Dear Sherab,

Thank you for your questions. I’ve posted about the 5 Dhyani Buddhas, their consorts and associated elements as answers to questions that I believe you have seen. The reasons why there can be discrepancies is due to differences in practices. The 5 Dhyani buddhas as actually very important in Highest Yoga Tantra (HYT) systems, and as the way the teachings or path differs between the HYT systems, there are can also be slight differences in the deities and their associated elements. It depends on the system a person is referencing. In general, the list that I had provided is the standard.

The 5 Dhyani Buddhas are not associated with an individual sect, but all of them. They exist in all Tibetan Buddhist traditions, especially in the practice of tantra. As tantric practice is kept private, that might be a reason why you may not have come across them before, apart from Amitabha whose practice is well known.

In regards to concentrating on one particular practice, this is advisable. There is an old saying from Tibet, that Tibetans practice so many deities but do not achieve the realisations of any, whereas in ancient India, they concentrated on one deity practice and they achieved the realisations of all the deities. If we concentrate on one particular deity strongly, we create a very strong connection with them, that allows their enlightened energy to flow into our lives. There is nothing wrong with praying to all these Buddhas, but you should focus on one strongly. Similtaneously, you can engage in the practice of a Dharma protector, such as a Dorje Shugden. This is because a Dharma protector has the special benefit of ensuring you have the necessary material and spiritual resources to concentrate on you main practice, thereby increasing the enlightened energy and benefits in your life. I hope this helps. Please do ask more if you need clarification.

Thank you.

Dear Anonymous 1,
There is no mantra that will bring samsaric love. However, there are a lot of mantras than can help you to generate loving kindness towards all beings and that includes the person you said you love such as Chenrezig’s mantra – Om Mani Padme Hum, Migtsema and so forth. However, I think that the root of the problem lies not in a mantra but in the actual reason why you fell out of love.

It could be because you realize something of her past or her character that you didn’t like or that you had grown tired of her company? Whatever is the reason, it does not really matter. It will be more important to examine your reasons for loving her and see if things can be made to work out. I hope this helps you.

Dear Bazir,

Thank you for your question. Within Buddhism there is a strong belief in varying levels of spiritual achievement, ranging all the way to complete enlightenment, which is outside of samsaric or cyclic existence. There are many such ways of categorising such spiritual progress, one of these is the ten-level system of the Bodhisattva. Beings on these levels necessarily help and assist beings in their own spiritual journeys. This mirrors the belief that ascended masters also help people in their spiritual journeys.

Since these systems of differing spiritual levels exist within Buddhism, beings such as the ascended masters may very well exist. However, it is difficult to tell with any degree of certainty for two reasons. The first is that the theory of ascended masters is based on the western Theosophy teachings. How the ascended masters are described in these teachings do not have a direct counterpart from a Buddhist perspective, as they are based on two very different perspectives of reality, existence and divinity. Secondly, in Buddhism it is believed that only beings of the same level can judge the spiritual attainments of another being of the same level or lower. Unfortunately, I am not highly attained, therefore I cannot judge another being even slightly more spiritually attained than myself. However, you can judge the actions of the ascended masters, if they are beneficial, harmful or neutral. If they are beneficial, than that is ok, but if neutral or bad we should try not to associate with them, as such beings can drag us down in our spiritual journey.

On another note, here is a list of 84 Mahasiddhas, who represent all those beings who attained a direct realisation of the Buddha’s teachings. You may find their stories interesting: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/vajradhara-and-84-mahasiddhas.html.

I hope this helps.

Dear Lhamo,
You have a lot of questions and it will be answered one-by-one.

Whenever I’m chanting or meditating, I often have this goosebumps feeling as though something is rising out of me and there is a presence. Is this normal?
– When we engage in our chanting and meditations, ethereal beings like spirits would sometimes be attracted to the energy and this is normal as they are everywhere. As long as we hold our vows and commitments as Buddhist, the spirits would not be able to harm us. In fact, we can even bless them by the recitation of our mantras especially if we generate compassion for them. Just getting goosebumps does not necessarily mean there is presence but there is a high chance it might be one. Whatever it is, it is not necessary to focus on this

I found a website on Vajrakilaya, and his mantras. Are these correct?
– We belong to the Gelug tradition and we are unfamiliar with the mantras and practices of the Nyingma tradition. You could write in to the site to ask for the source of their prayers and mantras. If it is from a lama or tulku that is reputable in the Nyingma lineage, then it should be alright.

When visualizing our consciousness rising out of our body, do we have to visualize Amitayus or can we visualize other Buddhas like Guru Rinpoche?
– It is not clear what practice or meditation you are referring to with this question. Generally, visualizing the yidam and our lama as one is one of the most effective method to tap into the blessings of the yidam.

When there is a mantra to reveal past, present, and future, is it to be recited while scrying or through dreams?
– If you are talking about developing clairvoyance, Kyabje Gangchen Rinpoche who is one of Tsem Rinpoche’s teachers said that one can develop it with any forms of Manjushri. That means we have to engage in its retreat of 100,000 at the very least and it would be preferable to receive the initiation prior to engaging in deep retreats of the yidam.

Does this mean that nearly all the deities like Dhumavati, Kali, Brahma, Vishnu, and so on are Buddhas? Is Siddhartha Gautama(aka. Shakyamuni Buddha) an incarnation of Vishnu? – No, the yidams are enlightened beings that take on the form that is similar to worldly deities but their nature is vastly different. If we rely on enlightened beings, they can lead us directly and indirectly to enlightenment while worldly beings can benefit us but they are unable to bring us to enlightenment because they are not enlightened themselves.

As for the Buddha Shakyamuni, Buddhists do not believed him to be an incarnation of a God. He is merely a man who have discovered the truth and became the awakened one. In fact, the Buddha was asked if he was a god and he said no. He is merely awakened.

