Dear Asi,

Visualisation of the heaven or hell realms, or any of the realms for that matter is not dangerous. In fact, you need to do it in order to develop Loving-kindness and Compassion properly. However, there is more to it than just reciting mantras and visualisation. First you should know the reasons why you need to do it, then study the traditional visualisations which were taught by the Buddha and then explained by the great masters since his time. When we follow the traditional visualisations, since they carry the blessings of the Buddha, then we will actually develop the two qualities.

All of this and more is taught in the Lamrim teachings, which form the basis of our tradition. The text we use in Kechara is called Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. You can find it here: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand

Thank you.

Dear Jenny,

There are many benefits to Chenrezig’s practice. It’s too much to describe in this short space. The main benefits for Chenrezig’s practice for spiritual growth are listed in the article link that I sent you in your previous message.

Thank you.

Dear Jenny,

Guan Yin, known as Chenrezig in Tibetan is a very powerful practice, as the embodiment of compassion, Chenrezig will never put you in a situation in which you will suffer more. Praying to Chenrezig will only help you. First the practice will help to create harmony between you and your parents, and secondly, internally, the practice will help to heal any emotionally issues that you may have due to the relationship with your parents.

It is a very powerful practice to bring compassion and harmony into our lives, not pain. You can trust in the practice 100% as have many pracitioners in the past. If you don’t already have traditional Chinese prayers that you recite to Guan Yin, here is a short and powerful praise from the Tibetan tradition: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/powerful-and-short-praise-to-avalokitesvara-chenrezig

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Jake,

Thanks for your message. Here are some things that you can do:

1. If you are ready to take Tsem Rinpoche as your guru, then you can take refuge. You can contact Front Desk and they can guide you more: https://www.kechara.com/contact/ You can take refuge remotely online, but you should know a little about taking refuge which they will guide you on.

2. Yes, it takes a longer time to reach enlightenment without Highest Yoga Tantra initiation such as Vajra Yogini. However, it is still possible, by following teachings such as the Lamrim. In fact, even before you take initiation, you have to have a firm understanding of the Lamrim and the Three Principal Aspects of the path teachings as they are the foundation of tantric practice.

3. If you consider Tsem Rinpoche to be your guru, you can engage in the practice of his Guru Yoga, available here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/instructions-for-tsem-rinpoches-name-mantra-retreat.html. This post is about his mantra retreat, but you can read the relevant sections regarding the Guru Yoga to know more. The Guru Yoga has a specific benefit of creating a connection with Heruka and Vajra Yogini, as explained in the article.

4. Having strong Guru Devotion will actually create the causes to meet with other qualified lamas of the same tradition to help guide you when the guru is not physically around any long as in the case of Tsem Rinpoche. When this happens, its not to say that you switch gurus, but they will be able to guide further in your practice.

5. Tsem Rinpoche has an article which is all about creating a connection with Vajra Yogini so that you create the strong causes to receive her practice in the future and also gives you the points to develop a strong foundational practice before recieving tantra. It’s available here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/starting-on-vajra-yogini-now.html

I hope all of this helps. You can also contact Kechara House directly (information on the first website link) to ask more questions when you need help.

Thank you.

Dear Luna,

Thank you for your questions.

1. To become a monk in any monastery, you need to contact them directly. Each monastery may have differing requirements for potential monastic candidates. Before this, however, you should already have some form of Dharma training because you don’t come from background of knowing about monasticism. It will be a big shock to the system if you go there without any previous training.

2. The curriculum in most monasteries is taught in Tibetan. Hence a firm grounding in Tibetan is recommended to enter a monastery such as Gaden Shartse.

3. Monasteries do not provide shelter or accommodation for the monks’ parents.

4. The schedule for monks varies depending on your specific role. Each monk has specific roles and responsibilities assigned to ensure the monastery runs smoothly. This could be something as simply as cleaning, cooking, to something such as assisting with administration.

5. Lay people are not usually permitted to stay within the Monastery unless visiting for a short period. Rarely do some monasteries give exceptions.

6. All monastics have their basic necessities covered by the monastery. However, most monks also have sponsors. Again, this varies between monasteries.

7. First you should have a firm grounding in the Dharma and also find someone from the monastery you wish to attend to explain more about monastic lifestyle and what you can expect.

