Bearer of the Wisdom Sword

Dorje Shugden is a sublime emanation of Venerable Manjushri, Buddha of Wisdom. Highly attained masters like Mahasiddha Tagphu Pemavajra, Kyabje Pabongkha Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche have mentioned this in their teachings and written works.

Venerable Manjushri’s name is a combination of ‘Manju’, which means gentle and ‘Shri’, which means brilliance. Therefore Manjushri literally means ‘Gentle Brilliance’.

Manjushri is really a fully enlightened being and has manifested as the Bodhisattva student of Buddha Shakyamuni. In the Sutra Revealing the Abode of Manjushri, Buddha explains that in the remote past, Manjushri attained full Enlightenment in his pure land as a Buddha called Tathagata Lamp of the Nagas. In the same Sutra, Buddha also describes how Manjushri manifests countless emanations to help sentient beings in many worlds and planes of existence.

Although Manjushri appeared as a disciple of the Buddha, he had great power himself to help sentient beings. Sometimes people would come to Buddha for help and advice but Buddha would refer them to Manjushri because they had a stronger karmic link with him. Some had such a strong connection with Manjushri that through his blessings and skill, they were able to develop very powerful realizations.

Thus, Manjushri features extensively in the scriptures of the Sutra and Tantra teachings. In the form of a Yidam (meditational deity), Manjushri appears as a 16 year-old youth wearing the six ornaments of a Bodhisattva.

He carries the fiery sword of wisdom in his right hand that he brandishes against the darkness of ignorance. In his left hand, he holds the stem of a lotus that blooms with the Perfection of Wisdom scripture resting on it.

Both the sword and the scripture denote Manjushri’s ability to bestow wisdom as a means to liberate sentient beings. Thus, Dorje Shugden closely resembles Manjushri, by holding up in the air a flaming sword of wisdom.

Dorje Shugden is a Dharma Protector who has arisen in this form specifically to safeguard our Dharma practice. Therefore, the very moment we begin our spiritual connection with him through our prayers, offerings and refuge is the moment he begins his work to sustain us on the spiritual path.

However, many of us are new to the Dharma and our immediate concern may not be for our spiritual practice, mind transformation or even Enlightenment; many of us are more concerned about our immediate problems: relationship conflicts, monetary concerns, career dilemmas, bills to pay, mouths to feed and jobs to fulfil.

We must realize that as long as we are alive, such problems will continue to plague us, to a greater or lesser extent. We therefore need assistance that is fast, efficacious and something we can place our full trust in.

This is where Dorje Shugden comes in, as he is the most supreme among all the Dharma Protectors. Dorje Shugden holds a vajra hook in the crook of his left arm which reflects his powerful ability to attract all desired material and spiritual resources for our worldly and spiritual life.

Also, with his enlightened nature, which is the same as Manjushri’s, the Buddha of Wisdom, he will skilfully alleviate our problems so we can focus more on our spiritual practice. Many people develop faith quickly in Dorje Shugden because they receive very clear signs that he has alleviated their problems. Often, practitioners enter the Dharma in this way when their immediate prayers are answered swiftly.

Dorje Shugden’s strength and ability are boundless. Devotees of Dorje Shugden will be able to share with you numerous examples of how he has rescued them from dire circumstances, in ways that other Protectors are unable to do at this time.

Dorje Shugden is able to come to our assistance much quicker because he is in the form of a worldly god although his mind is that of a fully enlightened Buddha – Manjushri. This worldly form is symbolised by the boots that he wears, which represents a very close, strong karmic affinity that he has with us.

When Dorje Shugden first arose as a Dharma Protector, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama tried to destroy him with some of the deadliest fire rituals. However, due to his indestructible, fully enlightened nature, Dorje Shugden was not destroyed in any of the rites and survived all of the attempts. Actually, the Dalai Lama did this to reveal Dorje Shugden’s real nature and the enlightened level of his power, attainments and efficacy.

It was with these enlightened qualities that Dorje Shugden was able to guide the current incarnation of the Dalai Lama safely out of Tibet during the Chinese invasion. Dorje Shugden is now also the main force behind the phenomenal growth of the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist organizations and continues to perform countless other modern-day miracles.

If we place our trust in Dorje Shugden, we should have full faith that he will know what is best for us. He will bestow what is ultimately most beneficial for our spiritual practice and overall well-being. Therefore, we may not get exactly what we pray for or we may receive something else that we didn’t ask for.

