Dear Will,

Please can you elaborate further as to your definition of ‘authenticity’ on the side of a practitioner? I understand that you do not mean the authenticity of the teachings but of the practitioner. But I would like to understand what exactly you are referring to. Teachings can be authentic or not, but are you asking if practitioners can be authentic in terms of practice or in terms of understanding the self? If I know in which regards you are asking then I can help to answer better. Thank you.

Dear Vritra0912,

Thank you for your interesting questions. Lord Buddha showed us the path to Nirvana or Moksha through meditation, contemplation and practice. In doing so he did not rely on any external deity that he prayed to or relied upon to achieve that state. Neither did Lord Shiva, as he is a god.

Yes, you are right that Lord Shiva and his consort Kalaratri (a form of Parvati) are depicted under the feet of Heruka Chakrasamvara. The reason for this is to show the world and practitioners that you need to overcome desire. The story goes that Lord Shiva and Kalaratri manifested a lot of desirous energy which was affecting all beings. Their energy was so strong, it was affecting people to the point that they acted in very desirous ways. Lord Buddha saw this and knew that he had to teach a method to overcome desire and lead people to Moksha. So he manifested in a form that looked like Shiva, but more powerful, with more arms. That is why Heruka looks like Shiva, with matted hair, the crescent moon on top of his head, covered in ash and wearing a tiger skin loincloth. When Shiva and Kalaratri saw Heruka, they realised he was more powerful (in the sense that he has overcome desire) and they offered themselves under the feet of Heruka to show sentient beings that they need to overcome desire. In this regard, you can regard the event as a Divya Leela or divine play, to show practitioners that they need to overcome desire in order to reach Moksha.

Within Buddhism there are actually multiple deities that look like Ganesha. One is the god Ganesha, who is the son of Parvati. Another known as Ganapati Ragavajra is actually a form of Avalokiteshvara, also known as the Buddha of Compassion. Therefore there is are different forms of Ganesha, some of who are considered enlightened. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Parth,

Thank you for your very spiritual question. We are publishing an article that will explain everything you need to know about blessing any Buddha image soon, including the prayers you should use. Do keep an eye out for the article and once published I will update this message with the link to the post.

Dear G,

One way to let go of past things and the emotions that affect us now, is to engage in meditation on impermanence. This is the realisation that things are not permanent, they have a beginning, exist and then have an end. When we begin to understand this and the realisation goes deep into our mindstream, we naturally begin letting go of all the things in our past that hold us back emotionally and mentally. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Dan,

Thank you for your question. This question has been asked to His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche on numerous occasions. There is a slight difference between the two which may not have come across clearly in the video.

In the video, the lady was asking about Termas, which are also known as Hidden Teachings. These teachings are hidden in a number of ways and later these were found by various people and high lamas and are revealed through texts, visions, etc. His Eminence was referring to these types of teachings when he said that there are no such commonly practiced teachings within the Gelug tradition. Most teachings within the Gelug tradition instead trace their origins back to the historical Buddha or other enlightened beings directly, taught student to teacher. Take for example, two practices prevalent in the Kechara Organisation: Vajrayogini practice which traces back first through the Sakya tradition all the way back to the Mahasiddha Naropa who received the practice from Vajrayogini directly; and Manjushri Nagarakshasa practice which traces back through the Nyingma lineage to Guru Rinpoche.

In the cases of Pabongka Rinpoche and even his own teacher, Tagphu Pemavajra, the situation is different, they are not defined as Termas. Through their spiritual attainments, they received the practices from the deities directly and then passed them on to their disciples. This is similar to case of Naropa receiving the Vajrayogini practice from Vajrayogini herself. These practices would have been studied by scholars and mediators to make sure that the adhered to the norms of tantric practice and were beneficial and effective, which they are. You can read read about one such practice here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/cittamani-tara.html. Even the highest of Lama’s such as the Dalai Lama teaches this practice, which is known as Cittamani Tara.

