that have achieved complete enlightenment (the Buddhas).

I hope all these answers help.

Dear Kevin,

Thanks for your questions.

Regarding the mandala set on the altar, it’s a fixed offering for the duration of your retreat. So you just need to set it up on your altar before you begin, and then leave it there throughout. You do not need to make that offering every day during your retreat. If you want to make the full mandala set offering during your sessions, however, then you can have a second mandala set which you keep at your seat to use during the retreat.

In regards to the seat, if you are using a chair, then put the swastika underneath the chair. But try not to move the chair too much. Adjusting the chair or seat is fine, but moving it further away would be classed as moving your retreat seat.

Yes, of course. During the Tsongkhapa retreat, you can replace the sections with prayers to Setrap with the relevant prayers to Dorje Shugden. That is not a problem.

Your aspiration to go to Sukhavati is fantastic! There is not need to worry, because it does not contradict prayers to make a connection with Vajra Yogini at all. In fact, prayers made to achieve any Pure Land will strengthen prayers/mertis generated to achieve rebirth in the main Pure Land you are aiming for.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Bhavisha,

You can read some information about Four-Armed Mahakala in this article: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/is-negativity-really-negative.html There is section about his iconography about half way down the article.

His mantra is: Om Benza Mahakalaya Hung Hung Phet

Dear Dal,

Wesak is on May 4th here in Malaysia. The day may vary according to region by 1-2 days depending on when your local Buddhist culture celebrates it.

You can use many mantras to lessen anger. One of the best is Chenrezig’s Mantra: Om Mani Pete Hung. This mantra helps to develop compassion, which is the direct antidote to anger. You can also learn about overcoming anger in this meditation book: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/insightful-meditation

I hope this helps. Thanks.

Dear Anon,

From a Buddhist perspective, euthanasia is still unfortunately considered to be an act of taking a life, so it is killing. There are definitely circumstances where for example a pet is in pain and the pet owners do resort to putting the pet down so they no longer experience pain. However, the Buddhist perspective spans many lifetimes, not just this one. If the karma that caused the pain that they are experiencing in this life were to be cut short because they were euthanised, then that karma would actually carry forward to their next lives. Karma also multiplies over time, so that negative karma would grow stronger and stronger. And they would need to suffer from that heavy negative karma in future lives. So therefore, practising Buddhists would try not to euthanise the animal and instead let that karma finish in this life, so that they do not have to experience such pain in future lives.

This is of course very hard to do, because we love our animals. However, the way we love them is only limited to this life. If we can learn to love them over a longer period of time, meaning by thinking about them not just in this life, but also future lifetimes, then we would want to let that karma finish as quickly as possible so that they do not suffer in the future.

This is hard to do since they are suffering right in front of us, but there are ways that we can help them. Engage in your daily sadhana, do pujas for them, make offerings for them. This generates merit for them and helps to purify that negative karma through the power of the enlightened beings – the Buddhas. Also recite mantras for them, give them blessed water, protector rice, blessed pills, etc. At the same time, do everything that you can do for your beloved pet in terms of medical treatment, and to make them as comfortable as possible as they are in pain. From a Buddhist perspective, this is actually how you love your pets and animals. I hope this helps answer your question.

Dear Rabten,

1. The Vajra Cutter Sutra (also known as the Diamond Sutra) is one of the Perfection of Wisdom sutras. It is extremely powerful as it outlines emptiness and the path to achieve the understanding of emptiness. As such the benefits of reciting it are creating the causes to achieved complete enlightenment. As well as wisdom, intellect, removal of all types of obstacles, progress on your spiritual path, the causes to become a Bodhisattva and practice according to the Bodhisattva path with Bodhicitta. The list goes on.

2. These are obstacles manifesting, or the clearing of negative karma. One thing to make sure is that your altar is very clean with no spoilt offerings, etc. And also that you have kept all your Buddha images and Dharma books respectfully. If these obstacles keep happening you can recite Vajrasattva mantras or recite the 35 Confessional Buddhas during your Sadhana for 3-4 weeks. This will help to purify the karma causing that obstacle of feeling sleepy or uneasy.

3. Generally for these cases, it would be the main form of Dorje Shugden. Though you can also engage in the practice of Ganapati. You can read more here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/a-short-practice-to-overcome-obstacles-for-work-with-officialdom.html?nomobile

4. Due to culture and family obligations, we may at times need to engage in worship of worldly gods. There is nothing wrong in join such events due to family considerations, but when engaged in those rituals/prayers a Buddhist will not think that they are taking Refuge in those gods. Buddhists only take refuge in enlightened beings – Buddhas. But he can think that he is giving them gifts of offerings to keep them happy. Just like how we would give gifts to our friends and loved ones. However, even though going through the actions of worshiping them, he takes Refuge only in the Buddhas. If these rituals and prayers however involved actions that are negative, for example sacrificing animals or taking intoxicants, you should gentle remind your friend that doing such things break his Refuge commitments. In the case of animal sacrifice, no Buddhist should take part or be involved in such things.

