Dear Parth,

Thank you for your question. Yes, you can use the rice used in mandala offerings to feed the birds whenever you feel it necessary to change the offerings you use during your mandala offerings. But please be careful to check what sort of birds are in your area and if rice is appropriate for them to eat. Rice does not suit all types of birds. Also, if you are using other things on your mandala offerings such as grains or other items, please do check if birds can eat them, and also remove any inedible items before leaving our for the birds. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Paulo Sergio,

It is good to see you back here. I am glad that the mantras provided were helpful.

In regards to the zodiac signs, the majority of Tibetan astrology actually uses animal signs classified like the Chinese Zodic, so there are no equivalents to Scorpio and Leo. However, there are section of Tibetan astrology that use Vedic (Indian) astrology which has elements borrowed from the Mesopotamian/Greek astrology (on which Western astrology is based). You can read more about this here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/introduction-to-tibetan-astrology.html

Using this side of Tibetan astrology, I have found the corresponding words in Tibetan:

Scorpio in Tibetan: སྡིག་པ་
The word is pronounced as “Digpa” and literally means “Scorpion”. However, just to let you know it also have another meaning, which is wrong action or negative action. You may need to explain this, if people ask you why you have such a word if you decide to get a tattoo.

Leo in Tibetan: སེང་གེ་
The word is pronounced as “sengge” and literally means “lion” if translating the meaning.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Paulo Sérgio,

It is very good to see you here again. We do have an article on the 21 Taras but from the Suryagupta tradition. This can be found here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/suryaguptas-21-taras.html I have looked over my own research and have found the mantras to the 21 Taras according to Atisha’s tradition, which I have provided below:

1. NYUR-MA PAL-MO
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE WASHAM KURU SVAHA

2. SHI-WA CHEN-MO
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SHINTING KURU SVAHA

3. SER-DOG CHEN
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE PUSHTIM KURU SVAHA

4. TSUG-TOR NAM-PAR GYAL-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE AYUR-JNANA PUSHTIM KURU SVAHA

5. HUNG DRA-DROG-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SHTRI AKARSHAYA HRIH SVAHA

6. JIG-TEN SUM-LE NAM-PAR GYAL-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SHATRUN UCCHATAYA SVAHA

7. SHEN JOM-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA VIDYA ARARA VARANAYA SVAHA

8. DU-DRA JOM-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA MARA SHAT­RUN MARAYA PHAT SVAHA

9. JIG-PA KUN-KYOB-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAM UPAKRAMA RAKSHA RAKSHA SVAHA

10. DU-DANG JIG-TEN WANG-DU DE-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA MARA PRA­MARDHANI SVAHA

11. PONG-PA SEL-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE VASUDHARINI SVAHA

12. TRA-SHI TAM-CHE JIN-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MANGALAM SVAHA

13. ME-TAR BAR-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE BHAYA BHASMIM KURU SVAHA

14. TRO-NYER CHEN
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE VAJRA MAHA PADA BHASMIM KURU SVAHA

15. SHI-WA CHEN-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA PAPAM PRASHAMANAYA SVAHA

16. RIG-PA HUNG-LE DROL-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA DHARMAH PRATI-PARISHODHAYA SVAHA

17. DROL-MA JIG-TEN SUM-YO-WA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA STAMBHANI TARE SVAHA

18. DUG-SEL-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE NAGA VISHA SHAN­TIM KURU SVAHA

19. DUG-NGAL TAM-CHE SEL-WE’I DROL-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MACANA SVAHA

20. RIM-NE SEL-WE’I DROL-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE VISARATA SVAHA

21. TRIN-LE TAM-CHE YONG-SU DZOG-PAR JE-PE’I DROL-MA
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA SIDDHI SAD­HANAM SVAHA

Main mantra:
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA

If you have received the transmission from a guru, you should see if you can contact that guru or the centre where you received it to confirm these mantras. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Q,

Thank you for your question and I’m very sorry to hear about your current situation. I can understand that this is a very difficult time for you and your family. Such situations can create a very difficult environment, but you should always keep in mind that things can and do get better if we put effort into our relationships.

