Nyungne Lama Yeshe Zangpo (in the 1700s)
This great master became famous because of his long and intense fasting retreats to the 1000-armed Avalokiteshvara. Hence, he was bestowed the title Nyungne Lama and also sometimes known by his Sanskrit name, Jnanabhadra. At a young age, he was enrolled into the monastery and was ordained by one of the most influential Gelug masters…
The Centrality of the Practice in the Geluk during the 20th Century
Particularly in the early days of exile, a number of claims were made about the centrality of the practice of Dorje Shugden in Geluk practice, in particular, that the deity was the main protector of the Geluk. This claim seems to be strongly linked to a doctrine connected with the 19th and 20th century charismatic…
Great Ministers of Dorje Shugden
Beyond the 32 deities are the two great ministers of Dorje Shugden, Kache Marpo and Namka Bardzin. These are two oath-bound Protectors who have entrusted their very life essence to the King Protector and perform duties similar to that of a minister assisting their monarch in governing his kingdom. They are not emanations of Dorje…
The Retinue of Dorje Shugden
Attending to Dorje Shugden five families are the nine mothers, eight guiding monks and ten youthful and wrathful deities. Appearing in various guises, these attendants emanate to perform specific functions in relations to the propitiation of Dorje Shugden. Eight Fully Ordained Monks First are the eight fully ordained monks, emanated from…
The Mandala of Dorje Shugden
The mandala of Dorje Shugden consists of a three-storey celestial mansion emanated through the force of his mind. Residing at the heart of the mandala is Dorje Shugden in his principal emanation on the snow lion, wearing a golden domed hat. Dorje Shugden manifests as four other recognized emanations, each with their specific functions and…
Dharmapala Setrab Chen
Who is Setrab? Lord Setrab is actually an ancient protector who can be traced back to the days of Shakyamuni Buddha, from Bodhgaya where Shakyamuni was enlightened. Lord Setrab is an emanation of Buddha Amitabha who had sworn to Buddha Shakyamuni to protect the teachings of Buddhism in general. Hence, Lord Setrab is definitely an…
Kache Marpo
Who is He? Kache Marpo is the main attendant to Dorje Shugden alongside Namkar Barzin. He is said to be the direct emanation of Hayagriva. Although Kache Marpo takes the appearance of a wordly form, he is fully enlightened. Hayagriva is the wrathful form of Avalokiteshvara. His compassion transforms itself as a fierce and strong…
Mandala Offering – His Eminence Khejok Rinpoche
My root guru, His Eminence Tulku Khejok Rinpoche demonstrates how to offer a Mandala. Although I am not able to include Rinpoche’s detailed explanation (it is entirely my inability), I still want to share this very precious recording. I am lucky to receive this practice first hand from Rinpoche. By actually seeing him offer the…
Shar Gaden Monks Dissolving Sand Mandala
(3:25) Shar Gaden monks dissolving a sand mandala in Füssen, Germany. A mandala is a deeply profound, universal symbol that translates literally to mean the “center and its surroundings” and is a physical representation of the universe and the interdependence within the universe, which means that everything and everyone is interlinked in one way or…
Taktse Dubcho Ritual at Shar Gaden
An update from Shar Gaden Monastery of the recently held four-day Taktse Dubcho Ritual Please click to enlarge
Nature and Function
Dorje Shugden and the Deities of his mandala are the same nature as the Deities of the body mandala of Lama Losang Tubwang Dorjechang, who is in essence Je Tsongkhapa. After Je Tsongkhapa passed away, Khädrubje received five visions of him, each time appearing in a different aspect. Later, the great Yogi Dharmavajra saw Je…
Offerings by Panchen Otrul Rinpoche
Offerings are the formal religious expression of the fundamental Buddhist virtue of giving. The perfection of giving, dana-paramita in Sanskrit, is first of the six or ten perfections. It encompasses every kind of generosity, whether it involves a gift to those higher than ourselves, such as deities in the merit field, or the poor or…
Appearance
Gyalchen Dorje Shugden’s Appearance Learning about iconography is a great way to discover any deity’s nature, function, and the methods that are applied in their practice. With beauty and power the following excerpts (in quotation marks) from prayers and praises to Gyalchen Dorje Shugden express via his outer appearance his inner intent and wishes. Principal…
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