Dear William,

There could be many reasons why one feels tied down by Dharma work and have doubts. H.E. Tsem Rinpoche has said that obstacles can manifest in doubts and fear, especially when the Dharma centre is growing. Obstacles can be removed by doing a lot of pujas. One should attend pujas, do one’s daily sadhanas consistently and carry out whatever instructions the Guru has given. One should be sincere in doing Dharma work, with a good motivation to benefit others. Most importantly, one must not let doubts and fears be an obstacle to one’s Dharma practice. As H.E. Tsem Rinpoche said, “When we travel down a road, doubt will always arise, just go all the way”.

We must not do Dharma work for the wrong reasons. Therefore, it is important to check our motivation. Are we doing Dharma work with the eight worldly concerns, or with a negative agenda? People who have doubts about the Dharma or the Guru often do not apply the Dharma in their daily lives and in their Dharma work. This is the result of a mind that has not transformed.

Dear Eli Levine,

We can determine our present karmic state by examining our actions of body, speech and mind. Are they virtuous or non-virtuous or a mixture of both? The Buddha taught that we will go to the upper realms (God, Demi-God and Human) if we have been virtuous and to the lower realms (Animal, Hungry Ghost and Hell)if non-virtuous. Thus, by looking at our present life, we can assess inferentially where we will be reborn in our next life. If we have a mixture of virtuous and non-virtuous karma, the stronger will ripen first. If both types are equally strong, the type we are most familiar with will ripen first. To answer your question, “How can I know me in this present lifetime?”, just ask yourself, “Am I a kind person? Is my life meaningful? Am I happy?” If the answer is “no”, then you will have to modify your behaviour to make yourself a kind and happy person who brings peace and happiness to others. To help humanity and the universe be better, you have to be better first. To bring peace and happiness to others, one needs to have peace and happiness in oneself. Good luck to you. I hope you will find your life’s goal.

Dear Aditya,

Our karma is passed on to the next life through the “linking consciousness” (pratisamdhivijnana). This consciousness, bearing karmic imprints, joins past to present and present to future. The individual is made up of five physical and mental processes called “aggregates” (skandha): form, feelings, perceptions, conditioning factors and consciousness. Through ignorance (avidya), the mind habitually identifies one or another of the five aggregates with a self or soul. Due to ignorance, one engages in a volitional action (samskara) thereby accumulating that karma. The karmic potency or predispositions created by that action imprint themselves on the consciousness. This karmic potency, nourished by craving (feelings of desire caused by attachment) and grasping (clinging to a self), will be carried into a future life. It is this consciousness that enters the womb of the future mother. This is the first moment of the new lifetime. This consciousness is always changing but it persists as a continuum. Death is simply the transfer of this continuum from one lifetime to the next. This is the process of cyclic existence which is synonymous with suffering.

I suggest you read up on the “Twelve Links of Dependent Origination” to learn more about how karma works and the notion of conditionality of all existence which is a core teaching in Buddhism. I hope this explanation has been helpful.

Dear Gopinath,

I suggest you go to Kechara House and seek advice from a Pastor regarding your wish to “try out” the novice monkhood. It seems to me you are still uncertain about what you want. Please talk to a Pastor about your “plans”. I do not know what you mean by a “good answer” but I hope you are not expecting an answer you wish to hear.

Dear lassalian,

The reason why someone is experiencing financial difficulties is usually due to the karmic effect of having been miserly in the past. In order to have material (and spiritual wealth), one needs to create the causes for that to happen. One needs to practice generosity. Do not be a miserly and greedy person. In one’s dealings with business partners and customers, do not cause any harm to them. Be kind and compassionate to people in your workplace. At the same time, of course, you can do the protector practices, Dzambala or Tara and recite mantras. But the most important thing is mind transformation. The Buddhas and Protectors will help you if you are kind and helpful to others.

Dear lassalian,

Mental blocks could be the result of some negative karma committed in the past. I suggest you recite “Gangloma”, the short prayer to Manjushri (the Buddha of Wisdom) everyday, followed by the mantra OM AH RA PA TSA NA DHI at least 108 times. You can find the prayer “Gangloma – Praise to Manjushri” on this Blog in the section “Sadhana and Prayers”: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/sadhana-prayers.html#22. If you recite Manjushuri’s powerful mantra faithfully daily you will purify ignorance, low mentality, oblivion and you will actualize the seven wisdoms. This mantra is believed to enhance wisdom and improve one’s skills in debating, memory, writing, and other literary abilities. “DHI” is the seed syllable of the mantra. After you have finished reciting the mantra, continue to recite “DHI” in one breath for another round of the rosary. If you find it difficult to hold your breath, you may take in two or three breaths, gradually improving to one breath. This is a very simple and easy practice to do and it is very effective.

