A Dharma Protector is an emanation of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva whose main functions are to avert the inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from gaining spiritual realizations, and to arrange all the necessary conditions for their practice.

In Tibet, every monastery had its own Dharma Protector, but the tradition did not begin in Tibet; the Mahayanists of ancient India also relied upon Dharma Protectors to eliminate hindrances and to fulfil their spiritual wishes.

Though there are some worldly deities who are friendly towards Buddhism and who try to help practitioners, they are not real Dharma Protectors. Such worldly deities are able to increase the external wealth of practitioners and help them to succeed in their worldly activities, but they do not have the wisdom or the power to protect the development of Dharma within a practitioner’s mind.

It is this inner Dharma – the experiences of great compassion, bodhichitta, the wisdom realizing emptiness, and so forth – that is most important and that needs to be protected; outer conditions are of secondary importance.

Although their motivation is good, worldly deities lack wisdom and so sometimes the external help that they give actually interferes with the attainment of authentic Dharma realizations. If they have no Dharma realizations themselves, how can they be Dharma Protectors?

It is clear therefore that all actual Dharma Protectors must be emanations of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. These Protectors have great power to protect Buddhadharma and its practitioners, but the extent to which we receive help from them depends upon our faith and conviction in them. To receive their full protection, we must rely upon them with continuous, unwavering devotion.

Buddhas have manifested in the form of various Dharma Protectors, such as Mahakala, Kalarupa, Kalindewi, and Dorje Shugden. From the time of Je Tsongkhapa until the first Panchen Lama, Losang Chökyi Gyaltsän, the principal Dharma Protector of Je Tsongkhapa’s lineage was Kalarupa. Later, however, it was felt by many high Lamas that Dorje Shugden had become the principal Dharma Protector of this tradition.

There is no difference in the compassion, wisdom, or power of the various Dharma Protectors, but because of the karma of sentient beings, one particular Dharma Protector will have a greater opportunity to help Dharma practitioners at any one particular time.

We can understand how this is so by considering the example of Buddha Shakyamuni. Previously the beings of this world had the karma to see Buddha Shakyamuni’s Supreme Emanation Body and to receive teachings directly from him.

These days, however, we do not have such karma, and so Buddha appears to us in the form of our Spiritual Guide and helps us by giving teachings and leading us on spiritual paths. Thus, the form that Buddha’s help takes varies according to our changing karma, but its essential nature remains the same.

Among all the Dharma Protectors, four-faced Mahakala, Kalarupa, and Dorje Shugden in particular have the same nature because they are all emanations of Manjushri.

However, the beings of this present time have a stronger karmic link with Dorje Shugden than with the other Dharma Protectors. It was for this reason that Morchen Dorjechang Kunga Lhundrup, a very highly realized Master of the Sakya tradition, told his disciples, “Now is the time to rely upon Dorje Shugden.” He said this on many occasions to encourage his disciples to develop faith in the practice of Dorje Shugden.

We too should heed his advice and take it to heart. He did not say that this is the time to rely upon other Dharma Protectors, but clearly stated that now is the time to rely upon Dorje Shugden. Many high Lamas of the Sakya tradition and many Sakya monasteries have relied sincerely upon Dorje Shugden.

In recent years the person most responsible for propagating the practice of Dorje Shugden was the late Trijang Dorjechang, the root Guru of many Gelugpa practitioners from humble novices to the highest Lamas. He encouraged all his disciples to rely upon Dorje Shugden and gave Dorje Shugdän empowerments many times.

Even in his old age, so as to prevent the practice of Dorje Shugdän from degenerating he wrote an extensive text entitled Symphony Delighting an Ocean of Conquerors, which is a commentary to Tagpo Kelsang Khädrub Rinpoche’s praise of Dorje Shugden called Infinite Aeons.

(Source: http://www.wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.org/dorjeshugden-about.php)

Part 1 – Great King whose Time has Come

HUM
Unimpeded in power and miraculous emanation,
unrivaled in wisdom and compassion,
Great King of Dharma Protectors whose time has come,
Dorje Shugden, Five Families and Principal,
and hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of entourage…

It is a proverbial saying that nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come. From a karmic viewpoint this makes perfect sense; it simply means that all the necessary conditions for something to manifest are present. Once present, these conditions will unfailingly put in motion a process in accord with their propensities.