8. For this, you can search online to find those nearest to you that offer something along the line you are looking for.

In short, you need to contact the monastery directly and inquire about everything you have asked here with them directly. We wouldn’t be able to give much information about the workings of another monastery simply because we are not aware of their policies, etc.

Dear Bhavisha,

In the case of self-visualisation as the deity, as in the case of Tara you mentioned, this can and should only be done by those with the appropriate initiation into that system. In regards to practices in which we don’t have those initiations, we are visualise them in front of us.

In Buddhism, there are three ways in which we live, interact with the world, create karma, create merit and progress on our spiritual journey – the body, speech and mind. So when we are meditating or engaged in practice, we keep our body in meditation posture, not moving etc. This engages in our body in spiritual practice because we are not using it for worldly activities. When we recite mantras and prayers we are engaging our speech as part of our spiritual practice. Then when we visualise, we are engaging our mind in spiritual practice.

The form of an enlightened deity is sacred, so by visualising a deity in front of us, we are generating merit and creating a link with that deity. Each part of a deities body, their colour, mudras, implements, etc, are actually a road map on the path to enlightenment, that is why they are important to know their iconography well and the meaning behind it. When we visualise the lights, this is mentally asking the deity to bless us with whatever purpose we wish, whether it is to overcome a particular obstacle or gain certain spiritual qualities on the path to enlightenment. So when we ask a deity for help verbally, we use our speech to ask for their help and create a strong connection with our speech. The visualisation aspect of practice is doing this with our minds.

Whatever spiritual activity we do, it will always be the strongest when we are engaging all three – our body, speech and mind. Because then we are engaged in the practice using our whole being. I hope this helps to explain better. Thank you.

Dear Anonymous,

If you cannot fill the statue with mantras, you can fill it with other holy items such as protector rice or precious pills. Alternatively you can write or print out the mantra Om Ah Hung on a very small piece of paper, roll it up and insert that into the statue. Some useful links below:

https://www.vajrasecrets.com/mantra-rolls-anywhere

https://www.vajrasecrets.com/mantra-rolls-complete

https://www.vajrasecrets.com/protector-rice

https://www.vajrasecrets.com/precious-pills

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Josh,

You can take the refuge ceremony again to re-affirm your faith in the Three Jewels if you wish. That would be good if you have made the firm decision to practise Buddhism again. Thank you.

Dear Lee,

The practice of Dorje Dermo is not one that Tsem Rinpoche taught as one of our main practices, hence I cannot share much regarding the practice. However, Tsem Rinpoche did indeed say that it is a powerful practice. As to if it will be helpful for dealing obstacles when dealing with official/government matters, I cannot say, though in general the practice is powerful for overcoming negative effects in general.

From experience and from what Rinpoche taught, the practice of Ganapati Ragavajra would be much more effective in your case. However, you can recite the Dorje Dermo Dharini if you wish. It’s up to you.

Hope that this helps. Thank you.

Dear Bhavisha,

1. You can keep the old mala on your altar, because it is blessed through the power of the mantras recited. You can keep it inside a stupa or even a small box. That would be good.

2. In terms of transforming the mind, yes Manjsurshri is very effective. In terms of transforming the heart, in the sense of developing compassion, dealing with emotions, etc, Chenresig practice is very effective. Usually, without our tradition the practice of Lama Tsongkhapa is emphasised because he is the embodiment of Manjushri, Chenresig and Vajrapani. When you engage in his practice, you get the benefit of all three. So perhaps you may want to engage in his practice.

3. I am not aware of practices for Four-armed Mahakala that can be done without the appropriate initiation or advice from our guru, hence I can only recommend for you to increase the number of his mantra you do daily. The other things is to include his image on your shrine and increase the offerings you make to him daily. Even though the serkym prayer is not available, you can offer serkym on the altar to him. You make any of the standard offerings made to Dharma Protectors. This should be done daily. Also request him strongly to help in your spiritual path. And if you have enough faith and consistent effort, things will become much more clear.

I hope all of this helps. Thank you.

Dear Jordan,

Thanks for your question. The two explanations are going to be different, they will never match. The simple reason for this is both explanations come from two different traditions, which have their own cosmology, philosophies, methods, etc. As such they will never match. Sadguru’s system is based on Hinduism, whereas the explanation given by Tsem Rinpoche is from the Buddhist tradition.