Besides Manjushri’s practice, I suggest you also do purification practices such as prostrations, Vajrasattva, or 35 Confessional Buddhas. Do this diligently everyday, and you will see the improvements.

Dear Sheilagh,

The mantra of Dukkar (Sitatapattra or White Umbrella) is “OM SITA TA PA TREY HUM PHET”.

Dear Tan,

If we have a negative thought towards the Buddha’s teachings or our guru for even one second, we should purify the negative karma by reciting the hundred syllable purification mantra of Vajrasattva at least 21 times and apply the four opponent powers: (1) the power of reliance (taking refuge in the Three Jewels), (2) the power of regret, (3) the power of remedy (applying the antidote), and (4)the power of restraint (promise not to do it again). It is recommended in the Lamrim that we should also strenuously perform full prostrations while reciting the Sutra of the Three Superior Heaps (35 Confessional Buddhas).

Dear Bradley Kassian,

In some centres, this mantra is given to students as a purification practice. It represents “the essence of all the Tathagatas, the ones gone to bliss”. The mantra is said to purify 100 million eons of negative karma. I am not sure of its origin but I will try to find out more about it. However, it is important to remember that, as students, we must adhere to the practices given by our gurus, including purification practices.

Dear Bitter child,

What is the punishment for killing oneself? If one kills oneself in a frustrated and confused state of mind, it is unlikely that one will be reborn in a good place. The state of mind in which we die will condition the next birth. You seem to know some Dharma. You have a guru whom you love and you wish to have his blessings before you “end this”. Which guru will give you blessings to kill yourself?

You are not clear about what happened to you. All you talk about is your unhappiness about being rejected by society, friends, family and even the Buddha. You refer to your failures in life and even feel that the Buddhas have failed you. So you are feeling very bitter as you have no one to turn to.

People who talk about suicide have not learned to face their problems and how to face the facts of life. Their delusions are very strong and their minds are negative and destructive. The Buddha said that suicidal states of mind only lead to more suffering. It is time to face your problems. Don’t blame others for your own failures. Don’t dwell on how much others have disappointed you because you must have disappointed them. What you are experiencing is what you have made others experience, whether in this life or in previous lives. The only way to turn your life around is to be a better person. Be kind to others, starting with your parents, family and friends. Be grateful to your guru for giving you Lord Buddha’s teachings and repay his kindness. Apologise to your teacher for having wrong thoughts. Listen to his teachings to get his inspiration and blessings. Instead of focusing on your own problems, you should focus on the suffering of those who may be in more unfortunate circumstances than you. Find something meaningful to do to bring purpose into your life again. For example, you can do Dharma work or other charitable activities. By bringing happiness to others, you will find peace and happiness yourself.
I hope you find this helpful.

Dear henry pamudji,

You can go to the chat section on this blog and log in. The schedule is given for both the Wednesday and Saturday chat sessions. It’d be good to read up on the topic for each chat session beforehand.

Dear Yee Ling,

Yes, you can do retreats with small goals until you achieve your target. Do 10,000 first. Then stop and rest. Then another 10,000 and so on up to 100,000. Good luck!

Dear Ping,

Enlightenment is the exalted wisdom of a Buddha. Therefore, there is no difference between enlightenment and Buddhahood. Buddhahood is the state of perfect and complete enlightenment. Masters like Milarepa and Pabongka Rinpoche are fully enlightened beings and can be said to have attained Buddhahood. The ten stages of a Bodhisattva refer to the spiritual level of the Bodhisattva on the path toward enlightenment. Thus a Bodhisattva is a being who has attained one of the ten Bodhisattva levels. But the Bodhisattva is not a Buddha yet because he/she has taken a vow to delay his/her own personal enlightenment in order to work for the liberation of all sentient beings.

Dear Alvin,

To recite the Dukkar mantra, one does not need initiation. On Rinpoche’s blog there is a section on prayers and sadhanas. Here is the link for a blog post on a Dukkar puja in Kechara House: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/kechara-13-depts/dukkar-sitatapatra.html. Some mantras that do not require initiation and are recommended for people who have no access to a guru are: OM MANI PEME HUNG (Chenrezig’s mantra), OM AH RA PA TSA NA DHI (Manjushri’s mantra); OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA (Green Tara’s mantra) and TAYATHA OM BEKANZEY BEKANZEY MAHA BEKANZEY BEKANZEY RADZA SAMUDGATEY SOHA (Medicine Buddha’s mantra).