When we find ourselves in such a situation, we should be grateful that Dorje Shugden has given us this opportunity to push our spiritual practice to another level and trust that what he has given us is for our highest benefit in the long term. There is no need to question Dorje Shugden’s better judgment and lose focus of the bigger picture.

Also, Dorje Shugden has 32 deities in his mandala that are each emanations of himself. Each of these deities bestows a type of blessing on practitioners and assists the principal deity to perform different beneficial actions:

Duldzin Dorje Shugden

The principal deity who leads us on the right path and alleviates all outer and inner obstacles.

Vairochana Shugden

The ‘purification’ emanation of Dorje Shugden. He is very efficacious in helping us to heal from life-threatening or incapacitating diseases.

Ratna Shugden

The ‘increase’ emanation of Dorje Shugden. He increases our merit and material resources or leads us to those who can bring us abundant resources.

Padma Shugden

The ‘control’ emanation of Dorje Shugden. He helps us to control our own difficult mind or situations and other people/beings who are difficult to tame.

Karma Shugden

The ‘wrathful’ emanation of Dorje Shugden. He helps to overcome extremely dangerous and negative situations.

The Eight Guiding Monks

They empower us to hold our spiritual vows and commitments.

The Nine Mothers

They assist Tantric practitioners with the higher meditations.

The Ten Deities

They help to alleviate all outer and inner obstacles, like broken samaya, which will take us away from our spiritual path.

Finally, because Dorje Shugden is an emanation of Manjushri, propitiating him will also bless you with excellent memory, a sharp mind, creativity and empowering speech that is clear and precise in its meaning.

This is the translation in English:

0.06
The Dalai Lama performed the same ritual 50 years ago, to become the Master of Wisdom according to the teachings of the Buddha.

0.15
The training of the mind allows you, for example, to get rid of anger.

To achieve that, we need to develop patience.

0.24
These unique images dating from 1948 were taken by an Austrian alpinist Henrich Harrer

0.30
This adventurer entered a secluded Tibet and gained the friendship of the Dalai Lama.

0’38
An amazing journey that he would share 10 years later in a French TV program “5 colonnes à la une”.

0.42
Henrich Harrer: ”The Dalai Lama asked me if I could shoot some events that he could not shoot himself.”

0.50
The interviewer: “Events that he could not see because he could not leave his residence.”

0.55
Henrich Harrer: “Indeed, he was like a prisoner in a way.”

1.00
“I was hidden when I took these images. In fact, only the Dalai Lama knew that I was filming them.”

1.05
“And sometimes he was looking at the camera.”

The interviewer: “That was an extraordinary moment indeed.”

1.15
A smile at Henrich Harrer’s camera which the Dalai Lama was so curious about.

1.21
This time it is the Dalai Lama who operates the camera.

1.26
Henrich Harrer would also teach some English to the Dalai Lama.

1.30
A window to the modern world for a young man trapped in old traditions.

1.34
At 24 years old, the suzerain is ready to lead his country.

1.39
But it is too late. The armies of Mao Tse Tung invaded the Tibetan territory.

1.40
The battles left thousands dead.

1.45
On the night of 17 March 1959, the Dalai Lama escaped from the invaders of his country.

1.49
He would not become its political leader.

1.54
“You know, I had been ill-treated, I had been insulted,”

1.59
“but the teachings of the Buddha have given me tools to control myself”

2.04
“and even to accept defeat with peace of mind.”

2.08
“My training makes me less of a prey to adversities.”

2.12
The Dalai Lama became the spiritual guide and political leader of the Tibetan people.

2.18
But history chose otherwise.

2.20
What remains of this absolute power today?

2.25
In Dharamsala, I’ll try to find an answer to that question.

2.30
This small town in North India has become a capital for the Tibetan refugees.

2.35
And representations of their living god is found everywhere.

2.40
While in exile, the Dalai Lama wanted to modernize the Tibetan political administration.

2.45
His aim: to separate the political leadership from the spiritual leadership.

2.49
Yet, the first elected politician in 2001 is a monk: Samdhong Rinpoche.

3.00
“I don’t think that because the political power is in the hands of a monk”

3.05
“it means that it is in the hands of the monastic community.”

3.10
“It is not because a woman is Prime Minister that the power is in the hands of women.”

3.15
“In a democratic election, anybody can be elected.”

3.20
There is one difference, however: The Dalai Lama, by his status, has authority over all the monks.

3.25
In Dharamsala, the Monastery of Tsu Glag Khang dominates the city.

3.30
It is there that the Dalai Lama installed his headquarters.

3.38
From his office, he continues to lead his exiled people with an expert hand.

3.43
For Lodhi Gyari, the negotiator with China,

3.46
the Dalai Lama remains the strongest Tibetan figure.

