H.H. Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche gave Dorje Shugden initiation during his recent visit to Mongolia in September, 2014

Sogtae literally means ‘life entrustment” in Tibetan, referring to the life entrustment initiation or permissory rites of a Dharma Protector. Apart from Dorje Shugden, there are many other Dharma Protectors with life entrustment initiation rituals, for instance Setrab and even Nechung, just to name a few.

During the main part of the life entrustment initiation, the lama seals the spiritual bond between the initiate and the Dharma Protector. In the case of a Dorje Shugden Sogtae, the protector is sworn to protect the initiate and the initiate swears to take Dorje Shugden as Protector, both until the achievement of Bodhichitta.

Dorje Shugden is compelled by his compassion and the commitments made during the sogtae to guide and protect the initiate until the realization of Bodhichitta, after which the initiate no longer needs such assistance and becomes a ‘protector’ for others instead. Regardless of whether the achievement of Bodhichitta takes place in this lifetime or future lifetimes, Dorje Shugden is sworn to guide and protect the initiate until it fruitions.

A Dorje Shugden lineage thangka of Tagphu Pemavajra and Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche

Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche wrote a number of rituals concerning Dorje Shugden but the fulfillment prayer entitled ‘Melodious Drum Victorious in All Directions‘ has become the most commonly used Dorje Shugden fulfillment ritual. The introduction to this text states that life entrustment is not a prerequisite to engage in Dorje Shugden’s practice. However, in order to receive sogtae, one is required to have received the Vajrabhairava initiation and kept up the general and specific commitments.

Before the advent of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s composition, there seems to be an older life entrustment text composed by Rinchen Wangyal (1741-1812) of Sera Monastery, as mentioned in the introduction to a Dorje Shugden fulfillment text written by Serkong Dorje Chang. As a prerequisite, the text states that one must have obtained the initiation of a yidam. It also mentions that it would be excellent to have received the life entrustment initiation of Dorje Shugden according to the writings of Rinchen Wangyal, although it is not a prerequisite for one to perform the fulfillment ritual.

During Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s time, the life entrustment text of Rinchen Wangyal appears to have been lost. Therefore, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche was requested by Dorje Shugden through an oracle to compose another text to replace it. The following is an account of what happened and how he validated it with Tagphu Dorje Chang (Tagphu Pemavajra)’s pure visions when he astral travelled to Tushita. This account is further elaborated in ‘Descended From Tushita’.

I have written this at the request of Shugden, because in the past there was a tradition of Sogtae (srog gtad) to Shugden but later neither the tradition nor the text could be found — they have become like flowers in the sky —so Shugden has asked me two times to write a new initiation text.

I have passed on the practice of initiation (dbang) to some disciples in accordance with my own experience, and (a text) has been written as a seed for (a detailed text). But only that would be not reliable and something like an illegitimate son. Therefore, I explained it in detail to my master Tagphu Dorje Chang and presented this draft to him…

He took that draft and wrote his text down, combining this seed text with his own vision. Tagphu commented about the five types of Shugden, the respective colors etc., the offerings to be arranged, thus at the time of initiation the large Lamrim text should be there on the altar, a cakra representing one’s life, ḍamaru, dorje etc. The practitioner has to utter the life generating words of Vajrabhairava and to make torma offerings…

The initiation can be given to somebody who has received initiation into Vajrabhairava and keeps the commitments connected with it…
~ Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche

Dorje Shugden ‘heart’ crystals (lado) like this are consecrated and given to those who have received initiation

By tradition, the life entrustment of Dorje Shugden can only be given to three people at a time, so public life entrustment initiations would entail a massive line of initiates in threes! Besides that, Dorje Shugden ‘heart’ crystals (lado) and cakras (stringed amulets) are consecrated during the life entrustment and given to initiates as a blessing and reminder of their commitment to Dorje Shugden.

The life entrustment initiation also requires one to perform a Dorje Shugden puja (typically, the fulfillment text of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche) once a month thereafter. If, for whatever reason, one is unable to perform the puja, one can perform it ahead of time or request monks to perform it on one’s behalf.

On top of that, the initiate must make a commitment to the Gelug lineage, and put effort towards learning and practicing the teachings of the lineage. As Kyabje Zong Rinpoche says:

If you have to or if you wish to do some kind of Dharmic activities with other sects of Buddhism, that is okay to do some kind of activities but your main practice or the principle practice, you have to make the commitment with this lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa.

