Dorje Shugden’s 2022 Losar Advice
The Venerable 7th Panglung Oracle took trance of Dorje Shugden during Losar 2022.
Click on image to enlarge
The Tibetan community all over the world recently celebrated Losar or Tibetan New Year. The celebrations typically last for 15 days with the first three days being the most important. On the first day of the new year, the Panglung Oracle usually takes trance of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden to give a general pronouncement for the year ahead.
The line of Panglung Oracles has been taking trance of Dorje Shugden for generations. The illustrious oracular tradition has been passed down from father to son and is renowned throughout Tibet. The Panglung Oracles are known for giving incredibly accurate pronouncements which have often saved lives. In fact, one of the best-known examples is when the 6th Panglung Oracle saved the life of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The oracle, in trance of Dorje Shugden, advised His Holiness to leave Tibet immediately, even providing the specific route to use to travel to India, thereby saving his life.
The Panglung Oracle takes trance of many Dharma Protectors. However, they are most famous for taking trance of Dorje Shugden. Amongst the pantheon of Dharma Protectors that enter the oracles, Dorje Shugden is unique in his ability to remain in an oracle for an extended period of time. During such trances, which can sometimes last hours, Dorje Shugden gives teachings, predictions, advice, guidance and blessings. No other Dharma Protector is known to give teachings while in trance of an oracle. This is a reflection of Dorje Shugden’s ultimate nature as the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. It is also a testament to Dorje Shugden’s previous lives, such as Panchen Sonam Drakpa, Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen and many others, who were the most brilliant scholars, great masters, thinkers and teachers of their time.
About This Year’s Pronouncement
At first glance, Dorje Shugden’s pronouncement seems shorter and more concise than those made in previous years. After extending his usual greetings, the Protector begins by reminding us to make offerings and generate merit, as this is the manner in which practitioners should celebrate significant events.
Click on image to enlarge
Dorje Shugden also reminds us to generate a more altruistic motivation beyond just helping those closest and dearest to us. He advises us to generate the aspiration to benefit all sentient beings as this is what truly makes our aspirations virtuous. Dorje Shugden then spoke a little about the preciousness of our current human rebirth and that we should contemplate how rare it is to meet the Buddha’s teachings and even rarer to come across Lama Tsongkhapa’s lineage.
At this point, Dorje Shugden spoke about how Lama Tsongkhapa ‘reorganised’ Buddha’s teachings to make them more accessible to practitioners. This in turn made it easier for us to practise and attain better rebirths again and again – especially a precious human life. With this statement, Dorje Shugden reminds us to study teachings such as the Lamrim and the Three Principal Aspects of the Path. Both of these teachings are the sacred legacies of Lama Tsongkhapa that enumerate the spiritual journey towards enlightenment in a graduated, step-by-step manner. If we contemplate and practise these, they will definitely lead to a favourable rebirth as a human being to again continue our spiritual journey.
Dorje Shugden then specifically addressed lay practitioners who engage in worldly pursuits and advises them not to neglect practising the Dharma. Knowing that lay practitioners will definitely engage in such pursuits, Dorje Shugden advises that although everyone looks for happiness, if we indulge in non-virtuous actions, we only create the very causes for our own suffering. In this manner, Dorje Shugden urges us to be mindful of our actions and to prioritise our Dharma practice. We should not let it be an afterthought or something at the bottom of our to-do list.
Dorje Shugden continues by stressing the importance of purification practice and to engage in it well via use of the Four Opponent Powers, which are:
- The Power of the Object – taking refuge in the Three Jewels and generating Bodhicitta.
- The Power of Regret – feeling deep remorse for the negative actions that we have committed.
- The Power of Remedy – engaging in purification practices such as Vajrasattva or the 35 Confessional Buddhas, which effectively purify negative karma.
- The Power of Resolve – developing the strong determination not to repeat negative actions.
According to Dorje Shugden, smaller negative karmas can be completely purified by purification practices. We will not experience their effects. On the other hand, larger and heavier negative karmas will be weakened. We will not need to experience their full effects, so we will suffer less. At this point, Dorje Shugden also advises us to engage in our sadhanas (daily practice), mantra recitation, retreats and good virtuous actions as much as possible. In addition, we should also supplicate our root guru for our prayers and Dharma practice to be successful so that we can gain special teachings and quickly gain attainments.
Click on image to enlarge
Towards the end, Dorje Shugden spoke about how the Losar celebrations coincide with the ‘Festivals of Miracles.’ This commemorates the event in Buddha Shakyamuni’s life when he revealed miraculous powers to subdue six teachers who challenged him. It is one of the four major Buddhist celebrations that revolve around Buddha’s life and deeds. The other three are (1) Saga Dawa, also known as Wesak, or the day that celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana; (2) Chokhor Duchen, the day of Buddha’s first Turning of the Wheel of Dharma; and (3) Lhabab Duchen, celebrating Buddha’s descent from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three after teaching Dharma to his mother who had been reborn there and to other gods. The positive effects of virtuous actions performed on these days are said to be multiplied 10 million times.