Is Kali really the mother of the universe? According to this video, it debunks Abrahamic religions and claims that Kali is the mother – In Buddhism, we do not believe in a creator being who created the universe. We believe it is our karma the result of our previous actions that creating our current existence and experience.

Is Vajrayogini the goddess Chinnamasta? In one of the articles here, it showed Vajrayogini to be an identical figure to the Hindu goddess Chinnamasta.
– Yes, one form of Vajrayogini is the headless Vajrayogini or Chinnamasta. Somehow, her form was incorporated into the Hindu pantheon just like how Buddha Shakyamuni was incorporated into the Hindu pantheon as well.

Why would a person sacrifice their own flesh to deities and demons in Chod practice?
– This is tantric visualization and it is purely symbolic in nature. We sacrifice our body because it symbolize our greatest attachment and self-grasping, which is the self-cherishing ‘I’ and it is the source of all our delusions and sufferings. Chod practice directly counters this deep seated self-cherishing ‘I’ by offering our body up as an offering to nourish deities and demons. This offering is done by visualization to purify karma and accumulate tremendous amounts of merits. There is more to this and you need to receive the initiation and read the commentary to know the full meaning but what is explained here is just the general meaning. Hope these answers helped you. Thank you.

Dear Thorim,

Thank you for your question, it is good to see you again here. You are very keen on developing compassion which is very beneficial and will take you a long way on your spiritual journey.

In the Lam Rim, or graduated stages of the path to enlightenment, teachings there are listed many ways to develop compassion. When we engage on meditations such as Tonglen or the sadhana of Chenresig, we may find that we do not feel like we are generating compassion. In this case, what we can do is employ the meditations as listed in the Lam Rim to supplement these, which will definitely see compassion arise in your mind if engaged in properly.

In the text entitled Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, Pabongka Rinpoche explains the path to enlightenment step by step. In fact this text is an experiential handbook that leads to enlightenment. It is important to note, that these instructions are to be practiced in sequence. Therefore if you have not already been practising or meditating on the earlier instructions, then the development of compassion will not come easily. Therefore one should start from the beginning of the path to enlightenment, or continually reinforce the earlier points in order to build a strong understanding and practice the higher aspects of the path.

In the chapters entitled Day 16 and Day 17, two particular meditation methods are listed to aid in the development of compassion. These are (1) developing compassion through the cause-and-effect instruction and (2) the seven-point mind training. These two methods heighten the development of compassion because one is able to meditate and contemplate on compassion on deeper levels. I’ll highlight some of the points of these two methods below.

Developing compassion through the cause-and-effect instruction.
This was the meditation that masters such as Archarya Chandakirti, Chandragomin, Shantarakshita used to develop compassion. In this system there are eight sections to this, which are followed in sequence in order to develop compassion:

1. Immeasurable equanimity
2. Understanding all sentient beings to be your mother
3. Remembering their kindness
4. Repaying their kindness
5. Love through the force of attraction
6. Compassion
7. Altruism
8. Bodichitta.

The seven point mind-training
This is another powerful meditation technique and was the system used by the great Shantideva. If follows a system of seven instructions:

1. Preliminaries on which the instructions depend
2. Training the mind on Bodhicitta
3. Converting unfortunate circumstances into a path to enlightenment
4. A practice to be applied for the whole of our lives
5. The criteria of having trained the mind
6. Commitments of mind-training practice
7. Advice for the mind-training practice

Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand explains both these methods in detail and even describes a method to merge both teachings together so they are more effective. You should read more about these techniques as they are definitely needed in combination to what you have been doing already for compassion to arise. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Tom,

Thank you for asking such an interesting question. As you may know, the mind ‘rides’ on the various ‘winds’ or psychic energies within our bodies. During waking states these winds circulate throughout our bodies but are most active near our sense organs, and form what is known as the various sense awarenesses. Therefore, rather than where the mind abides during sleep, it is more the question with what sort of mind that sleeping is, because our mind pervades our whole being, apart from at the time of death, which it gathers at the heart chakra before leaving the body.

On a deeper level sleep is actually the physical and subtle manifestation of our delusion called dullness and it imprints. This delusion and imprints serves the function of drawing the multiple sense awareness inwards, allowing the body time to rest and harmonises the elements within the body. This leads to a rejuvenated existence and prolongs our lives.

Sleep is a subtle mind, and as such when it becomes manifest daily in our lives, the gross (waking) minds become non-manifest. It is because of this that the various sense awareness become non-manifest as well.

For normal practitioners, attachment to sleep can lead to laziness, but for a practitioner of tantra and sleep yoga, they can use this time sleep to meditate and gain high spiritual attainments. In fact within tantric practice, sleep, dreaming and the waking states relate to the process of death, bardo or intermediate state and rebirth. Sleep similar to death, dreaming is similar to the bardo and waking states are similar to rebirth. These three states are therefore used by a tantric practitioner to understand the process of existence within samsara and overcome it. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Demian,

Thank you for your questions. I have answered your questions below:

The mantra of: OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SHATROO MARAYA PHET is a general mantra of Dorje Shugden. It is mantra for destroying enemies. ‘Enemies’ here is not actually referring to an outer being but rather our inner enemies, which is our karma/delusions and also the negative circumstances they cause.

As for the mantra of Wangze, H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche has taught that the mantra is recited OM BENZA WIKI BITANA WANGSHA GURU OM. You can find this in the Wangze blogpost here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-wangze-for-power-and-influence.html.