(A more extensive explanation by Kyabje Zong Rinpoche is available here).

These are the main commitments that one makes in the presence of Dorje Shugden and one’s lama during the life entrustment initiation, to be kept for the rest of one’s life. And, as Lama Tsongkapa has emphasized, the keeping of commitments is so important to our practice that they should be kept even at the cost of our lives.

Source

1. http://www.dorjeshugdenhistory.org/
2. http://dorjeshugdentruth.wordpress.com/

Dear readers,

This initiation of Dorje Shugden was conferred in Los Angeles in the 1980s onto Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen’s own students in Thubten Dhargye Ling. Prior to Kyabje Zong Rinpoche giving the advice, Geshe-la formally requested Kyabje Zong Rinpoche to give an initiation of Dorje Shugden. Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen was a very strong and devoted practitioner of Dorje Shugden and you can hear Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen’s voice at the beginning of the video.

After the formal request was made, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche himself, who is the overlord of all tantric mandalas, gave the profound initiation of Dorje Shugden to Geshe-la and all his disciples. And thereafter, Geshe-la and all his students practiced Dorje Shugden very strongly and very devotedly until the ban.

We have no reports of what happened after that.

Transcript :

— (Geshe Tsultrim Gyaltsen speaks in Los Angeles) —

My root guru His Holiness Kyabje Zong Tulku Dorje Chang Lobsang Tsundu Thubten Gyaltsen gives most emanation deity Gyalchen Dorje Shugden’s life entrustment initiation along with very pure and excellent biographies and stories, here is the voice record while giving the empowerment.

I, Geshe Tsultrim Gyaltsen student formally requested.

— (His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche begins to speak through a translator) —

After receiving this Dorje Shugden initiation, you have to do puja once a month. Also, it is necessary to follow the commitment, and you have to make a commitment with the lineage and with the order.

So that means, for example you [might] receive teachings from different traditions but mainly, your practice, your focus, your energy [should be put] into this lineage, the Gelugpa lineage.

If you have to or if you wish to do some kind of Dharmic activities with other sects of Buddhism, that is okay to do some kind of activities but your main practice or the principle practice, you have to make the commitment with this lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa. That’s why I mentioned before, you have to know and told that you should not take initiation if you are not sure. So once you take this initiation, then you have to make a commitment with the Gelug lineage and this is necessary not to mix up everything.

There are sometimes rumours that people say, “Oh, Shugden initiation is not…”, people say that it is not necessary to take Shugden initiation or, some people say Shugden is even not good protector.

That is not true. People who have this Shugden initiation and people who practice Dorje Shugden, those people have very great, successful meditation and practice. Even worldly measures, like worldly activities and business and job; everything becomes very successful.

Because it says Dorje Shugden is a Gelugpa protector, so some people they think when you say ‘Gelugpa protector’, they think we are narrow-minded and they think people who practice Shugden, they think they are narrow-minded and they think people who practice Shugden, they are sectarian. Actually, not sectarian…maybe because they are sectarian so they think that the people who practice Shugden are sectarian. People make up all kinds of stories and rumours, you should know that beforehand.

Some people, after taking the Shugden initiation and teachings, when they hear these rumours, they think…ignorant people, narrow-minded people make those rumours, and some people think that it is true and so maybe they give up the practice or they even don’t want to have this protector which is very bad, and that is not good for the person.

Actually it is up to you, whatever you want to do is up to you; your own life, everything is your own choice and your freedom and your own enlightenment, and what you want to do or not is up to you but I’m talking about what is good for you. You have to be very careful about what you do and you should not become gullible; you should not just follow someone saying “this is no good” and listen to all these stories from people. You should not change your mind, and you should always be aware and you have to make sure.

In Tibet, it doesn’t matter what people say and actually in Tibet, there’s many people who follow this and do this practice and actually, always there’s more and more people who do this kind of meditation.

So you have to know this, you have to be very sure or otherwise, later on, if people say to you “Oh, this practice is no good” and they make all kinds of stories and rumours…then if you give up, then it’s not good for you and then it will be a big mistake for you. Therefore you have to make sure that you keep this commitment and follow this commitment.

Because this is your own choice, and no one says you should do or you must do this and your own…like you choose to do this so you have to think about this very carefully. No one says you must do this without your own choice, and it’s like if you don’t want to and no one can say “you should do this or shouldn’t do this.”