From a Buddhist perspective, we cannot always change the minds of the other person through talking with them, so we must let them come to their own conclusions based on their experience of how we are. In your case, you can try and show your fiance’s mother that you are a good person. That way you allow your fiance’s mother to come to her own conclusion of what sort of person you are. You do this by not reacting badly in negative situation. Instead you should always speak to her in kind ways, and show how you are by being kind and compassionate towards her. This will change her mind about you.

In addition to this, you can recite the mantra of Green Tara, which is OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA. Green Tara is extremely efficacious and ever ready to help us. Her practice is very powerful in helping us when in difficult relationships. Her enlightened energy can help to create harmonious relationships with others. However, even though Green Tara’s mantra is powerful, it will be even more powerful if we put effort into our relationships. In your case, this would be to always act kind and compassionately to your fiance’s mother. Through your effort and Green Tara’s enlightened energies, things will improve for you for the better. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Gus,

His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche is currently engaged in other works. Tsem Rinpoche still has plans for further video teachings which will be posted to Youtube. Tsem Rinpoche actually has a very busy schedule and so Rinpoche will only be able to do further video teachings when time permits, though this is actually one of Rinpoche’s many passions. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Harry,

Trakze is the most wrathful emanation of Dorje Shugden. He is also known as Karma Shugden, as he is known to be the emanation of Dorje Shugden that purifies even the most negative of karmas. This includes the effects of black magic and spirit harm. We have an extensive article on the practice of Trakze which you can find here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/trakze-to-dispel-black-magic-spirits.html.

Thank you. I hope this helps.

Dear Sanna,

Thank you for your question. From a Buddhist perspective it is not necessarily the case that people with big ears live longer than those with short ears. The reason for this is that everything that happens to us is due to our karma which we create either in previous lives or earlier on in this life. The karma to be born human is one kind of karma and the karma to have certain physical characteristics such as big or small ears is due to another. They are separate karmas. Therefore, from this point of view there is no link between the sizes of people’s ear and the length of their lives.

However, the karma to be born human and the karma to have big or small ears may be linked to each other. In that case, then there is the possibility that the sizes of one’s ears may indeed. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Lim,

Thank you for your question. Camphor is actually considered to be one of the Five Fragrant Substances used as perfume and incense offerings. The other four are: saffron, sandalwood, musk and nutmeg. This stems from the fact that Buddhism originated in ancient India. During that time, these substances were highly prized for their scent, when either mixed in water or burned as incense. As such they were considered to be appropriate offerings made to the Buddhas.

Camphor, is also in another group of substances known as the Five Fragrant Incenses. The other four include: sandalwood, aloewood, pine resin and juniper. Again this was used in ancient India as part of Vajrayana rituals. As Buddhism spread to other countries and was integrated into local cultures, the use of certain ritual offerings were replaced while others were maintained. In Buddhism, offerings are made sincerely and from the heart with the items one can procure. Therefore in some counties where camphor was not available, it is no longer used as an offering, while in others where one can find camphor, the tradition continued. I hope this helps.

Dear Harry,

I have not come across Green Vajrapani in my personal practice before, but Vajrapani does have many different types of forms. In general Vajrapani is considered the emanation of the enlightened power of all the Buddha’s and that is why he is wrathful. He is also considered the keeper of tantric practices so signifies our innate ability and potential to achieve enlightenment, especially through tantra. Therefore he is a Buddha of powerful transformation in our lives.

The other benefits of his practice are the remove of harmful obstacles, protection from negative energies and forces of harm such as malevolent spirits. He is commonly depicted with Manjushri and Chenrezig, and collectively they are known as the heads of the Three Buddha Families. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Jason,

Thank you for your question. Yes, both Tong Len and Vajrasattva practices are both very good for the purification of negative karma. However, each of these purify karma in different ways. For example, the main purpose of Tong Len is to generate compassion and kindness within one’s mind. The purification aspect of Tong Len comes in when we (a) use our bodies to become kinder and more compassionate people, such as helping others relieve their sufferings through our physical efforts, (b) use our speech to relieve the suffering of others by not talking harshly and rudely, but with compassion, and (c) when we develop the motivation and compassion to achieve enlightenment for all sentient beings so that we can help them equally.

Vajrasattva practice on the other hand purifies our negative karma more directly. Tong Len relies on the generation of compassion and although Vajrasattva practice does also rely on the generation of compassion, it is not stressed as in the case of the former. Rather, it invokes the blessings and energies of Vajrasattva to purify the karma of our body, speech and mind more directly.

