Dear Rena,

Thank you for your message and greetings from Malaysia! We are glad that feel a connection with Tsem Rinpoche. There are many different practices within Tibetan Buddhism that can help in any situation we are going through in life.

In the case of axiety, the best practice you can engage in is the Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa. It’s the central practice within our lineage and has many benefits. One of those is helping to overcoming the anxiety and depression. Here are some resources on the practice to help you:

> Online prayer text: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/sadhana-prayers.html#19

> Video commentary to the practice by Tsem Rinpoche: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/me/tsongkapas-daily-practice-video-commentary.html

> Condensed Tsongkapa practice for happiness and clear mind: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/all-about-tsongkhapa-the-benefits-and-his-practice.html

> Teaching on Lama Tsongkhapa’s benefits: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/sayonara-to-depression.html

We also have a book all about Lama Tsongkhapa’s practice available here:
> https://www.vajrasecrets.com/products/tsongkhapa-a-simple-guide-to-a-powerful-practice

Lama Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga actually forms the first half of our daily sadhana here in Kechara, which is known as the Diamond Path (https://www.vajrasecrets.com/products/diamond-path). This practice includes the practice of Dorje Shugden, which removes obstacles and creates the conditions to succeed both in life and spiritual progress.

I hope this helps. You can always ask more questions here, or email Care@Kechara.com as well. Thank you.

Dear Duy,

Thank you for your question. We are very happy to hear that you want to practice Amitabha Buddha! Unfortunately, we don’t have a specific sadhana online dedicated to Amitabha, but we do have a short practice of Amityus available.

Amitayus is actually the long-life form of Amitabha. They are the same Buddha, but Amitayus looks a little bit different from the images of Amitabha that you may be used to.

Here is the practice: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/short-amitayus-practice.html

Hope this helps.

Dear John,

Thank you for your question. The mantra of any Buddha-deity can help remove delusions on the spiritual path and ultimately lead us to enlightenment. However, we say that certain deities have specific benefits. These benefits are the first to develop when practising that deity. For example, Manjushri is said to help develop wisdom, a clear mind, etc. Chenrezig is said to develop compassion. But when you practice enough, Manjushri will also help you develop compassion and Chenrezig will also help you develop wisdom. So the mantras and practices of all Buddhas can help remove delusions.

In relation to homosexuality, it is not a delusion according to Buddhist terminology. Homosexuality and even hetrosexuality, all forms of sexuality are caused by the results of karma. In fact, karma is the cause of everything that happens in our lives, where we are born, where we live and more importantly how we live, how we think, how we behave. All of these are limiting on the spiritual path and make us suffer in many different ways.

In Buddhism, we believe we are stuck in this vicious cycle of creating karma, experiencing it’s results, reacting and then creating even more karma. The goal is to get of this cycle complete and achieve Buddhahood. This is achieved step by step on the spiritual path.

So, homosexulity in and of itself is not inherently bad, but what is negative are the afflictive emotions (delusions) behind all forms of sexuality that cause us to harm either ourselves and others, either physically or emotionally. These afflictive emotions are for example, lust, desire, attachment. These are some of the delusions that make us create negative karma, which keeps us suffering within samsara and far away from spiritual progress.

In Tibetan Buddhism, there are many ways in which to handle these delusions to stop us acting in negative ways. Some are based on deity practices (but they are higher tantric practices in nature and so require talking of vows and commitments and can only be engaged in once you have initiation). Such practices include Vajra Yogini. You can read more about the practice here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/starting-on-vajra-yogini-now.html

On the other hand, there are sutra based practices, which include meditation on the faults of lust, desire and attachments. You can find some simple meditations about those in this book: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/products/insightful-meditation

In order to learn more about delusions, what they are and how they keep us in Samsara, you can read any of the Lamrim texts, especially the Lower and Medium Scope sections. It is explained in much more details than we can go into here.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Sirius,

Thank you for your message. As of yet, we don’t have a full mandala offering set explanation available online, which includes the ritual procedure, prayers and visualisations, etc. However the following resources may help you:

Mandala Offering – A Powerful Method to Accumulate Merits (article)
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/mandala-offering-a-powerful-method-to-accumulate-merits.html

The Mandala Offering of 37 Heaps
https://www.vajrasecrets.com/products/the-mandala-offering-of-37-heaps

If you are in Malaysia, or in South-East asia, we are having a 1-day in-person Mandala Ritual Workshop next month, you can find out more here: https://www.kecharaforestretreat.com/mandala-ritual-workshop/

We hope this helps.