So even though they may seem similar, there is a slight difference to the two. Within the Gelug tradition, practice is very much based on tracing an unbroken link via the lineage back to the enlightened source of the practice. Therefore, within the Gelug tradition at least, for practices that originate from the visions of high lamas, it speaks highly of their efficacy. And due to the tradition’s strong emphasis on an unbroken lineage stemming from the originating deity to current practitioners, it does not include Termas into the category of teachings that are commonly practiced. I hope this helps. Thanks.

Dear Prof Ramesh Vajracharya,

Yes, there are many paths of become an Acharya within Tibetan Buddhism. From a scholarly perspective, one can join the monastery and engage in the study curriculum and earn the Geshe degree. From a tantric point of view, this can be achieved by first finding a teacher, receiving initiation and the commentaries on the practice and then by engaging the tantric practice and gaining attainment. There are many different methods, depending on what you want to specialize in. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Adrian,

You asked a very interesting and practical question. Offerings are always disposed of in an appropriate and respectful manner as possible. For example water offerings, tea, etc. is usually disposed of by pouring into the grass or plants outside in a clean area. If you are not near any green spaces or if you do not have a garden, you can use pour the liquids down the sink. However, you should make sure that your sink is clean before you do so. This is permissible because we live in built up modern environments and it may not be possible. For offerings of food, you can do the same to leave them outside in clean areas under trees etc. If this is not possible, it is permissible to dispose of the offerings in the trash, but they should be kept in their own bag.

As for the insects or ants eating the offerings, no there is no negative karma for the insects. If they do get to the offerings, you should recite and blow mantras on them. This will bless them to take fortunate rebirths in the future and to practice the Dharma. I hope this helps.

Thank you

अन्ततः त्यहाँ कुनै भिन्नता छैन।
फरक तिनीहरू वास्तवमा जीवनमा हामीलाई कसरी मद्दत गर्न सक्दछन् भन्ने हो।
आफ्नो फारमका कारण, डोर्जे शुग्देनले हामीलाई अन्य बुद्ध भन्दा छिटो मद्दत गर्ने भनिन्छ। यो हाम्रो आफ्नै कर्मको कारणले हो।
हाम्रो नकारात्मक कर्मले बुद्धहरुलाई हामीलाई मद्दत गर्न रोक्न सक्छ।

Dear Paula,

Nagarakshasa is a wrathful emanation of Manjushri. Though his form of Manjushri is usually associated with curing Naga-related diseases or affliction, his practice is extremely beneficial for curing all types of spirit harm and black magic. And yes, his image is very good to calm energies in any location. You can read more about Manjushri Nagarakshasa here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/kechara-13-depts/manjushri-nagarakshasa-comes-to-kfr.html. The post also includes his sacred mantra which you can recite. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Luke,

Thank you for your question. Yes, dreams can have significance for our practice, but usually they are just the subconscious working things out. However, dreaming of your Guru is usually considered an auspicious dream for your practice.

In your case, it is a sign that you either have or should work on having more guru devotion. This is evident in the dream because even his outer actions and the instructions he gave you were not necessarily not normal, you still followed through with them.

Having strong guru devotion is the basis of higher attainments, especially within tantric practice. Many great masters of the past have shown us how to develop guru devotion. You can read more about it here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/complete-commentary-on-50-verses-of-guru-devotion.html. I hope this helps. Thank you.

यदि तपाईं यस वेबसाइटमा जानुहुन्छ भने, तपाईं कसरी प्रार्थना गर्ने सिक्न सक्नुहुन्छ

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/l/np/dorje-shugden/dhaneshwar-bhagawan-dorje-shugden-nepali.html

Dear Eric Woody,

Sorry to read about what you are going through. When dealing with any situation, we should always think on two levels, one spiritual and the other more worldly.

Since you are attracted to the Dharma protector Setrap, you should continue to do the short sadhana, which itself incorporates the Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa at the beginning. During the practice, you should concentrate on the recitation of the mantras. You can also continue with the Singdongma practice as well if you wish. But it is better to stick with just one practice and engage in it consistently.