Therefore both of these practices purify karma, but one is more direct than the other. However, it also depends on the individual and the affinity of that person. Since you are attracted to Tong Len practice, by all means please do continue, as it is a very beneficial practice. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Ian,

Thank you for your questions. As for Mongolian Lamas that practice Dorje Shugden, Guru Deva Rinpoche was one great example. In fact, he was even considered the emanation of Gyenze, one of the forms of Dorje Shugden associated with the energies of increase. One of the most famous lamas at the moment is Zava Damdin Rinpoche, who is extremely outspoken in his practice and preservation of Dorje Shugden practice among the many other Buddhist practices prevalent in Mongolia. He is one of the lamas there leading a revival in Buddhist practices.

As for the Dalai Lama saying he could have been a socialist, this is most likely due to the Buddhist principle of equality. As per socialist ideas, all people are supposed to be equal. This notion is also within Buddhism, but extends further than just the human realm. Within Buddhism we believe there are Six Realms of existence, the God Realm, the Demi-God Realm, the Human Realm, the Animal Realm, the Hungry Ghost Realm and the Hell Realm. Every single sentient being has been reborn in these realms countless times and will be reborn in these realms again due to the force of the karma they create. All of these realms are marked by suffering in one form or another. The key goal of a Buddhist practitioner is to transcend these realms altogether so that one no longer suffers and then work for the benefit of other sentient beings to bring them to the same state. This state is known as enlightenment. In this case, I believe the Dalai Lama stated he would be a socialist, because that is the closest political system he believes to be closest to this Buddhist ideal that all sentient beings are equal in that they can all achieve the state of enlightenment.

You are correct in your thinking about all the deities. In essence they are all the same, enlightened beings. Therefore praying to any Buddha has the effect of purification. However, due to our varied karma created from many past lives, each of us is individual. In their compassion, the Buddhas emanate in countless forms to suit this karma. It is due to this that when we pray to different deities we will gain different results. Vajrasattva emanated specifically to purify our negative karma, which causes less suffering and clears obscurations in our minds, something that can lead us to enlightenment. Manjushri increases our wisdom, so that we see the nature of reality and in that way leads us to enlightenment. Chenrezig increases our compassion, so we work for the benefit of all beings and realise that the only way to be of most benefit is to become a Buddha ourselves. In that manner Chenrezig leads us to enlightenment.

The differences in the pujas are again due to one’s karma. One may have a stronger affinity to a particular Buddha compared to another due to one’s karma and the benefits one needs to progress on the spiritual path. For example, even though Kalarupa and Dorje Shugden are both in the form of Dharma protectors that grant the same blessings, different people will have a different affinity to each. Actually, both of these deities are actually emanations of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. Therefore, we can clearly see that the Buddha’s emanate again and again to help sentient beings. I hope this helps.

Dear Priyanka,
The pastors are not experts in Chinese horoscope as we have received mainly Buddhist teachings. However, Rinpoche’s blog has a horoscope section that one can key in date of birth, time of birth and gender to get a variety of readings. Please check it out here :- https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/horoscopes/the-chinese-zodiac.html
Thank you.

Dear Chuckie,
The pastors are not experts in Chinese horoscope as we have received mainly Buddhist teachings. However, Rinpoche’s blog has a horoscope section that one can key in date of birth, time of birth and gender to get a variety of readings. Please check it out here :- https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/horoscopes/the-chinese-zodiac.html
Thank you.

Dear Giovannah,
Without clairvoyance, we can still find out more about our previous lives, especially our immediate previous lives through the conditions, our pursuits and attachments of this lifetime. If we often fall ill, we had physically hurt others in our previous lives. Perhaps as soldiers, butchers and so forth. If we are wealthy, we had been generous in our previous lives or we had been miserly and therefore, we are poor in this life.

If are attracted to music, art, poetry and intellectual pursuits, we had similar pursuits in our previous lives, most likely as human beings. If we are extremely attached to food, fun, leisure and little else, it is likely we had been in lower rebirths in our previous lives, probably as animal and so forth. For specific conditions in the life, the Wheel of Sharp Weapons by Dharmarakshita offers valuable insight. You can check out this teaching by H. E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche on this old text. ~ https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/the-wheel-of-sharp-weapons.html
I hope this helps you. Thank you.