Degenerate times –
superstrong distractive delusions,
rampant greed and hatred,
millions of wanderers lost in confusion,
cut off from Dharma’s lifeline,
drowning.

Highest view –
uniting emptiness and dependent arising,
absolute and relative bodhicitta,
unmistakably defining the object of refutation
without which enlightenment is not possible.

Transplanting complete Dharma to the west –
from the roof to the bottom of the world and everywhere in-between,
from mountain seclusion to wide open cities,
from monastic order to messy lay life,
from pure practitioners to merit-lacking amateurs
with affinity but no attainments,
from past to future.

Compassion –
the power to take on what seems impossible,
the power to transform obstacles into the path,
the power to never give up on living beings.

If we combine these factors, they can be read as a ‘job description’ for a Dharma protector of future Buddhism, naming the status quo, the task at hand and the qualities needed to do it.

A daunting mission… impossible?

You said,
I will protect
the highest stainless essence
of the Buddha’s teachings
as the precious jewel
of the merit of all beings!

Heroic Manjushri Yamantaka
in a worldly, haughty disguise,
To you, endowed with the strength
of ten million dharma protectors,
I offer praise.

 Changing of the Guardians

The southern gate is held closed in accordance with an old tradition that the chokyong Dorje Shugden is waiting at this entrance for the day to come on which he will be allowed to enter the monastery, to succeed Pehar as the chief dharmapala of Tibet…René de Nebesky-Wojkowitz, “Oracles and Demons of Tibet”, page 445, in his description of Nechung Gompa.

Nr. 1 on this ground plan shows the southern gate. Exactly opposite, at the far end we see nr. 23, the throne on which the state oracle sits when about to take trance.

Behind this throne is a highly blessed statue of Guru Rinpoche, which served to contain Pehar’s ferocious energy and keep him on track, so to speak. It seems as in this constellation the past facing the future is symbolized. Thanks to Guru Rinpoche, the Dharma came to Tibet .

With Dorje Shugden’s help, the Dharma now goes into the world. Like all metaphors, this one too is limited, it should be mentioned; Guru Rinpoche, being a Buddha, is of course timeless and will bestow his holy blessings into the future, while Dorje Shugden, being a Buddha, has been active from long before.

Nevertheless, it serves its purpose to describe the current period of transition – Tibet , as we knew it, is no more, while its future unfolds on a global scale.

On the morning of the same day ( Nov 20, 1996), His Holiness gave a teaching and talk from 8am to 11am in which two important topics; one political and the other religious, were addressed. The first related to the situation in Tibet where His Holiness made it clear that rather than strive for a completely independent Tibet, the emphasis would now be on an autonomous Tibet within China.

The second issue related to Dorje Shugden where His Holiness thanked those who supported him in his ban and said that the Tibetan Government had been wrong earlier in the year when they had said that Dorje Shugden posed a danger to his well-being.

Interesting to see, again, how past and future combine in the above quote.

If increasing mishaps, prophesies not coming true, refusals to speak, oracles dismissed, reinstalled, re-dismissed and re-reinstalled again, are indicators of the paradigm shift mentioned in Nebesky’s above describtion of Nechung Gompa, this gradual shift has begun as early as in the late 19 th century, in synch with the beginning of the end of Tibet’s splendid isolation, marked by the world’s ‘greatest’ colonializers knocking on it’s door.

The perfect metaphor of Dorje Shugden succeeding Pehar is the story of HH the Dalai Lama’s escape from Tibet, when Pehar advised for the ‘holder of the lotus to stay in the land’ – imagine where His Holiness and Tibetan Buddhism would be today – while Dorje Shugden urged not only for His Holiness to leave immediately, but also had the escape plan ready! Blessed be the Junior Tutor, Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, to ask Dorje Shugden’s advice at that time, thus giving Chenrezig Tenzin Gyatso to the world.

All we have heard publicly from Pehar since are defamations of Dorje Shugden and the tragically wrong prediction that Tibet will be free in the year 2000…

Chief Dharmapala of Tibet?