(repeated from Part 1) Because it says Dorje Shugden is a Gelugpa protector, so some people they think when you say ‘Gelugpa protector’, they think we are narrow-minded and they think people who practice Shugden, they think they are narrow-minded and they think people who practice Shugden, they are sectarian. Actually, not sectarian…maybe because they are sectarian so they think that the people who practice Shugden are sectarian. People make up all kinds of stories and rumours, you should know that beforehand.

This is a very special protector and very precious, so therefore you have to do puja monthly.

You have to do the puja once a month, the prayer, long sadhana or long prayer, once a month but if, for example, if next month, if you know you’re going to be very very busy, if you know that you can’t do this, it’s impossible – then you can do the puja for next month, this month. The month before, you can do two [pujas] within two days.

If you don’t know how to read the sadhana, the prayers; if you cannot do the sadhana or you’re unable to do [the sadhana], then you also can ask the Lama, or monks or teachers to do this for you.

It is very important to know that you really want to take this initiation, and it is not just to come here and take this initiation because other people are taking this initiation. If you feel “I should do this and if I don’t do, then maybe I’m going to miss something”, that is the wrong idea. If you really want to make the commitment, then you should take. Otherwise you shouldn’t.

As I mentioned before, if you don’t know how to say the prayer and if you’re unable to do the puja once a month, then you can ask a Lama or your friend who knows this prayer and this monthly puja – you can invite them to your place, and ask them to do the puja.

Or if you can’t do [the puja] at your home, then even if it’s long-distance, like at some kind of monastery or where the Lama or the friend is – you can ask them, or him or her, to do this puja.

The reason I’m saying this again and again is because if you don’t follow just any kind of people, and if you’re not gullible, then it’s okay.

But it is possible sometimes that even a Lama or monk or some kind of teacher says “this is not right, and it’s wrong, and you shouldn’t do this kind of practice” – then it’s possible that you can change your mind. You think, “Because a Lama or some kind of teacher is saying this to me, maybe it’s true” – so people are very easily influenced and they can change their minds.

And one of the reasons because many Westerners don’t know the Dharma deeply, and all the significance and symbolism and the meanings. They also don’t know who is the right teacher and who is not the right teacher; they just go wherever there is a teacher or some sort of Lama, and they go and listen to all these teachings and that’s why. Westerners are generally very honest people, very direct, and very…they’re good people, they have a good heart.

Like in India or in Tibet, sometimes they…some people, they don’t practice Shugden but they say they are practicing Shugden. And some people, they do practice and they say something else. What people say and what they do is different, and so there’s kind of a corruption.

In India, some people mislead other people, other Tibetans. When some Tibetans ask them to do the Shugden puja, they will say, “Yes, I will do puja for you.” But after they go, they will do something else, and not the Shugden puja – they do another different puja. The people who asked them to do puja, they don’t know – if they can’t read, they can’t read and write – that these people say they are doing Shugden puja, but they don’t do it. They do something else and they just do what they want to do, and it’s very bad.

The reason why they do that is because in India and Tibet, householders will invite laypeople or monks to do this puja. It is a long puja and long day, so the household makes offerings like dana. These people are lying, saying they’re doing the Shugden puja but they don’t do. And they actually don’t like to do Shugden puja but in order to get some kind of benefit or money or some other reason, they say they do the pujas and it’s very very bad and very samsaric motivation.

Eventually those people, the householders who request for the Shugden puja will know or realise; they know that these people are not doing the right puja because they feel that it is not helping. It is not working because they are not doing the real puja. Eventually, they can feel intuitively because it is not helping, it doesn’t feel right. They will say they don’t want those people to do the puja, and will ask someone and make sure that the people who do the Shugden puja, are also practicing Shugden.

Here, we don’t have that kind of problems and there is no doubt. I’m just talking about general stories so that you have some type of understanding and everything.

Dear readers,

This initiation of Dorje Shugden was conferred in Los Angeles in the 1980s onto Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen’s own students in Thubten Dhargye Ling. Prior to Kyabje Zong Rinpoche giving the advice, Geshe-la formally requested Kyabje Zong Rinpoche to give an initiation of Dorje Shugden. Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen was a very strong and devoted practitioner of Dorje Shugden and you can hear Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen’s voice at the beginning of the video.