Dear Thomas,

Thank you for your question. In regards to Tsangpa Karpo, we do not have an article on this site regarding the protector. His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche has however mentioned before that Tsangpa Karpo is a peaceful manifestation of Setrap. You can find out more about Setrap here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/kechara-13-depts/inviting-lord-setrap-to-ones-abode-links-to-teachings.html

However, you can read about Tsangpa Karpo in the book called Oracles and Demons of Tibet. You can download a copy of this book on our Free Downloads: Texts, PDFs page by clicking here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/free-downloads-texts. It is located in the Buddhism (General) category. Look for the section title “Tshangs Pa” within the book. I hope this helps and you find what you are looking for.

Thank you

Dear Daniel,

Thank you for your question. There is no concept of Kundalini within Buddhism because this is a Hindu term. The closest concept within Buddhism is the practice of Tummo, also known as inner heat meditation. In some regards they are similar, but are engaged in for different reasons. The practice of Inner Heat meditation is only engaged in by those who have initiation into the Higher Yoga Tantra practices. The same applies for the ability to project ones consciousness out of the body and in to other realms or to travel great distances, what is also termed Astral Projection. The reason why these practices are only engaged in after initiation into any of the Higher Tantras is that these practices need to be engaged in properly and under the guidance of a qualified teacher. Both these practices work with the internal subtle energies in our bodies, therefore if not engaged in under qualified guidance there are certain dangers if not done properly.

Within Buddhism, In order to receive initiation into any of the Higher Tantric practices, one first has to find and train under a qualified teacher. This teacher will train the student in the basics of Buddhist practice first and then gradually progress to the higher teachings. Once a student is ready to engage in tantric practice, the teacher will then bestow the initiation and commentary to the practice. These practices are about more than just working with the subtle physic energies of the body and astral traveling. They are about improve ourselves to become a better person, that is the main reason they are engaged in. If you would like to know more about Buddhist practice, please click here to see a list of must-read books: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/books-that-are-a-must-read.html. I hope this helps.

Thank you

Dear Harry,

The practice of Nagas is not something that is usually engaged in by those who do not have initiation into the various classes of tantra and the blessings and permission from their spiritual teachers to do so. This is because, as mentioned previously on this page, Nagas are just like humans and they have their own emotions and temperaments. Therefore we can offend them, and as beings who have supernatural abilities they can affect us in negative ways if we have indeed offended them.

That being said, you can engage in a practice known as Apology to the Naga Realm. This is usually recited with offerings when a person has been stricken with a Naga-caused disease. This practice can be engaged in without initiation as it is based on a sutra rather than a tantra. You can find this practice here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/apology-to-the-naga-realm.html

If you want to engage in the recitation, please do read the introduction on the article to get a better understanding of how to recite properly with the correct motivation. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Daniel Pan,

In Buddhism, there is a strong emphasis placed on not committing violent acts and this includes killing in any sense. Therefore contraceptives that kill a fertilized embryo should not be used, because it is considered taking a life. This is because Buddhists believe that the consciousness enters at the moment of conception. Therefore if one were to use contraceptives that terminate a fertilized embryo, this is considered killing. Abstaining from killing is actually one of the 10 Refuge Vows that all Buddhists live by.

On the other hand, the use of contraceptives that prevent conception, are considered a personal choice and up to the individuals concerned. Since such contraceptives prevent an embryo from being fertilized, there is no worry about killing as the consciousness has not entered the embryo at this point.

In Buddhism however, while the Buddha never actually condemned non-reproductive sexual activity, he did warn about the dangers of what this can do to the mind. This is the furtherance or increase of attachment to physical pleasure. When this sort of attachment is increased within the mind, one drifts away from the pursuit of spiritual perfection and concentrates instead on physical pleasures. That is one of the main reason that the Buddha founded the monastic order.

However, not everyone wants to or can becoming an ordained member of the monastic community, and in fact have very loving and meaningful relations with their partners. Therefore, from a Buddhist perspective contraception that does not kill are acceptable in such circumstances, but at the same time we should be aware of how circumstances can increase attachment to physical pleasure, which is antithetical to the Buddhist path of spiritual evolution. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear C,

Thank you for your question. From a Buddhist perspective, wealth as with anything else can be both an attachment and a necessity. Attachment to wealth is something to be avoided within Buddhism, but on the other hand we all need some form of wealth in order to provide for ourselves and our families.