I cannot comment on what Sadguru said, because his system/beliefs/practice are different from ours, I can only try to explain a slightly different manner what Tsem Rinpoche said about blessings. For non-attained masters, the way they give blessings is by invoking upon the energies of the Buddhas through prayers and mantras. It is this energy that is used to bless another person. For highly-attained masters, as they already have that energy and it is not depleted. Hence in this regard, what Sadhguru explained does not apply within the Buddhist context. I hope that clarifies things.

Hello Jason,

Yes there are two different spellings. That is because “Benza Satto” is the Tibetan pronunciation of “Vajra Sattva”. The difference is because in the Tibetan language there is no “v” and “jr” sound. So the closest that it can be pronounced in Tibetan is “Benza” and “Satto”. When the mantra is written in Tibetan however, it is written according to the Sanskrit. It’s the spoken sounds that are different.

What you see online is the English transliteration of the Tibetan pronunciation, hence “Benza Satto”. Both therefore are correct, but you should refer to the manner in which your Guru pronounces the mantra and follow his/her example.

I hope that helps. Thank you.

Dear Rabten,

Here are some uses for Protector Rice:

> For cases of negative interferences, lay two lit incense sticks parallel to each other. Then place one or two protector rice grains across the top of the incense sticks so that it starts to burn. This will invoke the presence of the Protector in the affected area.
> Insert into Buddha statues and stupas for consecration and increased positive potential.
> Encase and wear around the neck for a continuous supply of positive energy and protection.
> Place in luggage for a safe journey and to help prevent untoward incidents.
> Place in the mouth of a dying person or animal to help them pass on peacefully.
> Place in the mouth of a deceased person or animal to help them take a better rebirth.
> Put into bathing water to relieve skin problems and for general protection.

Sangsol is the offering of sang, since it’s an offering, Protector Rice is not added to make it more powerful. Protector Rice is already blessed, so you wouldn’t include something that is blessed or something that has already been offered into a new offering. Though you can add the rice, to help spread the enlightened energies of Dorje Shugden into the environment, it won’t actually help to make the sangsol stronger in relation to your wishes.

To make your sangsol more powerful, you can add more incense or you can couple it with Dorje Shugden serkym to make your requests for his swift assistance stronger.

Since your request is to do with official paperwork, you can also engage in the practice of Ganapati Ragavajra which is also very powerful to help in such cases: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/a-short-practice-to-overcome-obstacles-for-work-with-officialdom.html

I hope all this helps.

Dear Shan,

Thank you for your message. I am very sorry to hear you are going through this. Since you need some form of good relation with others, it’s hard to do this when you are in a negative frame of mind, depressed etc. The only way you will be able to successfully do so is if you actually work on getting you out of the negative state you are in.

One of the best ways to do this is to engage in the daily practice of Lama Tsongkhapa. This practise is very well known for helping us to overcome negative states of mind, such as depression. When you have overcome this, then you will be able to built positive relationships with others.

You can watch Tsem Rinpoche explain more about the practice here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/sayonara-to-depression.html

If the way your feeling is also due to financial difficulties, you can combine the practice of Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga with the practice of Gyenze, which is available here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/dorje-shugden-gyenze-to-increase-life-merits-and-wealth.html

I hope all of this helps you and you are able to get over your negative state of mind soon.

Dear Amy,

These meditations are termed Kuan Yin meditations, so they should stem from the Chinese tradition. We follow the Tibetan tradition, in which he is practised in his male form as Chenrezig, not as a woman.

We cannot comment on these meditations because they should come from the Chinese Buddhist tradition, not the Tibetan. However, when I went through the meditations quickly, I did not hear anything about the source of these meditations. Or if they were texts, what the original source of the texts were. Our tradition heavily stresses using techniques and meditations that have a clear and defined source and lineage so you can be sure of their efficacy and that it won’t have unwanted effects. In fact, every practice and teaching in Tibetan Buddhism needs to start with a short introduction to the source and lineage, otherwise it is not considered to be a legitimate practice.

