WHY NOT JUST KILL HIM AND LET HIM BE FORGOTTEN?
“They can bury me in earth, drown me in water, burn me in fire but they cannot destroy what is not object to destruction. Do not worry – soon the sun will shine.”
One of the reasons why Tibetan Buddhism is so famous and respected is because of the powerful antidotes to black magic and evil spirits that are part of its repertoire. Where all else fails, it prevails. When Yamantaka comes, there is no spirit that doesn’t run screaming. If it gets really bad and the Lamas see the spirit cannot be tamed, they will perform a puja during which they ritually kill the evil spirit, dissolving it into the realm of absolute reality to keep it from collecting further negative karma by continuing its harmful activity. There is absolutely no spirit that cannot be subdued by an attained master – if we believe there is we are saying is that demons are stronger than Buddhas! Confusion prevails over enlightenment, since when?...
So a very intriguing question to ask is:
If Dorje Shugden a) is a malevolent, unenlightened spirit, and b) the Tibetan government, HH the Dalai Lama etc really wish to stop his practice and have him erased from our collective memory, why don’t they just kill him?
It would kill two birds with one stone:
a) Who wants to pray to a dead deity? The practice would stop automatically and immediately.
b) Who remembers a dead deity that nobody practices? Soon, nobody…
What did those find out who indeed believed Dorje Shugden to be an angry spirit at first, and tried to destroy him with wrathful pujas? That he can’t be killed. And what does that tell us? That he is not a spirit at all, but a supramundane being. Thus, the great fifth Dalai Lama wrote the following verses in the spirit of recognition and reconciliation:
HUM
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 rhinocerous leather hat,
Right hand holds an ornate club, left holds a human heart,
Riding various mounts such as nagas and garudas,
Who subdues the mamo's of the charnal grounds, praise to you!
Samaya substances, offerings and torma, outer, inner and secret,
Favorite 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!
Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang remarks:
“Even the composition of this short praise and propitiation brought benefit. Thus, although undisputed great Tantric masters tried to subdue him by burning him in the fire through their rituals, his display of miraculous power only grew greater, and it is in regard to this that he is being praised in this verse.”
In recent times again, such an attempt was again made and Dorje Shugden was declared ‘dead’. The very next day, he took trance and said this:
“They can bury me in earth,
drown me in water,
burn me in fire
but they cannot destroy
what is not object to destruction.
Do not worry – soon the sun will shine.”
If you have witnessed the great King Protector communicate through an oracle you have noticed the sacred presence of bodhicitta energy that inspires humility and gratitude. May we too be soon embodiments of universal transcendent compassion.
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