Tales With My Lama: Dorje Shugden on the Head
A rare picture of Rinpoche, my father and myself during the earlier days of the construction of Kechara Forest Retreat.
Pastor David has been a student of His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche for over 15 years and within the ‘Tales With My Lama’ series of articles, he explores his spiritual relationship with Rinpoche, sharing anecdotes, stories, observations and little Dharma nuggets. It is all told to inspire others for their own spiritual relationship with their teachers.
Tales with My Lama: Dorje Shugden on the Head
My father passed away two years ago and I was fortunate because I had the opportunity to be by his side for several weeks prior to his passing. My father had jaundice due to advanced-stage cancer and the doctors basically said it was time to go home from the hospital as nothing else could be done. In the weeks prior to his passing, Rinpoche called me into his room one day and gave some advice pertaining to my dad.
Rinpoche called me to tell me to go back home to be with my father so that I would accompany him on his last days here on earth. Rinpoche then proceeded to tell me that I was very lucky because I was in the unique position to “manipulate his passing”, since it was possible for me to lead him to a better rebirth. Rinpoche explained a visualisation technique to be done whilst I was doing the puja in order to “manipulate” my father’s passing. This would be in addition to a short Dorje Shugden puja that Rinpoche had already previously told me to do every single day in my father’s presence.
My father bumped into Rinpoche at a local supermarket. This was was their last picture together.
Rinpoche told me to visualise Dorje Shugden on the crown of my dad’s head without the usual lotus that his snow lion stands on. After that, Rinpoche said that since my dad had done some Dharma work and had done it well, I could do the following visualisation. Although my dad did not do a lot of Dharma work, whatever he had done, it had been wholeheartedly and consistently so the little that he did became a lot in terms of merits.
So I was to visualise all the Dharma work that my dad had done throughout his life and visualise it as materialising in the form of the Eight Auspicious Symbols and Seven Royal Emblems, and have them rain down lightly around Dorje Shugden on my dad’s head as an offering. Rinpoche said this was likened to placing a gold coin on the deceased (an old Western belief) so that he could buy his passage into the afterlife.
Rinpoche then stressed that it was very important to visualise Dorje Shugden having the appearance and energy of being ever-ready to take my dad to a good rebirth. Rinpoche also said that when my dad was on his last breath, it would be best to stroke his head and preferably not touch anywhere else (although it was alright to hold his hand if he needed comforting). This was to stimulate the mind to leave through the head or the upper body as that would indicate a higher rebirth. Leaving the body from the lower regions would indicate a negative rebirth. Hence, Dorje Shugden was to be visualised resting on the crown of the head to stimulate a higher rebirth.
Rinpoche said this visualisation can be done for anyone who is terminally ill and if the person’s personal preference, affinity or practice is another deity, it is perfectly alright to replace Dorje Shugden in the visualisation with that deity. For the best results, Rinpoche explained that one should do this visualisation for themselves. However, we can also do it on behalf of our loved ones, as I did for my father.
So the deity visualised could be Tara, Manjushri, Kuan Yin and so forth. For my dad however, his deity was definitely Dorje Shugden and for those who do not have a preference or practice, Dorje Shugden would be the best practice for them. Furthermore, Rinpoche told me to light juniper incense every day to Dorje Shugden and gave me a protection string blessed by Dorje Shugden to be placed under my dad. Rinpoche had also arranged for a large picture of Dorje Shugden to be hung in front of my dad so that Dorje Shugden would be the last thing my dad saw. There was an offering of fairy lights and a platter of fruits made every day to generate merits for Dorje Shugden’s assistance.
Finally, Rinpoche gave me another protection string from Dorje Shugden to be burnt at the moment my dad passed away. Rinpoche said when we burn blessed rice or a blessed string, it is a strong signal to Dorje Shugden to come to our assistance.
Me and my father on a pilgrimage in 2016
From then on, I did the puja every single day and a week or so later, Rinpoche told me he had a premonition that my father would be reborn in a place where there are maroon-robed monks and monasteries. Rinpoche thought that he would be reborn in the Tibet region of China. My father lived for a few weeks thereafter and passed away peacefully in his sleep. I performed the last Dorje Shugden puja and burnt the blessed string, asking Dorje Shugden to take my dad to his next life safely.
I miss my dad and wish I had more time or spent more time with him but I am glad that he was able to go to a good place, that he would be alright. Therefore, I am sharing this post so others can also be able to benefit their loved ones on their final journey.
For more interesting information:
- Tales with My Lama: What is the New News?
- Tales With My Lama: Rinpoche Felt He Was More Indian
- Tales with My Lama: What Does Rinpoche Like About Liz Taylor?
- Tales With My Lama: Daily Practice
- Tales With My Lama: Laugh Away Your Ego
- Tales With My Lama: Why Rinpoche Has To Suffer
- Tales With My Lama: Larger Than Life
- Tales With My Lama: Manjushri
- Tales With My Lama: Audience With Tsem Rinpoche
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A very touching sharing and this is just one of many ways of how Rinpoche help students to overcome the situation they are in. Always applying dharma in whatever things we do with good motivation. The action is not only helping the person in need but also lessons for many of us. How we should benefit our loved ones in their journey, how we should practise dharma with right motivation and be diligent. Thank you Pastor David for sharing.
This is something great and wonderful about how skillful our Rinpoche is….he has the skills to change or manipulate our karma to benefit our future lives. Very interesting read that mum and I really enjoyed. Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David for this beautiful sharing. 👍🙏😘😍