In regards to purifying Karma, all of the deities mentioned can help you to purify your karma with whatever is around you. If you are engaging in Setrap, you should recite the Kawang prayer more. In actual fact, when you are purifying your karma in this manner, negative emotions would not arise. In fact, when you recite the Kawang prayer, even though it is purifying the negative karma, your mind will become more stable.

As with all situations, you also need to deal with the situation on a worldly level as well. In your case, you may or may not have been ‘officially’ diagnosed to have this condition by your doctor, but you should strive to get along with your parents. They only have the best intentions for you and so you should listen to there advice. In some cases negative entities stay around you because they are attracted to disharmony. Therefore you should try to live in harmony and strive for it, even if this is hard. That is also another manner in which karma can be purified. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear David,

Thank you very much for your question. I haven’t read the book Rainbody Body and Ressurection, but from what I saw of it only, it looks like an interesting read. As for whether it could be the same spiritual attainment, I would not be able to give you a definitive answer. But I cannot see why not.

Buddhism does not claim to be a religion that teaches the only truth, in fact it said that there are many paths and practices that lead a person to the enlightened state. Even within Buddhism itself, there are many different methods of practice. And since that is the case, then of course people of other religions too could achieve that same state. If you look at the core of all religions, two things always stand out and that is these religions teach the development of compassion and wisdom. In Buddhism these are known as the two wings of enlightenment. Hence, all religions teach this in some form or another, it is not outside of the realm of possibility that the attainments of highly realised beings would be the same as well.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Meg,

There are two very good practices which can help you in this situation. The first if the practice of Lama Tsongkhapa. This practice is extremely beneficial for calming the mind, especially during emotional time and in times of fear. The practice calls upon Lama Tsongkhapa who is the embodiment of the compassion, wisdom and spiritual power of all the Buddhas. During this practice you should concentrate on the recitation of his sacred mantra.

Coupled with this, you can engage in the practice of Dharma protector Dorje Shugden. This deity provides great protection from all forms of negativity whatever it may be. Again during this practice you should focus on the recitation of Dorje Shugden’s sacred mantra.

Both these practices should help a lot with your situation. The key here is consistency every day. You should see an improvement.

These two practices have been compiled into a text known the Diamond Path, which you can find here: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden

Alternatively you can get a physical copy here: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/diamond-path

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Parth,

Thank you for your questions. Ngondro are the preparatory practices before one can practice the tantric path. Ngondro is also known as the preliminary practices. The purpose of Ngondro is to purify our heavy negative karma and at the same time generate spiritual merit necessary for the practice of tantra. There is a very informative post as to the reasons we practice Ngondro available here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/cosmic-tantra.html

There is another article here that explains more about preliminary practices and also outlines the prayers to be recited for each type of Ngondro practice, which you can follow: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/preliminary-practice.html

In regards to Tara, there are many forms of the deity and the prayers and retreat for each form would be slightly different. In general, you should set up an altar dedicated to Tara, make offerings on a daily basis and engage in the prayers for at least one session every day. The prayers you recite should be the same every day and you should decide on a minimum number of Tara mantras to recited daily. For example, a good set of prayers to engage in would be the Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa, the Praises to the 21 Taras, recitation of the mantra, and practice of Dorje Shugden to dispel obstacles.

However, when you engage in a retreat, you should minimize all other activities and focus solely on Tara and her mantra. Therefore, people with jobs and families plan their time in such a way that they engage in short retreats every month or couple of months. For example, you can set aside a weekend every month to engage in the retreat. You can learn more about retreat procedures here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tsongkhapa/tsongkhapa-retreat-instructions-and-prayer-text.html. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Osgaldor Storm,

Thank you for your question. According to tradition, if you believe that someone is your guru (spiritual teacher) from your heart, then you become that guru’s disciple, even if you have never met them before. The bond between a student and a teacher is something that is based on faith and sincerity. As long as you have faith and follow the teachings of His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche, you can consider yourself to be his disciple. This has been stated in many teachings including the main practice text used within the Kechara Buddhist Organisation which is Liberation in The Palm of Your Hand. I highly recommend the text as it covers the entire path to liberation. You can find copies available online here: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand. Alternatively, you can order the book through any reputable book store.

