Dorje Shugden Shize: A practice for healing and long life
Manjushri (left), a fully enlightened Buddha, is unlimited in his emanations and forms. One of them is the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden (right).
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Lord Manjushri was one of the foremost disciples of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. Although Manjushri was very advanced in his meditations and practices, he still manifested as if he was learning in the presence of Lord Buddha. There are many teachings that arose as a result of Manjushri’s questions to Lord Buddha. This is because when Manjushri was receiving teachings from the Buddha with the rest of the congregation, he would always stand up respectfully and ask questions. Because Manjushri requested, the Buddha would elucidate, explain and answer his questions, and thus a set of teachings would arise to benefit people. It wasn’t always that Manjushri needed to ask questions to get the answer, but he asked out of compassion for sentient beings who would benefit from the answers. In the Buddhist tradition, an enlightened being will teach only when a student has made a request for that being to turn the Wheel of Dharma.
Since Manjushri is a fully advanced and fully enlightened being, he has no corporeal boundaries. He can appear as male or female, wrathful or peaceful, many-armed, one-armed, two-armed or with no arms. He can appear in any dimension, any space, any time, any place. He can appear simultaneously; he can appear in the millions, in the thousands, in the hundreds of thousands, simultaneously and each emanation with the ability to operate independently to benefit others. This is because of Manjushri’s enlightened nature. When enlightened beings emanate, they can emanate in many forms, in any way to help other beings.
Hence we have the Protector Dorje Shugden who is a direct emanation of Manjushri, as was initially confirmed by the Sakya masters. Later, the Gelug masters extracted the teachings, practices, meditations, rituals and rites of Dorje Shugden. They did so from the writings of the great Sakya patriarchs, the first ones to recognise Dorje Shugden and enthrone him, and encourage his practice, by even writing long prayers to propitiate him. The Gelugpa masters took these teachings from the Sakya masters and developed it further.
Within the writings and teachings of the great masters of the past, it has been shown that Dorje Shugden has five principal forms. I have spoken about these five in the past: his principal form as Duldzin, his increase form as Gyenze, his control form as Wangze and his wrathful form as Trakze. Finally, we have his peaceful form here, Shize.
‘Shize’ is the Tibetan word for ‘appearing in a peaceful form’. In this case, the peaceful form of Dorje Shugden has one face and two arms. His right hand holds a wealth arrow which is adorned with five-coloured silks and a divination mirror. The divination mirror demonstrates that this form of Dorje Shugden can help you to see into even the distant future; Shize’s practice is very effective in helping us to receive prophecies or develop clairvoyance.
Shize’s left hand gently grasps a lasso, representing his ability to bind all attachments and defilements that restrict us from doing Dharma practice. Therefore when we worship this form of Dorje Shugden, we are requesting his blessings to bind our attachments, negativities and obstacles that obstruct us from practising Dharma. Shize wears the clothes of a celestial prince; his many layers of robes are very ornate, made of intricate brocade and beautifully-coloured. On his feet are very beautiful boots. Shize also wears the ornaments of a high-ranking royal personage on his head and his body.
Shize is one of the four cardinal emanations of Dorje Shugden, who embodies the activity of pacification.
His royal elephant is adorned in similar fashion. Splendidly bejeweled, the elephant is tamed, calm and very pleasant. Shize sits astride this elephant with his legs outstretched, in the pose of one who is able to come and help you any time you invoke upon his energies. His riding on the elephant represents the steadiness of the mind, and the mind that does not deter from obstacles or from benefiting others, and that is very stalwart and also extremely stable.
When you do Shize’s practice, you are invoking the energy of peace and accomplishing things through peaceful methods. So if you are in an area that has an epidemic, you can do Shize’s practice. If you are in an area that has many arguments and a lot of disharmony, or in a household or a place or organisation that has a lot of disharmony, then you can engage in Shize’s practice to help calm the situation down and to find peaceful resolutions.
If our mind is always jumpy, unhappy, depressed and sad, or it is always unstable, Shize’s practice is excellent for calming ourselves down and increasing our merits. His practice results in our minds becoming much happier and being alleviated from depressions.
We can also rely on Shize’s practice to overcome serious illnesses. There are many deities in the Buddhist pantheon who can help us in overcoming our illnesses. We can rely on any of them but who is ‘most effective’ depends on our own karmic affinity as to which deity we can practise. In this case, if we have a karmic affinity to Dorje Shugden in the form of Shize, then we can engage in his practice to help prolong our life, quell illnesses, release us from obstructions and to create peace and harmony in a place that is fraught with disharmony, instability, obstacles and problems. Even in areas where there are a lot of natural disasters, Shize’s practice can be engaged in to calm the area down and to relax the area.
The Shize practice that I present here is compiled from traditional sources. You do not need any oral transmission, initiation or permission – former or formal permission – to do this practice. You can engage in it immediately. Hence, I have provided everything here for you to do Shize’s practice, including three separate mantras, all of which are valid. You can choose from any of the three mantras to recite. I’ve also provided a link where you can download his picture, which you can keep on your altar.
The benefits of Shize’s practice are manifold. On an outer level, you will experience healing and increase of life, as well as blessing of medicines that you’re about to take, blessing of herbs and the blessing of one’s mind. All of this can be accomplished with Shize’s practice. Shize’s practice is also wonderful for calming and blessing the environment, including the ground, trees, air, water, grass, animals and the landscape so that the place will be calm and happy, and bring peace to people’s minds. So Shize’s purpose, on an outer level, is to bring peace, calmness, happiness and an increase of life.
On an inner level, by doing Shize’s practice correctly, he will bless and guide us. Relying on Shize will remove the obstacles for us to do Dharma practice and, ultimately, to achieve Bodhicitta and the realisation of Sunyata according to Nagarjuna’s view. This is because Shize is a direct emanation of Dorje Shugden who is none other than the enlightened Manjushri himself.
I wish everybody tremendous luck and good wishes that you may engage in his practice. May you experience quickly the benefits of relying on Shize, the peaceful form of Dorje Shugden.
Good wishes,
Tsem Rinpoche
Commentary on Shize Practice:
A Practice to Increase Healing, Long Life
and the Efficacy of Medicines
This commentary on Shize’s practice was compiled from traditional sources by His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche.
Date: 4th July 2016
NOTE: This is a commentary on Shize’s practice and can be done daily by anyone who wishes to cultivate the energies of healing and long life in their lives. This practice does not require any initiations.
Introduction
Shize, or Vairochana Shugden, the healing emanation of Dorje Shugden
A quick scan of media headlines will give you a good idea about what concerns people today – career, financial stability, relationships, children, education and, as enduringly as ever, good health. Tonics, diet tips, vitamins, health potions and proclamations of the latest superfoods fill the airwaves, each declaring that they can promote longevity. Because everyone yearns for good health, the market for longevity therefore traverses borders and income strata, from the poor who worry about the expense of sickness to even the grossly rich, who are not immune to the desire for a long life and good health, perhaps to have more time to enjoy luxury.
Illness and death are therefore universal truths, something that no one can escape, regardless of their wealth. This is something that the historical Buddha Shakyamuni himself recognised some 2,500 years ago. Raised in a palace and cloistered within four walls of luxury with his every whim and fancy catered to, the Buddha had only ever experienced youth and beauty. That is, up until his first trip out of the palace when Prince Siddhartha Gautama (as he was known then) witnessed what has come to be known as The Four Sights – an old man, a man ravaged by sickness, a corpse and an ascetic. He realised these states of existence applied to everyone and he knew no way of stopping them. At that moment in time, he did not have the knowledge to help anyone, let alone his loved ones, avoid the suffering of The Four Sights. His beautiful wife Yasodhara and his beloved son Rahula would one day grow old and pass, and he was powerless to stop this from happening; he realised everything he had experienced up until that point, all the youth and wealth, had been a delusion, a distraction and a lie. It was these truths and this realisation that compelled him to leave the palace to seek a permanent end to suffering.
And so Buddha eventually came to meditate under a Bodhi tree where he gained full enlightenment. From that moment onwards until his parinirvana, there are many stories and parables associated with the Buddha demonstrating the universality of death and the attainments one gains upon realising that universality. One of the most famous parables concerns a distraught mother, Kisa Gotami, who lost her son. In her grief, she carried her son’s body to her neighbours’ homes, asking them for a medicine which could cure death. After some time, a man kindly advised her to request for the Buddha’s intervention so she went to seek Him out. Upon meeting the Buddha, Kisa Gotami repeated her request, asking that the Buddha cure her son. The Buddha compassionately agreed, saying He needed a handful of mustard seeds from a home where no one had lost a child, husband, parent or friend. Overjoyed at this ray of hope, Kisa Gotami thusly focused her search on identifying such a house. At each household she encountered, she repeated her request for a handful of mustard seeds, only to discover every single house had lost a friend or loved one.
Kisa Gotami presenting her deceased son’s body to Buddha Shakyamuni, imploring him to cure his death. The Buddha skilfully helped her to realise that no one escapes death.
Only its timing is uncertain.
Growing weary and losing hope, Kisa Gotami sat down and watched the lights of her city as she pondered her next move. The lights flickered up then down, over and over again until night finally took over. She compared this to the lives of sentient beings whose lives flicker up and down, until they are finally extinguished. Unbeknownst to Kisa Gotami, she was actually engaging in death meditation and it was then she realised that “death is common to all; yet in this valley of desolation there is a path that leads him to immortality who has surrendered all selfishness.” After coming to this realisation, Kisa Gotami abandoned her quest to cure her son’s death and buried him in the nearby woods. She then joined the Buddha as one of his disciples, studying and practising under him until she gained realisations.
The path to immortality that Kisa Gotami referred to can be found in the 84,000 teachings of the Buddha. The Buddha explained at length the causes of suffering and the methods of alleviating suffering for ourselves and others. In the Buddha’s corpus of teachings, the Buddha also elucidated the basis of extending one’s life, and the reasons why we should do it. Within the Buddhist context, ill health is generally considered an obstacle to spiritual practice. When we are sick, our weakened state distracts us from meditation and practice. Physically, our discomfort is a distraction and mentally, our desire to ease this discomfort agitates our mind to such a point that meditative focus is impossible.
The Buddha recognised this after six years of meditation, when He practised austerities to the point of near-starvation. After nearly drowning after having fallen into the river in his grossly depleted state, the Buddha realised His body was too weak and if He continued, He would die before gaining knowledge of ultimate liberation. Thus when a village girl Sujata offered to Him payasam (pudding of milk and jaggery), the Buddha partook in some, much to the disgust of his meditation companions who felt he had given up his ascetic practices. They abandoned him soon after. Feeling reenergised however, the Buddha realised that a Middle Path approach was necessary in order to gain attainments. Too austere a practice and one would be distracted by weakness, illness and maybe even death, while too lax a practice could lead to mental laziness and submitting to the distractions of worldly existence.
For the higher practitioners however, ill health can become a catalyst for deeper practice. When we suffer from severe illness, it forces us to confront our mortality. Where most people fear this, practitioners who are higher in terms of knowledge and attainments will see ill health as an opportunity to remind themselves of the fragility of human life. Not only will it compel them to practise even harder, knowing they may pass at any time, but they rejoice in their ill health because it is a sign their negative karma is being spent so they never have to experience it again. They may perhaps even use it as an opportunity to develop bodhicitta by practising tonglen – the practice of taking suffering upon oneself – and visualising that other sentient beings’ negative karma is ripening upon them (the practitioner). With their ill health, they therefore have the opportunity to absorb these sentient beings’ suffering.
The parable of the blind turtle poking its head through a randomly-spinning yoke is used in the Lamrim to describe the value of a human rebirth.