Dear Thinley Jamtsho,

You can use any of the two calculators to help provide more answers:

Tibetan Astrology:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/tibetan-astrology.html

Chinese Zodiac:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/horoscopes/the-chinese-zodiac.html

Thank you

Dear Jason,

Thank you for your question. Purification of negative karma happens when we are engaged in some form of Dharma practice, are practising the Four Opponent Powers or engaged in Mind Transformation techniques throughout our day.

If we are not engaged in any of this when we experience the effects of our negative karma, then actually that is not purification. That can be classed as simple feeling the effects of the negative karma (you could be exhausting the karma completely, or simply feeling its effects although the actually karma itself is not exhausted).

When we take pain killers when feeling the effects of purification, then no it will not obstruct the purification process. If we take it when we exhausting our negative karma or simple feeling it’s effects, then again we are not obstructing that from happening, we are using our good karma to take something that masks the effects of the negative karma. It’s not that we are obstructing either the purification, complete exhaustion or the effects of that karma. We are actually still experiencing it.

It is the same as any medical treatment we receive. The reason is to overcome the effects of negative karma so we can continue with our lives and hopefully practice more Dharma. In fact, there are many practices to do with blessing medicines to be more effective, to help heal us of our pains and illness, etc. One of the most famous is Medicine Buddha practice, but any practice can be used to bless medicines to be more effective to overcome pain and the cause of that pain, diseases, etc.

I hope this helps.

Dear Bahvisha,

Thank you for your question. Purification of negative karma will not lead to a positive transformation in and of itself. That requires conscious effort and transformation. What you are feeling in your mind due to the mantra recitation is the calming effects of the mantra, and because you are chanting regularly, you are starting to develop spiritual concentration.

Transformation on the other hand is a conscious choice, effort has to be put into it. Our speech comes from our mind, what we say, how we say it, etc, is thought of in the mind first, only then do we say it. So body, speech and mind are interlinked, they are not thought of as separate in and of themselves when talking about purification.

All purification methods with help to purify the negative karma related to all three – body, speech and mind. However, some methods will work better at purifying the negative karma associated with one of them faster than another. For example, prostrations is very well-know for purifying karma of the body, but it also definitely purifies speech and mind karma as well.

Hence any purification method can help with purification of negative speech karma, but that purification will not necessarily help to improve your speech, because that is a very conscious effort that we need to make, not something that a mantra can magically grant us. The purification of negative karma can help make that transformation easier, however, we have to put in our own effort.

You can engage in any of the purification methods, such as Vajrasattva, 35 Confessional Buddhas, etc., in order to purify speech karma (and also body and mind karma).

I’m not sure from which tradition you received the Saraswati mantra, but here is a Buddhist mantra of Saraswati that you can recite: OM SARASIDDHI HRING HRING. It can be done without intiaition also, no problem.

Saraswati is a very powerful practice, in fact it was one of the practice that Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of our lineage, relied heavily upon. He even wrote praises to Saraswati. One of the short praises can be found here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/sadhana-prayers.html#16

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Raya,

Filial piety is an important part of Buddhist practice and culture. However, you also have your own individual freedom to do as you wish in terms of marriage and having children, etc. It’s not a must that you need to get married and have children. It is entirely your choice.

Simply doing what you are told to do by your parents, in this case getting married and having children, is not the practice of compassion at all. If you are uncomfortable with being presured, etc, you should sit your parents down and have an honest, open-hearted conversation about it without letting your pent up emotions get in the way of open communication.

If you have a proper conversation with your parents about this, I’m sure that even though they would still want you to get married and have children due to thier own cultural upbringing, they will understand your thoughts and feelings on the matter.

