Dear Pseudonimo gracias

The term ‘samadhi’ is very board in its definition, it can refer to a wide variety of states of meditative concentration. There are very high states of meditation attained by high level beings through which they can indeed manifest what they want. However when they have reached this state, they have lessened their attachment. As such what they manifest is usually not what they ‘want’ because their attachments have been lessened.

What they usually manifest from meditative states are things that teach the Dharma to others or help others with the Dharma practice to achieve enlightenment. So in essence yes, you can manifest things through the power of Samadhi, but this takes a very high level being who has achieved the higher states of meditation and also, the things that we may wish for now will not be what the these higher level pracitioners would manifest. This is because on a normal level we have much more attachment, so what we wish for and desire, usually only binds us further into samaric existence, where as a high level practitioner would have less attachment, therefore would only use his/her attainments to benefit others. I hope this helps.

Dear Bradley,

Your question is a very sincere one and shows that you are really trying to keep your precepts well. I really rejoice for you. Anything that happens in life, is due to karma. Therefore the reason why you have an ant infestation is because you have a karmic link to all the little ants that invade the house. That being said you are facing this problem because this karma still exists, therefore in order to solve the problem you need to get rid of this karma and one way in which you can do so is through purification practices, such as the 35 Confessional Buddhas or Vajrasattva recitation. You can recite the prayer remembering the Four Opponent Powers: Refuge, Regret, Remedy (the recitation) and Resolve. Then dedicate the merits to the ants. You should think strongly that through the purification, the karma is cut, and you wish them a good rebirth and that they can practice the Dharma and achieve enlightenment. This will go a long way in helping the problem on a spiritual level.

On a physical level, you can try using essential oils such as Peppermint, Tea Tree, Clove, Lemon or Orange. Just put a few drops in a piece of cotton wool and leave near the areas that are infected. Alternatively you can dilute in water and spray on the areas that are effected. You can also use vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead of essential oils. I had tried both before and they work. Just make sure you do not spray directly on to the ants as this will kill them.

Alternative you can create a citrus spray. Simply add peels (lemons, oranges, etc.) into a pot and cover with water. Heat this up until steaming, and then let cool down. For more effect, let it cool overnight. Then strain and you can use this as a spray. I hope this helps.

Dear Thorim,

There is no “highest” compassion meditation per se. All compassion meditation if done correctly leads to the same goal which is the development of compassion, but more than that it is the internalisation of compassion. This leads one to operate every minute of every day from this compassion.

When studying compassion, to ensure that the practice is successful, one should study, contemplate and train on a graduated path, as detailed in the various Lam Rim teachings. As the great Lama Atisha said, to have a firm practice that results in real transformation, “train yourself in stages.”

The most comprehensive of these teachings would be Lama Tsongkhapa’s Lam Rim Chenmo. However this work is rather large, so two good texts which are easily read and understandable are Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabongka Rinpoche and Joyful Path of Good Fortune by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

I will concentrate on an explanation of Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. In this particular text, out of all the methods of meditating on compassion, Pabongka Rinpoche specifically mentions two particular systems.

Method One: Developing Bodhicitta through the Cause & Effect Instruction
This method works by primarily seeing all sentient beings as those you are attracted to (those you care about), rather than focusing on neutrality and those you have aversion for (those whom you dislike). This method was used by such great masters as Arya Chandrakirti, Chandragomin and Santarakshita. In a nutshell, there are eight sections to this method:

1. Developing immeasurable equanimity: through meditation on the three types of beings – those whom you like, are neutral towards and dislike.

2. Understanding all sentient beings to be your mother: through this one begins to develop compassion for all sentient beings and begins to understand that in previous lifetimes they have all been our mothers.

3. Remembering their kindness: Since all sentient beings have been our mothers, they have showed us immense kindness before.

4. Repaying their kindness: this leads one to start acting out of compassion rather than meditating on it intellectually. This creates a powerful shift and physical transformation in one’s life.

5. Love through the force of attraction: this means that now one meditates on all sentient beings as your children, therefore you have a strong disposition to want to look after all of them. This furthers your compassion and makes you act out of compassion even stronger.

