Dear A,

You have asked a very interesting question. Tarot cards and other sorts of cards can be used for a variety of purposes. Some people use them simply to help organise their thoughts and develop strategies to help deal with life situations, a bit like a psychological tool. Others use the cards as a way to divine the answers to questions and know the future. What you are talking about belongs to the second of these reasons.

People who have a form of clairvoyance or have developed a form of clairvoyance can use the cards for these purposes. But the majority of people who read the cards actually unintentionally rely on unseen beings. This is because the cards act as a sort of portal for these unseen beings, who can communicate and help the reader tell the future to some degree of accuracy. However, in doing so the person invites the energies and influences of these unseen beings into their lives. These unseen beings can be spirits, nature spirits, local deities, etc.

In Buddhism, we believe that since these beings are not enlightened that they are bound by their emotions and thoughts, etc. Sometimes if the card reader angers or offends them then they can retaliate. Alternatively, if the unseen being is malevolent, the card reader can be afflicted from spirit disturbances. This is not to say that all of these unseen beings are negative. On the contrary, there are many positive and beneficial ones as well. The spirit realm is just like the human realm, there are many sorts of spirits with differing abilities and qualities.

As these spirits are not enlightened, they do not have full clairvoyance, therefore how much they can see into the future is also not full-proof. Their clairvoyance has a limit, therefore the answers they provide are not always correct in the end.

So, though there is nothing inherently wrong or negative with the use of tarot cards, there are dangers with using them. But this is the same with anything in samsara. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear John,

Thank you for your very interesting question. In Buddhism, such a concept does not exist. However, one can have what is known as a ‘karmic connection’ with certain beings, who can help you. ‘Karmic connection’ means that in a previous life, you had interacted with this being and created a connection through karma. In fact any form of interaction with another being, creates a karmic connection with them. In some cases this connection manifests in ways in which this person/being can be beneficial.

In some branches of Tibetan astrology. It is said that one is born with the karmic connection to certain beings and sometimes these beings can help us, usually in the form of protection from harm. But they can only help you if the karmic connection is kept in tact. The connection if broken when we engage in negative actions such as causing schism, cheating, lying, or not living a good life.

On a more accepted level, are the Dharma protectors. These are beings whose very function is to help practitioners with their spiritual paths by providing help in which ever way they can. From a practitioners side, we make a connection to them through the daily practice of their prayers. While most people cannot communicate with them directly, you can do so through an oracle, and also through forms of divination associated with the Dharma protector. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Eric,

Thank you for your question. As you probably learnt in the video teaching by H. E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche, there is a difference between taking full trance and channeling. In full trance, the consciousness of a person does not inhabit the body while the energies of the deity enter. In the case of channeling however, both the consciousness of the oracle and the energies of the deity are present in the oracles body at the same time to varying degrees.

The phenomena of channeling is not unique to oracles. There are many people who can channel, however the difference occurs between what the person is channeling. Sometime people can channel spirits, local deities, and even beings from the god realms. Oracles that can channel however, channel the protectors/enlightened deities that they can also take trance of. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Julie,

Within Buddhism we believe that there are two levels to life, the secular and the spiritual. So in order to handle various situations in life, we need to do two things. On a spiritual level, you can engage in the joint practice of Lama Tsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden. Both of these forms of the Buddhas are emanations of Manjushri who is the Buddha of wisdom. Manjushri is also known as the Buddha of speech, therefore we can develop powerful speech when we engage in his practice. Dorje Shugden’s practice is very well-known to help remove obstacles in our lives, making our lives smoother. You can find the practice here: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden.

On a secular level we should also seek other methods to help deal with situations. When we put effort into trying to find methods to deal with the situations we face, we are actually putting effort into battling the negative karma that has caused the problem in the first place. Coupled with the spiritual practices that we engage that also have the effect of purifying the negative karma, our spiritual practices are more successful in their aim.