From a karmic perspective, having a lack of wealth in this life or financial difficulties stems from negative karma created in previous lives. This karma was generated from being miserly. The opposite of this is being generous, in terms of giving one’s time, energy and support to others. So this is something we should all strive to train in. Generosity is in fact considered to be one of the Six Perfections within Buddhism and is a very important quality to develop. The energies created from a generous mind, will overshadow the affects of our negative karma created from being miserly in previous lives.

A great practice that we can also engage in to have financial stability is the practice of Gyenze, who is the increasing form of Dorje Shugden. You can find his practice here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/dorje-shugden-gyenze-to-increase-life-merits-and-wealth.html. This practice is two-fold, the first is that it helps to purify the karma that stops us from having beneficial forms of wealth and at the same time generates tremendous amounts of spiritual merit. The energy from this spiritual merit can help to over power the negative affects our karma. When this is achieved, we are able to both improve our lives and at the same time continue to purify our negative karma that causes our problems.

The key to this practice is consistency. We should engage in the practice and mantra recitation every day and you will see an improvement in this area. But this practice is for more than just wealth, and therefore you will see improvement in other areas of your life too. I hope this helps.

Thank you

Dear Paulo Sérgio da Silva Ferreira,

I have been able to consult His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche on the questions you asked in regards to your Vajrasattva practice. Rinpoche wanted to answer the questions personally. I have typed up Rinpoche’s advice to your questions below.

1 – Does the Vajrasattva mantra have the power to purify external environments where there are negativities?

In general, any mantra is a manifestation of a Buddha’s speech. A Buddha’s speech is a manifestation of a Buddha’s enlightenment. Therefore, any mantra is a manifestation of a Buddha’s enlightenment and an enlightened being has realised emptiness, accomplished Bodicitta and fully realised omniscience. In any place where a person has realised emptiness there can be no negative energy. There can be no negative circumstances around that person.

When you recite a mantra, you are invoking upon a person or a being who has realised emptiness and by the power of realising emptiness, no interferers can remain and interferences will be cleared. Hence, if you recite Vajrasattva’s purification mantra it will definitely purify the area, purify the place, and purify the environment because it is based on Buddha’s speech which is in the form of a mantra. So, Vajrasattva’s mantra and any other mantra can purify a space.

Having said that there are certain deities and mantras that we have a personal affinity to. For example, if we have a very strong affinity to Prajnaparamita, by reciting the Heart Sutra instead of Vajrasattva, that will have more effect for us. Therefore, sometimes due to our personal affinity there will be more effect. But in general, any mantra, Vajrasattva included, will purify the external environment of negative of energy based on what I have just explained.

2. Can the Vajrasattva mantra be used to break black magic?

Any mantra that is based on the realisation of emptiness can break black magic. When we realise emptiness we are able to cut all interferes, interferences, and especially the chief ghost, the chief demon, the chief problem-maker, the chief devil which is the self, the “I”, the “me” that does not exist. So taking care of me, me, me, and not thinking of others, always focusing on I, I, I, that is your biggest demon. That makes you difficult to deal with, that makes you angry, that makes you have delusions, that makes you have fantasies, and that makes you not accomplish something meaningful in this life.

So, when you realise emptiness you remove the non-existent “I”. When you remove that non-existent “I” all interferes are banished, especially the biggest interference which is our ego. Therefore, by reciting Vajrasattva’s mantra you can definitely accomplish that goal.

3 – When, during my Sadhana, does the time come to visualize the garland of mantras (from which flow lights and nectars that purify negativities), can I imagine that this nectar and lights are falling on a person for whom I want to pray?

When you are doing Vajrasattva’s practice, at the beginning of it, you take refuge. When you take refuge you visualise Vajrasattva in the front, your mother (whether dead or alive) on your left, you visualise your father (whether dead or alive) on your right. You visualise all sentient beings behind you and you visualise all your enemies in front of you.

So, your mother is on the left and your father on your right, enemies in the front, sentient beings of the Six Realms behind you looking and taking refuge in Vajrasattva. As you recite Vajrasattva’s mantra you visualise the nectar coming from Vajrasattva entering all sentient beings around you and yourself. This purifies yourself and others. So during that time, you can especially focus on the lights and nectar going to the person in question or focus, in order to bless them. Can we do that? Yes, we can. How do we do that, follow what was just explained, especially when you take refuge.