The practice of tonglen is something only humans can engage in. Sentient beings in other realms, for example the animal realm, do not have the cognitive capacity for this. Hence not only did the Buddha counsel on the importance of a human body for spiritual practice, but He also extended this counsel to human life and its crucial role in spiritual practice. The importance of this teaching is replicated in all Buddhist traditions. For example, in the first chapter of the Lamrim (Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand), His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche expounds on the preciousness of human life and the rarity of such a rebirth. This emphasis is for the reader to set their motivation to approach the Lamrim seriously, and to impress upon the practitioner that we should not waste our life on activities that deepen our samsara. In Chapter 1, Pabongka Rinpoche employs the parable of a blind turtle to demonstrate the preciousness of human life. He teaches that it swims in a vast ocean, only to surface every 100 years. On the surface of this vast ocean is a yoke spinning at random. The preciousness and rarity of a human life is comparable to the chance of this blind turtle surfacing every 100 years and catching its head in the yoke.
Given the preciousness of our human life, longevity in the Buddhist context is about extending our opportunity to make full use of our precious human life, in order to learn, practise, understand, contemplate and gain realisations from the Dharma. As noted by Kisa Gotami, there exist practices within the Buddha’s corpus of teachings to help extend one’s life and develop the causes for good health. This is done through the purification of negative karma, which can manifest as health obstacles, and the accumulation of merit to create conducive conditions for one’s practice.
In the Tibetan Buddhist system for example, meditation masters may instruct their students to change their names and burn all of their clothes during potentially life-threatening situations. Accompanied by rituals, this is a symbolic severing of their ties with the karma for disaster to fall upon them. Another practice is that of Shize, who is one of the forms of the enlightened Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Shize’s activity is that of pacification and his specific purpose is to clear obstacles towards our health and life, and to increase the efficacy of medicines and treatments. His practice is explained in greater detail below.
The importance of Shize lies in the fact that at some point, everyone will fall sick, require treatment and eventually come face to face with death. Even rituals cannot overcome this; but the practice of Shize, if done with good motivation, can have the effect of purifying the karma that leads to a shortening of lifespan. In addition, Shize has the power to subdue tempestuous elements that distract us, and return us to recalling the advice of the great masters – to rely on no one and nothing else but the Three Jewels. Through relying on the Three Jewels, we will gain the double-fold result we want, that of health and long life, and the causes to further our spiritual practice. What is most beautiful about this is that when we further our spiritual practice and take one step closer to enlightenment, we will achieve the state that Kisa Gotami recognised thousands of years ago, the state of true immortality as a fully enlightened Buddha, where no sickness, ill health or death will ever besmirch our existence again.
The Activity of Pacification
In the Buddhist practice, we take refuge in the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in order to increase our merits, purify our karma and be blessed with the four types of activities, which are Pacification, Increase, Subjugation and Wrath. These four types of enlightened activities all arise from the wisdom and skilful means of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in order to benefit us.
The activities of Pacification are to purify, pacify and remove obstacles and illnesses. On the other hand, the activities classified under ‘Increase’ are those which bring about an increase of beneficial causes and conditions for our material and spiritual well-being to come to fruition. The activity of Subjugation aims to arrest negative circumstances and minds. Finally, the activity of Wrath is the action of eliminating the most dangerous and negative causes and conditions that are harmful to us. Each of the aforementioned activities is embodied in each of the five emanations of Dorje Shugden – Duldzin Dorje Shugden (main form), Shize (Pacification), Gyenze (Increase), Wangze (Subjugation) and Trakze (Wrath).
When we propitiate Shize, we are tapping into Dorje Shugden’s activity of Pacification. Since Shize is an emanation of Manjushri, propitiating and making offerings to him will generate the merits we need for conducive conditions to practise. One such conducive condition is that of good health and long life. Where poor health can be a distraction and create physical obstacles, a short life reduces the amount of time we have in this human body to study, practise and gain realisations. Propitiating Shize therefore increases our lifespan which is important because it allows us the time to develop spiritual realisations that we can take to our next life.
Due to the enlightened nature of Shize, the merits that accrue from propitiating this deity cannot be exhausted in the same way mere good karma is used up. Merits are dedicated towards our full enlightenment and it is infinitely enduring. Hence the accumulation of merits through Shize’s practice, as well as the corresponding purification of bad karma can change the destiny of our next rebirth. It helps to create the causes for us to receive a higher rebirth again, one in which we can continue on our spiritual journey.
Thus, as described by Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Dorje Shugden in the form of Shize acts as a dispeller of all obstacles, eliminating sickness, spirits, misfortune and hindrances, and the karma that creates them.
The Five Aggregates
In this mandala of Dorje Shugden, Shize or Vairochana Shugden appears below the principal deity (centre). Shize’s practice increases our long life, health and the efficacy of any medicines or treatments we may be receiving.
The Five Families of Dorje Shugden refer to his main emanation of Duldzin Dorje Shugden; the ‘peaceful’ emanation, Shize or Vairochana Shugden; the ‘increase’ emanation, Gyenze or Ratna Shugden; the ‘control’ emanation, Wangze or Pema Shugden and the ‘wrathful’ emanation, Trakze or Karma Shugden. Each of these emanations represents one of the five aggregates of Dorje Shugden, and each emanation takes on a different appearance that denotes their special function manifested in order to benefit practitioners in different manners. While these emanations appear as separate deities, they are, in reality, of the same mind stream as Dorje Shugden, and each is complete in itself.
The five aggregates, also known as skandhas, are what the Buddha had explained to be the five aspects that make up a sentient being. The five aggregates are Form, Feeling, Discrimination, Mental Factors and Consciousness. For an enlightened being like Dorje Shugden, he is able to emanate each of his aggregates as a separate being. Shize is the emanation of Dorje Shugden’s aggregate of form and he acts as a healer, purifying negative karma that is the cause of our physical and mental ailments. The aggregate of form is related to our physical bodies and the five elements – earth, air, water, fire and wind. More generally, it is all that we can see, hear, touch, smell and taste, and it also includes the subtle faculties that do the seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and taste. These aggregates capture phenomena around us which stimulates and feeds our gross mind, thereby leading us to behave in a manner that generates further karma. With Shize’s guidance and practice however, we learn to arrest this karma and prevent it from fruitioning into our physical and mental ailments.
Shize Practice
Click to view the high resolution image and right click to save. This can be printed out for your altar.
Since Shize is the emanation of Dorje Shugden’s aggregate of form that has been purified, every aspect of his body represents various enlightened qualities. Furthermore, Shize’s physical form reveals his great ability and strength to pacify the negative karma that creates obstacles for us. In this way, his practice is excellent for healing our diseases, be it mental or physical, as well as overcoming disease, natural disasters and calamities, and purifying negative karmas and obstacles. In the mandala of Dorje Shugden, Shize appears below the main deity (Duldzin Dorje Shugden) in the form of a prince with one face and two arms.
White in colour, Shize has a semi-wrathful smile. In his right hand, he holds aloft a lance that has a mirror tied to it. The lance – sometimes an arrow – has five-coloured silks tied to it. In his left hand, he holds a noose. He rides astride the king of elephants which is white. Wearing flowing white silk robes, a golden turban adorns his head. The colour white is associated with Shize, for its association with learning and knowledge and if meditated upon, white can cut the delusion of ignorance which ultimately is the source of all our ailments. The colour white is also associated with purity; in this case, Shize’s practice is a purifying one, removing the causes for us to develop and suffer from serious illnesses.
“O you whose purified aggregate of form, in the dance of the pacifier, is a new youthful body of a hundred thousand autumn moons, holding silk beribboned arrow and noose, riding the king of elephants, the dispeller of negative conditions and obstructors, to you I praise.”
In actual fact, no Buddha or Dharma Protector can change our karma. Therefore, how Shize is able to come to our aid is because he works with the merits and purification that was accumulated through our practice of propitiating him. In other words, Shize’s practice supplies the merits through which we access Shize’s divine powers that help us. Without this, we would be unable to receive his blessings, therefore the practice is important. Naturally, we gain merits through relying, making offerings, visualising and reciting his mantra. With these merits, Shize is able to activate positive karma that is dormant and he is also able to hold back negative karma from ripening. When Shize holds back heavy negative karma, it is not removed but temporarily prevented from ripening until we have purified the karma to the extent that the karma is diminished or completely purified so that it is not harmful anymore.
You who are a manifestation of Manjushri’s vajra body,
Please arise in this pacifying form,
As a dispeller of all obstacles,
To dispel sickness, spirits, misfortune and hindrances.
An important ‘advantage’ of Shize and that which makes this practice most efficacious and swift is the fact that Shize is an enlightened being in a worldly form. This means that he is a lot quicker in coming to our aid than other healing deities due to having a closer karmic affinity with us. This is because Shize is in the form of a deva, a powerful existence within the six realms of samsara. According to the Buddha, the other realms below are the demi-god, human, animal, spirit and hell-being existence. Yet, although Shize’s existence is a deva, his mind is that of Manjushri. In addition, being a relatively ‘new’ protector that only arose over 300 years ago, Shize’s close affinity with us translates into him having the strength of a thousand Dharma Protectors and his practice is much swifter than any other healing deity or practice.
Relative Benefits of Shize’s Practice
- Increase lifespan
- Help heal diseases
- Potency in blessing medicines
- Potency in helping to overcome depression and other mental disturbances
- Calming down arguments
- Helping to let go of anger and anger-related issues
- Calming down an environment with a lot of anger energy and upheavals
- Calming down natural disasters and problems in the area
- Excellent for blessing places with tumultuous energy and those related to crimes. In such places, residual negative energy can remain long after the activities have ceased
- Excellent for blessing water, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and the environment, for example trees, land and crops
- Excellent to bless us to develop psychic abilities and to enhance any psychic abilities one may currently possess. The art of foretelling the future is enhanced with Shize’s practice
Ultimate Benefits of Shize’s Practice
- Removing obstacles to gain higher insight into the Buddha’s teachings
- Removing obstacles to gain higher insight and wisdom in general, even if it is not related to the Buddha’s teachings. The results gained from engaging in Shize’s practice are not based on our own spirituality or religion.
- Help us to see the faults of the selfish mind, which is the cause of anger. Shize counters this by giving us a calm mind
- Ultimately, clears obstacles to engage in practice to gain Bodhicitta and the ultimate view of emptiness according to Nagarjuna
Setting up an Altar
In order to propitiate Shize, it will be good to have a shrine to Shize, complete with representations of the Buddha’s Body, Speech and Mind, alongside various types of offerings. The ‘Body’ here refers to a statue, thangka or picture of Shize alongside our root Guru or lineage Gurus. ‘Speech’ is represented by a Dharma text and ‘Mind’ is represented by a stupa.
On our shrine to Shize, we can offer incense, water, flowers, any types of food, electric or candle lights, sensory offerings, mandalas, the Eight Auspicious Signs, the Seven Royal Emblems and so forth. As part of our practice, we should ensure that the altar is neat, clean and the offerings are changed regularly. The practice of cleaning and making offerings before engaging in Shize’s practice is part of the preparatory rite that will ensure the success of our practice.
Altar set up:
- A Buddha image or statue
- A Shize image or statue
- A Dharma text
- A Stupa
- One set of Sensory Offerings (Optional) (From left to right – Water, water, flower, incense, light, perfume, food, and a conch shell)
- One set of water offerings (Optional)
An altar is an important component of the practice of Buddhism, as it serves as a reminder of our practice objectives – which is to develop qualities in ourselves so we may be able to help all sentient beings. This is the spiritual benefit of having an altar.
An altar can be set up anywhere except inside the washroom. To develop the view that the enlightened beings on the altar are present before us, it is appropriate to always show respect in front of the altar. Therefore, if an altar is set up in the bedroom, it is encouraged to cover it when engaging in activities that are private in nature.