By using both secular and spiritual means together, we are able to overcome negative situations. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Eric,

His Eminence Tsem Tulku Rinpoche has not composed an entire practice manual for the propitiation of the Dharmapala Methar. But you can find a short prayer which can be recited here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/methar-of-tengyeling-monastery.html I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Ee Chuan Seng,

Thank you for your question. If you would like to have talk further about any subject, and are in Malaysia, you can contact Kechara House Front Desk. We can arrange a date and timing to meet to discuss whatever questions you may have. You can find Kechara’s contact details here: http://www.kechara.com/kechara-house/contact/

Alternative, many of us pastors are on social media, such as Facebook, so you can find us online there as well, for easier communication. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Steven,

Thank you for your question. Even though the dharani is longer than the mantra, the mantra itself contains the very essence of the dharini. The Medicine Buddha Sutra is the best resource to find the benefits of the mantra. This is because the benefits listed in the Sutra are exactly the benefits one receives when reciting either the dharini or the mantra.

In regards to PTSD, recitation of the Medicine Buddha mantra is excellent and will greatly help. Since most people cannot recite the Dharini many time, due to time constraints etc, it is excellent to recite the mantra instead. As mentioned earlier, are in essence the same. In fact mantras themselves are the enlightened Buddhas in the form of sound. As long as you know and think that by reciting the mantra you are also reciting the dharini and have faith, the effects will be exactly the same.

If you recite the mantra, you should supplement the practice by making offerings, engage in purification practices, engage in merit generating activities, and transform your mind to become a better person. When you engage in these, the efficacy of the mantra is increased manifold and will create a greater impact in your life. I hope this helps. Please do not hesitate to ask more.

Thank you.

Dear Spencer Boyle,

Thank you for your interesting question. You are right that generally speaking a mala is just a counting tool, but the materials they are made from do have meaning and in some cases, according to the deity who practice you are engaging in, can aid you. Certain yidam (meditational deity) practices are associated with certain types of malas, for example it is said that to use a clear crystal mala or a pearl mala when engaged in Chenrezig’s practice is very good. For higher tantric yoga practices, when engaged in wrathful activity it is advised that you use a bone mala. However, any type of mala can be used for any deity practice, it is up to the individual. I only use one mala, and I use that for all deity practices. Most people I know only use one mala even if they are reciting mantras to many different deities.

As far as Dorje Shugden’s practice is concerned, I have not come across mention of if there is an associated type of mala with the practice. Tsem Rinpoche has advised that we can use any type of mala.

His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche has an excellent teaching called ‘all about rosaries’ which you can find here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/all-about-rosaries.html. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Kusum,

I’m sorry but I do not have any form of clairvoyance to be able to answer these questions. No one in Kechara reads people’s fortunes either.

However, there are some posts here that may help. Here are the links:

1. Numerology – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/numerology/numerology-calculator.html
2. Tibetan Astrology – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/tibetan-astrology.html
3. Chinese Horoscope – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/tibetan-astrology.html

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Jake,
I am not qualified to instruct you on highest tantric practices but I do know that the visualization of the father-mother Heruka in union is a method towards gaining realization. It does not mean you have to be ‘pre-disposed’ towards heterosexual acts in order to reap the benefit. The visualization also does not alter your preference in any way.

Since the visualization has been taught by highly attained beings based on their own visionary experiences and that it had brought results for many great masters and practitioners, I would advice you not to alter it. Yes, you quote an explanation about how enlightened beings can appear in ways that suit the sentient being. But you do not have the attainments to change the instructions at this point. So, I would advice you to stick to the instructions given by your teacher as there is a purpose in doing so. I hope this helps you. Thank you.

Dear Krishna kumari dhakal,
My apologies but we do not read people’s fortunes here. However, you may be interested to check out our blogpost that you can ‘do a reading’ :-

1. Numerology – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/numerology/numerology-calculator.html
2. Tibetan Astrology – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/tibetan-astrology.html
3. Chinese Horoscope – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tibetan-astrology/tibetan-astrology.html

I hope this helps you. Thank you

Dear Consuelo,
My apologies but we are not able to answer questions on the Jewish faith. Do you have a Buddhist question instead? Thank you.

Hello Ee Chuan Seng,

I believe that both your questions have already been answered. If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to post them here. Thank you.

Dear James,

Thank you for your question. It is very good to read that you want to get closer to your yidam. While engaging in your sadhana every day is a very important part of getting closer to you Yidam, it actually means you also practice the Dharma and transform your mind. What it means to be close to a yidam is that you develop the beneficial qualities that the Buddhas show us, such as compassion, kindness, love, perseverance, wisdom, etc. Therefore it is about changing our minds so that we become better people.

