Hello Khang,

Nice to see you here again. You can include the short prayer and mantra to Ganapati before starting Dorje Shugden’s short sangsol and Serkym offering. So you can do it after the Migtsema mantra.

This follows the standard structure of practice, which starts with Taking Refuge, Generating Bodhicitta, Guru-related practices (which includes the practices of Lama Tsongkhapa). This is followed by deity practices such as Ganapati. Following this we engage in Dharma Protectors practices and finally dedication.

We hope this helps. The practices of Lama Tsongkhapa, Ganapati and Dorje Shugden are all extremely powerful. I pray you are successful in creating an a close relationship with all three through your practice.

Dear Kenny,

Thank you for your question. Tibetan astrology is only a guide. Within the Buddhist system, astrology shows the general manifestation of how karma has manifested for a person. But that does not mean it is set in stone. On the contrary, things can change. That is due to karma. Karma is not fixed, it can be changed, purified, exhausted or overpowered by other types of karma or spiritual merits. That is why in Tibetan astrology there are always methods proscribed to overcome a particularly negative astrological situation.

If the calculator you used was a genuine one, they should have given advice about what to do in the exact situation. If they did not here is some general advice that can be used to make the situation better:

Marriage or being in a relationship with someone takes effort, care and affection. The main way to ensure a good relationship and overcome negative astrological influences is actually through our own effort and transformation. We cannot remain the same as we are now, otherwise the outcome predicted by astrology will come true. If we put effort into transforming ourselves to be better people and actively working on creating a lasting and open relationship, due to our effort we will be successful in creating a good relationship. You create the karma to be successful through your own efforts. Tsem Rinpoche has given an incredible teaching called “Ingredients for a Successful Relationship”, you can watch the teaching here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/students-friends/ingredients-for-a-successful-relationship.html

In addition to that, there are certain practices you can engage in to help counter negative astrological effects.

Generally speaking, Green Tara is extremely effective in help to create the best conditions for familial harmony and good relationships. You can set up a small altar to her in your house, make offerings and engage in her practice.

However, if you want to be more specific you can engage in the practice of your birth deity. This is a deity that you have an affinity due to the time of your birth. If you don’t know your birth deity, you can find out here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/tibetan-astrology.html.

Alternatively, you can engage in the practice of a Dharma Protector such as Dorje Shugden. You can also engage in either the practices of Trakpo Sumtril or Black Manjushri who are very effective in helping overcome negative astrological influences.

Deity practice will help on the spiritual side to overcome this, but remember that they are aids to the main method which is transformation of ourselves and actively working to create a good and lasting relatationship. If you have any other questions about this, please do let us know.

Dear Rolf,

The deities you are praying to now are very good. Both White Tara and Medicine Buddha are actually healing deities. White Tara is also considered a long-life deity as well.

If you were given the practices by a guru, then you should contact them to see which one you should concentrate on.

If you don’t have a guru, then in my opinion you should focus mainly on one particular deity and practice properly to get the full benefits of the practice.

For Medicine Buddha, the practice is explained here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/medicine-buddha-practice.html

For White Tara (which is shorter in length and less complicated) we have the practice explained here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/healing-practices-for-infectious-diseases.html (Even though the article is framed to help heal infectious diseases, she helps in all manner of healing and creating the causes for a long and healthy life.)

If you are open to focusing on another deity instead, the practice of Shize is very good as well. Shize is an emanation of Dorje Shugden, who is a Dharma Protector. He himself is an emanation of Manjushri who is known as the Buddha of Wisdom and great for things like increasing and stabilising memory. Shize’s speciality is for healing and long life also.

I recommend him as Dharma Protector practices also help to overcome any obstacles that we may be facing faster than meditational deities. If you are already having signs of a failing memory, then this practice may be more effective right away.

If you are not experiencing too many signs of failing memory, then you should focus on either White Tara or Medicine Buddha. But focus specifically on one of deity, so that you can create a very strong relationship with them, so that they can help you more.

I have experience with both Medicine Buddha and White Tara practices, both are very effective when engaged in consistently and with faith.

I hope this helps you. Do let us know if you have any other questions.

Dear Karla,

Thanks for your question. It’s incredible that you will be visiting Yong He Gong Temple. Here are some prayer to Lama Tsongkhapa which you may like: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/tsongkhapa-prayers.html

Any of the prayers will be perfect to recite in front such a holy image of Lama Tsongkhapa.

Hope this helps!

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.