6. Compassion: this is the stage of realisation that all sentient beings are suffering in samsara, there we develop the unshakable aspiration that all sentient beings, without exception need to be free from their suffering.

7. Altruism: this means that we take the responsibility to relieve all sentient beings from their suffering.

8. Bodhicitta: we come to the realisation that ultimately we will not be able to help all sentient beings in our current state, which is the same as theirs, helplessly being reborn again and again in samsara. Upon reflection we deduce that the only possible way to help all sentient beings is to become a fully enlightened being – a Buddha, who has the capacity to benefit beings spontaneously and effortlessly. We then develop the conviction that it is not possible to benefit others until we have achieve full omniscience and with this comes a yearning to attain complete enlightenment ourselves, in order to help others.

Some people think that this is too basic, and that they already have this wish. This view however is mistaken because this is actually an advanced and core practice on the path towards enlightenment. This Mahayana motivation to become enlightened for the sake of all sentient beings must be internalised correctly rather than a mere intellectual understanding. And this is one of the purposes of training in compassion.

–

Method Two: Seven-Point Mind Training (Advanced Tonglen)
This method works as at developing equanimity through exchanging self and others, focusing on equalising feels of like, dislike and neutrality. This method was used by the great Shantideva. There are seven sections to this:

1. Teaching of the preliminaries: which are the Small and Medium Scopes of the Lam Rim teachings.

2. Training in the two types of Bodhicitta: which are the Relative Bodhicitta and the Ultimate Bodhicitta.

3. Meditating on equalising the self and others.

4. Contemplating the many faults arising from self-cherishing.

5. Contemplating the many good qualities resulting from cherish others.

6. The actual contemplation on the interchange of self and others.

7. With the previous points as the basis, the way to meditate on giving and taking.

If you are practicing Tonglen, and would like to strengthen your practice. I would suggest that you read up on this section of the Lam Rim, it will help you greatly. I hope my explanation helps.

Dear Harold Musetescu,

Yes Dorje Shugden wealth vases do exist, or more correctly Gyenze Dorje Shugden wealth vases exist as the form of Dorje Shugden that is invoked for the creation of wealth vases is Gyenze. There are many practices through which wealth vases can be created and one of these is Dorje Shugden.

In 2015 Kechara hosted the Venerable 7th Panglung Kuten, an oracle of Dorje Shugden, who also takes trance of various other protectors. During that time the Panglung Kuten was kind enough to consecrate our Yangkam or Wealth Cabinet was constructed in Kechara Forest Retreat. One of the most precious items placed inside Yangkams are wealth vases. Apart from various other wealth drawing items and offerings, the main set of wealth vases in the Yangkam are Dorje Shugden wealth vases. These were very kindly created and consecrated by the Panglung Kuten himself at Kechara Forest Retreat. You can read more about the purpose and creation of the Yangkam here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/kechara-13-depts/get-involved-in-the-wealth-box-project-in-kfr.html

You can read more about the practice of Gyenze Dorje Shugden here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/dorje-shugden-gyenze-to-increase-life-merits-and-wealth.html

You can invite Dorje Shugden wealth vases from any of our Kechara Paradise outlets in Malaysia or online here: http://www.vajrasecrets.com/wealth-vases if you are not based in Malaysia.

Dear Thorim,

If I have understood your question correctly you are actually asking about the Ultimate Truth. Within the Buddhist tradition following Acharya Nagarjuna’s Middle Way Philosophy there are two truths. The first is known as the Conventional Truth and the second is the Ultimate Truth. To understand emptiness we need to have a firm grasp of the first and a realisation of the second.

Conventional Truth
This is the understanding that phenomena exists, but are empty of inherent existence due to their reliance on all other phenomena. For example, we exist due to our component parts, which are reliant on our parents, our parents’ existence is reliant on our grandparents, and so on. This is just one way to view Conventional Truth.

Ultimate Truth
This is the understand that that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence. Our perception of reality is based on this understanding in contrast to Conventional Truth, which is more of an intellectual understanding.