An ideal altar would consist of all six items listed above. However, at the very least, the altar should hold an image of Shize and, with time, one can add the remaining items when available. How complete our altar is reflects how seriously we take the practice of Shize in order to derive the benefits of his practice. Therefore, just like anything, the amount of effort placed into the practice reflects the results of the practice.
“Extra touches” can be added to the altar. One set of water offerings with seven to eight cups can be arranged in front of the altar with pure, clean water filled to about the length of one grain of rice from the brim. A set of wrathful offerings which symbolizes the offering of one’s negative karma, can be neatly arranged behind the water offerings.
The Practice Guide
Click here to download the prayer text.
Taking Refuge
Video on How to Do Prostrations:
The practice begins with the recitation of the refuge formula three times. In this case, one is taking refuge in Lama Tsongkhapa – the Guru and Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
When reciting the refuge formula, strongly visualise Lama Tsongkhapa surrounded by his eight main disciples at eye level. If this visualisation is too difficult and advanced at the beginning, one can start by visualising just two of his main disciples, Khedrup Je Rinpoche and Gyaltsab Je Rinpoche. Envision them sitting in Gaden Heaven on their thrones adorned with jewels that are glittering. All three are smiling, happy and warmly sending down their blessings.
Dorje Shugden Shize, white in colour and sitting astride an elephant
From within Lama Tsongkhapa’s throne (seat), visualise a powerful yellow light emanating out. This light is none other than Manjushri’s mind, descending from Gaden Heaven to appear in front of you.
Visualise a brilliant mass of luminous clouds and in the midst of the clouds is Shize, in the form described above. In his heart, there is a sun disc on which is a syllable letter “Hung”, white in colour. From the letter “Hung”, light emanates out into the 10 directions to invite all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and deities, and dissolves back into the “Hung”. The Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and deities become one with Shize in nature and become firm in front of you. Now Shize embodies the complete Three Jewels within his form. So anything done to Shize is the same as if you have done to all the Three Jewels. The visualised Shize is the samaya being, and the Shize invited from within Tsongkhapa’s throne is the wisdom being. When they combine, they become one and inseparable. So you should believe that the real wisdom being Shize is in front of you now. It is important to believe that. Then, visualise Shize, emanated from below Lama Tsongkhapa’s throne, remains connected to Shize. This signifies the source of blessings is from Lama Tsongkhapa and we are connected to Gaden Heaven.
The Four Immeasurables
The Four Immeasurables are recited to establish good motivation that all practice done to protect oneself does not harm any other being, including the beings that are causing harm to you.
The premise on which The Four Immeasurables are practiced is that ‘everyone wants to be happy, but happiness cannot be achieved in isolation‘. In fact, happiness depends upon the happiness of all, revealing that all life is interdependent. In order to be happy, one needs to cultivate wholesome attitudes towards others in society and towards all sentient beings.
Therefore, the best way of cultivating wholesome attitudes towards all sentient beings is through contemplative meditation on the Four Immeasurables, which cultivates loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity towards an immeasurable number of sentient beings.
The practice of Four Immeasurables is also a powerful antidote to negative mental states such as anger and pride.
Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa
After completing The Four Immeasurables, proceed to the Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa. When reciting the Migtsema mantra (at least 21 times) according to the guided visualisation above (described at ‘Taking Refuge’), it is important to develop the thought and faith that Shize (in 3-Dimension / 3D) is in front of you, all-powerful and efficacious. Upon completing the Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa, move on to recite Dorje Shugden’s prayers.
Dorje Shugden’s Prayers – Kanshag
Introduction
The Kangshag to Dorje Shugden is a very powerful practice to remove our obstacles and purify the negative karma that has caused us to experience poverty, lack of resources and dire conditions.
The Kangshag prayers may sound very violent and rough. However this is not unique to Dorje Shugden’s practice. It is also a common feature in other Dharma Protector prayers such as Kalarupa, Palden Lhamo, Mahakala and many others. Therefore, to the ignorant, or to one who does not have a qualified master to explain the significance of such wrathful manifestations in the prayers, one may wrongfully feel repelled or recite it only based on faith. While reciting the Kangshag based purely on faith is acceptable, it is much more effective when we do our practices with a certain level of awareness and understanding. Once we realize that this wrathful manifestation by the Kangshag came into existence purely from Dorje Shugden’s pure compassion for all sentient beings, we will learn to appreciate and value the practice with great devotion.
In visualising the purifying of one’s negative karma through Kangshag, we must first understand that the human figures depicted in the visualisation below are not human beings as we know. These human-like figures are without sentience and are the negative qualities that cause us to continuously create negative karma, such as jealousy, anger, ignorance, attachments and more. Because these negative qualities are not tangible, we visualise them as representative beings in human-like form in order for Shize and entourage to slay these negative qualities for us.
Kangshag Visualisation
Visualise a wrathful environment which is the manifestation of our negative karma. In this space, a massive human-like figure, huge as a mountain, manifests before you. This human-like figure is all of our negative karma and negative qualities that hinder our spiritual growth.
Visualise Shize and his entourage descending onto this human-like figure and dismembering it, forming countless complete sets of wrathful offerings.
The wrathful offerings consist of:
- ‘Argham’ (tea) – visualise all the blood from the being is emptied into the first bowl and offered up.
- ‘Phupe’ (wrathful flower) – visualise the skull overturned. In the skull is placed the heart. On the heart are the eyes, ears, tongue and nose; all symmetrically arranged on the heart.
- ‘Duphe’ (incense) – visualise all the remaining bones of the body (save the thighbone) being taken out and burned. The smoke arising from this is offered to Shize.
- ‘Aloke’ (light) – visualise all the fat of the body taken out and made into a butterlamp and offered up to Shize.
- ‘Gyende’ (perfume) – visualise all the remaining liquids in the body such as urine, bile, pus and others, emptied into a bowl and offered up.
- ‘Newide’ (food) – visualise all the flesh of the body being cut up and offered.
- ‘Shapta’ (sound) – visualise the thighbone carved into a wind instrument, as an offering to Shize.
Upon ending the Kangshag prayer, visualise that all these negative manifestations have been destroyed by Shize and entourage. The visualisation of purification is in wrathful, gory form as a training for us not to be attached or repulsed to the pleasant and unpleasant. It is another method in which renunciation is meditated upon by seeing our bodies arising from negative karma pulverized, smashed and destroyed as in the Chod teachings. This practice may be visual and wrathful in nature but it is all in the spirit of Buddhist renunciation, such as when Thai monks meditate in cemeteries or in front of bones and skulls to actualize detachment from our bodies in which we have false view of its permanence and thereby invest in it inordinate time, energy and resources – when in the end it fails us with death. Renunciation is an extremely powerful component in our meditations to actualize in order that our Dharma practice becomes genuine. This necessity to actualize renunciation is pervasive in all three Yanas of Buddhism. (End of visualisation)
Therefore, when making these offerings while reciting the Kangshag, we are purifying the karma that we have accumulated from many lifetimes. The Kangshag should be recited as many times as possible but as a guideline, it can be recited three, seven or 21 times during each prayer session, depending on the urgency of the situation. The Kangshag recitation coupled with visualisation is a very powerful method for purifying immediate negative karma. The more Kangshags we can recite with visualisation of Shize, the more immediate the results. 100,000 Kangshag recitations are sometimes done by the assembly of monks in unison over a few days because it is so effective. No negative repercussions can ever arise from reciting Kangshag of Shize or any other Dharma protector.
Torma
After reciting Kangshag, it is beneficial to make offerings of tormas to the Dharma Protector.
Making traditional torma: The maker wears a mask to protect the “cleanliness” of the torma from our breath (which is considered impure).
Tormas are ritual cakes made mostly from flour and butter that are used as offerings in Tibetan Buddhist rituals. Tormas come in various shapes and sizes, according to their purpose but they are usually in conical form. They can be dyed in different colours depending on the practice for which the torma is being made. Tormas are most commonly found in white and red. H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche mentioned it will not be practical for non-monastics to offer traditional tormas. So he said it will be fine to offer things we like to eat, for example cookies and biscuits. If we are travelling or in a hotel, plane or train, we can still do the Shize practice without any of the offerings, just the recitation and visualisation. We should make do with time, place and circumstance to the best of our abilities. Sincerity, trust and faith in our practice to Shize will definitely bear results.
For regular practitioners who are not trained to make the traditional form of tormas, the tormas can be represented with a glass bottle, filled with cookies. If one wishes to make torma offerings throughout the practice, the following tormas can be prepared:
- One large jar filled with biscuits (torma offerings to Lama Tsongkhapa)
- One large jar filled with biscuits (torma offerings to Shize)
- One smaller jar filled with biscuits (torma offerings to Shize’s entourage)
However, if time is limited, the torma offering can be omitted. The tormas (biscuits) are in jars simply to prevent insects from getting to them. You can offer the tormas on plates, bowls or cups and discard them in a clean place at the end of the puja/prayer. You can also eat the tormas as a blessing. If you don’t want to eat them, they can be wrapped in paper and then discarded in the garbage.
Black Tea Offering (Serkyem)
This practice is also called Golden Drink Offering or Serkym, which forms a central part of the Dorje Shugden Kangsol. This practice was developed as an extended offering to the Dharma Protector to request for swift assistance. Hence, the Serkym offering has become popular and it is commonly practiced among modern practitioners to request for swift assistance, especially in times of dire need. Traditionally, tea is used as an offering. However, other beverages like milk or even carbonated drinks can be used as a replacement.
The Serkym offering is traditionally offered by pouring the beverage into a two-tiered vessel, which consists of a taller vessel placed into a lower bowl. If the Tibetan-style Serkym ritual item (which is normally made of brass) cannot be obtained, one can replace it by using a tall glass (such as a wine glass) placed in a glass bowl.
During the Serkym offering, the beverage is poured from a pot or jug into the taller vessel until the liquid overflows down into the lower bowl. In Buddhism, the overflowing liquid is highly auspicious as a symbol of abundance of merits, virtues, material resources and conducive conditions for Dharma practice.
The beverage can either be poured fully into the vessel prior to the recitation of the Serkym verses, or it can be poured a little at a time during the recitation of relevant passages throughout the liturgy. If the latter method is chosen, pour a little of the tea into the taller vessel so that you do not present an empty vessel to the Buddhas. Before starting, consecrate the Serkym by circling a lit incense stick three times clockwise around the Serkym set while chanting the mantra ‘OM AH HUM‘.
While making the Serkym offering, visualise the beverage as divine nectar that expands to fill an entire ocean which represents all the desirable things in the world that pleases the five senses.
Mantra Recitation
Once you complete the black tea (Serkym) offering, recite the increase mantra of Dorje Shugden as a request for healing and pacifying activities. Shize’s mantra is “OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SHANTI SIDDHI HUNG”. You can recite one, three, seven or as many malas of this mantra as you wish. It is encouraged to recite as many mantras as possible. It is also highly recommended that the practice is consistent and done daily. Upon completion of the mantra recitation during each session, recite the Vajrasattva purification mantra 21 times (You can recite either the 100-syllable Vajrasattva mantra or the short mantra – OM VAJRASATTVA HUNG).
When reciting Shize’s mantra, it is important to accompany it with the visualisation as taught by His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche
(NOTE: Shize has many mantras but the iteration ending “SHANTI SIDDHI HUNG” is generally recommended. Also good for practitioners to recite, if they would like to, are “OM BENZA WIKI BITANA CHINTAU KURU YE SOHA” and “OM BENZA WIKI BITANA AYU SIDDHI HUNG“. Any of these will be appropriate.)