In regards to the mandala of Dorje Shugden, Setrap is above Dorje Shugden and the other deities. He is together with his entire entourage, and above Setrap is Buddha Amitabha. As for the entourage of the primary emanations, their entourage surrounds them. Kache Marpo and Namkha Barzin, are just outside of the main mandala. Kache Marpo would have the Methar and Shangmo Dorje Putri (one of the Bamo Sum) as part of his entourage that surrounds him. You can see a short video about the Mandala here:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-teaching-videos.html#teach07 (note it does not talk about Methar and Shangmo Dorje Putri, who in Kache Marpo’s entourage).

The elements associated with the consorts of the 5 Dhyani Buddhas conforms to the Dhyani Buddhas themselves. See below:

Buddha Vairocana – Consort Dharmadhatvishvari – Space element.
Buddha Akshobya – Consort Lochana – Water element.
Buddha Amitabha – Consort Pandara – Fire element
Buddha Ratnasambhava – Consort Mamaki – Earth element.
Buddha Amoghasiddhi – Consort Tara – Air element.

Today the Ask the Pastors section is being answered by Pastor Niral Patel.

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear VV,

It’s our pleasure to share what knowledge we have. Once again your questions are very interesting. You are correct, but there are some very subtle points that I have attempted to clarify below.

1. Prophecies which are high probability forecasts made by enlightened beings who see all cause and effect (have clairvoyance).

Yes, this is the case, however it is more than high probability. Rather it is what will actually happen if a person’s karma is not changed. The prophecies, through the enlightened masters’ clairvoyance, is based on the current karma of either the person, group or time. Therefore it will definitely happen unless this karma is purified or the power of merits a person generates can overpower that karma until it is purified.

2. Prophecies regarding the appearances of enlightened beings who are beyond karma and are hence also beyond cause and effect.

Taking the example of the prophecies surrounding the 1,000 ‘wheel-turning’ Buddhas of this aeon, these Buddhas will definitely appear. However it is more subtle that what you have described. The reason why there is a list of 1,000 Buddhas is due to the collective karma of sentient beings who will inhabit the earth. This karma only allows 1,000 ‘wheel-turning’ Buddhas to appear in this aeon. The Buddhas themselves are not powerless to manifest, however it is the karma and merits of sentient beings of this aeon that limits the number to 1,000. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Dongho,

Thank you for your interesting questions.

In regards to Tara images not needing blessings, this is because her form and her practice are extremely potent. Buddhas, since they are all completely enlightened beings, are equal to each other. The fact that Tara images are already blessed was explained by Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, who was a very strong practitioner of Tara. The Buddhas are always present when we invoke them or create their images, but our karma can block them from abiding strongly within an image. In fact it is said that un-consecrated statues can house spirits instead. Therefore it is advisable to ensure this does not happen and is done so through the act of consecration. One of the reasons why Tara images are already blessed is that her practice is so potent and beneficial in our day and age (due to our collective karma) that she abides in them since they are created. Tara has played a very important role in the development of Buddhism over the centuries. There are many Tara statues that are known to speak and bestow tremendous help and blessings. In fact there are many enlightened masters of the past who have had visions of Tara or who Tara would speak to. These include the great Lama Atisha of India who was the forefather of the Kadampa lineage, which eventually became the Gelugpa lineage, and Takpu Gargyi Wangchuk who travelled to Potala pure land, met Tara herself and brought back the Cittamani Tara cycle of Highest Yoga Tantra teachings.

In relation to cow dung, in the case you have mentioned from the Golden Light Sutra’s chapter on Saraswati, the mandala is drawn from cow dung. Cow products have had a very long history of ritual use in India. I am sure you know that Buddhism originated in the Indian subcontinent. There are certain substances that come from cows that are considered ritually ‘clean’ substances, and one of these is cow dung. As Buddhism had to take on cultural aspects, this is how the Dharma was manifested by the enlightened beings. In order to make the Dharma acceptable in India, the Buddhas manifested techniques that were suitable to the people of that time. As for if there is a substitute, you would have to consult a guru who has the lineage of Sarawati practice according to the Golden Light Sutra.

This section of tsemrinpoche.com is answered by a group of Pastors, today it is Pastor Niral Patel that is answering.

As for singing mantras and prayers, like Imee Ooi does, this is not sinful. The reason why singing itself is generally considered negative is because it does not fulfil any virtuous purpose. In fact certain types of songs, such as love songs, can actually be negative as it can increase a person’s attachment. The singing of mantras and prayers however is something that is virtuous, as it spreads the vibrations of the mantra in the area that it is heard. In fact when mantras and prayers are chanted in the monasteries, they adhere to certain melodies and tunes that they chant in. The singing of mantras and prayers therefore is a virtuous activity.

As for Avalokitesvara, since he is the manifestation of the compassion of all the Buddhas he has always existed, it is simply that he manifested in the forms known today within this particular aeon. In regards to the bodies we take, this is due to karma from previous lives. Those lives in turn were dependent on karma from previous lives, and so it goes on and on. That is why there is the term ‘countless lives’ in Buddhism.

Buddhas are not bound again to karma as they transcend existence completely. I think here you are referring to the period in which the universe forms again, this is still within existence. The state of enlightenment is completely removed from this cycle of existence, destruction, empty space, existence, destruction, etc. Anything within this cycle is necessarily bound to karma. But the state of nirvana is not in this cycle. The ‘ultimate form’ of the Buddhas is called the Dharmakaya, and in fact has no form because it exists outside of samsaric existence. ‘Forms’ only exist within samsara.

Nothingness or emptiness is not meditating in the dark or thinking that nothing exists. It is to do with our perception or wrong view about the nature of reality. No sound, no taste, no feeling extra does not mean that they do not exist, but they do not exist in the manner we think they do or relate to them. Within Buddhism there is what is known as the ‘two truths’, meaning that on a conventional/ordinary level things exists, but on an ultimately level they do not exist the way we are conditioned to think about them. You should find a good commentary on the Heart Sutra to understand this better. The teachings on emptiness are one of the highest within Buddhism, and therefore one of the most difficult to comprehend. The scriptures and commentaries can give you a very firm intellectual understanding of emptiness, but this is useless if it is not ‘realised’. This means that your whole mode of thinking and interacting shifts from the self-centred ‘I’ to the enlightened state of mind. This can only be accomplished through practice, therefore it is more beneficial on the spiritual path to have a guru who can show you the path.