I believe that you are referring to the Ultimate Truth when you mention ‘subtle’ emptiness. There are definitely meditations on this type of emptiness. These meditations exist in both the Sutric path and the Tantric path. However these sorts of meditations are not effective without a very firm grasping of the Conventional Truth.

You can read an excellent commentary to Emptiness which touches on the Two Truths by way of an explanation of The Praise to Buddha Shakyamuni and The Essence of Wisdom Sutra (Hear Sutra) by Sermey Khensur Lobsang Tharchin in his book ‘The Key to the Treasury of Shunyata’. Through meditation and contemplation on these texts one can develop an understanding of emptiness. Step by step one is able to progress further and further to the subtler levels of emptiness.

Within tantric practice there are meditations that concentrate on this form of emptiness, however they can only successful when one has an immovable intellectual grasp first. I hope this helps to answer your question.

Dear 1,

Thank you for your question. There is no special protector associated with Cittamani Tara’s practice according to His Eminence 25th Tsem Rinpoche. This is because Cittamani Tara’s practice is special, as Tara herself is considered a protector.

Tara has 21 forms, of which some of them are very wrathful. These wrathful forms of Tara can protect practitioners from black magic, spirit harm, demons, and negative influences from negative astrological effects from the stars and constellations, and other dangers. These forms protect us from the various types of interferences that Dharma protectors would ordinarily do as well.

In fact within the prayer known as ‘Longing for Tara’ by Matisara, it states that when you propitiate Tara sincerely with full faith, you do not need to engage in the practice of a Dharma protector. This is because Tara herself will provide you will all the help you need, from material sustenance and friendship to being your protector. In fact in the prayer it says that some Dharma protectors are not fulfilling their roles and some of the Buddhas have ‘sunk’ into the state of nirvana, so Tara acts as a protector.

Tara is considered the Guru, Yidam and Protector. She has already manifested in various forms that fulfill the roles of a Dharma protector. This is why you can commonly see that she is called Tara the Protector.

Dear Eli Levine,

I have not received teachings on the Bardo Thodol or the various mediation techniques associated with the text. However from your explanation if a person is able to achieve the Sambhogakaya form, then they would necessarily have achieved the enlightened state of a Buddha. This is very much a possibility because Lama Tsongkhapa has stated that there are three periods in which one can practice and achieve enlightenment through the tantric path and they are our everyday waking state, the dream or sleeping state and lastly the bardo state.

From what you have mentioned to occur, i.e. to recognise the correct lights from the Five Buddha Families, this would necessarily involve an expert understanding of the bardo state, through intense study of the Bardo Thodol, and very in-depth and stable meditations, first concentration meditation and then meditation on the process of death (in order to recognise that you are in the bardo) and then finally extensive visualisation meditations to familiar yourself with the visions/lights that appear in the bardo (to recognise that the lights are from the Five Buddha Families). Following this it is possible to achieve the Sambhogakaya form but would take much effort on the part of the practitioner.

Lama Tsongkhapa, however, stated the best and effective way to gain enlightenment would be at the moment of death, arising in the illusory body and achieving enlightenment in that state rather than any other, including the bardo. This is achieved by practicing the completion stages of Highest Yoga Tantra in waking life. One of the reasons for this is that while you are in the bardo it is difficult to keep a very focus and balanced mind, and you are completely and utterly under the throes of karma and delusions. Therefore for what you have mentioned to occur would take a lot of effort and mental stabilisation achieved during life, which could be used in the bardo state after death. I hope this helps.

Dear Denise,

The article on Pineal Glands was an external article, therefore the Kechara pastors do not have any knowledge or experiences in practicing the activation of Pineal Glands, nether are we trained in this. Perhaps you could search more online for the information you would like to know. I’m sure you will find reputable websites with accurate information details how one foes about activating the Pineal Glands. I am sorry that I cannot be much more help on this matter.

Dearest Eli Levine,

I would suggest that you get a copy of Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, which is a Lam Rim text from the notes of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s teachings that were written down and edited by Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. Alternatively you could get a copy of Joyful Path of Good Fortune by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, which is another great Lam Rim text. Both these texts are excellent and can guide practitioners on the Buddhist path very well, in all aspects of the path including the development of compassion.