An Extended Explanation of the Mantra Recitation Visualisation
First, we visualise ourselves as a yidam. Yidam is the meditational deity or Buddha from any of the four classes of Tantra that we are initiated into. If we do not have a yidam that we have received initiation of, we visualise Lama Tsongkhapa sitting gently on the crown of our head. Then, lights that are white in colour go out to Shize’s heart. Shize sits on a sun disc with the white syllable ‘HUNG’ and surrounding mantra garland at his heart. The mantra garland is basically Shize’s mantra encircling the syllable ‘HUNG’ clockwise. This represents the ‘Mind’ of Shize. The white lights represent our request to Shize to perform activities to heal and pacify obstacles.
From Shize, white healing lights return to you. Visualise the healing light descending upon you, enveloping you and entering you.
The light envelopes your body as it glows and heals your body. Your mind becomes light and your body becomes fit. The sickness is then expelled through your anus. Believe, believe, believe this and hold the visualization will reciting the Shize’s mantra.
Upon the completion of the visualisation, we do the Dissolution meditation. At this point, the commitment beings (visualised Shize and entourage) dissolve into Shize and then, the actual Shize which is the wisdom being dissolves into us. We think that we have become one with Manjushri. The completion of this visualisation is crucial towards gaining inner wealth and spiritual attainments.
Dothey and Dedication
Before bringing the session to a close, it is good to recite the Dothey prayer, the request to Dorje Shugden for his enlightened activities which was written by H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. The Dothey also contains graphic verses and exhortations to ‘kill the enemy‘, but such graphic words are only symbology, not actually directed at sentient beings. In any Buddhist practice, no harm is inflicted on others by ritual, thought, meditation or action. The word ‘kill‘ in Dothey refers to the destruction of one’s own inner enemies which are ego, selfishness, miserliness, anger and hatred. So ‘kill the enemy‘ in Dothey may sound quite violent but it refers to the violence that we actually create emotionally towards the people around us due to such afflictive emotions. This practice is aimed at ‘killing off‘ those negative emotions within us or at least realizing that the enemy is within.
After you finish Dothey, visualise Shize and Lama Tsongkhapa dissolving into you and recite the dissolution verses. End the session with a short dedication. It is very important to make a sincere dedication.
Conclusion
Shize is no other than Manjushri, emanating to specifically heal our sicknesses, increase our lifespan and improve the efficacy of our treatments and medicines. Doing Shize’s practice will bless us to subdue obstacles related to our health so that we can increase our engagement in Dharma activities, energy, and facilitate attainments. Thus, while the general result of Shize’s practice is health, long life and increase in merits, the real purpose of Shize’s practice is to be blessed with more opportunity to engage in spiritual practice. With this, we eventually gain an understanding into the deeper teachings of Dharma and facilitate the mind training practices such as Lojong.
Shize’s practice therefore clears the karma which gives rise to the physical and mental illnesses that we experience, both as the diseases we recognise and those that are more subtle. The real ailments are those of the mind – miserliness, greed, jealousy – which create the causes for us to experience physical and temporal suffering. Hence Shize’s practice, in creating the causes for us to deepen our understanding of the Dharma, actually heals our mental, subtle ailments which in turn cuts away the root cause of our physical sufferings.
Ultimately, Lord Manjushri can manifest in myriad shapes, forms, and appearances, both animate and inanimate because an enlightened mind has no restrictions. The enlightened beings will manifest, re-manifest and again emanate according to time, place, circumstance and karmic affinity of the sentient beings they are benefiting.
So, Dorje Shugden’s practice is 400 years old and considered relatively new, because many now are in need of this type of emanation. Dorje Shugden’s affinity and his special ability to help beings will be recognised more widely in time. We may hold Dorje Shugden in any of his forms such as Shize as our main Dharma Protector practice. Again, the Dharma Protector is not our main practice but sometimes necessary to alleviate the many daily problems we encounter. Once we trust and rely on a sublime being such as Dorje Shugden, as the years pass, we will see a special relationship develop and he will take care of us as a father for his only child.
Dorje Shugden’s compassion, wisdom and skilful means are unlimited as he is a fully enlightened Buddha, manifesting as a Dharma Protector. How fortunate we are to even hear his name and also to engage in his practice. Whether you are Buddhist or non-Buddhist, Gelug or any other school of Buddhism, poor or rich, male or female does not matter. People like to label Dorje Shugden as a Gelugpa Protector but that is wrong because he is no other than Manjushri, and Manjushri cannot be pigeon-holed within only a Gelug framework.
True, Dorje Shugden has a special affinity to Lama Tsongkhapa and his teachings because in one of his lives, he was one of the eight principle disciples of Lord Tsongkhapa. But even prior to Lama Tsongkhapa, he had incarnated as many great masters in Tibet, Nepal, India, and China. He was in fact one of the Qing Emperors of China named Kangxi. Kangxi had ushered in the age of Buddhism and introduced Tsongkhapa’s teachings into the royal court of China and into China itself. The Qing Dynasty emperors of China and their descendants are called Manchurians. According to the Qing Dynasty’s official historical record, the Researches on Manchu Origins; the ethnic name ‘Manchu’ came from Manjushri. The Qinglong Emperor also supported this claim on the origin of their ethnic name and wrote several poems on the subject.
Dorje Shugden’s line of incarnations extends back to one of the 84 Mahasiddhas. His blessings and protection will bequeath on anyone who sincerely invokes upon his enlightened energy. Again I would like to stress he does not only assist Gelugpas and Buddhists, but everyone from all walks of life who need assistance. For example, his practice was also prevalent within the Sakyas, where he manifested as riding on a black horse. If you believe otherwise, you are limiting the powers of an enlightened being. Dorje Shugden in any of his forms will assist anyone who sincerely requests his assistance. You do not need to be a Buddhist or go through any special rituals to receive his assistance. From the comfort of your home, you can download the daily practice. I’ve included here and start immediately. Read the commentary carefully and thoroughly for your knowledge and understanding. Do not fear if you cannot do the visualisations or offerings ‘perfectly’ because Dorje Shugden is a Buddha and will not be ‘upset’ with anything lacking. Sincerity and consistency are the keys. When you rely on Dorje Shugden consistently and over time, you will have a powerful ally as your friend, assistant, protector and confidante. Trust Dorje Shugden all the way. No part of his practice can be harmful in any way. Hundreds of highly attained lamas from the Gelug and Sakya schools of Buddhism have relied on Dorje Shugden for over 300 years. Many large monastic institutions as well as powerful lay practitioners were under the full protection of this divine protector. If you have come across this, it could be an indication you have strong affinity. Download the picture, print it out, place it on your shrine and start the practice. For those who are too young, ill or elderly and find doing the daily practice perhaps too taxing, they can keep a photo of Dorje Shugden or Shize near them and simply recite his mantra. Again, sincerity and faith are the keys. I sincerely wish all of you the best.
My team have worked very hard with me to bring this compilation to all of you. I, from my heart, thank my compassionate and hardworking team of great people whose sole purpose of assisting me is to bring you benefits. They are really great and kind people. We have many like them in Kechara I am honored to say. Thank you team very much!
I dedicate all merits to my team’s happiness, peace, growth and liberation. I also dedicate the merits that the great lineage holders of all traditions and all teachers who speak about peace, love and development of compassion have long lives and further success. It has been a tremendous honor, privilege and pleasure for me and my team to bring this extremely beneficial practice of Shize for the first time here. I wish everyone supreme success, health, growth and liberation. May you come under the peaceful, wrathful, mystical and myriad forms of the supreme Manjushri in this and all future lives.
Sarva mangalam,
Tsem Rinpoche
Dedication by Tsem Rinpoche
The aspiration for offering this practice is so that it will benefit many people. May those who practice Dorje Shugden as Shize or any other Dorje Shugden emanation receive his great blessings of long life and health. May they have the merits to always be reborn with eight freedoms and ten endowments, in places with the authentic Dharma so that they may listen, learn, understand, practice and gain realisations. May they have peace of mind, peaceful sleep, peaceful family, peaceful life and free of accidents. Please remember that Dorje Shugden is a World Peace Buddha emanated as a Dharma protector and his nature is the fully enlightened Manjushri. This prayer is provided so it may be convenient and free to access to such a precious practice, especially for those that truly need it.
I have worked with my team to compile all of this in hopes that it will be of tremendous benefit.
I am so excited to have these available for many people.
Note by Blog Team:
- Invite home a beautiful Shize tsa tsa to aid your practice: http://www.vajrasecrets.com/shize-tsa-tsa-with-bronze-finish
- Download more high resolution images of Shize: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/downloads/buddha-images.html
- If you are in need of any Dharma items to conduct your practice, visit http://www.vajrasecrets.com/
For more interesting information:
- Which Dorje Shugden Style Is Your Favourite?
- The Tsongkhapa category on my blog
- Tsongkhapa Retreat Instructions
- Tsongkhapa’s daily practice (video commentary)
- The Dorje Shugden category on my blog
- Dorje Shugden Retreat: a powerful practice to fulfill wishes
- Dorje Shugden Trakze to Dispel Black Magic & Spirits
- Dorje Shugden Gyenze to Increase Life, Merits & Wealth
- Dorje Shugden Wangze for Power and Influence
- Namkar Barzin
- Don’t Be Disenchanted – My Sharing (Setrap Retreat)
- Updated: Dorje Shugden Teaching Videos
- The Sakya Lineage & Dorje Shugden
- Sakya Trizin’s Dorje Shugden Prayer
- Tsem Tulku Rinpoche Teaches Prostrations Part 1
- Tsem Tulku Rinpoche Teaches Prostrations Part 2
- Kechara Forest Retreat
- Vajrasecrets: Shize statue
- Vajrasecrets: Shize pendant
- All About Manjushri / 关于文殊菩萨
- Saraswati
- Advice to a YAMANTAKA Initiate
- White Manjushri Daily Practice
- 1,000-armed Manjushri!!!
- Cosmic Tantra
- Sayonara to Depression 再见吧！忧郁
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Vairochana Shugden, pacifying form of Dorje Shugden is revered by many for his ability to purify one’s negative karma, pacify natural disasters and calamities. And is especially efficacious for overcoming illness and disease as well. Shize or Vairochana Shugden is the emanation of Dorje Shugden who embodies the enlightened activity of pacification. Shize’s practice is very effective in helping us to receive prophecies or develop clairvoyance. Shize’s practice is excellent for calming ourselves down and increasing our merits. His practice results in our minds becoming much happier and being alleviated from depressions. Wow we can also rely on Shize’s practice to overcome serious illnesses. It can also be engaged where the area, there are a lot of natural disasters. On the whole its practice has many benefits. When we do the practice correctly, with good motivation, Shize will bless and guide us.
Thank you Rinpoche for this great teachings on Shize who is a direct emanation of Dorje Shugden who is none other than the enlightened Manjushri.
In life nothing is more important that health. Health is wealth everyone yearns for good health, other than success in career, financial stability, relationships, and so forth. Illness and death are therefore universal truths, which all of us could escape, regardless of their wealth. Given the preciousness of our human life we have to live meaningfully without regret. We must beware of this ,one day, the life we have, will be gone. We are fortunate we learn, practice of purifying, pacifying and removing obstacles and illnesses . All thanks to our Lama Tsem Rinpoche, bringing the practice of Dorje Shugden Shize . Shize is an emanation of Manjushri, hence propitiating Shize we we are tapping into Dorje Shugden’s activity of pacification. Its important for us to propitiate Shize as it increases our lifespan.
Thank you Rinpoche for this precious sharing and explaining all the useful teachings.
I know mantras can’t be translated directly but the word Chintau in Shize’s third mantra OM BENZA WIKI BITANA CHINTAU KURU YE SOHA was bugging me for a while on what it could possibly mean as it doesn’t sound Tibetan in origin nor Sanskrit? I was contemplating that it could be a transliteration of the Chinese word Chin-tao which translates back into Tibetan as nye-lam. In english that would be: “simultaneous entry,” short or shortened path. It could also be translated as “secret door” – anyway you translate it, it seems it refers to Tantra as Tantra is regarded as the “Short path.”