How you can dedicate yourself to the Dharma is by learning the teachings and then putting them into practice in daily life. You can learn the teachings from the text mentioned about and also through the articles on this blog, especially articles in this category: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/buddhas-dharma

There is also an article here that outlines various books that are must reads for those interested in deepening their understanding and practice of Buddhism: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/books-that-are-a-must-read.html.

Coupled with this you should start a daily sadhana (prayer) practice to invoke upon the energies of the enlightened beings. I would recommend starting with the joint practice of Lama Tsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden. This is a very beneficial sadhana to engage in. If you have a particular affinity with a Buddha, you can engage in their practice after the Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa and before the section on Dorje Shugden. You can find the joint practice here: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden. I hope this helps. Thank you

Dear Paula,

Yes there is a daily practice to Trakze available. You can find it here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/trakze-to-dispel-black-magic-spirits.html.

The above article contains all the prayers you need to engage in Trakze’s daily practice, as well as an extensive commentary to the practice to help you along the way. You should find all of your questions regarding the practice answered in the article. If you do have any questions after reading through it, you are more than welcome to post up another question here.

As for a Trakze retreat, yes this is very much possible and will be extremely beneficial. You can follow the guidelines outlined here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-retreat-a-powerful-practice-to-fulfill-wishes.html and simply use the daily Trakze practice prayers as your retreat prayer text. The post also tells you how to set up an altar, your retreat seat and how to engage in a retreat. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Jason,

Thank you for your question. I’m sorry to read that you are having trouble finding a job. As you feel you have a connection with both Tara and Setrap, I would recommend you continue engaging in their practices. For Tara, you can recite the Praises to the 21 Taras (available here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/wp-content/uploads/prayers/Praisestothe21Taras.pdf) and then recite the mantra of Tara at least 108 times or more. When you engage in Setrap’s practice, you can engage in extra recitations of both the Kawang prayer and the main verse in the Serkym prayer. (You can read more about the Kawang practice here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/kawang-a-dorje-shugden-confessional-practice.html. Even though the article is written from the point of view of the Kawang prayer to Dorje Shugden, it also applies to Setrap practice). You should begin each session by taking refuge and end each session with a completion dedication.

Everything we go through in life, from the good to the bad is due to our Karma. Both positive and negative karma can affect different areas of our lives at the same time. Therefore certain areas of your life may be good, but in finding a job you have not been successful.

When we engage in deity practice, there are two main benefits that we receive. The first is the generation of spiritual merit, which is never exhausted. Because of this we can always benefit from the merit we have created. The second is the purification of negative karma. The practice of Kawang is a particularly powerful method of purifying negative karma that we are being afflicted from. This, coupled with the generation of merit will go towards helping you find a job.

That being said, the key to all of this is effort and consistency, in both the practice of Tara and Setrap, and also your search for a job. As you engage in these practices, and put effort into finding a job, you will see that things will become easier as you will be generating merit and at the same time purifying the negative that is stopping you from getting a job. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Dave,

Thank you for your question. His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche has given an extensive teaching on mantras before, which you can find here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/mantras-holy-words-of-power.html.

The Buddhas or enlightened beings manifest in many ways and one of those ways are mantras. So therefore a mantra is the form of an enlightened being in sound. This applies to Dharma protectors that are manifestations of enlightened beings, such as Dorje Shugden, who is an emanation of Manjushri – the Buddha of Wisdom.

So, when we recite the mantra of an enlightened Dharma protector with devotion, we are creating a connection with the Dharma protector. But it is more than just that, are what we are reciting is so sacred, we are making the energies of that being manifest in our reality, in our lives, in ourselves and in our surroundings. That is why mantras can be so powerful.

In Buddhism, we say that we have ‘three doors’ or three ways in which we interact with the world we live in. These are our body, speech and our mind. In order to make the most of anything, especially our spiritual practice, we need to engage in all three together to be most effective.