Lama Tsongkhapa was a very strong advocate in ensuring that the practice has a proper source and lineage. As far as I can tell from what I listened to, there is no source I could discern clearly. As a Dharma practitioner, I would not engage in such meditations as I do not know where they came from. If certain practices do not have an authentic sources, they may lead to unwanted effects which can hinder your spiritual progress. I’m not saying that about these specific ones, just letting you know of this. That is why knowing the source of the practice is extremely important.

In regards to whether the meditation is tantric or not, I did not hear anything along these lines. Focusing on a Buddha/Bodhisattva in a particular practice doesn’t necessary make it a tantric practice. Hopefully this helps to answer your questions. Thank you.

Dear Davidson,

Thank you for your question. You seem to know a little bit about the development of compassion already. However, most people go straight into this and try to develop it from the start. Though this can work, most often this does not, because we simply don’t have the proper foundational practice to develop this effectively without letting it be tainted by emotions or experience that stop us from progressing, as is happening to you.

In the Gelug tradition, we follow the lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa and one of his greatest works, the pillar of the entire Gelug tradition is known as the Lamrim. In that very big teaching, Lama Tsongkhapa lays out the path of practice in a sequential manner. These build upon each other one by one. The development of compassion, or Bodhicitta comes after building up a strong foundation and already having dealt with certain negative emotions, for example hatred. So if your aim is to develop compassion, which is fantastic, you will need to build up that foundation first, so when you focus specifically on developing it, you won’t have such feels any more. I suggest you get hold of a copy of the Lamrim and study it and implement the teachings in your life. We use a text known as Liberation in the Palm of Your Hands as the main Lamrim text here in Kechara, which is an experiential teaching on the Lamrim (https://www.vajrasecrets.com/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand).

In regards to chanting the Migtsema, don’t worry about it. Chanting it is better than not chanting it at all. Over time as you progress in your Dharma practice you motivation will change not to include keeping those negative emotions, and at the same time protecting you from being harmed by those people. You should combine the chanting with the actually practice of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga, which contains the Migtsema. The power of the practice and the mantra itself will have a very beneficial impact on your mind and help you. I hope all of this helps. Thank you.

Dear Suk Bir Tamang,

Hello. I think that your full question did not post. Please do try again. Thank you.

Dear Bhavisha,

Astral travel is a psychic ability, and yes Shize’s practice can confer pyschic ability. Since Shize is a Dharma protector however, through his practice you will only be granted psychic abilities that are beneficial for yourself and others in terms of your spiritual practice/evolution. If Shize sees that you have a certain ability will hinder your spiritual evolution, then he will not help to bless you with it. On the other hand, if it will be helpful, he will bless you with it and help you develop it greatly too.

It’s not just as simple as praying to Shize and then being granted any psychic ability, that takes effort and concentration in the practice, coupled with learning the Dharma and implementing it into your life so that transformation occurs. This allows you to have the right sort of merits (Sanskrit: Punya) so that Shize is able to grant blessings greater and quicker.

There are other ways to achieve the astral travel ability in Buddhism too, such as the practice of some other enlightened Dharma Protectors. The other methods available are tantric in nature and require you to have initiation into a tantric practice from a qualified guru and to keep the associated vows and commitments of the practice. Thanks.

Dear Elena,

I’m very sorry to hear that you are going through such experiences. In regards to this because of the association with motherly qualities to deities such as Green Tara, you are having such negative thoughts. The reason for this is because you are projecting you notions of ‘motherly’ on these deities due to your life experiences, not what ‘motherly’ actually means when in relation to these deities. The best way to get rid of these negative thoughts can be done in two ways: the first is to read and learn more about the deities themselves and how they are actually ‘motherly’. When learning about them, you will learn and understand what qualities they have, these will be different than your experiences with your mother. As you learn more about them, then these negative thoughts about them will lessen.

The second way, which is a lot harder, is to deal with the emotional trauma that you have experienced itself. To learn not to have negative thoughts towards you mother. This can be done by actually practising the Dharma, which is to implement the teachings into your life and to transform your mind, not simple reciting prayers and mantra. The Lamrim teachings is a great guide to do this, if this is something that you want to do. I hope all of this helps and you are able to get rid of the negative thoughts towards the deities, as you do have faith in them. Thank you.

Dear Cnc,

Thank you, however this section is for questions related to Dharma practice. The following pages may provide you more of an answer to your question:

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

Numerology:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/numerology/numerology-calculator.html

Thank you.