Dear Karla,

In Tibetan Buddhism which we practice, Guan Yin is actually worshipped in a male form. He is known as Chenresig in Tibetan or Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit. You can find a short yet very powerful praise to Chenresig here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/powerful-and-short-praise-to-avalokitesvara-chenrezig

If you want, you can recite this praise when visit temples that have Guan Yin Buddha.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Paulo,

In short, yes, the practice of Lama Tsongkhapa can be used for healing for oneself and others. When engaged in the mantra recitation section, visualise white healing lights from Lama Tsongkhapa’s heart healing the particular person you are praying for.

While this is effective, specific practices for healing, such as those you have mentioned may be quicker in it’s effects as those practices are specficially manifested by the Buddhas for healing purposes.

Black Manjushri and Trakpo Sumtril are also healing deities so they can can help in healing for sure, recovering from surgery, etc.

I hope this helps.

Dear Bhavisha didi,

Thank you replying. I will answer in two parts:

1. I know the teachings that you are refering to in which Tsem Rinpoche said that Manjushri helps us “temporarily” and what he meant. Basically, Manjushri helps to get a clear mind so that when we are able to learn and understand the Dharma, we can transform ourselves to be better people and ultimately progress on the spiritual path. In the case of being temporary, this is because as Rinpoche mentioned, it is a method for us to develop a clear mind. If we don’t use our clear mind to transform ourselves, which will stabilise and increase Manjushri’s ability to help us, we have not used his blessings to the fullest potential. If we don’t progress on our spiritual path ourselves to a certain level, we will end up creating more negative karma and obscurations, which will lead our mind to become unclear, unfocused, again. So that is the reason why Rinpoche may have refered to it as temporary, because Rinpoche was emphasising that it is through own effort that we actually transform. Manjushri helps us to do that.

2. Kalidevi is known as the protectress Palden Lhamo in Tibetan Buddhism. You can read about her here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/palden-lhamo.html. She is seen as an emanation of Saraswati within Buddhist belief. She also have a very strong link to Kali Ghat Temple, and many Tibetan Buddhists go to visit the temple every year to make prayers. Understanding about Palden Lhamo is slightly different from the Hindu understanding. But Tsem Rinpoche always used to tell me that they are actually one and the same. Sometimes, understanding about Palden Lhamo can be a little confusing for someone from an Indian Hindu background as she is also known as Shri Devi, which is a name for Lakshmi in Hinduism. Actually the goddess Lakshmi also exists in Tibetan Buddhism, where her name is Pel Lhamo.

Palden Lhamo/Kalidevi is a very powerful Dharma Protector. Tsem Rinpoche has a close connection to Palden Lhamo from a very young age.

I hope this helps your understanding. And thank you for your suggestion. They Buddhas do help us in amazing ways. I’m glad to read that things are going better for you now.

Dear Khang,

Thanks for your question. In relation to this, we should clarify that there are two types of sang that are listed in various articles on our website.

The first is the “Sang Offering” to Dorje Shugden. This is specifically an offering of smoke. The details are provided here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/incense-offering-to-dorje-shugden.html
This is a specific offering. So if you are using sang to do something else, you will need to do it separately from the sang offering.

The second is the “Cleansing Sang”, which is using sang to clear a specific area, your home for example, from negative energies and to bring positive energies into the area. This is not considered an offering (although when you do some of the associated visualisations, you are treat it like one). The main purpose of this is actually cleansing. The mechanism that makes the cleansing sang work is actually the burning of Protector Rice. It is not an offering because the sang is a vehicle that you are using to release the energies of the Protector rice. That is why you don’t offer any sang offering prayers during this. Similarly this would be done separately from a sang offering.

As outlined in this article: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/stories-from-a-chela-cleansing-sang-visualisations using Ucchusma’s mantra for cleansing sang is way to purify negative karma and obscurations internally by breathing in the smoke sang that has protector rice already burning. In this case, you are coupling the energies of the Dharma Protector (through the burning rice), with the purification mantra of Ucchusma for double effect.

I hope this helps to answer your questions.

Dear Theresa,

Thank you for your questions. Tsem Rinpoche has provided many articles here about purification which you will find has all the information you are looking for:

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/an-important-purification-practice.html

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/vajrasattva-and-prostrations-transcript.html

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/how-to-purify-your-karma-in-kechara-forest-retreat.html

In regards to reciting mantras, it is recommended to get a mala to help you count. If this is not feasible due to various circumstances, you can use an electronic counter.

For reciting mantras during personal practice, these are not recited too loud. In fact, they are recited softly. If a person was nearby they would not actually be able to hear what you are reciting. There are different ways to chant mantras according to different religious paths. In Tibetan Buddhism, they are not chanted loudly during personal practice. They are recited just loud enough for you to hear the mantra, but if someone was next to you, they would not be able to hear what you are citing.