Having said that, there are meditation techniques that involve long periods of time confined within a room that has not light. In fact some practitioners also engage in what are known as ‘dark retreats’ where a practitioner practices in the dark in order to withdraw attachment and engagement in the world from the senses, especially the sense of sight.

In regards to the consorts of the Dhyani Buddhas and their consorts, I had posted the list in a previous answer to another person. Here is the list again:

Buddha Vairocana – Consort Dharmadhatvishvari
Buddha Akshobya – Consort Lochana
Buddha Amitabha – Consort Pandara
Buddha Ratnasambhava – Consort Mamaki
Buddha Amoghasiddhi – Consort Tara.

As for Buddha Vairocana’s consort, she is known as either Dharmadhatvishvari, Akasadhatesvari, or White Tara depending on which tradition or lineage of practice you are following. They are all names for the same being. In the case of Buddha Amitabha’s consort as well she is either known as Pandara or Pandaravasini.

In regards to the end of time, this exists in Buddhism. However unlike other religions, this happens again and again and again as part of the creation and destruction of various universes within samsaric existence. As for the complete end of all creation/destruction cycles, this will only occur when all sentient beings are enlightened. This will mean no more karma, which will mean that it will not manifest in samsaric existence. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Phylis,

I’m very sorry to hear that you are suffering from this autoimmune disorder. Dealing with medical illness can be very difficult, but you should take this time to reflect on the fact that all beings go through some form of suffering as you are. In doing this you can develop great compassion, which we all need on our spiritual journey towards enlightenment. Please see below for answers to your questions.

1. The one main difference between Buddhist and Taoist practice is that Buddhists only seek refuge or pray to the enlightened beings. Enlightened beings have achieved enlightenment and are completely out of samsaric existence. They have completely transcended all forms of suffering, are no longer bound by karma or their afflictive emotions and have reached a stage of omniscience. From a Buddhist viewpoint the Taoist deities, although very powerful beings who can definitely be of help to others, are not enlightened beings. Instead they are thought of as beings within the god realms.

2. From a strict Buddhist point of view, practitioners do not take refuge in beings who are not enlightened, this is because they are still within samsara and have not achieved the goals that Buddhist seek. These goals are to attain high states of spiritual attainments and ultimately become enlightened themselves.

Even though this is the case, all enlightened beings are extremely compassionate. As such, anyone who prays to them, whether Buddhist or not, will benefit from their enlightened energies. Therefore even if you are Taoist, it is perfectly fine to pray to Buddha Shakyamuni, as he will always help you.

3. As was taught by His Eminence 25th Tsem Rinpoche, the pronunciation of Shakyamuni’s mantra is: TAYATHA OM MUNI MUNI MAHA MUNI SHAKYAMUNI YE SOHA. This is the Tibetan Buddhist pronunciation of the mantra.

4. Any prayers and mantras you recite to Buddha Shakyamuni is beneficial. What you are doing now is very good already. What would help you to generate more merit, is making offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni every day. His Eminence usually advises people to set up a shrine dedicated to a Buddha with extensive offerings made daily. However this may not be possible for everyone.

You can start off slowly by offering incense or light (candles or electric lights), then you can expand to offer bowls of water or even food/fruit on your alter since you have a statue of Buddha Shakyamuni. If there are days where you have the time, you can also engage in reciting more mantras. The energies of the mantra are very beneficial life, therefore the more you recite, the more of Buddha Shakyamuni’s energy is around you to help you.

5. Yes there is nothing wrong with not looking at the Buddha when reciting. Since you cannot memorise the prayer yet, it is perfectly fine to read the prayer. However before you begin, you should think strongly that Buddha Shakyamuni is in front of you and during your prayers, you should think strongly that Buddha Shakyamuni receives your prayers, is extremely happy and sends you blessings.

In fact when you are reciting the prayers, it is not necessary to look at the statue. You should instead try to visualise Buddha Shakyamuni in front of you. If you cannot do this then it is fine to look at the statue as a focus of your prayers. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear VV,

Thank you for your follow up question. From a common point of view regarding karma, it does seem that something static cannot be derived from something dynamic. When thinking of karma, we often forget about two aspects involved, and they are (1) the types of karma and (2) our understanding of the length of time that karma can affect us.

In the first instance, when discussing karma, we often only limit this to personal karma. There are however other types of karma, such as group karma (affecting a group of people) and even environmental karma (the surroundings we live in). In the case of group karma, due to actions in previous lifetimes, a certain group of people have the karma to be in same situation. For example, a certain group could have the karma to be in a team that wins a companion or even be in the same vehicle that has an accident. In regards to environmental karma, this could manifest as an area that is prone to drought, floods or other natural disasters. This actually also refers to the way our planet formed and the state it is in now as well. This has come about due to the collective group karma of those sentient beings that have taken rebirth on the planet, are living now and will take rebirth in the future.

When discussing karma, we often limit the ‘time frame’ we think about to this life, and the immediately preceding and proceeding lifetimes. However karma can span many eons. For example, an act of killing in this lifetime can lead to eons in the hell realms. This situation is hard to describe in terms of human lifetimes, as they are so short compared to lives in hell or other realms.