Since the Tibet of old has ceased to exist – and many say it will never come back – what will the Great King be Chief Dharmapala of? Tibet , as a nation, is just a conglomerate of causes and conditions which are subject to impermanence.

What Tibet stands for is the entire transmission of Buddhadharma – Hinayana, Mahayana, Vajrayana. Its self-imposed isolation has preserved the Buddhadharma; its forceful opening is causing it to spread into the entire world.

Universal Protector of Future Buddhism

HH Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang has opened the door for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s lotus feet to tread the path from beleaguered Tibet into the hearts of the world, by invoking Dorje Shugden’s holy advice.

HH Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang has predicted that Dorje Shugden will become a universal protector of future Buddhism, which was recently confirmed by one of the great living Mahasiddhas who told us, “People say that Gyalchen Dorje Shugden is only protecting the Geluk tradition, but Dorje Shugden is now a universal Dharma protector.”

HH Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang has advised long ago not to lose faith in neither His Holiness nor in Dorje Shugden.

And this is what is happening.

HH the Dalai Lama has become a household name globally. In a recent survey, 46% of the interviewed Germans declared to have more faith in the Dalai Lama, a Tibetan refugee, than in the Pope, a German national.

Thanks especially to His Holiness, everyone interested in spirituality has heard of the Buddhadharma. Nearly everyone interested in Vajrayana has heard of Dorje Shugden, also thanks especially to His Holiness.

And the platform on which all of this is happening has been created largely by great Masters with Dorje Shugden as their special protector, and their organizations who have grown great with Dorje Shugden as their special protector, because Dorje Shugden likes to see the Dharma increase, universally, without and within.

So – outwardly, in the spirit of vinaya, we comply with His Holiness’ public wishes.

Inwardly, in the spirit of Mahayana, we strive never to judge, to take the blame and give the victory, and whatever happens – we won’t lose faith and play His Holiness against Dorje Shugden.

If we lose faith in Manjushri, we have automatically lost faith in Chenrezig too. If we practice what His Holiness really teaches, we practice exactly what Dorje Shugden supports, nurtures and protects with all his heart – renunciation of samsaric hopes and fears, unconditional compassion, and the profound view realizing emptiness.

Secretly, we strive to realize all phenomena, be they labeled ‘good’ or ‘bad’, as non-separate from ultimate reality, appearing solely to serve in the subjugation of sentient beings’ delusional self-cherishing minds which are the cause of all suffering.

Part 2 – Unrivaled in Wisdom and Compassion

Let us now take a look at the inner geography of future Buddhism. Here too, the spectrum has broadened – from monastic order to messy lay life… Whereas in Tibet a full third of the population was ordained, the percentage of nuns and monks amongst today’s practitioners is very small, and we can safely predict that the future of Buddhism will be largely non-monastic.

A daughter or son joining the Sangha was regarded as a most auspicious event in Tibet , encouraged and supported, while in the Dharma’s new terrains such a decision will be most likely viewed as that of a loser or a lunatic.

What our world here tells us from a million billboards and TV screens is: Move up! Make money! Be number 1! Let’s go clubbing! In dharmic terms – the unbridled propagation of the eight worldly concerns. Samsara’s sanctified sacrosanctity…

Most of us, by virtue of our formative years, even if we do take up a (semblance of a) Dharma practice, will be low-lower-lowest scope practitioners, and our destination will be, as in Atisha’s laconic and sad remark – the animal, hungry ghost, or hell realm.

It would take someone of unrivaled wisdom and compassion to bring out a higher level of realization in us and therefore protect us from such wastage of opportunity resulting in dreadful futures.

Beginner’s Scope Dorje Shugden Practice

For those of us caught up in deep trouble, tangled up in the vines of obsession, messed up by our own foolishness, soaked up by suicidal sadness, beaten up helplessly by karmic retributions of our anger, lost in the wilderness of confusion – Dorje Shugden is the one. He can bring us to the Dharma, and bring Dharma into us.