There is one sutra I am aware of called The Sutra Explaining the Door of Simultaneous Entry of Dhyana.
Dhyāna (Sanskrit) or Jhāna (Pali) refers to a state of meditation where awareness is fully absorbed in the object of attention. In this state the mind has become firm and stable and the ability to concentrate is greatly enhanced. The Buddha described four Jhanas, each of increasing depth.
The centrality of Jhana in Buddhism is evoked by the Buddha’s words that “the jhanas are the footsteps of the tathagata” indicating the important role these meditative states have in the path to nirvana. The Zen tradition is named after this meditative state.
The Buddha discusses and explains the nature of Jhana many times in the Pāli canon and a great deal of the post-canonical Theravāda Buddhist and Mahayana literature have been devoted to its elucidation.
So when we are invoking Shize with his third mantra it would seem we are asking for an increase of concentration, wisdom and awareness.
I’m not fully sure if that is correct but that is the closest I could come to figuring the word “Chintau” out.
One could also be asking for a calm, well concentrated and peaceful mind when reciting that mantra and it would seem to fit given what Shize is known for.
All forms of Dorje Shugden are powerful and help sentient beings. May this practice of Shize spread far and wide all over the world.
In a time when people’s emotions and thoughts are wild and all over the place, Shize is one practice that can bring people back and align them. Powers of pacification are rare in these times.
It very amazing to know about the Shize practice and the five principal forms of Dorje Shugden has a meaning behind. Understand the powerful of worship Dorje Shugden and the mantra are very effective in our daily life because he is the enlightment of Manjushri. In more meaningfully to say that by practicing Shize daily it will remove our negative energy and obstacles. Shize is more to peaceful and miracle.
Very thankful to Tsem Rinpoche for sharing the Shize practice for everyone to benefit it. What I understand is when a practice is done with sincere and pure it will give us a good results. The reasons behind every difficult time there a purpose and base on our karma and peace. So, one will accumulate more merit with all his good deed in more peaceful form.
A very good explanation and video teaching will benefit everyone. The special teaching of the five family of Dorje Shugden and all his function are very meaningful. One should know how to practice Shize and solve their problem and to live long without sickness. All the necessary preparation, guide and mantras are provided for us to benefit and to practice. I’m very glad to read this article and know about Shize practice.
Great to know the many benefit of Shize’s practice. Shize is no other than Manjushri, emanating to specifically heal our sicknesses, clearing obstacles which enables us to gain realizations and to practice Dharma. Shize’s practice also helps us to calm disharmony situation down and to find peaceful resolutions where there is an argument . This practice has so much other benefits as well.
Thank you Rinpoche and the writers team for this wonderful article. May it continue to benefit more and more people now and in future.
Whenever we talk about Buddha or bodhisattva of healing, we think about Medicine Buddha, White Tara, Loma Gyonma and many more. All of these practises are effective and bring benefit to practitioners. Because of our karma, we tends to drawn to certain bodhisattva and this is why there are many different forms of healing buddhas or deities.
In this case, Shize who is a fully enlightened Buddha, takes the form of a worldly deity so that it is karmically easier for us to receive his blessings and the benefits of his practice. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this precious practise with us. I wish more are benefited by practising Shize and be free of suffering.
Mantras are sacred verbalized words that invoke the protection and blessings of the deity to whom the mantra is ascribed. Mantras are also the manifestations of Buddhas in the form of ‘sounds’, hence the various mantras of Dorje Shugden contain the essence of the Protector.
Dorje Shugden’s main mantra 多杰雄登主要咒语
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for peace 平和咒语
For gaining attainments through the energy of Peaceful Shugden, peace of environment and mind, harmony in one’s abode and dwelling area, and calming of disasters
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SHANTI SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for health 福寿安康咒语
For long life, increasing life, healing of disease and protection from diseases
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA AYU SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for increase 增长咒语
For gaining great merits and increase of all necessary needs, both material and spiritual
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA PUNYE SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for control 控制咒语
Of worldly deities, negative people and nagas and for influencing friends towards the positive
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA WASHAM KURU HO
Dorje Shugden’s mantra to grant protection 庇护咒语
Visualize that you are in the Protector’s mandala, fully protected from outside interferences. Recite when in danger or for dangerous situations, for protection while travelling or when residing in dangerous/hostile places
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA RAKYA RAKYA HUNG
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1544345059.mp4
Dear friends,
Tibet has produced many powerful meditations, rituals and guidelines to help us gain spiritual protection, gain wisdom and higher states of consciousness. In general Tibet has produced many powerful methods for the growth of our spiritual evolution. Dorje Shugden is an angel, a saint, a powerful spiritual protector-warrior who originated 350 years ago when a highly awakened Tibetan Lama fulfilled his vows to become a special being to grant protection, wisdom, material needs, safety when travelling (normal and astral travel) and spiritual awakening. Both the Great 5th Dalai Lama and the current His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama composed short yet effective prayers to invoke upon the power and blessings of this special saint and protector. One can recite either one of the prayers that you feel suits you, anytime or even daily. When you feel a special need for help, you can recite either prayer anytime. When you are feeling down, afraid or just need a blessing, you can recite them. After reciting either invocation, it is good to chant the mantra of Dorje Shugden: Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha.
You do not have to be a Buddhist or practitioner of any religion to invoke upon the blessings and protection of this special enlightened and awakened angel Dorje Shugden. He helps all without discrimination or bias as he is filled with compassion and love. Divinity has no boundaries, they help all who call upon them.
Enclosed are the prayers in English, Chinese and Tibetan.
May you be safe, protected and blessed.
Tsem Rinpoche
More on the Great 5th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2w7KHv6
More on H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2QdaL4n
Chapel (Trode Khangsar) built by the Great 5th Dalai Lama dedicated to Dorje Shugden in Lhasa – https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
—
亲爱的朋友们，
西藏产生了许多有助于我们得到精神庇佑、取得智慧和更高层次之觉悟的强大禅修法、仪式和教诲。总括来说，西藏产生了许多有助于我们在修行上取得提升的强有力方法。多杰雄登是一个天使，一位圣人和一名护法战士。他的崛起始于350年前，当一位高度觉悟的西藏高僧履行本身的承诺，化身为特别的护法，赐予我们守护、智慧、物质需要、出入平安（平日外游和神游时）和灵修上的觉醒。任何人都可以随时随地在任何时候念诵适合自己的祈愿文。当你需要特别的帮助时，你可以随时念诵任何一篇祈愿文。当你感到沮丧、恐惧或仅是需要加持时，你也可以持诵这些祈愿文。在念诵任何祈请文后，你应该接着念诵多杰雄登的心咒：嗡 班杂 维格 毗札那 娑哈 Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha。
要祈请多杰雄登这位特殊、觉悟和觉醒的天使赐予加持和庇佑，你无需是佛教徒或任何宗教的修行者。他总是没有分别或偏见，充满慈悲和慈爱地帮助一切众生。神圣是没有界限的，圣者会帮助有求于他的任何人。
以下附上英文、中文和藏文的祈愿文。
愿你平安，常受庇护和加持。
尊贵的詹杜固仁波切
更多关于第五世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2zsC3tG
更多关于第十四世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2r4aaDN
第五世达赖尊者为多杰雄登护法在拉萨建造的护法殿（布旦康萨）— https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
Divination (‘mo’) Text by Dorje Shugden
This is an important divination (‘mo’) text composed by Dorje Shugden himself. Dorje Shugden took trance of the Choyang Dulzin oracle lama, the senior oracle of Gaden Shartse Monastery, and instantly on the spot composed this text within two hours.
The divination text contains information on how to use dice to do divination for the future and is known to be highly accurate. When practitioners use this text, they will be in direct contact with Dorje Shugden to get answers to questions about the future. It is for those who have good samaya with Dorje Shugden and are free of the eight worldly dharmas to be of benefit to others in divining the future.
Tsem Rinpoche
DS-MO-choyang.pdf
A Daily Request for Wealth, Peace and Protection
Composed by H.E. Tsem Rinpoche
In the heavens there are myriad manifestations of the divine. All those manifestations specifically show us different aspects of divinity in order to be of benefit to all living beings. All the rupakaya forms of the divine have compassion, skillful means and wisdom. We invoke upon them whether we are happy, sad, down, lost, fulfilled, confused, empty, and during the whole range of emotions we constantly experience due to an untrained mind.
Understanding our nature, Great Wisdom Being Dorje Shugden, therefore all the more so, please hold us close to your bosom as an only child to a parent.
Though the manifestations of the divine need no offerings and gifts from us, we offer you supreme Manjushri Dorje Shugden a libation of tea, incense and mantras, in order to ask you to bless us, to be a part of our lives, to abide in our dwellings and to give us signs, omens and portents of both good and bad. When the negative arises, quell them immediately. Please increase the positive for my weary and worn mind as I lay my hopes in you.
When difficulties, problems and confusion arise, we ask you, who is but the culmination of all that is powerful, holy and omniscient to bless myself, family, loved ones, environment and even my pets. May I see wisdom, find hope, and be at peace.
I request you, O Divine Bhagavān Dorje Shugden, who wears a round dome hat and the three robes of a saffroned bhikshu, who wields a sword of liberty, justice and wisdom and clutches a wish-fulfilling jewel, who rides on a supreme lion of subjugation of all that is negative, to fulfill my wishes. I understand my wishes may not be the best, so I surrender to your wisdom for the outcome though it may not be what I have in mind. Please bless myself and everyone that we may enter into the supreme city of liberation.
Great Bhagavān Dorje Shugden, I request you sincerely from my heart to be a part of my life, bless my home, and grant me wisdom, solace and comfort, that I might be of service to others without agenda, and that I may focus out onto others and not be fixated on myself, creating more problems for all that I hold dear.
Bless me to become kinder, wiser, more compassionate, tolerant and very forgiving to all those who hurt and love me. In order to become close to you, Dorje Shugden, we must surrender the banal. We must abandon fixed views, projections and rigidity. Lastly, in my final moment when I leave this plane of existence, only the positive actions I have done will matter as everything and everyone will be left behind. Let me realise this and act upon this now! At this crucial moment, please may I have a vision of yourself, the powerful and merciful Dorje Shugden, to take me to where I may course in the sky to continue my journey of spiritual waxing.
I offer you saffron-coloured tea and my faith to fulfill my prayers and gain siddhis. By reciting your mantra, may healing, peace, love, long life, protection and perfect view of sunyata arise.
Mantra of fulfillment, peace and wisdom:
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA
(It is good to recite this mantra daily as much as you like or your timing allows.)
I dedicate this supreme heartfelt prayer to the all-knowing Celestial and Supreme Protector Dorje Shugden, that I may quickly become a being of light, compassion, love and enlightenment.
Please play the audio included here to follow along with the prayer.
OR
Follow on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-OSudd323A
For more information, go to: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=61394
https://video.tsemtulku.com/chat-videos/chat-1538813324.mp4
Be blessed with these rare videos featuring explanation and advice about Dorje Shugden practice by His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche in his own voice. The teaching was requested by Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the earliest masters who taught Tibetan Buddhism in the West.