Therefore it can be hard to understand the nuances of karma. In fact, since the workings of karma are so vast, it can only be understood completely by a fully enlightened Buddha who has achieved the state of omniscience. Given the time length of karma in relation to human lifetimes and the various types of interrelated karma, certain beings who have achieved high states of clairvoyance or who are the emanations of enlightened beings can make prophecies, which will come true. This is because these prophecies are based on karmic situations that are bound to arise. This itself does not counter my earlier answer, but is an extension of it, if we think about karma from a logical perspective. Given this, the processes of karma are still very much dynamic. It is just that from our point of view given our references to time and the way the world exists, we see it as static. There are also other elements of karma that i have not covered in this answer, which also come into play when thinking about clairvoyance and prophecy.

You’ve asked a very interesting question, it shows that you think logically. If you want to read more about karma you can read the relevant sections of Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabongka Rinpoche. You can most probably find it in speciality bookstores. Alternatively it is also available here if you would like a copy: http://www.vajrasecrets.com/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand. Though the text does not cover the topics of clairvoyance and prophecy in particular, there are certain sections that will further your understanding of karma, which is the basis of understand about clairvoyance and prophecy. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Tom,

Thank you for your interesting question. As you are probably aware, up until recently only the novice-nun ordination existed amongst Tibetan Buddhist practitioners. This was because the lineage of the full-nun ordination died out in Tibet. As such, within Tibetan Buddhist communities if one were to become a nun, it would have only been at the novitiate level.

The issue for the revival of the full-nun ordination within Tibetan Buddhism centres on a couple of factors but the main factor revolves around the lineage of practice. The monastic ordination lineage that spread from India to Tibet is called the Mulasarvastivada, and included novitiate level and full level ordination for both monks and nuns.

In order for the vows to be passed on to another, there are certain prerequisites that must be adhered to. For example you must have a certain number of monk/nuns, who hold the particular set of vows you wish to receive, present at the ceremony to engage in the various roles involved in taking vows. Since the full nun ordination lineage no longer exists, it cannot be given according to the Mulasarvastivada tradition.

There are two other Vinaya (or monastic) lineages that survive to this day, these are the Theravada lineage and the Dharmagupta lineage. Since Tibetan Buddhist practitioners are Mahayana practitioners, most practitioners who want to take full Bhikshuni ordination, would prefer to receive the vows as per the Dharmagupta lineage, prevalent in counties like China, Japan, Vietnam and Korea. This is because the Dharmagupta lineage is widespread amongst Mahayana practitioners in these countries. This would also mean that these practitioners would have had to have received their novice vows in the same lineage as well.

Since the Dharmagupta tradition belongs to another lineage of transmission, there would need to be consensus and discussion within the existing Tibetan Buddhist sangha, as per the rules governing the monastic community, to decide if this can be incorporated into practice and the way to go about doing this. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear VV,

Thank you for the very interesting question. You have raised a very good point. At first glance it would seem that karma and the ability of clairvoyance would be contradictory. As you know, karma is not static but fluid, it can multiple in strength and even be purified so we do not feel its effects. As such, situations that can arise are also not static but can change.

This therefore applies to clairvoyance, which is not fixed as in the case of the standard western definition of the word and concept. Clairvoyance in the Buddhist sense of the word refers to more than just know what can happen. It also refers to understanding and knowing the effects of the dominate karma that is effecting a person, group or situation. As with all things in life, there will be a strong karmic force that causes the situation. Clairvoyance here also refers to understanding this.

This is the reason why those practitioners who have achieved the ability of clairvoyance will usually recommend methods or try to intercede in the situation themselves, that try to avert any negative effects. This is one of the reasons that divination techniques are used. For example the dice divination, as well as foretelling what will occur due to the prevalent karma, it also advises methods to use to avert these negative situations by purifying the negative karma and generating merit. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Lilian,

Thank you for your clarification. As for Guan Yu and Taoist deities, those who are practicing Buddhism do not usually pray to these deities. This is because in Buddhist practice we only take safe refuge in the enlightened beings. This is because they are outside of samsara and therefore free of any afflictions or habitual tendencies. The gods are beings from the god realms and exist within samsara therefore they are also bound by the power of karma, afflictions and habitual tendencies. Within Buddhist practice it is said that we should take refuge in and follow the methods of those who achieved what we want. As the goal of Buddhists is to achieve enlightenment, we take refuge in the Buddhas and enlightened deities. That being said, these deities are very high level and powerful beings, who definitely have the ability to help or to harm beings. But since Buddhists want to achieve enlightenment, they would not pray to deities within samsara.

As for ancestor worship, since Buddhists believe that a person takes rebirth in one of the Six Realms after death, we do not pray to ancestors in the common sense of the term. We do pray for our ancestors, but this is to generate merit and dedicate to them in whatever rebirth they are in and for their future enlightenment. In regards to cow excrement being used in the creation of mandalas, I have not personally come across this but I do not have much experience in drawing them. However, traditionally certain colour pigments would have been made from natural materials which could have included cow excrement.

In regards to Manjushri, he is actually the wisdom of all the Buddhas in the form of a Bodhisattva. Therefore he is definitely a completely enlightened being, a Buddha. In regards to receiving empowerment, the only way to do this is to receive it from a qualified guru who has the lineage of the practice. Therefore the only way to receive it is from a guru. You should search for a guru closest to you.

In regards to the origin of the world, in Buddhist belief this is also cyclic in nature. For example, this world came into being when the elements appeared due to the karma of all beings. These elements then came together to form the Six Realms, and gave rise to conditions in which beings could take rebirth. At the end of this particular eon, it will once again be destroyed, and after which there will be a period of nothing. Then the whole process will begin again. Therefore it is actually karma that created the world as we know it. There is no beginning to this, it has always existed. In fact our experience of time is not how reality exists, it is simply a notion that we ourselves have created. The realisation of emptiness, also necessarily includes the realisation that time itself does not exist.