I hope this helps. You can also engage in the practice of Green Tara. She is great for familial harmony. She won’t help to magically solve the issues with your parents, but her energies can help make things smoother when you have open communication, etc.

I hope this helps.

Dear Jason,

Prostrations can be combined with the refuge prayer, or in conjuction with the 35 Confessional Buddhas. Prostrations are always accompanied by reciting something, hence if you are combining with the refuge prayer, yes you will still need to recite when you prostrate.

However, your main focus should be on the prostrations themselves. So, when you are reciting the refuge prayer, it is not necessary to finish the prayer 3 times per prostrations etc. For the refuge prayer, you can go on auto-pilot and just keep reciting either fast or slow as you prostrate.

If combining with the 35 Confessional Buddhas, then it is even more complicated, because you need to prostrate and recite one of their names for each prostration.

I hope this helps.

Dear Bia,

Thank you for your question. Actually, the practice of tantra does not necessarily involve physical sexual activity. For example, many Tibetan monks practice tantra, but they are celibate due to their monastic vows. They can still practice and gain attainments in tantric practice. In fact, physically engaging in activities of union with a physical partner, for lay people, is not even recommended unless you are both already high level practitioners.

An example of this is the life of Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of our lineage. Through the practice of tantra, he achieved enlightenment, but he was a celibate monk. He never engaged in sexual activity. So, there is no need to worry about having to engage in physical union in the practice of tantra.

Aspiring to reach Amitabha’s Pureland is a fantastic goal. Practice the Dharma sincerely, help and benefit others, and it will help you get there. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Jonathan,

We are really happy to hear you are practising the Diamond Path daily, it is very powerful sadhana to engage, as I’m sure you know. For learning more about the visualisation associated with the practice, we have two very good resources available:

1. Dorje Shugden Teachings Videos
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-teaching-videos.html

2. The Dorje Shugden Handbook
https://www.vajrasecrets.com/the-dorje-shugden-handbook

In regards to the praise to Dorje Shugden, there is no specific set of visualisations involved. This basically means, during this prayer you should keep and stengthen the general visualisation of Dorje Shugden and entourage in front of you. If you can only visualise Dorje Shugden because you are new to visualisation, that is fine, just think that the entourage are present too. Later, as you practice more, you can build up the visualisation to include the entourage deities also.

You can find a lot of information about Dorje Shugden and related stories on our Dorje Shugden category: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/dorje-shugden

In regards to the more specific information regarding Dorje Shugden’s origin, you can find all this information in English in the text known as Music Delighting the Ocean of Protectors, available here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/downloads/music-delighting-the-ocean-of-protectors-a-definitive-guide-to-dorje-shugden-by-trijang-rinpoche.html

I hope this answers your questions. Thank you.

Dear Le Nhat Khang,

Thank you for your message. Please email Care@Kechara.com and ask to be put in direct contact with one of our writers team in regards to translation of prayers into Vietnamese. The writers team will be able to discuss this further with you. Thank you and look forward to seeing such holy prayers in the Vietnamese language!

Dear Sirius,

Thanks for your question. We are really happy to read that you want to engage in ngondro practices. We do have an article about ngondro here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/preliminary-practice.html The article includes sample prayer texts for the retreats, etc. However, the article does not include the full prayers text for each, visualisation guides, associated contemplations, etc.

The ngondro practices are extended retreats, so unless you have had practice doing shorter retreats, I suggest you start by doing shorter retreats. For ngondro practices to be complete, you need to do 100,000 repititions of a the particular practice. You must do at least 1 full retreat session a day, with the requisite altar setup, offerings, full prayer recitation, etc.

Traditionally, the first ngondro practice to be done is the refuge ngondro. In 2022, we ran an online programme for those wishing to complete their refuge preliminary at home. While the programme has finished, all the materials, prayers texts, visualisation guides, contemplation guides and references are still available for people who wish to complete their refuge ngondro. There is a small fee associated with access to this. You can find some information about the programme here: https://www.kecharaforestretreat.com/practice-weekend-refuge/. If you would like access to the materials, you can contact care@kechara.com with your request to join the Refuge Practice Group.