Video 1: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Explains Dorje Shugden Initiation and Benefits (With English Subtitles)
Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet. At the request of Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Tibetan Buddhism in America, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche gives clear explanation and advice about the life-entrustment initiation of Dorje Shugden and how to go about the practice and get the maximum benefits in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzFMvlxAqtc&feature=youtu.be
Video 2: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche speaks on the History and Lineage of Dorje Shugden (With English Subtitles)
In this video, an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche talks about the incarnation lineage of Dorje Shugden and how the practice arose, with examples of Dorje Shugden’s previous lives that reveal his powerful spiritual attainments and contributions. This very rare teaching was given at the request of Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s student, Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Buddhism in the West to many disciples since the 1970s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIzKSJgK618&feature=youtu.be
For more information: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/kyabje-zong-rinpoches-advice-on-dorje-shugdens-practice.html
His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama
Tibetans commonly refer to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama as the “sun and moon” of Tibetan Buddhism. They are the center of Tibetan Buddhist civilization, which draws to its sphere of influence millions of non-Tibetan practitioners. The Panchen Lama’s incarnation line began with the 16th abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen (1570 – 1662). He was bestowed the title of Panchen Lama by His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama after being declared as an emanation of Amitabha.
After being given the title, his three previous incarnations were posthumously also bestowed the title, making Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen the 4th Panchen Lama. He became a teacher to many Tibetans, Bhutanese and Mongolian religious figures, including His Holiness the 4th and 5th Dalai Lamas, and the 1st Jetsun Dampa of Mongolia. A prolific author, Chokyi Gyeltsen is credited with over a hundred compositions, including a number of commentaries and ritual texts that remain central in the Gelukpa tradition today. Along with his role as a teacher of the Dharma, the Panchen Lamas are usually responsible for the recognition of the rebirths of the Dalai Lamas, and vice versa.
The 10th Panchen Lama, Lobsang Trinley Lhundrub Chokyi Gyeltsen (19 February 1938 – 28 January 1989) continued both the spiritual and political roles of his predecessors. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, his contemporary, was even heard to say and echo the Panchen Lama’s own words that the Dalai Lama would safeguard Tibet from the outside while the Panchen Lama would safeguard Tibet from the inside, as he never left Tibet after the political troubles of 1959. He was truly loved by the Tibetans, all the way until his passing. When he taught, thousands of people would attend, not only from his own Gelug lineage, but masters and practitioners from all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
At his sprawling monastery of Tashi Lhunpo, he has a special chapel specifically dedicated to Dorje Shugden, where prayers and rituals are performed on a daily basis. In his great omniscience the Panchen Lama held Dorje Shugden as the principal Dharma protector of the monastery. He also personally propitiated Dorje Shugden among other Dharma protectors, and even wrote extensive prayers and rituals to Dorje Shugden. These rituals and prayers are contained within his ‘sung bum’ or collected works, which are provided here. As such a great lama, with an erudite and clear understanding of the Buddhist scriptures, a teacher to millions in both Tibet and China, from an established incarnation line and an emanation of the Buddha Amitabha, he could not be mistaken about his practice of Dorje Shugden.
His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama is known for his composition of commentaries and practice texts that are still in use by contemporary Buddhist practitioners both in Tibet and across the world. One of these is a powerful ritual composition propitiating the compassionate Dorje Shugden.
Upon the request by Acharya Lobsang Jangchub to compose a shorter version of the prayer (sadhana) for the exhortation of activities of Dorje Shugden, Panchen Lama immediately composed an abbreviate form of Dorje Shugden’s Kangsol. This text is entitled “Manjunatha’s (Tsongkapa) Lineage protector Dorje Shugden and five forms wrathful propitiations and confessional prayers and fulfilment of activities rites” or “Melodious sound of Accomplishment of the Four Activities” for short. Once the prayers were completed, he had signs and strong feelings that Dorje Shugden has been working hard to protect the Buddhadharma in general and the lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa specifically.
Mirroring the abilities of one of his earlier incarnations, Khedrub Je, a disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa and master of both sutra and tantra, the Panchen Lama used his compositional skill and poetic prowess to create a masterful sadhana. Worthy of note is a praise in which the first letter of each verse is a Tibetan vowel. Such compositions are rarely seen, and have historically only been used when propitiating senior Dharma protectors such as Palden Lhamo and Kalarupa.
The Panchen Lama also stated that while composing the Dorje Shugden sadhana (prayers) he was filled with a sense of happiness and bliss. He ends the composition with not only his official title but his ordination name, Tenzin Trinley Jigme Choje Wangchuk, endorsing the validity of his work. He composed the sadhana in his own Tashi Lhunpo monastery while in the Hall of Clear Light and Bliss.
See the Panchen Lama’s writings and download: https://bit.ly/2KIfeXb
For the first time available, Dorje Shugden and his entourage of 32 asssistants of his mandala.
Dorje Shugden is a powerful protector deity who is also an emanation of Manjushri, a wisdom bestowing Buddha. Therefore, he has great ability to help us to progress further on the spiritual path. He does this by helping us to overcome obstacles and problems for the modern individual.
Due to his enlightened nature, Dorje Shugden is able to manifest 32 deities and within the same abode resides Setrap and Kache Marpo:-
1. 5 Dorje Shugden families or emanations. They consists of the following:-
– Dulzin Dorje Shugden, which performs activities to eliminate inner and outer obstacles.
– Shize, which performs activities to pacify all illnesses and disease.
– Gyenze, which performs activities to increase all desirable material and spiritual wealth.
– Wangze, which performs activities to control difficult people and circumstances.
– Trakze, which performs activities to wrathfully eliminate all insurmountable obstacles and life-threatening situations.
2. 9 Mothers. They represent protection of the five senses and developing control of the four elements. These are all attributes that signify their ability to assist tantric practitioners with their higher meditations.
3. 8 Guiding Monks. They represent the Eight Great Bodhisattvas (Avalokitesvara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Samantabhadra, Maitreya, Kshitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Sarva-nivarana-viskambini) and they bring about the growth of the Dharma, through the Sangha, Dharma practitioners and Dharma establishments.
4. 10 Youthful & Wrathful Attendants. They represent the ten wrathful attendants to avert inner and outer obstacles. They are beings who are from Mongolia, China, Kashmir, India, Bengali, etc.
5. Setrap. He is a senior Dharma Protector from India and an emanation of Amitabha Buddha. He had enthroned Dorje Shugden as an authentic Dharma Protector. Therefore, he also resides within the same mandala of Dorje Shugden.
6. Kache Marpo. He is not an emanation of Dorje Shugden but he is still an enlightened Dharma Protector in his own right. He was originally known as Tsiu Marpo of Samye Monastery. However, he has placed himself under the service of Dorje Shugden as his chief minister, performing many activities in order to protect and benefit practitioners. Therefore, he stands guard at the main entrance of Dorje Shugden’s mandala. He often takes trance of qualified mediums to speak.
7. Namkar Barzin. He is the reincarnation of an old Mongolian monk and when he passed away in Phari area of Tibet, his spirit was placed as a powerful assistant of Dorje Shugden. He guards and protects buildings and great institutions especially those that benefit others. He rides on a mythical Gyaling animal that resembles a goat but with scales.
These sacred images are available on *Vajrasecrets. They are made of high quality alloy and are one of a kind. They are based on the lineage of His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s monastery, Tashilhunpo in Shigatse, Tibet. In fact, the iconography of these statues are based on detailed photographs taken by H. E. Tsem Rinpoche during a trip to Tashilhunpo’s protector chapel. These are based exactly as the 10th Panchen Lama’s personal collection.
Dorje Shugden mandala: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=131570
Dorje Shugden’s benefit and practice: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=62422
Dorje Shugden’s origins: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=106424
Dorje Shugden chapel in His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s Tashilhunpo Monastery in Tibet: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=68698
*Stand not included
Amazing post!!!!!
Dear friends, For months we have been working on this BEAUTIFUL and meaningful mural in Kathmandu, Nepal. Please click here to enjoy the many stunning pictures of this mural: https://bit.ly/2LgOj8J
Tsem Rinpoche
Sakya tradition’s thangka of Dorje Shugden sitting on a throne within his palace with his four emanations and high Sakya Lamas nearby. Tsem Rinpoche
Antique Pelden Lhamo thangka with sacred Dorje Shugden at the bottom right. Can see Tsongkapa and Guru Rinpoche on the top also. Beautiful and holy.
Great message every Tibetan especially must read!
I still love and miss His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I am hoping he will unite all of us no matter what our religion is. I know he will. His Holiness has done so much good in the world. I’ve admired him since I was a very young boy and when I met him for the first time in 1979. He came to Howell, New Jersey where I grew up. It was magical to see him. I pray one day he will accept all Dorje Shugden practitioners as was his root guru was a Dorje Shugden practitioner and invite us into his presence again with love and acceptance. I pray for his long life and continued presence in this world. I never lost hope in His Holiness the Dalai Lama to accept all of us regardless of race, religion, sect and background once again.
I place my unworthy head to his feet, Humbly, Tsem Rinpoche https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
The practice of Shize is certainly one that a majority of people will need in order to allow them to do Dharma or more Dharma.
Its ability to bind all attachments and defilements that restrict us from doing Dharma practice will result in better conditions for us, both outer and inner. Thank you Rinpoche for giving us this practice.
After over 20 years of anti-Dorje Shugden propaganda, many people are beginning to see past the false rhetoric to see the divine goodness of the Protector. This comment on Rinpoche’s YouTube channel is truly encouraging and signals a change in the people’s understanding and perception of this holy practice-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl-4lIwxph4&t=11s
THANK YOU RINPOCHE FOR TEACHING US THIS PRACTICE TO BENEFIT MANY.MAY YOU BE HAPPY, HEALTHY AND LONG LIVE TO BENEFIT MANY_/\_
Thank you Rinpoche for this deep and profound article on this most beneficial practice of Shize.
Among the many benefits of this practice is that of overcoming serious illness and the extension of life. Having our diseases healed and our lives extended , enables us to practice the Dharma and gain realizations from it, and even attain to the state of Enlightenment.
Kisa Gotama had hoped that Buddha Shakyamuni could restore her son to life. Out of compassion, Lord Buddha asked her to search and find a house where no one had died, and to bring back a handful of mustard seeds from this house.
After Kisa Gotama found that there was no house which death had not touched, she then came to a realization that : “Death is common to all; yet in this valley of desolation there is a path that leads him to immortality who has surrendered all selfishness.”
The Path of Immortality that Kisa Gotama refers to can be found in the 84000 teachings of Lord Buddha. Enlightenment is the State of Immortality achieved by all those who practise the teachings of Lord Buddha and attain Buddhahood. Lord Atisha gave us this path to Enlightenment in his “Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment “. Je Tsongkhapa,composed the Graduated Stages of the Path to Enlightenment in three volumes known as the “Lamrim Chenmo” . In 1921,Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche gave a 24 Day teaching of the Lamrim,which was transcribed into a book entitled “Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand” by his heart student,Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. Today, this book is being read and studied everywhere in the world.
Thank you to Rinpoche for giving us this practice that is has so much benefits.
May this practice spread all over for the benefits of many sentient beings who are afflicted by illness and also facing all forms of mental disturbances, may Shize be able to counter and pacify all forms of illnesses inner and outer.
Thank you very much Rinpoche for sharing Shize practice to benefit everyone. I have also added Shize practice to my daily sadhana and I find it very good and effective. I hope more people will also have the merits to come across this practice too. _/\_
Just two and a half months ago, I had to go to USA for an operation which is very rare called oesophagus diverticulum. Even for the very renowned endoscopic surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, my procedure was his first.
My recovery from the operation was swift and I was up and about within 4 days from the surgery.
There is no history to compare on the results I experienced, only the known fact to me that I was given the practice of Shize by my Guru, HE the 25th Tsem Rinpoche before the surgery and the healing process was very very successful and fast.
Great article and clear explanation of what is Shize practice and why all of us needed it. Shize is no other than Manjushri, emanating to specifically heal our sicknesses, increase our lifespan and improve the efficacy of our treatments and medicines. Doing Shize’s practice will bless us to subdue obstacles related to our health.After reading i gain more knowledge and understand more of Shize practice,There is so many benefits that when we practice constantly and sincerely we will be able to benefit from it.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this ,may all who have practice, be in good health and long live.