Dear Shane Jayasuriya,

The Multiplying Mantra is recited as part of the preliminary prayers in our daily sadhana or at the beginning of a puja. If we recite this mantra 7 times, all the virtuous actions performed by us during the day, including recitation of mantras, will be multiplied 100,000 times. Therefore it is an excellent mantra to recite every morning for us to multiply the merits of the virtuous actions that we carry out during the day. However we do not recite this mantra to purify our negative karma.

There is no difference between HUNG and HUM. HUNG is the Tibetan pronunciation of HUM which is Sanskrit. HUNG or HUM is the seed syllable of the enlightened mind. The mantra OM AH HUNG represents the body, speech and mind of the Buddha’s enlightened knowledge. AH represents the Buddha’s speech. SVAHA (Sanskrit)or SOHA (Tibetan pronunciation) means “May the meaning of the mantra take root in my mind” or “May blessings be upon me”. DHIH or DHI is the seed syllable of Manjushri’s mantra and if meditated upon will confer memory, intelligence, wisdom, power of study, concentration and intellectual brilliance. PHET is a seed syllable often found in the mantras of wrathful deities.

Dear OM,

What you need is Dharma. To have peace and happiness, we need the Dharma in our life. Study the Dharma, practise and apply to your daily life to overcome your difficulties. Do join a Dharma centre near your house and start your practice. Read Dharma books and listen to Buddhist teachings. There are many teachings on Rinpoche’s Blog that will be helpful to you. You do not need divinations to start preliminary practices. Any Dharma centre will be able to give you advice. Rely on the Buddha’s teachings for peace and lasting happiness. Learn to be a better person. Be kind, patient and focus on giving love and happiness to others, starting with your parents, family members and friends. Stop focusing on yourself and your own happiness because ultimately, your happiness depends on others.

Dear Gopinath,

In Kechara House, we have Dzambala puja in English on Wednesday at 8pm. Do come for the puja if you can to receive Lord Dzambala’s blessings. Our situation in this life is the result of causes created in the past. Rinpoche has taught that in order to have outer (material) and inner (spiritual) wealth, we have to overcome our outer and inner miserliness. To have material wealth, we have to practise generosity (giving) and stop being greedy and selfish. To have spiritual wealth, we must be kind, loving and patient, and generous in giving our attention, time and care to others. In other words, be a better person for others. Then our life will be better and better, both materially and spiritually.

Dear Shane,

Lord Setrap resides in different places besides the pure land of Sukhavati. Practitioners can invite Lord Setrap and his entourage from these different abodes according to their practice. Some of these abodes are: Camaradvipa or Camara Land, the Twenty-Four Holy Places, the Eight Great Charnel Grounds and the space of Yuganaddha’s Sphere. Camara Land or nga yab ling is a sub-continent to the southwest of the central mountain and west of our world (Jambudvipa, the southern continent). It is a nirmanakaya pure realm where Padmasambhava resides (also known as Copper-coloured Mountain), subduing a race of bloodthirsty demons that would otherwise overrun our world. The Twenty-four Holy Places in the world are where the mandalas of Heruka and Vajrayogini are found. The Eight Great Charnel Grounds are places where dakas and dakinis meet. As Lord Setrap helps the yogis in their practice, he also comes from the space of Yuganaddha’s sphere which is the immutable state of the yogin.

Lord Setrap belongs to the class of beings called Yaksha. He is a Dharma Protector and thus looks wrathful, but he is fully enlightened and has the power to lead you to enlightenment.

Dear NG,

You can conduct the Medicine Buddha prayers for your mother. If you are free on Wednesdays at 8 pm, you can join the Medicine Buddha puja in our temple at SunwayMas Commercial Centre, Petaling Jaya.

Dear Shane,

The pure lands of Setrap and the deities are as follows:
Lord Setrap – Sukhavati (as he is the emanation of Amitabha)
Yamantaka – Vimala (in the East)
Vajrayogini – Kechara Paradise
Yellow Dzambala – Northern Region under the Four Heavens, at the northern crystal palace on the fourth level of Mount Sumeru
Je Rinpoche – Tushita Heaven
Tara – Potalaka

To know more about the pure lands of other deities or protectors, you can always do a search on the internet.