In Buddhism, we have daily practices. When doing these it is proper to do the practices sitting down, fully focused on the practice and not engaged in other activities. When not engaged in daily practice, you can of course recite mantras while doing normal daily activities such as walking, working etc. As long as it does not disturb anyone else.

I hope this message helps. Thank you.

Dear Mat,

Thanks for your question. You do not need a transmission, empowerment or initiation to recite Vajrapani’s mantra. Within the Gelug lineage as taught by Tsem Rinpoche the mantra is pronounced as “OM BENZAPANI HUNG”. You can start reciting the mantra, no problem. In order to create to a strong connection with Vajrapani, you should recite the mantra daily with consistency.

Vajrapani is considered the Buddha of Skillful Means or the embodiment of the power of the enlightened beings. His practice is excellent. Known as Chagna Dorje in Tibetan, Vajrapani’s name literally means “Holder of the Vajra”. He is wrathful, appearing in the form of a yaksha being. With his right leg bent and left outstretched, he stands in pratyalidha posture. He holds a golden five-pointed vajra in his right hand and with his left hand held in front of his heart, he makes a threatening gesture at our delusions and negative karma. Vajrapani is also known as the Lord of Secrets and he bestows practitioners with a special aptitude to practise Tantra. He is well-known to pacify inner and outer maras. Inner maras are delusions and the self-grasping mind while outer maras refer to malevolent spirits and obstructing beings.

If you would like to pray to Vajrapani, or any deity, to create a closer connection with them and to benefit from their energies, it is advisable to set up a small shrine to them and make offerings daily, according to your means. You can get a small statue or image of Vajrapani and place on your shrine.

We have some images available for download that you can print and use if you like them:

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/the-buddha-of-power-vajrapani

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/vajrapani-the-secret-lord

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/the-lord-of-secrets-vajrapani

Hope this answers your question! Thank you.

Dear Chewang Phurba Sherpa,

We have two astrology calculators that you might be interested in:

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

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

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Hi Bhavisha didi,

Nice to see you back here. Can you share the video and the timestamp that Rinpoche said this? There must be a wider context in which Rinpoche said this. We can check properly and get back to you.

In general however, I can think of a couple of reasons. The first is that in order to achieve complete enlightenment, we need to put in effort from our own side. It cannot be achieved solely on the reliance of a deity in the external sense. You must achieve the state of the deity through internalising the Dharma and transforming your mind through the teachings, developing Bodhicitta, etc.

The second could be that in order to achieve enlightenment in the shortest time possible, one would need to rely on the practice of a Highest Yoga Tantric deity.

In our lineage, we rely on Manjushri a lot, but in different forms. For example there is a saying in our lineage that our Guru is Manjushri (in the form of Lama Tsongkhapa), our Yidam is Manjushri (in the form of Manjushri or Yamantaka as a higher tantric deity), and our Protector is Manjushri (in the form of Dorje Shugden or Kalarupa). Manjushri is definitely important, so there should be a wider context in which Rinpoche was explaining that Manjushri helps ‘temporarily.’

Hope that helps and looking forward to your reply. Thanks.

Dear Naina,

Thank you for your question. When engaged in prolonged practice, especially something like reaching a certain number of mantras over a period of time, we can definitely experience a lot of purification of karma. This is especially so when engaged in the practice of Vajrasattva or other specific purification practices.

As you embark on this journey with your husband, please don’t be afraid that your child will feel what you are feeling due to the purification. Here are some things that you can do to help:

1. Reduce the amount of mantras you are doing daily. Even though it will take a longer time to complete, it will make things more managable for you. When engaged in such long periods of practice, people think it is better to finish it as quickly as possible. This is true for people living a monastic lifestyle, but as a lay person, remember that you have other responsibilities. So take things slow. Slow and steady wins the race as they say. Doing too much will not make your practice stronger, but it will have an effect in other areas of your life.

2. Engage in Protector practice. One of the specific benefits of Dharma Protector practice is to reduce the effects of purification that you feel. You can engage in the practice or Dorje Shugden or any other enlightened Dharma protector that you feel an affinity for. You can find some Dharma Protector practices on this page: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/sadhana-prayers.html

3. Make sure to take some time for yourself. When engaged in long practice periods, it is important to go for walks, exercise, be in nature amongst the green plants, or go to high places such as the tops of hills, and look out over the wide landscapes. This is mentioned specifically in scripture.

4. If the feeling of numbness or emotionlessness is too strong, you can also seek professional medical help for example by seeing a therapist. There is nothing wrong with this at all.

5. If you have a guru-disciple relationship with a guru, you can ask them for more specific advice.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Sugarathana,

Thank you for your question. However, which name did you need help with? Please message again with the name in the message and we will see if we can help you with the meaning.

Thank you.

Dear Barbara,

Karmic debt numbers represent aspects of yourself that you need to face and work on in this life. These aspects come from decisions and actions that you have made in previous lives that have an impact in this life for your spiritual growth.