Trode Khangsar Chapel in Lhasa, TibetOver 400 years ago a great and learned lama Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was famed in Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal and China for being very saintly and compassionate. He resided in his residence (Zimkhang Gongma Ladrang) in Drepung Monastery. His root guru was H.H. the Omniscient 4th Panchen Lama and his close dharma brother was the 5th Dalai Lama.
The 5th Dalai Lama and Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen had a very close and dharmic relationship and often went to receive teachings together from the 4th Panchen Lama. They were close in age. They both became very learned and well known. During this time, the Dalai Lama was enthroned as a Dharma King of Tibet. But more people went to see Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen for teachings, initiations and divinations. This made the attendants of the 5th Dalai Lama feel threatened that Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s fame might usurp the power of the 5th Dalai Lama. So they had a khata forced down his throat. At that moment, Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen dissolved his psychic winds and generated the wish to be a great guardian of Buddha and Tsongkapa’s teachings. As his consciousness dissolved, he entered ‘bardo’ as a dharma protector of the highest order (jikten depey sungma). Many signs were seen throughout Lhasa at this time and the earth was said to have shaken in Lhasa. This event was already predicted to Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s previous incarnation when he was one of the 8 main disciples of Lord Tsongkapa the Supreme Master and he served Tsongkapa directly by building Gaden Monastery.
When the 5th Dalai Lama heard what his scheming and power-hungry attendants had done, he was very distressed. He was very sorry Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was murdered and dishonored as he was a great dharma master. The 5th Dalai Lama composed an apology to Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen. In Lhasa, tens of thousands gathered for the cremation of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s holy body. During the cremation, the 5th Dalai Lama’s apology was read out at which flames spontaneously arose from the body of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen commencing the cremation. From the body, during cremation, a powerful whirlwind of smoke tunneled into the sky for all to see as this was an indication Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s consciousness has arisen as the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. The Dharma Protector Setrap immediately recognized this new protector Dorje Shugden and ‘enthroned’ him as a powerful Dharma Protector in the realm of the Buddhas. From this, Setrap and Dorje Shugden are closely connected and very close working hand in hand always. After the cremation, the great 5th Dalai Lama built a Dorje Shugden chapel on the spot the cremation took place and named it Trode Khangsar. The 5th Dalai Lama commissioned the statue of Dorje Shugden in this chapel and had monks installed in the chapel to do continuous propitiations to Dorje Shugden. Trode Khangsar Chapel was a commemoration to Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen who was wronged and also a celebration of his consciousness arising as the World Peace Peace Protector Dorje Shugden.
This Trode Khangsar Chapel still exists now in Lhasa where many make pilgrimages there. It is in good condition and was recently renovated. It is over 400 years old and a testimony to the respect the Great 5th Dalai Lama had to Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen who arose as Dorje Shugden.
I have visited this holy chapel in Lhasa years back. I’ve never heard of it till I was in Lhasa and by chance, I was told about it which I was happy to visit. I could not find the place but strangely a bunch of pilgrims from Amdo told me they would show me how to get there in Lhasa.
This short video is a short clip of this holy Trode Khangsar Chapel in Lhasa today commemorating Dorje Shugden, built by the great 5th Dalai Lama. The great 5th Dalai Lama even composed a prayer to Dorje Shugden which is still available today and we can recite to invoke the blessings, protection, and assistance of World Peace Protector Dorje Shugden.
Tsem Rinpoche
Read more: Trode Khangsar – A 400-year-old Dorje Shugden Chapel in Lhasa
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/trode-khangsar-%E2%80%93-a-400-year-old-dorje-shugden-chapel-in-lhasa.html
Short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTybDwTeLAM
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The 5th Dalai Lama’s Prayer to Dorje ShugdenHUM
Though unmoving from the sphere of primordial spontaneity,
With wrathful turbulent power, swifter than lightning,
Endowed with heroic courage to judge good and bad,
I invite you with faith, please come to this place!
Robes of a monk, crown adorned with rhinoceros leather hat,
Right hand holds ornate club, left holds a human heart,
Riding various mounts such as nagas and garudas,
Who subdues the mamos of the charnel grounds, praise to you!
Samaya substances, offerings and torma, outer, inner and secret,
Favourite visual offerings and various objects are arranged.
Although, previously, my wishes were a bit dense,
Do not stop your powerful apparitions, I reveal and confess!
Now respectfully praising with body, speech, and mind,
For us, the masters, disciples, benefactors and entourages,
Provide the good and avert the bad!
Bring increase like the waxing moon in spiritual and temporal realms!
Moreover, swiftly accomplishing all wishes,
According to our prayers, bestow the supreme effortlessly!
And like the jewel that bestows all wishes,
Always protect us with the Three Jewels!
From: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/the-5th-dalai-lamas-prayer-to-dorje-shugden
Tibetan prayer from: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/the-14th-dalai-lamas-prayer-to-dorje-shugden.html
Looks like we all need Shize practice badly. He basically pacify our mind for good. I am amazed with the way how Shize skilfully work on our karma and merits to heal our minds and bodies. Now i understand the aggregate form is actually our physical bodies and the five elements generally see, hear, touch, smell and taste, and it also includes the subtle faculties that do the seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and taste. These are things that make us create a lot of emotional feelings, attachment, delusion and ignorance to us. hence negative karma daily from there. in the other hand, these are also things that can make us achieve realisation, become enlightenment! How are we gonna choose between this two? So it all depend on how we use them. So in order to use them better or correctly we need Shize.
no matter we want it or not, how our bodies feel, directly disturb our mind. When our mind is disturb, everything just go up set down. We got upset, jealous, worried and etc. some people even went into depression, suicide, have anger all the time because we basically do not know how to control our mind. We don’t want that feelings to follow us. We want to be happy but we just couldn’t get out. Now through the compassion of H.E. the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, giving us the holy Shize practice to help us to over come it, take care of our minds, bodies and our surroundings.
Thank you. This is a wonderful article which not only offer us a practise of Shize but also explained in very detail what amd why will we be practising.
“The practice of tonglen is something only humans can engage in. Sentient beings in other realms, for example the animal realm, do not have the cognitive capacity for this. Hence not only did the Buddha counsel on the importance of a human body for spiritual practice, but He also extended this counsel to human life and its crucial role in spiritual practice. The importance of this teaching is replicated in all Buddhist traditions. For example, in the first chapter of the Lamrim (Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand), His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche expounds on the preciousness of human life and the rarity of such a rebirth.”
I’ve no idea how much merits that an individual would need to collect just to take rebirth in the human realm.At the same time, if one having such precious opportunity to able to connect with Buddhadharma,it’s definitely something that we did in our past lives that led us to the present “us”. How many people would have the chance to practice dharma?If not little, how many of them are born in a conducive condition that allow them to practice Dharma without obstacles. Human kind is extremely vulnerable,if we have the chance to be good, realize what is the purpose of living as a human, and knowing that life is short. It’s the best if we could set our goals and motivation positively, and be a better person and practice dharma.
Shize practice bestow similar benefits others healing Buddha quality like Medicine Buddha and White Tara all are fully enlightenment, but Shize manifest in form of a worldly deity which makes it easier for us receive the benefits of his practice in these day.
The preliminary practice always started with purification practice, Shize practice is suitable for those are new and wish to do their practice, receive the result of purification of negative karma, collecting merits and prolong the life cause my sickness,which allow us continue practices until achieving attainment.
The ultimate benifit of shize practice can removing our obstacles to gain higher insight into the Buddha’s teachings and gain wisdom, even if it is not related to the Buddha’s teachings. The results gained from engaging in Shize’s practice are not based on our own spirituality or religion.Help us to see the faults of the selfish mind, which is the cause of anger. Shize counters this by giving us a calm mind
Ultimately, clears obstacles to engage in practice to gain Bodhicitta and the ultimate view of emptiness according to Nagarjuna.
I would say Shize practice is very suitable in today’s world, why? Because people nowadays are living in a very competitive world, we face many obstacles and difficulties, our mind will always goes up and down, depressed, unhappy, sad, stressed, etc, etc. Many Buddha practices are very good, but not many are focusing on calmness. As one of the emanation of Dorje Shugden, Shize work perfectly in this situation.
What I like this article is there are very detail information on Shize and even the practiced were taught here, so for people who are facing problems and needed Shize’s help, they can immediately download this article and start their practice, as mentioned above, we don’t need permission or initiation to practice Shize, just download and start the practice.
It is good that I read this article, I can now share with my friends who may need his assistance, knowledge is very important, when we knows about Shize, then we can at least extend our help to our loved ones with Shize.
Thank you Rinpoche and the writers team for producing such wonderful article. May it continue to benefit more and more people when visiting this blog.
It was very wonderful that the whole world can read the precious Shize practise which compiled from traditional sources by His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche. It would benefit many peoples in the world.
Compassionate Buddha will manifest in any forms to help us and to the extend of take the form of worldly deity which is close to us and easier for us to receive the blessing and benefits. Dorje Shugden in his great compassion appear in 5 forms to help us and Shize is one of the 5 forms.
The article stated clearly the benefits of practicing Shize and wish everyone who read this article be immediately blessed and may more and more people received blessing from Shize and Dorje Shugden.
This is a well researched and well written article for the practice of Dorje Shugden Shize. This article, among others, helps to dispel the ignorance of other people’s minds and thoughts that the practice of Dorje Shugden brings bad luck and to other people. For example, it is claimed that the practice would shorten the life of HH Dalai Lama. That is not true, for HH is hale and hearty, and I pray HH lives another 100 years and more.
With this article, thanks to HE Tsem Rinpoche and team, more people globally will have access to more information and knowledge on Dorje Shugden and Manjushri.
Everyone has the freedom to practice. Everyone has the freedom not to practice.
But no one is above anyone else and has no right to put down another religion or to stop anyone else from practicing their own choice of religion.
Beside Medicine Buddha practice, Amitayus practice and White Tara practice, Shize practice is another powerful healing practice to customers in Kechara Paradise outlets in detail.
That’s so many benefit if we really engage to this practice :
-Removing obstacles to gain higher insight into the Buddha’s teachings
-Removing obstacles to gain higher insight and wisdom in general, even if it is not related to the Buddha’s teachings. The results gained from engaging in Shize’s practice are not based on our own spirituality or religion.
-Help us to see the faults of the selfish mind, which is the cause of anger. Shize counters this by giving us a calm mind
-Ultimately, clears obstacles to engage in practice to gain Bodhicitta and the ultimate view of emptiness according to Nagarjuna
Thank You Rinpoche for sharing this powerful healing practice in public.
Eric kksiow _/\_
Why do human seek longevity and immortality? Is it solely driven by the fear of death or is life that great that we cannot let go? I remembered having this thought once that immortality is a burden and a form of endless suffering. The thought occurred while I was watching the movie Highlander and I recalled another similar movie at the time Interview with A Vampire. I guess in a way because of karma and reincarnation, we are “immortal” and hence the endless cycle of suffering. In Buddhism the true state of “immortality” is enlightenment. But to a normal human, I would think that enlightenment can be equally as scary as death because both leads to something or somewhere beyond our current conscious comprehension.
It’s ironic that the very five aspects that make us a sentient being are also the aggregates that capture phenomena around us which stimulates and feeds our gross mind, thereby leading us to behave in a manner that generates further karma. Being a sentient being entraps us in karma. It’s like saying the very purpose of life, being a sentient being in the human form is to escape or free ourselves from it. The conundrum of human existence.
I really like Shize’s practice. His practice helps us to prolong our lives to do more Dharma practice, calming our minds, becoming much happier and alleviate us from depression. And the other part, is how His practice can also bless the environment! How ‘cool’ is that?