As for levitation, yes there are a lot of supernatural siddhis that one can attain when engaging in various practices. However these are known as ordinary or mundane siddhis. This is because they do not necessarily help one’s journey towards spiritual enlightenment. They occur as by-product of the practices, therefore the practices are not engaged in with the goal of attaining the mundane siddhis. As such these siddhis arise according to the effort the practitioner puts into the practice. However, once the siddhis are attained they can be used to benefit others. In essence they can become tools that you can use on the path. Certain practices bestow certain siddhis, but all the practices of the Buddhas can lead a person to enlightenment.

In the case of prayer wheels, the various sutras and mantras are written in such a way that they are continuous. For example, the mantras continue with each other, this is so when the prayer wheel is turned, if you were able to look at the mantras, they would be spinning in the correct manner they are pronounced.

As for the most powerful sutra, there is no one that is more powerful than another. This is because all sutras, if spoken by the Buddha or inclusive of the Buddha’s teachings has the power to lead beings to enlightenment. The difference actually comes from one’s own karma and affinity to a specific teaching contained within a sutra. Within certain lineages or traditions, the emphasis is placed on certain sutras. For example, since Manjushri and his emanation Lama Tsongkhapa are depicted with the Perfection of Wisdom sutra, this sutra is given particular importance. This is because without perfecting wisdom one cannot achieve enlightenment.

For a person who commits suicide, unfortunately since they have the heavy negative karma of killing, they would most probably take rebirth in the three lower realms. Most likely a person would have created the karma to be reborn in the hell realms. In the case of those who very attached to something, they might even be born in the hungry ghost realms. That is why you hear that places that had suicide cases are sometimes haunted. This however is not always the case and depends on what karma opens up at the time of death. However, since people who commit suicide are not in positive states of mind, their negative karma will open up at the time of death due to their negative mind.

Below are the 5 Dhyani Buddhas and the names of their consorts:

Buddha Vairocana – Consort Dharmadhatvishvari
Buddha Akshobya – Consort Lochana
Buddha Amitabha – Consort Pandara
Buddha Ratnasambhava – Consort Mamaki
Buddha Amoghasiddhi – Consort Tara.

The Buddha associated with the water element is Akshobya and his mantra is:

Namo Ratna Trayaya, Om Kamkani Kamkani, Rotsani Rotsani, Trotrani Trotrani, Trasani Trasani, Prathihana Prathihana, Sarva Karma Param Para Nime Sarva Sato Nantsa Soha.

In regards to the desire for holy items, yes this is still desire. However this desire is for something beneficial on one’s spiritual path. In fact it is only once one is able to actively transform negative desire, is this sort of desire dealt with on the path. At the point of achieving enlightenment, one leaves behind all conceptions and notions, this includes the desire for beneficial items on the spiritual path. For example even the Dharma teachings themselves and the notions of teachings are something that high level practitioners need to overcome their desire for. Most of us are not at that stage, so we should strive to be near holy items. This is because of the positive energy in them and that they are objects that we can make offerings to in order to generate merits. We need them because we are not highly attained so do not have this sort of energy ourselves, therefore we seek to be near these holy objects.

Your question in relation to wealth deities is a very good question, and I would like to answer this one in two parts:

The first is that the benefits of these deities include bringing wealth into our lives but actually their ultimate benefit is the generation of spiritual wealth, which means wisdom and compassion. This is the actual wealth that practitioners should aim to accomplish. On the other hand, we live in samsara. Therefore in order to survive we need to have material resources such as money, clothes on our bodies, food and roofs over our heads. These deities help to acquire these material resources so that you can concentrate on practicing compassion and wisdom, which lead to enlightenment.

Secondly, wealth is not inherently good or bad. Nothing in samsara is inherently good or bad. What is bad is our thoughts about money and our attachment to wealth. For example, when most people have wealth they tend to become very selfish. They do not share the wealth with others. This attachment that reinforces the idea of the ‘I’ is what is bad. However you also have examples of those who use wealth for the sake of others, these people do not become selfish and in fact as they concentrate out towards others are developing compassion. So wealth itself is not good or bad, the attachment that arises in the mind of the person is bad, because it only leads to more suffering.

In regards to naga mantras, yes there are and these are used to invoke them. However since nagas are still within the Six Realms and can get angry or jealous, just like us, these practices are not shared with those who do not have the appropriate Buddha empowerments or practices. Nagas are appeased in order to help practitioners with certain functions, such as to calm the land, subdue the weather, etc. There is no such thing as enlightened nagas, because by definition if you are an enlightened being then you are out of samsara. That being said, since Buddhas emanate back into samsara to benefit beings there may be emanations of enlightened beings in naga form.

When making prayers, invocation is important. Actually, when you think of the Buddhas they appear to help you. Simply be thinking of them and invoking them in your mind, they will be there to help you. However due to our karma which blocks them from helping us, you need to involve your body, speech and mind when you invoke them to make the invocation more effective. Therefore you recite the invocation prayer, as well as visualise them coming. This is an important aspect of the prayers, as you invite them into your life/space to help you on your spiritual journey. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Kev,

Thank you for your question. By ‘stingy’ I’m assuming that you mean being miserly with not just material resources, but time, love and care. This is a type of energy that actually comes from habituation over many lifetimes. The causes of this is that when people/beings needed your help in previous lives, you did not help them even though you had the means to do so. As a result they underwent some form of suffering. This created strong imprints within the mind-stream and karma not to give to others.

The antidote to this stinginess is to do exactly the opposite, which is to develop generosity. This is actually known as one of the Six Perfections within Buddhism. Buddhist practitioners strive to develop these six qualities within one’s life in order to overcome negative karma and generate merit. This leads to a better life and also allows one to progress on the spiritual path towards enlightenment. This energy of generosity leads to overcoming and purifying the karma and habituation of being stingy.