According to numerology, having a karmic debt number of “0” doesn’t mean that you don’t have any karma. It means that rather than having a specific karmically caused aspect that you need to deal with, you actually have to manifest your ability/potential for change in a positive direction. Find something that you are passionate about that helps others, and go all the way with it.

For example, Mahatma Gandhi had a karmic debt number of “0” but he ended up being part of the freedom movement in India, which ultimately changed the course of the entire Indian sub-continent.

From a Buddhist aspect, it could be explained as you having no overtly powerful habitual karmic aspect that has opened in this birth. For example, you don’t have overly powerful habitual patterns of jealousy or lust. You do have these of course, but they are not so strong in shaping your actions as if you had another karmic debt number. For those people, they would really need to work on such emotions deeply in order to overcome negative situations in life.

I hope this explanation helps.

Dear Pritisha,

We have two astrology calculators that you might be interested in:

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

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

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Bhavisha,

Thank you for your question. Yes, mantras need to be recited out aloud, but it is very specific how loud they should be. You should not be chanting out very loud, like shouting. In fact, you should only be chanting loud enough so that you can hear the mantra, but if a person was standing near you, they would not be able to make out what you are saying. So when chanting mantras, you can even recite them as a whisper. I think chanting the mantra as a whisper may help in your situation, as you are doing domestic work.

As long as there is sound created when you chant, then they will have an effect. This is in relation to personal practice. When in pujas or group practice mantras are supposed to be chanted loudly, however in personal practice mantras are always recited quietly.

Mantras generally are not supposed to be chanted in the mind, they don’t have an effect as there is no sound vibration created. There are only a handful of mantras that can be recited in the mind only, but those are restricted for some very high practices only.

I hope this helps. thank you.

Dear Lhamu,

Thanks for your message. In Tibetan Buddhism, we do not believe in God. By that I mean an all-supreme creator being who governs everything.

We do have gods, but they are sentient beings like us, but they are not all-powerful beings.

In Buddhism, we believe in reincarnation of the mind, so when we pass away, we are reborn in one of the different realms of existence. Then when we die in that life, we again take rebirth. This process is known as samsara or cyclic existence. The goal of Buddhists is to escape from this process because we are stuck inside it. When we get out of the process, we achieve Enlightenment.

You can read some introductory books about Buddhism to understand what Buddhists believe. Thank you and I hope this helps.

Dear Kenny,

Yes, you can recite Hayagriva’s mantra without empowerment. You can find some more information about Hayagriva here: https://resources.tsemtulku.com/buddhas/lower-tantra/hayagriva.html.

You can also recite a short praise to Hayagriva before doing the mantra:

As the power and force of all the Buddhas,
For the sake of subduing those difficult to be subdued,
You display the body of The Powerful Wrathful One;
I prostrate to the wrathful conqueror Hayagriva! (x3)

Mantra
HRI PEMA DATRI HAYAGRIVA HULU HULU HUNG PHET

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Duy,

You can find a short description of Marici here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/the-goddess-of-the-dawn-marici

Her mantra can be safely recited by anyone, in fact it is very beneficial.

The mantra is: OM MARITSE MAM SOHA

I hope this helps and may Marici bless you. Thank you.

Dear Ling Kan,

Thank you for your question. We are a Tibetan Buddhist organisation, hence our prayers are either in English, Chinese or Tibetan. We don’t have any prayers that are available in Pinyin.

In Tibetan Buddhism, Guanyin is actually worshipped in a male form. He is known as Chenresig in Tibetan or Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit. You can find a short yet very praise to Chenresig here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/powerful-and-short-praise-to-avalokitesvara-chenrezig

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Lee,

Unfortunately, I do not know which deity that verse is dedicated to. We do not have an English translation of the entire Kangso as of yet which I can check for you.

On a side note, there are many Protectors invoked throughout the Serkym practice such as Six-Armed Mahakala, White Mahakala, Kalarupa, Palden Lhamo, Four-Armed Mahakala, Vaishravana, Begtse and other enlightened protectors. There are also specific verses to Setrap and his entourage, Kache Marpo and his entourage, Namkha Barzin, etc. So the serkym prayer to Dorje Shugden includes offerings to many different protectors to aid practitioners in their aims.

Dear Om,

Thank you for your question. In order to progress on the path towards enlightenment, it is very important to have a guru. Since you are already practising the Nyingma/Kagyu lineages, you should find a qualified guru to guide you in the path of practice according to those lineages. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Om,

We practice the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. So the practices of Lama Tsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden are from the Gelug lineage. However, Dorje Shugden has also historically been practiced in other lineages such as the Sakya lineage and certain branches of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages also.

I think when you mention the ‘vajra guru mantra’ you are refering to Guru Rinpoche’s mantra? In that case, it is not considered to be a wrathful mantra, but it is very powerful. There may be forms of the mantra that are more wrathful in nature within the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages. But to find out more about those, you would need to ask teachers from those lineages.

I hope this helps.