We can offer our obsessions, foolishness, sadness, anger, confusion and every other negative state of mind to Dorje Shugden, who embodies all enlightened masters, meditational deities and protectors. We can pray to him to replace these poisonous types of consciousness with deep selfless compassion, joyful humility and fresh insights, and to help us with what we need to cultivate these.

If we do this with great faith, perseverance and effort, signs will be seen and doors will open. Over time, we will be given what we need, to become what we really want – a light onto ourselves and others.

It may start with a place to sleep on a kind person’s floor, or a meal to eat, and inspire in us a prayer of gratitude. The power of this prayer might lead us to new friend, or a book, and finally to a teacher.

In this way, growing in faith through outer signs of power, we can move to the next ‘category’ of people who benefit from propitiating this Dharmapala.

Middle Scope Dorje Shugden Practice

Those of us described in the first category would most likely never have gotten the chance to make any kind of Dharma connection, or even be interested in spiritual teachings, without supernatural help – without a Dharmapala who, acting from great compassion and foresight, gets involved even in mundane concerns, yet with a supramundane motivation.

By clearing up our sometimes outer (material) and mostly inner (mental/emotional) obstacles, increasing our positive imprints and guiding the spiritual energy thus won in a good direction, we eventually move up to the ‘middle scope category’.

Here we find ourselves in a somewhat dharmic situation, having found a Dharma center that resonates with us, having met a teacher, having taken refuge, having been given a suitable meditation practice.

Now, the two most crucial ingredients to progress are Guru devotion and keeping our vows, be they refuge, bodhisattva or even tantric. Alas, these two seem to be the hardest thing to uphold. Obviously so, because they are the greatest threat to self-centeredness and following our ‘natural’ (=habitual) tendencies, which is of course precisely why they are of such importance.

If we have gotten a glimpse of compassion through the kindness and example of our Guru, and want to really take up the battle against the self-cherishing mind, yet are struggling to keep the purity of our spiritual commitments and our view of the Guru – Dorje Shugden is the one. He has brought us to the Dharma, and he can keep us in the Dharma.

We can release our doubts and horrible thoughts about our Gurus by confessing them to our Dharmapala, and strengthen our resolve by praying for his blessings to keep our vows intact.

If we make this a habit, we may soon see a deeper dimension of our Gurus’ holy intentions, how they sacrifice their lives to serve us, to connect us with a true lineage, to guard us from terrible awakenings and guide us to Buddhahood. Then our faith and determination will increase exponentionally, and we will realize what an immense blessing it is to become part of an authentic lineage.

Whereas up to now, destructive tendencies and discouraging circumstances seemed to have teamed up again and again, keeping us in a one-step-up-and-two-steps-back mode, from this point on the tide changes, because we have found something that really works and have said yes to it fully. We are taking responsibility for what goes on in our mind, which means we have truly entered the holy Dharma.

Higher Scope Dorje Shugden Practice

It is only now, in the ‘higher scope category’ of practitioners, that we fully qualify to propitiate Dorje Shugden and can therefore sow with his nurturing and protecting help the seeds that can grow into the blessed harvest of ‘soaring the path of immortal liberation on unified wings of sutra and tantra’, as His Holiness beautifully puts it in his prayer to the Great King Protector.

Now that we are ‘really determined to tame our minds’, to quote again the words of the great Lama Yeshe’s Guru, Geshe Rabten Rinpoche, ‘he will even give you his heart to help you.’

Supreme Scope Dorje Shugden Practice

This leaves our spiritual teachers, our Gurus, who are beyond scope and category, and practice Dorje Shugden not for their own sake but for ours. It is where their prayers of great compassion have met our prayers of desperation and need that a lifeline has reached us and pulled us from oceanic torment onto the boat of Dharma, where we have met the supreme navigator face to face.

Hundreds of Monasteries and thousands Dharma centers have been founded all over this planet since 1959, by have-nothings emerging from refugee camps in India – how is this possible?

With wisdom, great love that doesn’t fear years and years of toil and tears, and the miraculous help of their Dharma protector, they are creating the future of Buddhism.

The Great King Protector, Dharmapala Dorje Shugden, pervading the sphere from Nechung Gompa’s symbolic southern gate to… EVERYWHERE.

E MA HO – how surprisingly wonderful!