However, please note that there are prequisities for joining the group, such as having completed Level 1 of our Lamrim course. Ngondro practices in our tradition are not beginner level practices, hence require some knowledge of the teachings before hand. If you have attended Lamrim courses at other Dharma centres, please indicate so in the email.

Hope this helps. Please do contact us on the above email if you have any further questions regarding this. Thank you.

Dear Rojal,

It’s nice to see you back here. The space allocated here is not long enough to give a complete answer to this. All of what you described is actually part of the path towards enlightenment, so it they work together. These are all described in great length in the teachings, such as the Lamrim, as there are different steps or methods to use to achieve that. You can study the Lamrim teachings, which are excellent for what you described, coupled with deity practice.

The following video teaching may also be of interest to you:

SNAKES, ROOSTERS & PIGS (Part 1)
https://youtu.be/Vri5m_Vu5c0?si=e9Yh_ouE3oS234-j

SNAKES, ROOSTERS & PIGS (Part 2)
https://youtu.be/niu2AcXeGZg?si=ZBX_MbITSkybi6YQ

SNAKES, ROOSTERS & PIGS (Part 3)
https://youtu.be/QWCKtlF4Upw?si=Ik8dcRJ_HfDmukSd

Thank you.

Dear Jason,

Thank you for your question. The path of a Bodhisattva, is actually quite vast, and the description you’ve seen is a simplification. The path of the Bodhisattva is explained is many different texts, for example it is explained in the higher scope teachings of the Lamrim, the Sutra of the Ten Bhumis, the Bodhisattvabhumis, etc. I’ll try to give a simple overview here.

The very basis of the Bodhisattva path is what is called ‘bodhichitta.’ This is the motivation or mindset of achieving enlightenment so that you can bring all other sentient beings to the state of enlightenment. In other traditions, the goal of attaining enlightenment is for oneself alone. In the Bodhisattva path, which belongs to the Mahayana vehicle, the goal to achieve enlightenment is not for ourselves but for the sake of others. Once, you have generated this mindset, you are a Bodhisattva.

But there are differing levels of Bodhisattvas. There are ten levels, known as the ten grounds, of a Bodhisattva. So you progress in your Dharma practice of benefiting others and improving yourself for the sake of others, along these ten levels. Once you reach the 10th level, you are essentially enlightened, but you remain in the form of a bodhisattva rather than leaving your body and entering full enlightenment. The reason for this, is your motivation is not just for yourself but all other sentient beings who are still suffering.

When you achieve nirvana, you are in a state of bliss. Since you are in that state, you can remain there for a very long time without helping sentient beings. Hence Bodhisattvas remain to help all sentient beings instead of staying in that blissful state, due to their motivation for all senient beings to achieve that state of bliss themselves. I hope that this helps to answer your question. If not, you can refer to the teachings I mentioned at the begining.

Though not directly related to your question, you might find this short video teaching by Tsem Rinpoche interesting:

Why Bodhisattvas Are Like Peacocks
https://youtu.be/OHXULhL-UHo?si=FG80TpQACuYhbsCm

Dear Kams,

Nice to see you here, you’ve asked a very interesting question. In Buddhism, when we talk about accepting reality as it is, this is in a very specific way, and usually not the way we think of when we read or hear the phrase ‘accepting reality.’

Accepting reality here means not thinking about things as inherently existing. When we think about existence in this manner, it is not correct, because nothing in existence is static, it is ever moving, ever changing. To use a very common Buddhist term, it is impermenant. From the Buddhist perspective the understanding and living by impermenance is very important. I’ll give a an example of this. In life, we go through ups and downs, times we are happy and times we are sad. And sometimes, this can be an emotion upheveal. When we experience happy times, we want them to last, we want to always feel that way, so when things go wrong, or not how we want them to be, we get upset. But if we live by impermanence during those happy times, we cherish them more, we live in the moment of being happy rather than wanting it to last. Similarly, when things go wrong, we know that eventually things will get better, because even sadness and all the negative experiences we have in life are impermanent. So ‘accepting reality’ is a very broad definition, but in Buddhism, it’s actually very specific to certain things.