Another book, which is presented in a very easy to understand manner is Compassion Conquers All, by His Eminence 25th Tsem Rinpoche and details the practical application of the Eight Verses of Mind Transformation. There is another book which is excellent to study and that is Compassion in Tibetan Buddhism.

As you can see and have no doubt come across in your readings, there is a multitude of resources out there that teach the development of compassion. However, the key here is that you need to actually apply the methods listed in the resources, rather than just have an intellectual knowledge as this will not get you very far.

As with all the Buddhist practices and philosophies, the key is the actual practice of what you have studied. From the rest of your explanation is seems that you have not come to a thorough understanding of some other aspects of the Buddhist paths. This is a reason why it is important to train oneself in a graded path, step by step and is why teachings such as the Lam Rim are very important on our spiritual path towards enlightenment. One of the things we need to remember and realise is the falseness of our perceptions of not only samsaric existence but our expectations of what our spiritual path should be like. Most of the time when on the spiritual path, we have our own expectations or wants of how our spiritual path should be, but in most cases even these are due to our own attachments.

In regards to compassion you should learn up and practice the following:
1. The practice of the Six Perfections.
2. The Eight Verses of Mind Transformation.
3. The importance and practice of Bodhicitta (using both the Cause & Effect Instruction, and the Seven-Point Mind Training). These can be found in the various Lam Rim texts, especially the Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand.

It is the actual practice of these, and not just an intellectual understanding of the method that will led to the development of compassion. The spontaneous instances of what you think is compassion, is only the very beginning and comes about from an intellectual understanding rather than an actualisation of the practice. Once you beginning to practice further, you will see that your compassion will increase and widen to include more and more beings, and there will be more instances in which this occurs, until it becomes your very being. That is how the development of compassion occurs, it is through effort, learning and practice rather than something that is spontaneous. I hope this helps.

Dear Eli Levine,

Thank you for your well wishes. In regards to your question, if one asks such a question then it is evident from scriptural basis that one is not enlightened. When enlightenment is achieved, one’s mind would become the Dharmakaya, therefore would know one is in fact enlightened. There would be no doubt in this, it would simply be a fact. That is not to say we are not on the path to achieving this, simply that we have yet to achieve our goal.

As for living Buddhas recognising other Buddhas, there are in fact many Buddhas living currently that can therefore identify other Buddhas. It is a well-known fact that many high lamas are emanations of various Buddhas, and so they can recognise each other. Buddhas can emanate in many forms from high lamas, normal monks or nuns, teachers or even our family and friends to benefit sentient beings, but as un-enlightened beings we are not able to recognise them as such. But those who are living can and do recognise each other, and within the framework of Tibetan Buddhism it is practice to recognise them as such, in order to provide a platform from which to share the Dharma teachings. To say that there are no Buddhas living current actually restricts the compassionate activities of the Buddhas. They can even manifest as inanimate objects to provide sentient beings with relief from suffering and plant beneficial imprints in the minds of these sentient beings.

Since you have understood interdependent origination, and that all experiences are created in the mind, you are on the path, but one key element is missing and this is enlightened compassion. There is a slight difference between understanding, and realisation. Realisation is when a person operates from this understanding. This can be a measuring stick to show others that one is enlightened. An enlightened being does not rest in their knowledge and mind but benefits other sentient beings due to their enlightened compassion.

You have also stated that you are burning your positive and negative karma, this is another statement which suggests you have not yet reached the enlightened state. This is because when enlightenment is achieved karma is negated altogether, as one’s mind is free from samsara. The physical body is merely a receptacle for this mind to inhabit. Parinirvana only occurs after nirvana is achieved in one’s physical form. This would necessarily mean you would have to be enlightened already before Parinirvana occurs. From how you have asked the question it seems as though you have not reached that stage….yet. We need to keep learning, practicing, transform our minds, focus out and be of benefit to others, and then we can all achieve enlightenment. This is an achievable fact.