After the formal request was made, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche himself, who is the overlord of all tantric mandalas, gave the profound initiation of Dorje Shugden to Geshe-la and all his disciples. And thereafter, Geshe-la and all his students practiced Dorje Shugden very strongly and very devotedly until the ban.

We have no reports of what happened after that.

Transcript :

— (His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche begins to speak through a translator) —

(repeated from Part 1) Because it says Dorje Shugden is a Gelugpa protector, so some people they think when you say ‘Gelugpa protector’, they think we are narrow-minded and they think people who practice Shugden, they think they are narrow-minded and they think people who practice Shugden, they are sectarian. Actually, not sectarian…maybe because they are sectarian so they think that the people who practice Shugden are sectarian. People make up all kinds of stories and rumours, you should know that beforehand.

This is a very special protector and very precious, so therefore you have to do puja monthly.

You have to do the puja once a month, the prayer, long sadhana or long prayer, once a month but if, for example, if next month, if you know you’re going to be very very busy, if you know that you can’t do this, it’s impossible – then you can do the puja for next month, this month. The month before, you can do two [pujas] within two days.

If you don’t know how to read the sadhana, the prayers; if you cannot do the sadhana or you’re unable to do [the sadhana], then you also can ask the Lama, or monks or teachers to do this for you.

It is very important to know that you really want to take this initiation, and it is not just to come here and take this initiation because other people are taking this initiation. If you feel “I should do this and if I don’t do, then maybe I’m going to miss something”, that is the wrong idea. If you really want to make the commitment, then you should take. Otherwise you shouldn’t.

As I mentioned before, if you don’t know how to say the prayer and if you’re unable to do the puja once a month, then you can ask a Lama or your friend who knows this prayer and this monthly puja – you can invite them to your place, and ask them to do the puja.

Or if you can’t do [the puja] at your home, then even if it’s long-distance, like at some kind of monastery or where the Lama or the friend is – you can ask them, or him or her, to do this puja.

The reason I’m saying this again and again is because if you don’t follow just any kind of people, and if you’re not gullible, then it’s okay.

But it is possible sometimes that even a Lama or monk or some kind of teacher says “this is not right, and it’s wrong, and you shouldn’t do this kind of practice” – then it’s possible that you can change your mind. You think, “Because a Lama or some kind of teacher is saying this to me, maybe it’s true” – so people are very easily influenced and they can change their minds.

And one of the reasons because many Westerners don’t know the Dharma deeply, and all the significance and symbolism and the meanings. They also don’t know who is the right teacher and who is not the right teacher; they just go wherever there is a teacher or some sort of Lama, and they go and listen to all these teachings and that’s why. Westerners are generally very honest people, very direct, and very…they’re good people, they have a good heart.

Like in India or in Tibet, sometimes they…some people, they don’t practice Shugden but they say they are practicing Shugden. And some people, they do practice and they say something else. What people say and what they do is different, and so there’s kind of a corruption.

In India, some people mislead other people, other Tibetans. When some Tibetans ask them to do the Shugden puja, they will say, “Yes, I will do puja for you.” But after they go, they will do something else, and not the Shugden puja – they do another different puja. The people who asked them to do puja, they don’t know – if they can’t read, they can’t read and write – that these people say they are doing Shugden puja, but they don’t do it. They do something else and they just do what they want to do, and it’s very bad.

The reason why they do that is because in India and Tibet, householders will invite laypeople or monks to do this puja. It is a long puja and long day, so the household makes offerings like dana. These people are lying, saying they’re doing the Shugden puja but they don’t do. And they actually don’t like to do Shugden puja but in order to get some kind of benefit or money or some other reason, they say they do the pujas and it’s very very bad and very samsaric motivation.

Eventually those people, the householders who request for the Shugden puja will know or realise; they know that these people are not doing the right puja because they feel that it is not helping. It is not working because they are not doing the real puja. Eventually, they can feel intuitively because it is not helping, it doesn’t feel right. They will say they don’t want those people to do the puja, and will ask someone and make sure that the people who do the Shugden puja, are also practicing Shugden.

Here, we don’t have that kind of problems and there is no doubt. I’m just talking about general stories so that you have some type of understanding and everything.