3.55
“More than a political leader, the Dalai Lama is my teacher, my guru.”

4.05
“And my activities are my way to show him my devotion.”

4.10
“The Dalai Lama is beyond politics, he is a spiritual guide.”

4.08
“The reason that I am still in power is related to the specific situation of Tibet today.”

4.13
“I lead a national struggle, this is not ordinary politics.”

4.18
“If there was a democratic debate between two political parties as in your country,”

4.23
“then the Dalai Lama and the monks should leave the political scene.”

4.28
Thus the Dalai Lama is a political leader despite his wishes,

4.33
and is invested with the divine mission to save Tibet.

4.38
But does everyone agree with the Dalai Lama’s politics?

4.43
And is there room for other opinions?

4.48
It is by investigating in the monasteries that I will find the answer.

4.57
In South India, I find dissident monks that have chosen another path.

5.05
Lobsang Yeshe and Namgyal used to be the Dalai Lama’s bodyguards.

5.10
50 years ago, they saved the Dalai Lama’s life while fleeing the Chinese army.

5.15
But today they feel betrayed.

5.24
“I don’t want to hear of the Dalai Lama anymore.”

5.28
“He is no more the Buddha of Compassion, he is a traitor.”

5.33
“The Dalai Lama has committed the most serious crime.”

5.38
“He has divided the Tibetan community.”

5.43
“He is opposed to our Protector Dorje Shugden and forbids his practice.”

5.48
“Because of the Dalai Lama I had a heart attack and today I am devastated.”

5.53
The Dalai Lama, “Ocean of Wisdom” has offended his old companions.

5.58
Then in January 2008, he lost his temper for a bit.

6.03
In front of thousands of devotees, he spoke very violent words

6.08
against the practitioners of this mysterious divinity: Dorje Shugden

6.13
“Because of Dorje Shugden, some have turned to violent means.”

6.18
“This cannot be tolerated, and I do not want any more trouble in the monasteries.”

6.23
“And to those who are upset, tell them that the Dalai Lama approves of expulsions from the monasteries.”

6.28
For the first time, I discover an authoritarian figure.

6.33
Here, the Tibetan wise man calls for exclusions of devotees from monasteries.

6.38
Why is that? And who is Dorje Shugden?

6.48
To understand, I am meeting with the devotees of Dorje Shugden.

6.53
These monks are, according to the Dalai Lama’s view, dangerous extremists.

7.00
“It is over there.”

7.05
Concealed in this prayer hall, I finally encounter Dorje Shugden, the mysterious divinity.

7.15
Dorje Shugden holds a sword in his right hand

7.20
and a human heart in his left.

7.24
For His devotees, Dorje Shugden brings protection.

7.28
For the Dalai Lama, He generates violence, it is He who divides Tibet.

7.33
“Dorje Shugden never divided the Tibetans, it is the Dalai Lama who did so”

7.38
“by banning the practice of this protector Buddha.”

7.43
“Before that, the Tibetan community lived harmoniously and peacefully.”

7.48
Today, Dorje Shugden devotees are being expelled from their monasteries

7.53
and their pictures are displayed in the streets.

7.58
A witch-hunt has been initiated in South India,

8.03
and on this matter, the Dalai Lama answers like a master of logic.

8.08
“I have never given orders to expel Dorje Shugden devotees.”

8.13
“It is the abbots who decide on these expulsions.”

8.18
In fact, the Dalai Lama suspected his monks to be manipulated by China.

8.25
And among those opposed to the Dalai Lama’s ban, I even found some in France.

8.30
A demonstration here on the beach of “La Baule”.

8.35
These European Buddhists are demonstrating against the Dalai Lama’s ban.

8.45
“Long live the Dalai Lama!”, “Long live the Dalai Lama!”

8.49
“You are being manipulated by the Chinese!”

8.54
All these Buddhists are demonstrating to defend their Tibetan brothers, devotees of Dorje Shugden.

9.00
Annabelle is from Marseille, and she points out the contradictions of the Dalai Lama.

9.10
“There is fraud from the Dalai Lama’s side”

9.15
“in holding both political and spiritual power.”

9.20
“The Dalai Lama IS a political leader and has political aims.”

9.25
“This needs to be exposed today as it seems that people do not want to see it in the Western world.”

Start by visualising Dorje Shugden in front you an arms length away, similar to visualizing Buddha or Tsongkapa during other visualizations.