I hope these answers help.

Dear Geko,

It’s very nice to hear your appreciation for all of Rinpoche’s hard work and the team behind the scenes. Thank you.

Dear Jerry,

1. According to certain teachings, yes the deities of the Bardo are enlightened. This is especially so if following the Bardo Thodol teachings, but out of all the traditions that teaching is primarily practiced in the Nyingma tradition. The Gelug tradition does not emphasis this practice as according to our tradition it would take a very high calibre practitioner to be able to achieve such things. Instead, the Gelug tradition emphasises very practical things to be done in order to prepare for the Bardo, for example purification practices, practices to generate merit, achieve forms of mental concentration, prayers and other deity practices. This article may be of interest to you: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/zong-rinpoche-birth-death-and-bardo.html

2. Lying in Buddhist terms is telling something is untrue. So for the examples you gave, if you skipped school and gave a false reason why, then it would be lying; being gay is not lying, but if you actively tell people that you are not gay, that is lying; if you spent someone’s money without permission that would not be lying but stealing, as that item (the money) did not belong to you and you used it without express permission of the person it actually belongs to.

3. There are many Lamrim texts. Here in Kechara we use Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, which is actually an experiential Lamrim commentary text. It outlines the whole Lamrim and shows you how to meditate along the path of practice of the Lamrim. You can get a copy of the text we use here: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand

I hope these answers help you. Thank you.

Dear Khang,

1. Laziness effects our whole life, but can manifest at different types. The best way to overcome laziness in regards to Dharma practice is to contemplate on a) that we will die, b) the sufferings we face while in samsara, c) that Dharma practice will take us out of samsara. In essence, these three. The focus should be put on meditation of our death first. That itself is very powerful to help overcome laziness. The proper, extended way of doing these is explained in the Lamrim.

2. Both Serkym and Sang are requests for Dorje Shugden’s activity. So you are making offerings, so you are generating merit at the same time you are asking him to help you for a particular reason. Yes, every time you do sang or serkym you should vocalise your request for help.

3. To increase your faith in your guru, you read more about his life, what he has accomplished, as well as how he has helped others. In addition, read about Guru devotion and check if you are actually doing it or not. Apart from that when you practice daily Guru Yoga, you should engage in it strongly, and always think that Lama Tsongkhapa and your Guru are actually the same. The person in your visualisation is your Guru, appearing in the form of Lama Tsongkhapa. That should help. Thank you.

Hi anonymous,

You can use this calculator here to find out more about your birth Mewa and it’s meanings according to Tibetan astrology: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/tibetan-astrology.html

The results tell you which Buddha deity to pray to according to your birth. That a good practice for you to do. Other practices that you can engage in is the daily practice of Lama Tsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden. Or the other sadhanas on this website that do not require initiation. If you want to engage in the practice of another deity, then please do consult your spiritual guru for more advice. Thank you.

Dear Anonymous,

Thank you for your question. It’s a very good question because technology is advancing so much that it is going to be common in the future. Why eating meat is not good, as explained by Tsem Rinpoche, is first because of the act of killing and second because it can have negative effects on the body. Meat itself is not bad therefore, but it’s the act of killing that is bad and created negative karma, as well as the negative effects it can have on our own bodies.

I am not aware of any current method to get meat that is humane. It will always involved the harming and killing an animal, so there is also negative karma involved. As far as I understand it, at the moment, even the process of cloning meat requires an animal to be killed to start the process. So there is still negative karma involved due to the act of killing.

There are many plant-based meat substitutes available today, which would not have the negative karma of killing involved. That would be a better option.

In regards to the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the text outlines the experiences we go through in the Bardo period after death, before our next rebirth. It is supposed to be a guidebook so that when these experiences occur to us, we are aware of what is happening and then can use that experience to progress on our spiritual path. However, that take a very high level of spiritual awareness that normal practitioners do not have. That level of awareness comes from years of study, learning, retreats, intense daily meditation practice. That is how Tsem Rinpoche once described it to me. In other words, it’s best to concentrate and focus on what we can do right now to progress on our spiritual path so that in future we will be able to reach that state and ultimately enlightenment itself. That is why Tsem Rinpoche emphasised the Lamrim teachings. They are things we can do right now.

I too read the Tibetan Book of the Dead when I was living in Europe. In fact, it was probably the first book on Tibetan Buddhism that I read. I also got a copy of it because everyone was talking about it, but I could not understand what it really meant. I guess the appeal of it for the majority is actually the mystical aspect surrounding it, etc. That is my opinion anyway. Thank you.