There is a short post on being one you with your yidam here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/being-one-with-your-yidam.html

And here is link about getting closer to Vajrayogini, however it can be applied to all yidams:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/getting-closer-to-vajrayogini.html

If you want to read more about changing your mind for the better, you can read, study and practice the teachings in the Lam Rim. These texts are excellent for teaching Buddhism for all levels of practitioners. One good English translation is known as ‘Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand’, you can order a copy here: https://www.vajrasecrets.com/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand or find it at your local bookstore if they have a large selection of books on Buddhism. I hope this helps to answer your question.

Thank you.

Dear Jason Chau,

Thank you for your question. It is a very interesting one. Within Buddhism there is a common metaphor of describing samsara or cyclic existence as chains that we are bound by. Usually these chains are described in negative terms. The above prayer is special because it describes these chains are both gold and black iron.

Gold is obviously something that people desire, and in this case stands for everything that is desirable, and pleasurable. Black iron on the other hand was used to create chains and iron bars which were used in prison, therefore it symbolises suffering.

Therefore, in this prayer the meaning to break the gold chains and black iron chains means that the lama is the one who shows you how to overcome both the desire for all you crave for and all the hate and are repulsed by. They are known as the two extremes of samsara, and in effect is highlighting that it is the lama that shows you the middle way path as taught by the Buddha, which can lead you to enlightenment. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Ling,
It’s interesting that you ask me this question. I have met several people with similar circumstances and I have recommended the practice of Dorje Shugden. They have all read up and recited the praise and mantra daily. And they have reported to me that their situation has improved.

Before reciting the mantra, I recommend that you recite Dorje Shugden’s prayer and you can find it here – https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/a-short-prayer-to-dorje-shugden.html . Dorje Shugden’s mantra is *Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha* and I have asked these people to recite 108x or more daily. That is a the length of 1 round of the Buddhist prayer beads. The blessings of Dorje Shugden come swifter when you recite more and on a consistent basis. I recommend this for your current situation. How fast Dorje Shugden helps you depends on how much karma you need to purify and accumulation of merits through the recitation of Dorje Shugden’s mantra.

Once you have gotten the result, please read more about Dorje Shugden and how to engage in deeper practice so you avert future obstacles and problems as well as to help others. I wish you all the best and I pray that you overcome your obstacle through Dorje Shugden’s powerful blessings and protection. Thank you.

Dear Ee Chuan Seng,
I am an ordinary sentient being looking towards the Buddha and his teachings for a path towards awakening. I hope you find your path too. Thank you

Dear Ee Chuan Seng,

Although our original state of mind is pure awareness, clarity and wisdom but lifetimes of negative karma obstructs us from realising this natural state of our mind. Hence, the Buddha who is ‘awakened’ to his original mind also realized that sentient beings need to be pointed the path towards awakening. Hence, we share the Dharma to point the way for modern practitioners to develop their own path towards awakening. I hope this helps you.

Thank you

Hello Thorim,

It’s nice to see you back here. I’m sorry to read about the fatigue. Meditation can help in certain situations, but i don’t think you should meditate on the fatigue itself. Rather you can use the breath as the method of meditation. There is short and simple post about meditation here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/the-accidental-meditator.html.

If you familiar with deity practices or daily sadhana, you can actually use practices such as the Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa as the method of meditation, and focus on the recitation of the Mig Tse Ma mantra. You use the mantra and focus on it instead of the breath. This is very powerful because you not only meditate but you are invoking the energies of Lama Tsongkhapa, which are extremely powerful for helping to calm the mind and also to heal the body. You can find a commentary to the practice here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/me/tsongkapas-daily-practice-video-commentary.html. I hope this helps.

Thank you

Dear Sharae,

Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, I do not have any form of clairvoyance to answer your question. However, as Buddhists we believe that what happens to us in life is due to karma, and that if we change our karma through our actions, our lives will improve. You can find a very interesting post about karma here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/discovering-yourself-a-teaching-on-karma-mindstream.html

If you are facing difficulties in your daily life, or just want to have a smoother life in general, may I suggest that you engage in the daily prayers to Dorje Shugden. This deity is extremely beneficial in remove obstacles, and creating the circumstances to have prosperity, growth, wealth, health and protection. You can find the daily practice here, together with an explanation: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden

Thank you and I hope the above answer helps.