Visualize and belief strongly that Dorje Shugden is one with your lama. This is very important and one should have great faith in this. If one believes this, it will carry on through our actions, as we get off the meditation cushion and into our daily affairs. If we had great faith in this, we would never break our guru samaya, break our promises, forget our commitments, etc.

Why? Because to visualise that our lama and protector is of the same nature, and then to break our samaya to our lama is contradictory. How can we break our commitments to a being we take refuge in? It is a false refuge from our side then. Therefore we gain no realizations even after millions of mantras have been recited. So if we believe all the time and not just during prayers that our lama and Protector are one and indivisible, we would conduct ourselves accordingly. This is one of the foundations of gaining attainments from our dharma practice.

Visualizing our Lama and Protector as one and reciting the mantra while visualizing the blessings in form of lights entering our body is a tremendous blessing to gain realizations. But we have to think of our Lama as the protector in nature even when our meditation is finished. We spend more time out of meditation than during meditation, so our view of our lama while not meditating is more important. How can we break our samaya to our lama during our daily lives, then during our meditations visualize blessings coming from a being we consider ‘ok’ to break our samaya with? Not logical.

So we must respect, listen to and follow the instructions of our lama and then only during meditations we can solicit his true nature as the protector to bestow healing and realizations upon us. Then when the lights come forth and bless us, we will gain healing and realizations due to our correct view of our Lama.

Next, start the mantra recitation. As you recite, visualize bright golden lights coming from Dorje Shugden’s heart entering the crown of your head and filling your body with bright golden wisdom light. Your body you visualise should be the same shape and size as your current body, but clear and vacuous, without your bones or internal organs or anything inside. See your body as light and clear.

These golden wisdom lights fill you up completely and bring you the power to easily understand the Dharma. They bring you the power of gaining attainments from the understanding of the Dharma. And they bring you the ability to overcome your negative habituations from your realization of the attainments. The golden lights are the blessings, attainments and transcendent abilities of your lama and protector.

The golden wisdom lights are also healing lights. Visualize the light that fills your body to heal your body of its problems. In particular, visualize the golden light going to the parts of your body that cause you problems eg your head if you suffer from headaches, your stomach if you have problems there, your heart if you have heart problems, etc. Visualize that these lights remove your problem and you are healed. Trust and believe.

If you feel tired at any time during the meditation, you can stop your visualisation for a moment. And once you are ready, you can start again from the beginning or continue where you left off.

Why do you need to visualize that you are healed although your body is vacuous? Because despite your visualization of a vacuous body, in reality you are not yet healed therefore the visualization is necessary.

Now that your body is healed and repaired to youthfulness, meditate on the fact that you did not get your human body for hedonistic life or for pleasure. Our body is a result of much prayers and merit accumulation from previous lives. It should not be wasted for empty pleasures that get us nowhere. Our bodies are the vehicles by which we can gain merits and benefit others tremendously. The potential is great. The healing meditation creates a body that is ready to collect merit. Ready to be used for others. Thus we should not waste it.

Of course we can still have occasional fun and indulge ourselves as we are still attached. But that is not the primary reason that we have acquired our rare human life.

Realising the above strongly activates the potency of Dorje Shugden’s mantra. The mantra is Manjushri’s mind and the power of mantra is activated by the correct motivation as explained above. Without the correct motivation and by merely reciting the mantra, it does not activate the power.

Although this meditation is for healing, do not just visualise the golden light from Dorje Shugden as just healing light. This reduces the power of your meditation. As Dorje Shugden is one with Wisdom Buddha Manjushri, the golden light has the wisdom of the Buddhas that takes you all the way to Enlightenment.

Other prayers that you recite along with your mantra are e.g.: Serkyem or Kanshag should also be recited sincerely, and not merely reciting for the sake of it. Motivation is everything. Focus is important to develop. Reciting without thinking will not bring even enlightenment to just your mouth since you are using your mouth to recite. Enlightenment is within the mind, therefore your mind must be excercised during recitations.

TK

This was written in accordance with the teachings my lama gave me to do while reciting the sacred mantra of Dorje Shugden daily. It is a method to expedite healing of illness both physical and mental.

Who is he?

Known as the ‘Great Black One’ in Sanskrit or Chaturmukha, Four Faced Mahakala is an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. He is popularly known to be able to quash our obstacles arising from ignorance and anger.

Being an enlightened Dharma Protector, he has been propitiated by many great masters including Lama Tsongkhapa, Nagarjuna and Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen. Four Faced Mahakala is also very well known to be one of the principle protectors of the Sakya tradition. He is also the main protector of Drepung Loseling Monastery and various Khangtsens in Ganden.