Within the Tibetan community, holy festivals are celebrated by making many butter lamp offerings at temples, holy sites, etc. At altars and shrines everywhere, many offerings are also made, together with the recitation of sacred scriptures and pujas. Dorje Shugden stressed making offerings on such occasions as a reminder to us to accumulate merits, especially when times are good and not only when times are bad or when we need his help.
Original Audio Recording
(Tibetan)
Click the PLAY button to listen to the audio.
The Great Protector Dorje Shugden’s
2022 Losar Message
(Transmitted via the Venerable 7th Panglung Oracle on Mar 3, 2022)
There are many different ways to calculate the new year based on individual traditions. Today is the Tibetan New Year. To mark the auspicious beginning of a fruitful year, people come together to pray and make offerings to the Three Jewels and to help the poor and needy to the best of our ability. Through our respective efforts, we receive the corresponding benefits.
Everyone is wishing each other tashi delek* and I would also like to wish everyone tashi delek too. What everyone wants is happiness, joy, fame and success. We should not only wish happiness and joy for people we like and those we are close to, such as our parents and brothers. We should also think about loving-kindness and compassion, and to wish all sentient beings to be happy and free from suffering. This will help you to accumulate vast amounts of merit.
We have had countless rebirths in the past, but it is very difficult to gain a human life and be able to listen to the Dharma as we are doing today. It is very difficult to meet the Dharma – the holy teachings of the Buddha in general, and the holy teachings of the Dharma King Manjunatha Lama Tsongkhapa in particular. Generally speaking, the teachings of the Buddha are very hard to come by, yet it is even harder to come across Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings on both sutra and tantra.
The second Buddha, Manjunatha Lama Tsongkhapa, did an excellent job of analysing and reorganising the holy teachings, so that they are easier for us to practise. If we do our best to listen [to the teachings] and practise, we will soon be able to take rebirth in the higher realms again and again, and obtain a precious human body life after life. Otherwise, we will just indulge in worldly pursuits. Though this is inevitable for lay people, we should do our best to practise the holy Dharma.
As the saying goes, “Those desiring to escape from suffering hasten right towards suffering. With the very desire to obtain happiness, out of delusion they destroy their own happiness as if it were an enemy.” What you desire is happiness, but what you create are the causes of suffering. Non-virtuous causes only bring suffering, not happiness. Therefore, do your best to practise good virtues and abandon negative actions. The pain and suffering in this life all come from having a self-cherishing attitude.
You should repent negative actions accumulated in countless previous rebirths through use of the Four Opponent Powers. If you do your best to repent, then the smaller negative actions will be completely purified. The major negative actions will become weak; hence you will not have to suffer so much. Recite prayers and perform as many good deeds as you know. Try to do as much as you can. The first and foremost thing is to supplicate the gurus, the root guru that you rely upon. In this way, you will be able to receive your guru’s blessings and to gain special teachings.
Do your best to practise virtue. According to the traditional Tibetan calendar, this is the Month of Miracles (Chotrul Dawa). It begins on the first day of the new year. It commemorates the special time when Buddha Shakyamuni showed miraculous powers to subdue the tirthikas. The Great Prayer Festival was established by the King of Dharma, Manjunatha Lama Tsongkhapa in Lhasa, where tens of thousands of monks from the three great monasteries gathered for the chanting of prayers [to celebrate this month]. “The Venerable Guru practised in this manner; the seeker of liberation should do likewise.” [Alternate translation: “The deeds of the great masters are practices that should be followed by the later generations.”] We should rejoice in the deeds of the past. Today, although we do not have the opportunity to meet and see [them] personally, as I mentioned earlier, we should try our best to practise good virtues, such as prostrating and making offerings. Then the Dharma will eventually grow. Since it is the holy festival now, the merits accumulated will be even more.
Keep the above in mind. Everyone should always be kind-hearted and try your best to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, bodhicitta and right view.
Colophon: The Great Protector [Dorje Shugden] was invoked to take trance on the morning of March 3, 2022. He was requested to give teachings which were translated into Chinese.
*A traditional Tibetan greeting wishing the other person blessings, good health and luck.