Dear Monty,

Namkar Barzin is a special protector of Domo Geshe Rinpoche, his monasteries and temples. He was oath-bound by Domo Geshe Rinpoche to serve the Dharma and put under the care of Dorje Shugden. As such there are rituals and rites to invoke upon his presence, power and protection. Namkar Barzin also takes trance in the oracles from Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s Dungkar Monastery, where he was installed as a Dharma protector.

Since the practice of serkym is a common aspect to Dharma protector practices, I am sure that a dedicated serkym prayer to Namkar Barzin does indeed exists, however I do not currently have a translated copy of this text. However since he was placed under the care of Dorje Shugden, he is included in the serkym liturgy to Dorje Shugden. He verse is:

Vow-breakers’ heart-blood purified like gold,
This drink of fully boiling serkym,
I offer to Namka Bardzin and entourage
Accepting, accomplish the yogi’s intended purpose!

You can find the complete serkym liturgy to Dorje Shugden here: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden

There is also a nice post by His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche, available here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/invocation-to-namkar-barzin.html, which details a little of his history and benefits. There is also a prayer together with Namkar Barzin’s mantra available on the page. I hope this has helped.

Dear Harold,

Yes His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche does have what is known as a name mantra. This is recited at the end of all pujas conducted in Kechara together with a Long Life prayer for His Eminence to continue to live long and continue expounding the Dharma. It is also recited by His Eminence’s students at the end of their daily practices, just before the recitation of the completion dedication.

Two Long Life prayers can be found here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/long-life-prayer-by-kensur-konchok-tsering-rinpoche-and-trijang-rinpoche.html. These were composed by His Holiness Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche and Kensur Rinpoche Konchok Tsering (the Abbot Emeritus of Gaden Shartse Monastery) for students to recite for His Eminence’s Long Life.

His Eminence 25th Tsem Rinpoche’s name mantra: OM AH GURU KIRTI DAZA SHASEN DHARA KYANDHI SIDDHI HUNG HUNG

This mantra is recited 21 times or more by students or others who pray for Rinpoche’s long life. The past masters have actually said that if you have strong faith and good samaya with your guru, then reciting his name mantra will lead to many attainments in one’s spiritual practice. There have even been cases where a person’s illness has been healed through the power of engaging in a recitation retreat of their guru’s name mantra.

In regards to the phurba practice, this actually refers to the practice of the yidam (meditational deity) known as Dorje Phurba or Vajrakilaya. In this yidam’s practice one of the main implements that is used is an actual phurba/kila. This practice is known to remove obstacles and destroy outer and inner energies that hinder spiritual progress. As this a separate yidam deity practice, there cannot be a Dorje Shugden Phurba practice as they are two different deities.

On the other hand, the phurba/kila as a ritual instrument, is used within certain Dorje Shugden rituals, such as Dorje Shugden’s wrathful fire puja, in which it is used to destroy very malevolent energies, together with other ritual implements. As for a Dorje Shugden ritual that focuses on the use of a phurba specifically, I am unaware if any do exist.

That being said, as you have rightly stated, it is very possible for an enlightened master or even Dorje Shugden himself through the medium of a qualified oracle to compose a ritual that uses a phurba as a main ritual implement.

However rituals that have the same effect as the use of phurba, that destroy negative forces, already do exist within Dorje Shugden’s many rituals, as detailed in His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche definitive corpus of Dorje Shugden teachings, known as ‘Music Delighting the Ocean of Protectors.’ You can find out more about this text here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/music-delighting-the-ocean-of-protectors-a-definitive-guide-to-dorje-shugden-by-trijang-rinpoche.html. At present the English translation is not of the entire text. The remainder of the text dealing with the various rituals to Dorje Shugden to fulfill certain purposes has not been translated into English as of yet.

One thing that I know for sure, if we engage in the practice of Dorje Shugden on a daily basis together with Lama Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga or any other deity practice, we will definitely be protected from various harms and obstacles. If one practices mind transformation, the six perfections and the path as expounded in the various Lam Rim texts, then the holy enlightened beings can definitely bless and protect us from negative energies and forces. I hope this small explanation has helped.

Dear Lee,

This is a very good question. For the most of us we are unable to help spirits because we do not have such attainments from our spiritual practice to be able to do so. This is possible though, and is attainable through higher states of mind that comes about from intense spiritual practice. For us, however, who do not have this ability the best method to help spirits would be to engage in virtuous activities and dedicate the merits generated from those activities to alleviating their sufferings.