But your question touches on a very important point, and that is what you call our ‘selish nature.’ In Buddhism, this selfishness comes from karma and delusions. It’s the way we naturally operate as humans. But as humans, or any type of being bound by the law of karma within samsara (existence) we create more negative karma and delusions. This only leads us to have this type of nature in future lives as humans, or leads us to suffer in lower rebirths such as the animal or hell realms, or leads us to have pleasures in the god realm. However, no matter what happens, we are still stuck because samsara is a cycle fueled by karma and delusions.

The goal of Buddhists is to transcend/escape this system altogether. We won’t be bound by such selfish natures any more and since we are not bound by that, we are free from all types of suffering that occur within existence. Suffering itself is a very big part of the Buddhist teachings. In fact it was the first thing that the Buddha ever taught. But this was not done to make us depressed. It was done to make wake up to our current state within existence and then do something about it.

Here are some video teachings by Tsem Rinpoche that may explain things better:

Karma’s Job is to Make You Suffer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycNTf-W1mLA

How Wrong Projections Bring Us Suffering (with subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vICsghJhjqU

The Cycle of Wrong Perception & Wrong Experience
https://youtu.be/EXyhGaXBtK8?si=KktuiuZLd7y4SST4

Karma & Impermanence
https://youtu.be/sL5qn54rPlM?si=0-DwTs-QzKDxA_BX

Hope all this helps to answer your question.

Dear Lee,

Thank you for your question. I’m very sorry to read about this situation. It truly is very saddening whenever someone so young passes away. When things like this happen, as Buddhists we need to remember the teachings of the Buddha, not just impermanence. The main one to remember here is karma and rebirth. We were attached to people who have passed away, because we knew them very well in this life. But this is not the only life that the person has had, nor the only life they will have.

When we are born, what experiences we go through in life, and ultimately when we pass on is all due to our karma and their consequences. Daily sadhana practice and devotion is good on a general level, but when the conditions for certain karma to arise occurs, we are faced with very difficult situations due to the arising of karma. If we have had the time and effort to practice deeply, such conditions will not arise but for most people, they will. This is part of samsara and the reason we need to get out of samsara by becoming enlightened.

When such conditions arise, we need extra help to overcome these situations than just our faith and daily practice. That is where other practices come into play, such as pujas, offerings, life-extending practices such as animal liberation, etc. Because the ripening of that karma is strong, we need a stronger method to overcome it than just daily practice. When we are going through such situations, it is best to consult those who can advise on what to do. In our organisation here are the contact details: https://www.kechara.com/contact/

Dorje Shugden and other practices can definitely help with these sorts of things, but it depends on our effort. Since the karma is so strong, it takes effort to help overcome that karma. If we put in that effort by making more prayers, more offerings, doing pujas or other practices, then yes, Dorje Shugden is able to use the merit from those practices and to help us find good doctors, good treatments and make the treatments more effective than they would have been otherwise.

Unfortunately, sometimes that karma is too strong for a person to be ill or to pass away. In those cases, even though the person has passed, their faith, devotion and practice is still beneficial. Why? Because there are future lives. We only experience the loss of a person in this life, but we should think about their future lives also. That is a reason that prayers, pujas and other activities is so much stressed in Buddhism when a person passes on. They are to help that person in their next lives, as an extension of our love and care for them in this life.

In the case of the young girl who passed away, her prayers and faith will not go unanswered in the long term, for her next lives, but unfortunately the ripening of her negative karma was too strong in this life. Dorje Shugden and the Buddhas will definitely take care of her and benefit her in her future lives, all the way until she becomes enlightened.

Here is something that you can do to help the young girl for her future lives: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/something-simple-for-the-deceased.html

Impermanence, karma, rebirth, etc has all been explained by the Buddha and is in scripture, like the Lamrim. When we understand the Lamrim better, we are able to help our loved ones better not just in this life, but for their future lives too. I really hope this helps you. I will keep the young girl in my prayers as well.

Dear Lo,

Nice to see you back here. Yes, chanting mantra definitely effects our energy bodies. Mantras themselves are the form of the Buddhas in sound vibrations. Chanting mantras helps to affect energetical changes within our body for a particular purpose.