多杰雄登大护法新春开示
2022
依據個別傳統，有多種不同的新年算法，而今天是西藏的新年。作為新的一年吉祥豐收的緣起，大家來禮拜供養，盡力供養三寶、濟施貧苦。透過各自的努力，都能得到相應利益。
大家祝賀吉祥如意，我也向大家問候吉祥如意。 大家所想要的是幸福、快樂、名望、順遂。不只要希望自己喜歡的、親近的，諸如父母兄弟等自己家人幸福快樂，更要思惟慈心、悲心，願一切有情具足安樂、遠離痛苦，如此能累積眾多福德。
過去數十萬次受生，能如同現今之身，聽聞正法， 值遇聖教–總體佛陀聖教，特別是妙音祜主法王宗喀巴大師如是聖教，非常困難。一般而言，能值遇佛陀教法已是非常困難，不僅如此，還更值遇其中釋迦牟尼佛顯密雙運的教法。
妙音祜主第二佛尊大宗喀巴作了殊勝希有的整理勘正，使我們得以方便實修，自己若能盡力聽聞、盡力實修，則不久之後，都能由善趣至善趣，歷世獲得善妙之身。否則的話，就只是沉溺於現世謀求。在家人雖不能免，但也應盡力修行善法。
如云:「雖欲除自苦，直往苦中行，痴故雖求樂， 毀樂如殺敵。」欲求的是快樂，做的卻是苦因；不善因帶來的只有痛苦，不會有快樂。所以要盡量修行善法，並盡力斷除罪惡。今生的病痛困頓，都是從自我愛執而來。
過去多次受生所累積的罪惡，由四力對治之門， 進行懺悔。能盡力懺悔，則微小的罪惡能根本清淨， 重大罪惡轉趨薄弱，就不必領受如許痛苦。課誦善行就自己所知，盡力多做。最首要的，是要對上師善知識，自己所依止的根本上師，好好地祈請。如此一來， 就能得到諸如上師加持等特法。
大家盡力行善。就西藏傳統算法，自初一開始， 本月是神變節，是過去佛陀與外道比試神變的重大節日。妙音祜主上師法王大宗喀巴過去在拉薩啟建大願法會，三大寺等數萬僧眾共同集會，課誦發願。「過去大師事蹟，即是後學實修」，對於過去的事蹟，要善加隨喜。現今雖然沒有親遇親見的緣分，但如先前所說， 各自盡力精進於禮拜供養等善行，善法會輾轉勝進， 由於是殊勝節日，特別能累積福德。
以上所說記持在心。大家平時要心地善良，盡力 修學慈心、悲心、菩提心及正見。
2022年3月3日上午請降護法，恭請開示，並轉譯為漢文。
For more interesting information:
- Dorje Shugden’s 2020 Losar Advice
- Dorje Shugden’s 2021 Losar Advice
- The Farm of Your Mind | 你的“心田
- Beginner’s Introduction to Dorje Shugden
- Why I share Dorje Shugden with others
- Various prayers to Dorje Shugden composed by His Holiness the Omniscient 10th Panchen Lama (PDF)
- Never Seen Before Footage of Dorje Shugden Oracles
- The 14th Dalai Lama’s prayer to Dorje Shugden
- Dorje Shugden Taking Trance in Peaceful Form | 多杰雄登护法寂静尊降神
- H.E. the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s Biography
- What He Can Do For Us?
- Dorje Shugden: My Side of the Story
- Dorje Shugden Gyenze to Increase Life, Merits and Wealth
- Shize: A Practice for Healing and Long Life
- Dorje Shugden Trakze to Dispel Black Magic & Spirits
- Dorje Shugden Wangze for Power and Influence
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Panglung Oracle of Dorje Shugden was one of the most famous and well known oracle throughout Tibet. Tibet has an ancient and popular tradition of oracles giving extremely accurate prophetic answers to thousands. The Panglung Oracle took full and glorious trance of the King Protector Dorje Shugden and his grand minister, Kache Marpo. Once in trance, Dorje Shugden will also give Dharma teachings, advice and prophecies to those present. The Panglung Oracle has brought tremendous benefit all these years,thus revealing the great omniscience of Gyalchen Dorje Shugden. It’s a yearly affairs where the oracles will takes trance of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Mainly to give a general pronouncement for the year ahead . This year is no exception Dorje Shugden and Panglung Oracle gave an invaluable advice . To Practice the Dharma sincerely and consistently will lead us to attainments.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing
it’s really wonderful and great to receive yearly advice from our Dharma King Dorje Shugden and Panglung Oracle👍😘Thank you Dorje Shugden and Panglung Oracle for the invaluable advice for this year. Practicing the Dharma sincerely and consistently will lead to attainments. “What you desire is happiness, but what you create are the causes of suffering. Non-virtuous causes only bring suffering, not happiness. Therefore, do your best to practise good virtues and abandon negative actions. The pain and suffering in this life all come from having a self-cherishing attitude.” .Thank you very much Rinpoche and blog team for this great write up!🙏🙏🙏
Thank you Dorje Shugden and Panglung Oracle for the invaluable advice for this year. Practicing the Dharma sincerely and consistently will lead to attainments. This is a very relevant reminder to all of us.
Thank you Dorje Shugden for your kind advice. Practicing the dharma and collecting merits are what we all need so that we can be reborn as a human being to continue our spiritual practice until we’re Enlightened.
“What you desire is happiness, but what you create are the causes of suffering.” This is a great reminder for all of us to be mindful of what we choose to do.