As His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche has said “Be different, be altruistic. Be strange, work for others in response to their harm. Raise eyebrows, be generous without agenda.” Therefore we should work on being generous. Now, that may be easier said than done for those with strongly rooted stingy energy. There are many methods within Buddhism to achieve a change that occurs internally which can then be focused outwardly to create a real change in the life of the person who is stingy as well as in the lives of others.

For example there are many meditations that focus on developing compassion. This helps the development of generosity because when we are more compassionate people we are also more generous with our time, care and love, because we want to alleviate the suffering of the other person.

There are also deity practices that help with the development of generosity. For example the practice of Dzambala, who is most usually known as a wealth deity. When engaging in prayers or rituals, rather than doing so mindlessly, one should know the benefits of the practice. In the case of Dzambala, he is known as a Buddha of wealth because one of the outer benefits is that obstacles to the creation of wealth are removed. But not many people realise how this happens. It occurs through the development of generosity. From the view point of karma, the more you give, the more you will get in return.

Therefore Dzambala should be known as the Buddha of generosity, rather than the Buddha of wealth. Wealth is simply the outer aspect of the practice, the more important is the inner aspect which is generosity. Once this inner aspect of generosity arises in the mind, it is made physical through the actions of your body and speech. The true result of Dzambala’s practice is therefore the generation of generosity, symbolised by the Bijapura fruit that Dzambala holds in his right hand. This energy of generosity is what cuts stingy energy, its causes and negative habituation out of one’s life. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Crystal Aldana,

That is a very good question. Adding to what I have already mentioned about karma, you may ask if a sentient being deserves to suffer if the action was done in a previous life and that being cannot remember doing the action now. The fact is, it is not about whether the being deserves to endure the suffering or not. Within Buddhism it is simply a matter of fact and shows the suffering inherent within cyclic existence of the Six Realms. This was taught by Buddha Shakyamuni and is part of the first of the Four Nobel Truths – suffering exists. Therefore the goal of all Buddhists is to rid themselves and others of this suffering by transcending the Six Realms, which I mentioned in my previous answer, by achieving enlightenment and becoming a Buddha.

You are right that we should all strive to help people or animals who are suffering. In fact the development of Bodhicitta (the mind of enlightenment) is the development of compassion. It is integral to the Buddhist path towards enlightenment. Compassion is known as one of the two ‘wings’ that one needs to achieve enlightenment. This comes from the imagery of a bird that needs two wings to fly. Similarly, you need two ‘wings’ to fly to enlightenment, and these are wisdom and compassion. Within Buddhist practices there are two ways to develop compassion. The first is to meditate on compassion and the other is to focus this compassion outwards to make a real change in the lives of others. There are many meditation methods to develop compassion, this is because when we have a firm understanding and compassionate frame of mind, our resolve to help sentient beings physically is strong and our whole being becomes one that helps to alleviate the suffering of others.

There are many things we can do to alleviate the sufferings of beings: transforming ourselves into kinder people towards our families and friends, helping those less fortunate or going through difficult times, making sure the environment is kept clean for future generations, and in the case of animals saving them from being killed, being a vegetarian, or even saving them from deplorable conditions.

Within the Kechara organisation His Eminence has started certain departments that seek to help alleviate the suffering of others. For example we have Kechara Soup Kitchen where we provide food to the homeless and less fortunate, medical aid and even help them to integrate back into society and provide for themselves. In Kechara Forest Retreat we also have an aviary, where rescued birds are allowed the freedom to live comfortable lives instead of being cooped up in small cages.

Buddhist practitioners do not only extend their compassion towards others and animals but ultimately towards each and every sentient being with cyclic existence. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Lilian,

Thank you for your questions. Guan Yin is considered to be the same as Chenrezig. In India and Tibet Chenrezig appeared in male form, but when appearing in China, Chenrezig appeared as a woman and came to be known as Guan Yin. As such worshiping Guan Yin is the exact same as worshipping Chenrezig, there is no difference. Both will lead to the development of compassion on the path towards enlightenment.

In the case of oracles, within the Tibetan tradition, it is said that there is no oracle to Chenrezig. This is because, traditionally, only the Dharma protectors take trance of the oracles. The reason for this is because the form or body of the Dharma protector is within samsara, and is therefore closer to humans. This allows the deity to take trance in a human more easily. Even though this is the case, it still takes an immense amount of training for an oracle to prepare themselves to allow the deity to enter.

The ‘form’ of Guan Yin or Chenrezig, is not within samsara as he is an enlightened being. This makes it very difficult for a being within samsara to be able to withstand the energy of the enlightened being. However, an enlightened being can emanate in a form that is closer to humans, and this form can take trance in an oracle. For example, Manjushri emanated in the form of Dorje Shugden to be close to practitioners. In the form of Dorje Shugden, Manjushri is able to enter an oracle. This is not to say that it is impossible, just that it would be very difficult and would require and special kind of oracle for the main form a Buddha to enter. If the oracle in the video is real or not, I cannot say because I do not have clairvoyance to check if it is actually Guan Yin or not.

Ji Gong, was definitely a Buddhist, you can read more about his life in an article written by Pastor David Lai here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/ji-gong-the-crazy-monk-of-china.html. As for worshipping him or not as a Buddha, I have never come across any practices within Tibetan Buddhism that say he is a Buddha, however he did exhibit mahasiddha-like qualities which can be a sign of his highly attained state. In either case, he was a fully ordained Buddhist monk, therefore you can consider him to be part of the Sangha jewel for sure. In fact in Buddhist practice, we should consider anyone who wears the robes of an ordained monk or nun as part of the Sangha jewel.