For example, in the case of reciting mantras, to make the mantras more effective we should engage our body by sitting still (if you can, sit in front of your altar after having made offerings) and not engaging in other actions. This engages our body. Then when we recite the mantra, we use our speech, and we should refrain from using our speech for other mundane purposes so that we can concentrate on the mantra while we are reciting. This engages our speech. Lastly, we engage our minds by following the various visualisations of the deity or by concentrating on an image of the deity whether in the form of a statue, painting, photo, etc, or whether in our minds. When we engage in mantra recitation this way, engaging our body, our speech and our mind, the power of our recitation to affect change in our lives is increased.

Yes, when we recite mantras then the Dharma protectors will hear us. But there is more to this, since a mantra is the form of the deity in sound. As such as we are inviting the beneficial energies of that deity into our lives. In this way it is more than just a connection, it is a way to transform ourselves for the better. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Paula,

Thank you for your questions. Yes, Domo Geshe Rinpoche was a very powerful practitioner indeed.

In regards to the mantras, please see below:

Namkar Barzin: OM BIYADA-PAR DHAMA-DHARA SOHA
(You can read more about him here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/invocation-to-namkar-barzin.html The above page also includes an invocation to Namkar Barzin)

Shangmo Dorje Putri:
(You can read more about her here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/shangmo-dorje-putri-the-bamo-of-sakya.html)

Unfortunately, I do not have the mantra to share with you. We have the article about her available for educational purposes as we are often asked about unenlightened Dharma protectors and wanted to make the information available for those who would be interested. But, as an unenlightened being, they can cause harm to practitioners even if they are bound by oath. This is because their clairvoyance is limited, unlike enlightened Dharma protectors whose clairvoyance is unlimited. Though they have good intentions due to their oaths, their help may only work out in the near future. For example, they may only be able to see 10 years into the future, and for those 10 years they see that the action will be good. But say after 15 years, this action actually harms you. They did not know about it because they could not see that far.

Even though she was bound by high lamas, you can still be harmed if you invoke her. For example, if you ask a 10-year-old child if there is harm living near a radioactive building, they will not know and think there is nothing wrong. So, if you live near such a building, based on the advice of a 10-year-old child, you can potentially end up being very sick. The child did not want to harm you at all and did not think that the advice they gave was wrong because the child did not know. It was beyond their capabilities. However, if you asked a doctor he/she would have told you not to live there because it was dangerous.

On the other hand, enlightened protectors, whether in enlightened forms or worldly forms, have full omniscience and therefore have complete clairvoyance. They have no obstructions to see all happenings in the past, present and future, so can give us perfect advice.

The reason we provided information about her is because there are people out there who do invoke her. However, one needs to understand how to worship such deities safely. After all, it was not us that created these deities.

You can ask unenlightened beings to you help you, just like you would as friend to help you but you cannot rely on them as you can a Buddha. For this, you should take refuge in and rely on Buddha Shakyamuni and the other manifestations of enlightened beings. Following their teachings you can reach their very same enlightened state.

In the case of ordinary day to day assistance such as finding a job, having enough resources, and other actions, you can rely on the emanations of the enlightened beings in their Dharma protector forms without harm. These include the likes of Dorje Shugden, Setrap, Palden Lhamo, Kalarupa, Mahakala, etc. If you do want to ask unenlightened protectors for help, you can do so but without taking refuge in them. That is the main key if you want to practice unenlightened Dharma protectors.

—

In regards to Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s name mantra, unfortunately I do not have a copy of it. However, I do have a copy of a prayer written by Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche for the current incarnation of Domo Geshe Rinpoche, which I have pasted below:

Lo ter jam pel nying po luk Sang chok
Dzin la jig drel tuk tob da me ching
Nyen gyu men ngak ta cho nam dak gi
Gyun pel ma we wangchuk shab ten shok

O fearless One, with peerless, powerful mind,
You carry the essence of Losang’s treasury,
The supreme, noble teachings of Manjusri Tsongkapa.
Please live long O Lord of Speech,
Ceaselessly spreading the instructions
On the pure view and action of the Whispered Lineage!

I hope this helps. Thank you.