A good example would be generating the merits from our daily practice to them or even engaging in or sponsoring pujas or prayers to be recited for them. This is very beneficial as not only is there a generation of merit but we are invoking the various energies of the enlightened beings to aid them. Two very good pujas to do are Dharma protector pujas such as Dorje Shugden, Setrap or Kalarupa, and secondly Medicine Buddha Puja. The Dharma protector puja generates a lot of merit that helps to clear the obstacles that the spirit may be facing, while the Medicine Buddha puja would provide them with healing energy and plants beneficial imprints in their mindstreams for the future.

If we are very sincere in our wish to alleviate the suffering of spirits, then we should engage in spiritual practice wholeheartedly. When we have gained our own attainments then we can help the spirits ourselves. I hope this helps.

Dear David

Thank you for your question. Yes, both of these holy items can help open up imprints from past lives, as a protection string is blessed by the protector and pendants bless our bodies and mind.

However the best and most effective way to open up these imprints, even more so than wearing protection strings and pendants is to engage in the actual practice of the Dharma. By this I mean actual mind transformation, and development of the Six Perfections. While we are practicing the beneficial virtues such as generosity, patience, good ethical conduct, etc., since we have these imprints from previous lives, these open up quicker and we able to use them on our spiritual path towards enlightenment. These imprints are further strengthened and refined by our current practice, which furthers our spiritual progress. I hope this helps.

Dear Helpme,

I’m sorry to read of your relationship with your sister. It sounds like this has gone on for a very long time, but we should always try and be harmonious, which it sounds like you have been. When we have such problems, we should try to understand the other person’s thinking and then try to figure out how we can help that person. One of the major ways we can create harmony with others is actually changing ourselves for the better, improving ourselves to be a better person, acting out of kindness and compassion. This is done to help yourself. When you transform yourself, those near you will seek that transformation and be drawn to you because of it. Then you will able to improve your relationships with others for the better. You should learn more about Buddhism and how to implement this in your daily life.

If I may, I suggest you engage in the practices of Lama Tsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden on a daily basis. Lama Tsongkhapa’s practice is especially beneficial in helping to ease one’s mind, which will ease the pain caused by your sister. The practice of Dorje Shugden will remove obstacles from your life, and if you make a conscious effort to have a good and beneficial relationship with your sister, Dorje Shugden’s practice may also clear the obstacles so that you can achieve this. This should be coupled with studying and implementing the Buddhist teachings into your life. This will bear very good results.

You can find the practice I have mentioned here: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden

If you want a physical copy, you can invite one here: http://www.vajrasecrets.com/diamond-path

Dear Harold,

Thank you for reposting your question. The visualisations you have asked for are tantric in nature, I have not received teachings on these visualisations so unfortunately I cannot share them with you. Within tantric practices, only those who have received the appropriate empowerments and permissions are able to practice tantra.

Following His Eminence 25th Tsem Rinpoche’s advice not to engage in Naga pujas or practice without appropriate empowerments, permissions and commentaries due to stringent procedures that need to be adhered to during the practice, I am unable to share these on such a public platform. As I have mentioned in the previous answer about Naga pujas, one must have an appropriate empowerment of a deity related to Naga practice. If you have received such an empowerment from a guru, may I humbly suggest that you approach your guru for teachings and permission to engage in these practices.
Alternatively, you can direct your requests with a complimentary explanation of previous empowerments, etc. to the personal office of His Eminence here: mail@tsemladrang.com

Dear Danny,

Thank you for your question. This is very deep area of study, so I will try to explain in summary. You mentioned two obscurations and these are (i) emotional obscurations and (ii) cognitive obscurations. These are included in the list of four obscurations, with the addition of (iii) karmic obscurations and (iv) habitual obscurations.

I will focus this explanation on the two obscurations, as the differences between the four can be very subtle. It is better to have a firm understanding of the two first. An obscuration is something that literally obscures our path of spiritual development leading to ultimate Buddhahood.