A Short History of Chaturmukha

Four Faced Mahakala is the Protector of the Guhyasamaja and Chakrasamavara Tantras. There was once a great Tibetan translator by the name of Nyen Lotsawa. When he received the tantric practice of Guhyasamaja of the Jnanapada Lineage from Risula (a dakini), she also bestowed on him the initiation of Four Faced Mahakala.

At this time, she gave him as a servant a dark skinned Brahman. When Nyen Lotsawa and the Brahman reached Nepal, the servant changed appearance and took on the form of a monk, an appearance more conducive for travelling in Tibet.

After the passing of Nyen Lotsawa, the monk remained with Lama Nam Ka’upa and then later with Sachen Kunga Nyingpo. This dark skinned monk is considered by many to be the emanation of Mahakala himself.

In later times, the Gelug School of Lama Tsongkapa adopted the Guhyasamaja practices and Four Faced Mahakala. Many more paintings and depictions of the four faced deity were made and he became a popular Protector. The vast majority of Tibetan and Mongolian paintings of Four Faced Mahakala are of the Gelug lineage.

How is Four Faced Mahakala connected to Dorje Shugden?

Both Four Faced Mahakala and Dorje Shugden are emanations of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri hence they share similar natures.

Besides that, they are both connected through Dorje Shugden’s previous life, Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen. Four Faced Mahakala was one of the heart practices of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen for all his life. It is because of this reason that Dorje Shugden has a very intimate relationship with Four Faced Mahakala.

Iconography

This form of Mahakala has four faces and four arms indicating that he has realized the four noble truths. His central face and body is dark blue in color, while his right face is white, his left face is red and his top face is black.

The main hands of Four Faced Mahakala holds a curved knife and a skull cup. The curved knife and the skull cup are iconic implements of Mahakala that symbolizes his enlightened nature in Tantric imagery.

The second pair of hands holds a raised sword in the right and a spear in the left. The right leg is bent and the left straight standing atop a prone corpse-like figure. His three eyes stare at our negative karma and obstacles wrathfully with a vision of past, present and future simultaneously.

Video by Ven. Lozang Gyaltsan. Extracted from his Facebook:

This is how the young monks of Serpom begin their school-day at 9 a.m. assembling in the courtyard to chant Gangloma, a prayer to have a sharp, fresh mind for acquiring knowledge. Their day really begins with puja [6 -7:30 a.m.]~Lozang Gyaltsan

(Serpom Monastery is one of the foremost educational institutions of Tibetan Buddhism in the world today. Many of the monks start their training in Buddhist Philosophy, rituals and practice from a very young age. There are many qualified teachers, masters and monks in Serpom located in South India (5 hours from Bangalore).

Supporting institutions such as Serpom, Shar Gaden Monastery and their likes are vital for the continuous survival of Buddha’s lineage in its complete form. We send our wishes and prayers for all the brave Sangha of these monasteries who we will continue to support to the best of our abilities.

The video shows the discipline instilled in the future teachers here in the Monastic courtyard invoking the blessings of Manjushri early in the morning before their studies daily. Beautiful, inspirational, and a blessing to see. We thank Lozang for this video very much.

Admin

Ganglongma

Homage to Manjushri, The Buddha of Wisdom

Obeisance to my Guru and Protector, Manjushri,
Who holds to his heart a scriptural text symbolic of his seeing all things as they are,
Whose intelligence shines forth like the sun, unclouded by delusions or traces of ignorance,
Who teaches in sixty ways, with the loving compassion of a father for his only child,
all creatures caught in the prison of samsara, confused in the darkness of their ignorance,
overwhelmed by their suffering.

You, whose dragon-thunder-like proclamation of Dharma
arouses us from the stupor of our delusions and frees us from the iron chains of our karma;
Who wields the sword of wisdom hewing down suffering wherever its sprouts appear,
clearing away the darkness of ignorance;
You, whose princely body is adorned with the one hundred and twelve marks of a Buddha,
Who has completed the stages achieving the highest perfection of a Bodhisattva,
Who has been pure from the beginning,

I bow down to you, O Manjushri;
With the brilliance of your wisdom, O compassionate one,
Illuminate the darkness enclosing my mind,
Enlighten my intelligence and wisdom,
So that I may gain insight into the Buddha’s words and the texts that explain them.

Mantra: OM AH RA BA TSA NA DHI

Je Pabongkhapa and many other great lineage lamas of old have been defamed by the Dalai Lama simply because of their devotion to the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden. Learn the truth about what the Dalai Lama said and the implications of his statements.

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!