And because He is the same as Manjushri, the more reason to have faith and practice Him without a doubt. And as I continued to read, I found that blessings and benefits of His practice, just keep going on and on. I am so attracted to it. Without this post, I don’t think I will ever learn so much and gain a better understanding. Imagine doing His praise and mantras, and not understanding the benefits. Thank you!
Shize will bring us peace, health and will give us not only blessings and merits according to our motivation but also purification and healing.
He will give us the ability to see the faults of a selfish mind and this selfish mind is the cause of our anger.
Because Dorje Shugden and his emanations are relatively young, they are much closer to us and therefore quicker to help and assist us.
Dharma practice help us against the thread of our negative karma opening by delaying the results of the karma and through Dharma practice and purification practices, the negative karma can be lessened or even be exhausted.
An important point is to strive to develop renunciation and let our true Buddha nature shine forth.
There are many practices on healing and now I understand the significant of practicing Shize. As time goes Buddha will manifest in different form to help us according to our needs at different time.
It’s a great blessing to propitiate Shize as it’s not only helping us in providing conducive condition for us in our practice but also ultimately help us to gain realisation.
What struck me on this article is how Shize can help us through his practices that not only help us to purify our karma but also collect merits at the same time.
Anyone can die and it’s a fact it is a nature of life. We can depend on Shize to prolong our life or healing from sickness as long as it’s for spiritual reason. It make sense to me.
It’s a great article explaining on Shize practices which cover everything needed to know.
Thanks Rinpoche and writer team for this extensive explanation on this precious practice of Shize.
What I witnessed myself was my head of department, Ms Han was diagnosed with 3rd stage cancer, she practises on Shize and there are amazing improvements. Another experience was when I rescue a dog who in a very terrible condition and almost couldn’t make it, Rinpoche asked me to recite Shize mantra and blow on the dog. Soon after that all the good conditions arose to get her healed.
Thank you for sharing this precious practise that would benefit so many. _/\_
Nice manju shree penting
Dear Bijay Lama,
Welcome to Tsemrinpoche.com and thank you for your comment.
For more information about Manjushri, such as background, history, the different forms, and prayers are included in this blog post: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/all-about-manjushri.html
You can also download and print high-resolution images of Manjushri from this link here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/downloads/buddha-images.html?nggpage=4
Hope to see you more on the blog.
Thank you Rinpoche for posting this much awaited Sadhana as many people are sick both physically and maybe even mentally and its ideal the Protector has such healing form for body sickness or even for peace in an environment. Our Dorje Shugden Protector is so special that He has foreeseen this are the most major issues troubling mankind and thus he manifested other 4 forms so that we can find solutions in a specific area troubling us. Indeed the Protector/Buddha is very compassionate.
The benefits of Shize’s practices are manifold, with outer level for healing, increasing in life, blessing the medicine, calming the mind, blessing animals,landscape and environment. It is to also bring peace and happiness. Inner level is to remove obstacles, guide and blessings. A direct emanation of Manjushri, specifically to heal sicknesses, increase lifespan and clears karma. Real purpoe of shize practice is to bless with the opportunity to engage in spiritual practice, eventually to gain an understanding into deeper teachings of Dharma and facilitates the mind training of lojong.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you so much for sharing this powerful practice that can ultimately give a Dharma student all the necessary resources to practice to gain Liberation and to benefit others.
Without your unending compassion, this would not be possible. I am truly humbled by your compassion and endless giving to benefit so many of us.
I have shared this with my family members and will post to the public on this powerful practice.
Humbly yours.
Lum Kok Luen
Dorje Shugden is the emanation of Manjushri, which means He shares the same mind stream of Lord Manjusrhi himself. Dorje Shugden is known to have five principal forms; i.e. His principal form as Duldzin, his increase form as Gyenze, his control form as Wangze, his wrathful form as Trakze and his peaceful form, Shize.
Shize is the emanation of Dorje Shugden’s aggregate of form and he acts as a healer who purifies negative karma that causes physical and mental ailments. The aggregate of form is part of the 5 aggregates that make up sentient beings; namely Form, Feeling, Discrimination, Mental Factors and Consciousness. Aggregate of form controls the 5 sensory faculties that capture surrounding phenomena and stimulates or feeds the gross mind. Through this process, sentient beings will act out or behave in a certain manner.
The benefit of propitiating Shize is purifying negative karmas and obstacles. Shize’s practice arrest the perpetuation of this process and prevent it from fruitioning into actual physical and mental ailments, corresponding to increase lifespan and healing of diseases, as well as pacifying of the mind and environment. It does not mean that Shize will remove the negative karma entirely, but it is meant to hold back negative karma, giving practitioner a chance to purify it.
Another immense benefit of propitiating Shize is the collection of inexhaustible merits. Due to the enlightened nature of Shize, merits collected from propitiating this deity is infinitely enduring which means it can be carried forward to future lifetime until practitioner gain full enlightenment. This is extremely powerful as it helps create the cause for higher rebirth to continue on the spiritual path.
Thank you Rinpoche for this teaching on Shize Shugden that will benefit many many people.
Humbly, bowing down,
Stella Cheang
I was not peaceful……until I met Shize!!!
No amount of relaxation and rest or exercise can give me a peace of body and mind as much as Shize. Amazing for me and I recommend this practice for everyone.
Shize for clearing our pain and suffering.
Money! Wealth! Look nowhere else!
Been looking for how to make money. RDPD? Dale Carnegie? The Richest man in Babylon? The Secret? Move aside……for Shize!!!
Nothing works better than Shize! Plus it is so logical and empowering. And works every time, all the time; now and forever. Leads us to happiness and wealth.
I rejoice very much for this very beneficial practice to be shared with the world here on the blog. We definitely want the blessings of Dorje Shugden in all his emanations and Shize as the peaceful form will bring peace to our mind. The qualities of Shize are very needed in our fast pace life.
We request Shize to bind our attachments, negativities and obstacles so that we can practise Dharma. Riding on an elephant represents steadiness of the mind. It will help us to stick to our goal to benefit others and our mind is stalwart and extremely stable.
You can other a statue or Tsatsa for your practice here: http://www.vajrasecrets.com/shize-tsa-tsa-with-bronze-finish
Thank You very much for sharing this most beneficial practise with the world.
Thank you Rinpoche fro this powerful practice of Shize.Shugden appearing in this pacifying form, pacifies disease and calms the environment.
Shize is for healing our diseases, be it mental or physica. Besides overcoming disease, natural disasters and calamities, and purifying negative karmas and obstacles,, Shize also removes obstacles to gain He help us to see the faults of the selfish mind, which is the cause of anger. Shize counters this by giving us a calm mind.
Ultimately,Shize clears obstacles to engage in practice to gain Bodhicitta and the ultimate view of emptiness according to Nagarjuna.
The general result of Shize’s practice is health, long life and increase in merits The real purpose of Shize’s practice is to be blessed with more opportunity to engage in spiritual practice, knowing that Dharma holds the key to our eventually attaining true inner peace and real happiness.
谢谢仁波切再次分享了一个如此殊胜的法门–多杰雄登西泽法门。
在这篇文章仁波切清楚解释了长寿和拥有健全身体在修佛的重要性。 我们要长寿并不是为了要享受人生， 而是让我们可以有更多时间修习佛法。 健全的身体则是让我们可以专心修行佛法， 而不受身体的病痛影响我们的修行。
也谢谢仁波切把多杰雄登法门传授给我们。 或许是我孤陋寡闻， 我从来没有看过其他的护法法门有各别的息、增、怀、诛 仪轨。 多杰雄登法门各有息、增、怀、诛仪轨， 基本上我们只是依止多杰雄登一位护法已经足够。 而且仁波切也特别注明此仪轨并不需要口传或灌顶， 现在就可以立刻开始修习西泽法门。没有佛像的人也可以立刻下载图像、列印， 然后就可以安供在佛坛上， 实在太方便了。
希望很多人都可以通过多杰雄登西泽仪轨获得长寿和健康的身体， 在佛法修行上精进。
谢谢。
With this Shize post, Tsem Rinpoche’s blog now has the complete set of practice for all the forms of Dorje Shugden. It is a wonderful feeling to know that long into the future, these precious practices will still be available online and many people will benefit from them.
Years ago, I did wonder why there is still a need for Shize when we already have the very powerful Medicine Buddha practice and also the practice of Loma Gyonma, both of whom are very efficacious healing deities.
We should not have any doubts in the potency of the Medicine Buddha but I guess the question is whether we have the karma to receive the healing/blessings of the Medicine Buddha. The Medicine Buddha and Shize bestow similar benefits but Shize, although a fully enlightened Buddha, takes the form of a worldly deity which makes it karmically easier for us receive the benefits of his practice.
Therein lies the biggest advantage in propitiating Dorje Shugden today. It is the most complete and efficient avenue of accessing the highest blessings of the Buddhas, given the degenerated age we live in.
Thank you Rinpoche for this very beneficial Shize’s practice article. Thank you again. _/\_
Very beneficial and profound post about Shize’s practice, sincerely thank you Rinpoche and the hardworking team making this available to everyone. I read once and will read again before engage into Shize’s practice, especially the mantra recitation visualization.
From this post, I have learned that
1. Shize is no other than Manjushri, emanating to specifically heal our sicknesses, increase our lifespan and improve the efficacy of our treatments and medicines.
2. Doing Shize’s practice will bless us to subdue obstacles related to our health so that we can increase our engagement in Dharma activities, energy, and facilitate attainments.
3. Shize’s practice help us to see the faults of the selfish mind, which is the cause of anger. Shize counters this by giving us a calm mind
4. Although Shize’s existence is a deva, his mind is that of Manjushri. In addition, being a relatively ‘new’ protector that only arose over 300 years ago, Shize’s close affinity with us translates into him having the strength of a thousand Dharma Protectors and his practice is much swifter than any other healing deity or practice.
How fortunate we are able to engage Shize’s practice through this amazing blog post. Will learn and practice this well to benefit me and to benefit others.
Am happy to see this post as I have been “waiting” to read and learn about this final form as Rinpoche and his team have blogged about the other forms previously. The wait is definitely worth it as I learnt new things from this post such as:
1) The divination mirror that Shize holds represents Shize’s ability to help us receive prophecies or develop clairvoyance through engaging his practice well.
3) Not only Shize’s practice is great for healing, Shize’s pacification energies are recommended for calming and blessing any unpeaceful environment, including the ground, trees, air, water, grass, animals and the landscape so that the place will be calm, happy and peaceful.
3) I know that white is usually associated with purity but did not know that it is also associated with learning and knowledge and can help cut our ignorance, source of all our ailments, be it physical or mental.
4) Shize’s 3rd mantra – “OM BENZA WIKI BITANA CHINTAU KURU YE SOHA”.
With folded hands, I thank Rinpoche and the team behind this wonderful post. May all of Rinpoche’s aspirations be fulfilled. May many be able to reap the benefits of this gentle yet powerful practice.
Thank You Rinpoche for this complete practice of Shize.
During this degenerate times, where society and environment are not peaceful and distracting because of greed, where our bodies are full of toxins from the polluted food and environment, where anger prevails from our selfishness and jealousies, where wars are wage to satisfy our lust for power; you gave us the practice of Shize to clear the obstacles to peace, long life and clarity to practice the Dharma.
With Folded Hands!
Pastor KH Ng
Shize is a very powerful practise to heal serious sickness, disease and prolong once’s life. All of us could fall ill at one point of time, seeing doctors and taking medicine is good, but if we could engaged in this practise to prolong our life, we could purify the negative karma, collecting more merits for our next life, and not to repeat the same situation again.
Thank you Rinpoche for your great kindness, and the kindness of your team in making this practice available for anyone. May all be blessed by it, and enjoy good health and long life.