Each mantra of a deity has a particular benefit that we receive when chanting. For example, Medicine Buddha is healing & long life. Manjushri is wisdom and intelligence. However, these are just the immediate benefits from their practice. But each deity practice is capable of leading us all the way to enlightenment.

As we recite mantras, the vibrations or energy of that particular mantra pervades our energy body, effecting a change associated with that particular mantra.

Here are some tips on how to chant mantras correctly: https://www.kechara.com/chanting-mantras-correctly/

Here is a fantastic teachings on mantras by Tsem Rinpoche: https://www.kechara.com/chanting-mantras-correctly/

Of course, just simply reciting mantras has an effect, but if you engage in mantra recitation with focus and as part of the practice of that particular deity, the benefits are definitely much stronger. I hope this helps.

Thank you

Dear Lo,

Thank you for your very interesting question. If the earth stopped existing, the human realm and animal realm would not be completed eliminated from samsara. This is because we are only talking about one planet called earth. According to Buddhism there are many, many more planets or what are called “World Systems” in the universe, not just our planet earth. Buddhist cosmology extends far beyond just our planet.

The six realms then, cover all sentient beings in existence, this include life on other planets, and therefore covers what we might call ‘alien’ life forms that are not of our planet. So on other planets, you have physical beings, just like us. They fall into either the human or animal realms as well. They may not physically look like us, but their experiences and the sufferings they have are the same as those of the human and animal realms. For example, we feel physical pain and pleasure, those on other planets who fall under the human realm category would feel physical pain and pleasure too. Same with emotions, levels of intellect between the human realm and animal realm, etc.

An example of different world systems is the story of the Buddha Tara. It is well known that she achieved enlightenment, not on our planet earth but on another world system. Another example, highlighting this is the Sutra Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions, which you can find here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/sadhana-prayers.html#chokchu This sutra is commonly recited to dispell obstacles related to travelling and safety while travelling. It references quite a few world systems and the enlightened beings who have manifested there.

The only way that the human and animal realms would be eliminated from samsara, is not that a single planet would cease to exist, but that all sentient beings become enlightened. That is why the enlightenment of all sentient beings is the aim of the Mahayana tradition, to which Tibetan Buddhism belongs.

I hope all of this answers your question.

Dear Lisa,

Thank you for your question. Within Buddhism, one of the tenets of the faith is to only take refuge in those beings who are enlightened. As I am sure you are already aware, the god realm is one of the six realms of samsara, and sentient beings are born within these realms endlessly until and unless they become enlightened.

As you mentioned Phra Phrom is Four-Faced Brahma, who is a god. He is neither a mundane or supremundane Dharmapala. There may be others gods with the same name as Brahma, but Four-Faced Brahma/Phra Phrom is a worldly god. However, he is a very high-level god who is very much respected, but not prayed to in the sense of going to him for Refuge.

While this particular shrine is very famous as it is said he grants wishes, petitioners who go to him must promise to fulfil certain offerings, etc., if their prayers are fulfilled. If their wishes are fulfilled and the promised offerings not made on time, it is also well-known that they will be struck with misforunte because he has become angry at them. This shows, he is a worldly god, still in samsara although very high-level and very powerful. The enlightened beings on the other hand, do not get any with practitioners, because they have no anger.

However, given this, of course you can still visit the shrine. You can even make the traditional offerings that are available there, such as flowers, fruits, etc. This is not the same as making offerings to the enlightened beings, nor does it generate merit. It is more like giving a gift to someone you respect. You are basically paying respect to him.

If you are strong in your Buddhist practice, when there you would not ask him for anything, make any wishes, etc. You are simply giving him offerings as a mark of respect. When there, you can pray to Lama Tsongkhapa, Dorje Shugden, whichever enlightened being you like, but you are not praying to Four-Faced Brahma, but reciting the prayers of the enlightened beings. This will help bless the shrine itself with the energies of the enlightened beings, as well as yourself, just like reciting prayers to the Buddhas would naturally bless you and environment when recited normally.

I hope this answer helps.