That is how we take refuge during a sadhana. We take refuge by visualising the Buddha, on the left is our mother, whether our mother is alive or dead it doesn’t matter. We visualise her on the left to remember her kindness. Even if our mother was not kind, we still have to remember that she gave us our bodies. Then we visualise our father. We visualise all sentient beings of the Six Realms (Hell, Spirit, Animal, Human, Demi-gods and Gods). You visualise them all in the form of humans. When you visualise them you do so in the form of humans as it is auspicious for them to take human rebirth. Then they all take refuge in Vajrasattva, “Namo Guru Beh, Namo Buddhaya, Namo Dharmaya, Namo Sanghaya”. Everyone recites, so it is like a huge thunderous chorus.

Then you continue with the Vajrasattva sadhana. When you reach the part with the mantra, then you visualise the lights going to all sentient beings, not just yourself, and especially to the person that you are focusing on. And visualise all the negative karma, negative actions, all the “I”s and the gross “I”s, all the subtle “I”s, all of them going into the ground. And then we becoming purified, and that person becomes purified. So not only are you focusing on yourself during Vajrasattva practice and the person you are thinking about but all sentient beings as well.

4 – Work as a security officer in a bank branch. This makes me stand still, just watching, certain places within the bank branch. Change of position every 20 minutes. It is possible that I practice the Vajrasattva tantra while standing at my service post, in all its stages, such as Prayer of Refuge (first opposing force), Bodhicitta (Repentance – second opposing force), Seven Members, Mandala Offering , Visualization, Recitation of Mantra (Remedy – Third Opponent Power) and Dedication (Promise – Fourth Opponent Power) ??? Actually I’ve done this a few times and what I want to know is if it’s “valid”

If you are focused you can do the Vajrasattva sadhana or any sadhana wherever or whenever you want. You can even do it standing on your head if you can focus. So in an easier way to answer, yes, since you have the time and you are a security guard who is standing most of the time, you can do the whole A-Z of Vajrasattva’s sadhana quietly while you are doing your job.

This should not be an issue as the meditation is in the mind. There are certain rituals and practices that we must do privately that we don’t show people. But if we are doing it and no one knows then it is already secret. So it is fine if you do the whole Vajrasattva sadhana and A-Z practice while you are standing up because you are a security guard.

5 – It is said that it is necessary to recite the mantra of a hundred syllables at least 21 times a day to purify the negativities of that day. Can this be done only with Refuge + Bodhicitta + Recitation + Dedication, or is it necessary to be in the context of a Sadhana?

When you take any tantric initiation, every single day knowingly and most of the time unknowingly we break some of our vows. When we break our vows, once it is broken, it is not simply broken and that is it. Once it is broken it will continue to accumulate negative karma every single day until it is purified. So it increases dramatically. So to stop its increase we recite the mantra of Vajrasattva 21 times per day.

By reciting it, you are not actually purifying it, you are stopping it to increase. Basically you are stopping it from gathering interest. So, what makes the mantra more powerful and become purifying in the case of Vajrasattva is not simply reciting it. What makes the Vajrasattva mantra becoming purifying and not simply stop the increase of karma is by applying the Four Opponent Powers.

When we apply the Four Opponent Powers and then we recite the mantra, then how strongly we apply the Four Opponent Powers is how much it purifies. So if we simply recite the mantra with faith and confidence it stops the negative karma from increasing. It does not purify the negative karma, it stops it from increasing. But if we apply the Four Opponent Powers and recite the mantra, then it has the possibility to purify. But that applies to the gross karma. The subtle karma does not get purified. That can only be purified with the realisation of emptiness.

Now, do you have to do it in the context of a sadhana? Not necessarily. You can simply visualise Vajrasattva, trust Vajrasattva, think of Vajrasattva and your guru as one and then recite the mantra and apply the Four Opponent Powers. Or simply just recite the mantra, which will also be effective to stop the karma from increasing.

I wish you luck, am very happy to hear that you are doing the Vajrasattva practice and have very beautiful and powerful questions. It is a pleasure for me to answer them. Sorry it took so long, we were a little delayed.

Thank you.