As for tasting meat and drinking alcohol within tantric practice, this is only done so if you are practicing one of the Anuttarayoga Tantra class of deities. In the other classes of tantra, the eating of meat and drinking alcohol is actually prohibited as in these forms of tantric practice, these substances can negatively affect your practice.

In the case of eating meat and partaking of alcohol, these are not done in large amounts but very small amounts, literally you just take enough to taste it. This does not break any of the precepts. The precepts are there to ensure that you do not engage in actions that collect negative karma. Negative karma arises when we act from self-centeredness. For example, thinking that eating meat or drinking alcohol will bring you pleasure and not thinking about where it came from or the affects it will have on your body. Meat came from the killing of a living being and alcohol clouds the mind so you cannot think straight, this can lead to the accumulation of negative karma. Therefore the precepts guard against these.

Tantric practice however breaks through the conceptions we have of reality, thereby allowing us a closer understanding of emptiness. When we realise emptiness, that reality is not the way we usually consider it to be, then we can achieve the state of a fully enlightened Buddha. Within tantric practice these two substances are therefore transformed into those that quicken our path to complete enlightenment. You may find this article here explains a little more: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/tantric-meat.html. Images of dead humans or cannibalism appear in tantric practice to again break our preconceived notion of how reality is. Rather than being actually practices or actually people, these figures are the visualised form of our negative karma and delusions. For example, in the practice of Trakze Dorje Shugden there is a very wrathful visualisation in which the entourage of Trakze cut up a corpse and offer it to Trakze. This is a misunderstood visualisation, but one that is very common. The corpse here actually represents our negative karma and delusion. These practices are actually very beneficial in purifying the negative karma that causes us many problems in life. You can read more about Trakze Dorje Shugden here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/trakze-to-dispel-black-magic-spirits.html.

In regards to the list of Dharma protectors you have provided, according to our lineage some of the deities you have mentioned are not Dharma protectors but are actually Yidams, or meditational deities, which you can practice to gain enlightenment. See below for mantra and more information:

Palden Lhamo’s mantra: JO RAMO JO RAMO JO JO RAMO TUNJO KALA RACHENMO RAMO AJA DAJA TUNJO RULU RULU HUNG JO HUNG

By 2-armed Mahakala I believe you are referring to Mahakala Bernagchen, here is his mantra: OM SHRI MAHAKALA YAK KHYA BETALI HUNG DZA

Vaishravana’s mantra: OM VAISHRAVANA YE SOHA

Yamantaka: This deity is actually considered of the deities belonging to the Highest Yoga Tantra class. As such he is a Yidam, therefore his mantra is usually not shared with those who have not recieved an appropriate empowerment.

Hayagriva’s mantra: HRI PEMA DATRI HAYAGRIVA HULU HULU HUNG PHET

In the case of Yama, if you are referring to the god of death, I have not come across his mantra in my own practices. However, if you are referring to Yama Dharmaraja, this is actually another name for Kalarupa, his mantra is: OM KALARUPA HUNG PHET.

I hope these answer your questions. Thank you.

Dear Jason,

Yes, since you have received the Chakrasamvara empowerment, it should be ok for you to read the Chakrasamvara root tantra. As you already have permission to study the commentaries, this should be ok. However please check with your Guru that bestowed the empowerment. In the case of any tantric practice we should always refer to our Guru in regards to any questions we have. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Crystal Aldana,

That is a very good question, and one that is explained in Buddhist practice. The answers in my last reply about the suffering we face also applies to animals. That is because Buddhists believe in reincarnation. Within Buddhist philosophy there are Six Realms within Samsara that beings take rebirth into, over and over again. We are stuck in this cycle of suffering. The aim of Buddhist practice is to escape this cycle by achieving Nirvana, or the enlightened state outside of Samsara, also known as Buddhahood.

These Six Realms are:

1. The God Realm
2. The Demi-God Realm
3. The Human Realm
4. The Animal Realm
5. The Hungry-Ghost Realm
6. The Hell Realm

Depending on the karma we have accumulated and which karmic potential opens at the time of our death, we are mercilessly thrown to take rebirth in one of these Six Realms. Therefore all beings within these realms have the same emotions, attachments, desires and wants. In essence we are not different but the same, it is just the form we take and the level at which our karma affects us is different. We have all had countless lives in all of these realms. You can read more about this and what causes us to create our own suffering in a book entitled Snakes, Roosters and Pigs by His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche, which is available here: http://www.vajrasecrets.com/snakes-roosters-and-pigs.

The reason why animals suffer therefore is because of karma created from their previous lives. And in most cases animals continue to generate negative karma due to the various forms they have taken, such as carnivorous animals that kill other animals to survive. Even though this is generally the case, even animals have the ability to generate merits. For example there is an often told story of an ant that was on a leaf, when it started to rain, the leaf floated and circumabulated a stupa. This created strong imprints in the mind of the ant and created the causes for the ant to achieve high spiritual attainments in future rebirths. There are also many examples of animals who have the ability to help others such as Rexie, who had the amazing ability to help people. You can read more here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/rexie-the-australian-heroine.html.

As for why animals are so abused by humans. There are two sides to this. The first is from the side of the animal, who has negative karma to be inflicted with this type of abuse. This was caused from negative actions carried out in previous lives. The second is that some humans think that behaving in such abusive ways will not have an effect on them. This is an incorrect view, as they either do not know about or have not understood the law of karma, cause and effect. If these people knew about this, then then would not act in such abusive ways. On a deeper level, this abuse stems from the ignorant view of the self-grasping ‘I’. This is a very self-centered viewpoint, through which people act only for themselves. Because of this, they do not think about how it will affect themselves and others. To counter this, His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche has taught that the Buddhist teachings emphasize compassion. Compassion for others, including animals, is a direct antidote to this abusiveness. I hope this helps to answer your question.

Thank you.