(i)Emotional Obscurations
This refers to what His Eminence 25th Tsem Rinpoche terms as ‘afflictive emotions.’ This includes (a) emotions that disturb the equilibrium of the mind and attitudes that are formed based on these emotions. This leads us to (b) think and act in ways which propagate the view that phenomena exist inherently, which strengthens self-grasping. This therefore prevents liberation from samsaric suffering. Also included in this category is (c) the tendencies or seeds of the aforementioned emotions and (d) the tendencies to grasp at the false view of inherently existent phenomena. These tendencies are the subtle traces of the emotions and grasping left within the mindstream, once the moment of the gross emotion or grasping has ceased. In the future these tendencies can manifest. For example an apple seed it just a seed, but when the correct conditions exist, such as fertile soil, water and sunlight, the seed can grow into an apple tree. Similarly these tendencies can manifest as further afflictive emotions and grasping in the future. This goes to show just how vicious the cycle of samsaric existence is.

Since we place emphasis on the Six Perfections, examples of emotional obscurations would be the opposite of the Six Perfections. These are in fact caused due to grasping at the inherently existing self, and all phenomena. It is also a cause which strengthens this view. As this is the view that binds one to samsara, it obscures or prevents the achievement of enlightenment. Therefore this is very important to understand, and strive to overcome through practice.

Example: A child is angry because another child received a sweet. This leads the child to act out. This acting out strengthens grasping at phenomena – the sweet. This obscures enlightenment because the child views the sweet as existing inherently, thinking it will bring happiness. This mistaken view, based on grasping (attachment), has led to anger. Once the anger is over, the subtle traces (tendency) of this anger and grasping is left behind in one’s mindstream. At a later stage, certain conditions may arise for this subtle trace to manifest as more anger. This causes all the aforementioned affects, therefore the cycle is repeated again.

(ii)Cognitive Obscurations
Cognitive Obscurations prevent omniscience. Part of this omniscience is understanding the two truths (relative truth and ultimate truth) and operating from this understanding. Therefore cognitive obscuration is a lot subtler than emotional obscurations. It refers to habits or instincts that are formed from emotional obscurations, and can act as the cause for emotional tendencies to arise, but they are not actually emotional obscurations themselves. Whereas emotional obscurations are not continuous over a period of time but are instances of emotions, cognitive obscurations are continuous over a certain period of time.

Emotional obscurations give rise to further instances of afflictive emotions and attitudes, though occasionally. Cognitive obscurations however do not have the ability to give rise to the same. Instead they act as a support to continuous cloud the natural clarity of the mind. It is due to this lack of clarity that one cannot realise the two truths.

(iii) Karmic Obscurations & (iv) Habitual Obscurations
Karmic obscurations are whatever stop you from reaching enlightenment based on karma, or the results of actions in the past, whether positive or negative. And habitual obscurations are a very subtle form of cognitive obscurations.

Discussion on the types of obscurations and how they affect us is very subtle and needs a lot more study and understanding than can be presented here. All these obscurations are included in the corpus of teachings called Lorig which is the study of the nature and workings of the mind. Obscurations can really only be understood after having some understanding of the nature of the mind. If possible, you should read more on Lorig, as this will strengthen your understanding.

Dear Harold,

I apologize but i do not understand your question entirely.

If you are asking if there are tantric practices in which one visualises beings from the Asura realm, then yes there are. Some tantras, when engaged in properly have the benefit of granting protection from certain types of beings. The Asuras are a type of being that can harm people because they are very powerful. Conversely certain tantras also have the ability to bless these beings, planting Dharma imprints into their mindstream or alleviating them of their immediate suffering. Please do post again if your question was different than this.

Dear Danny,

You are right that there are many power places here on Earth such as Stonehenge and Mt Shasta. However both the Twenty-Four Holy Places and the Eight Great Charnel Grounds are referring to very specific sites linked with Buddhist practice, especially those of tantra. The Twenty-Four Holy Places most commonly referred to are twenty-four physical locations relating to Heruka Chakrasamvara and his consort Vajravarahi(Vajrayogini).