Watch Part 1: dorjeshugden.com/?p=7106

Question:

The great protectoress, Palden Lhamo’s dice divination is quite well-known. I heard that there are also divination methods by Dorje Shugden, but I could find any documents relating to this. Does anyone have any information on this? I seems good to be able to have the means to seek Dorje Shugden’s advice, especially on difficult issues.

Answer:

Dorje Shugden Divinations:

1. There are two current text on divination in use and circulation. His Eminence Kyabje Dagom Dorje Chang composed one text and Dorje Shugden Himself took trance and composed the original one. They are both highly accurate on the hundreds of occasions divination was consulted to Dagom Rinpoche by my associates/friends/dharma students.
2. When Dorje Shugden took trance of the previous Choyang Dulzin Kuten, he was in trance for over two hours. Dorje Shugden gave the direct lineage, oral transmission, and explanation of this text. In other words, he composed on the spot this sacred text. Amazing as Shugden gave transmission on his own text he composed on the spot. Start of a lineage.

   It was compiled by the then secretary in audience with Dorje Shugden in his peaceful form as Dulzin. If I am not mistaken, the secretary is the current abbot of Shar Gaden, the Most Venerable Geshe Lobsang Pende-lak. I am referring to the Dorje Shugden composed text below.

3. It’s broken down into 6 basic sections with subsections and Intro’s advice:
   1. Intro advice
   2. The six basic sections are for the 6 faces of the dice. Depending which side the dice falls, each side is broken down into approximately 10 subsections. Each Subsection gives details of results, to engage in a certain action being asked or to avoid or otherwise, pujas, remedial solutions, etc.10 subsections that the questions are divided into:
      • Dharma Activity
      • visitors/friends
      • House & Place
      • Success
      • Legal Actions
      • Sickness
      • Life Span
      • Spirits
      • Medical Treatments
      • Travelling Wealth & Resource
4. In order to engage in this profound practice of Divination relying on the infallible Dorje Shugden, it is highly recommended:
   1. Recieve the empowerment of Tsongkapa (Je Tse Zin Ma), engage in formal retreat with minimum of 100,000 migtseymas. No fire puja.
   2. Recieve the initiation of Yamantaka, solitary or 13-Deity is fine, engage in the retreat. Minimum 400,000 main mantra, and 40,000 other three mantras each. Seal with a sacred Fire Puja.
   3. Recieve Sogtae (life entrustment) of Dorje Shugden, engage in a extended retreat at least 1,000,000 (one million minimum) main mantra and secondary mantry 100,000 is ok. Seal with a sacred Dorje Shugden Fire puja.
5. Then upon finishing retreat, request one’s lama permission to start the divinations and can get one’s divination dice consecrated by one’s lama.Of course one’s does not engage in such sacred retreats with the motivation JUST TO DO DIVINATIONS. That would be a ‘waste’.

   One should do with the highest of motivations as in Lam Rim Prayers or King of Prayers. The side benefit would be the ability to divine the future for situations beyond logical thinking or a logical course of action.

6. When one has finished the retreat, recieved the permission of one’s lama, then everyday prior to divination, one is to recite Hung Rang Nyi Yidam, etc. 3x, offer serkym and with a good motivation one may recieve questions and proceed to divine to help others.

This is a short run down of the details, requirements and procedures behind the highly accurate divination method of the Enlightened Dorje Shugden.

This practice is not for only high lamas. This is for anyone sincere and does the divinations free of the 8 worldly dharmas as best as you can. The accuracy will depend on your samaya, guru devotion, motivation and ‘upkeep’ of your Dorje Shugden commitments.

You can consult a qualified lama and recieve this practice if you wish to go all the way. You can recieve the lineage, do the retreats, and fire pujas in Shar Gaden. One retreat every six months?? The Abbot can confer on you the sacred initiations.

Let me please stress again, it is a side benefit of all the retreats. Tsongkapa, Yamantaka, Dorje Shugden retreats are to clear obstacles to realizing the real non-dualistic nature of the mind thereby propelling yourself to Liberation. Wisdom is so needed, what more better than Manjushri in Lama form-Tsongkapa, Manjushri in Yidam form-Yamantaka and Manjushri in Protector form-Dorje Shugden.

The Gelugs have a saying that we practice Lama Manjushri, Yidam Manjushri and Protector Manjushri. That is to all awaken the Manjushri within us lying dormant for aeons.

Good luck.

TK