Buddha Shaykamuni arose in the form of Heruka to counter the desirous energies of the god Mahadeva. This god had a retinue of twenty-four male deities, each who had his own consort. This retinue came to reside at twenty-four sites on earth, and so these sites become sacred to this particular god. Heruka manifested his entire mandala in these power places to counter the energies there and provide people a beneficial environment to practice towards enlightenment. Usually the tantric deities dissolve the mandala back into themselves after performing certain functions, such as giving teachings or other enlightened activities. In the case of Heruka, he did not dissolve these mandalas back into himself. Therefore in essence, we consider these twenty-four places, the actual mandala of Heruka. They have become imbedded into the physical landscape of the place.

These places are very powerful energy centres, in fact if we engage in practices at these twenty-four power places, the various beings who aid tantric practice such as various dakas, dakinis and Dharma protectors will come to bless practitioners. Therefore it is mentioned in many prayers, that we invoke the enlightened beings to come from these places, to wherever we are to aid us in our practice.

Similarly the Eight Great Charnel grounds are actual cemeteries from ancient India. In ancient times it was here that great masters attained many ‘siddhis’ or attainments. Many of the great tantric adepts of the past practiced in cemeteries. They did so for a number of reasons. One is that they were able to meditate on death more clearly, which on an ultimate level is useful to realise the impermanence of the self as a means to realise the true nature of existence. The other is that it can be used to overcome fear, as most people are fearful of such places. These are also places where the wrathful deities are said to reside, hence in some prayers we invoked them from these places as well.

I hope this helps to answer your question, please do ask more if I was not clear.

Dear Lee,

Thank you for your question. There are a couple of factors involved in both your questions. In regards to powa, this would be dependent on the spiritual attainments and practice of the lama in question. The ability to perform powa for others takes a lot of knowledge and practice to achieve. The lama must have ‘achieved’ or developed the ability to transfer the consciousness to a pureland.

It would also be dependent on the karma of the person who has passed away. When it comes to the karma of this person, there are some points that we need to bear in mind. The first is that the person must have the good karma or merits to be somehow connected to a lama who can perform the powa practice for them when they die. If they did not have this connection, then the lama would never know or have an impetus to perform powa for this particular individual. For example, if this particular lama did not even know about the person in their current form, among the countless other sentient beings in existence, they wouldn’t know to perform powa for the person.

Another factor involving karma is that it can be particularly negative. In this case the lama is ‘fighting’ against the individual’s karma, which is a binding factor to samsara. By this, I mean that karma automatically keeps you bound to samsara. Karma by its very nature keeps a person bound to samsara and cyclic existence. In performing powa, the lama would have to go against the energy of this binding karma, in order to transfer the consciousness to a pureland. Therefore the attainments of the lama is of crucial importance in powa.

So given these certain factors, it is very possible that a ‘bad’ person can have their consciousness transferred to a pureland. However, we must keep one thing in mind. Being in a pureland, doesn’t necessarily mean that one is enlightened. You still have the karma, delusions and self-grasping that categorises all unenlightened beings. When in the pureland, you can receive teachings from the enlightened beings that reside there, and are in the perfect place to practice, among conducive conditions. Here they can realise their Buddha nature. No person is inherently bad, and in fact has the potential to become a Buddha, therefore in Buddhism it is not taught to judge a person inherently for their actions.

For the second question in regards to mantras placed on the body, you are right. In Tibet there is also a tradition of carving mantras on the bones of the dead animals or people. This actually blesses that person in their next life. However this cannot be done in the modern environment. There are also other practices that have the specific benefit of stopping a person from experiencing sufferings in their next life. For example one of the benefits of the Chenrezig Ngesung Kundrol practice is that it stops a person from going to the three lower realms in their next rebirth. These practices, though providing relief from suffering, are only temporary measures in the grand scale of our countless lives. In our later lives, we will still be subject to the suffering that arises from our karma caused by our delusions. Therefore, a greater emphasis should be placed on the actual practice of the Dharma, the purification of this very karma that causes suffering, the accumulation of merit, and the cutting of our delusions through study, meditation and practice.

You asked very wonderful questions. I hope this short answer helps.