Dear Chen,

Thank you for your question. Regarding the pills you have mentioned, I believe you are referring to the Rinchen Rilnag pills, commonly referred to as the ‘Black Pills’. They are also known as the ‘Karmapa’s Black Pills’. The larger versions of these pills are known as the ‘Mother Rinchen Rilnag Pills’. These holy pills are actually made His Holiness the Karmapa from the Karma Kagyu tradition.

These pills are extremely rare and made of substances such as precious metals and various jewels. They are said to confer a lot of blessings, healing and protection for those that eat them. They can even be carried with you for protection and good fortune. The healing effects of the Rinchen Rilnag have been known to help those with chronic illnesses, including complete remission. The pills are also known to help with conditions such as depression and anxiety.

For those that cannot recover from their illness due to the force of their ripening karma, it is said that eating the pills creates a very strong connection with His Holiness the Karmapa. When they finally pass over from this life, it is said this connection allows His Holiness, who is an emanation of Chenresig, to guide them to a better and fortunate rebirth.

The pills are said to be made using implements that belonged to Marpa Lotsawa and Milarepa, two of Tibet’s most well-known Buddhist masters. These implements are what give the pills their black colour. Both smaller ‘baby’ and larger ‘mother’ pills are rolled by His Holiness during the process and placed in the 3rd Karmapa Rangjung Dorje’s begging bowl over night before being distributed. The whole process includes the recitation of sacred prayer and meditation. It is also said that the ‘mother’ pills have the power to multiple or create ‘baby’ pills by themselves if owned by sincere practitioners.

You can learn more about Milarepa and teachings on the mind here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/our-neurotic-mind.html.

While Kechara does not have these pills, we do have a variety of other holy pills available for practitioners to invite and benefit from. You can invite them from Kechara House, our Kechara Paradise outlets in Malaysia or online from http://www.vajrasecrets.com/precious-pills. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Harold Musetescu,

Thank you for your interesting question. I believe by this, you may be referring to the practice of Trakpo Sumtril. This is a form of Vajrapani combined with Hayagriva and Garuda. In this form Vajrapani is depicted with a horse’s head on top of his own, representing the deity Hayagriva and King Garuda right at the top. This practice is therefore a ‘three-in-one’ practice. It is extremely effective to counter severe and life threatening illness, increase general health, protect against malignant forms of spirit harm and black magic, as well as to rid the mind of the three poisons, which leads to enlightenment. His Eminence the 25th Tsem has recommended this practice for people in the past and has taught of its immense benefits.

Vajrapani appears in his usual form, dark blue in colour with one face and two arms. In his upraised right hand he wields a golden vajra with five spokes, while his left hand performs the threatening gesture at the level of his chest. His wears tiger skin garments with his right foot bent and left outstretched, surrounded by wisdom fire. He is adorned at the crown with a white ‘Om’, at the throat with a red ‘Ah’ and at the heart with a blue ‘Hum’.

His yellowish-brown hair is upraised, amidst which is a green horse’s head representing the deity Hayagriva. On the crown of this horse’s head is the King Garuda. King Garuda has a white body, three eyes and a vajra beak. His wings are made of swords and between his two horns of turquoise is a magnificent burning gem. In his hands he holds the four types of nagas and eats them, showing that the practice can overcome all types of harm caused by nagas.

His holy mantra is:
OM BENZAPANI HAYAGRIVA GARUDA HUM PHET

Below, i have included a picture showing Trakpo Sumtril. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Demian,

Thank you for your interesting questions. I have answered your questions in sections. Please see below:

A) In regards to the Remati sisters, there are some differing classifications. Palden Lhamo in her aspect as Magzor Gyalmo, which is the form we commonly see her in, is not part of the worldly Remati sisters, although she is often times referred to as ‘Remati’. The four Remati sisters are actually part of the 12 Tenma Goddesses.

Under Magzor Gyalmo, as part of her retinue, are the Five Tseringma Sisters or the Five Long-Life Sisters, a group of worldly goddesses. Under this group are the 12 Tenma Goddesses. This group is usually divided into three groups for the purposes of classification. One of these three groups are known as the Four Remati Sisters. Rather than being the same as Magzor Gyalmo, they are part of her entourage. As such, some people mistakenly class her as part of the Remati sisters group since she shares the name.

B) I have looked at the page you referred to in relation to the 12 Tenma Goddess. The reason you got confused is because the two lists are different. This is because different traditions name them or identify them differently. I have another source, which lists the goddesses as follows:

1. Dhagnyi Chenmo Dorje Kundrakma
2. Paldan Hari Dorje Yamakyong
3. Gangkyi Yumchen Dorje Kunzangma
4. Drokchen Khordul Dorje Geg-kyi-tso
5. Gangkar Shamey Dorje Chenchikma
6. Kharak Khyungtsun Dorje Pelgi Yum
7. Serchen Khading Dorje Lumo
8. Mari Rabjam Dorje Drakmo Gyal
9. Kongtsun Demo Dorje Pokham Kyong
10. Tsenla Laro Dorje Menchikma
11. Mentsun Chenmo Dorje Yamosil
12. Yuyi Drilbu Dorje Zulema

As mentioned earlier, the exact names of the goddesses will differ slightly amongst the various traditions. This is not to say that they are not the same, it is just that their names appear differently.

C) When you recite prayers, you can recite in whatever language you are familiar with. For example, in my own daily practice I used to recite only in English. Now that I have become a little more familiar, I recite in Tibetan as well. However, it is not a rule that the prayers must be recited in Tibetan. When the meaning behind the prayers and the motivation from the side of the practitioner is good, then prayers work. Some people prefer to recite in Tibetan because there is flow and rhythm to the prayers, compared to the English translation but this is not necessary. You can recite in any language you are familiar with.

D) Nyenchen Thanglha is a deity that is indigenous to Tibet. In fact he is the mountain god of the Nyenchen Thanglha mountain range and interestingly is the god associated with the plateau upon which the Potala Palace is built on in Lhasa. When worldly deities are bound by an enlightened being, they stay bound. When stories relate that they were bound again, this actually means that they retook their oaths or promises in front of other enlightened beings. This is somewhat similar to practitioners re-taking their vows, for example their refuge, bodhisattva and tantric vows, in order to repair them. So this does not mean that the enlightened beings are not powerful, but from the side of the god, that he made his oaths again.

E) In regards to Dorje Yudronma divination it is better to have the received the necessary empowerments, permission and commentaries from a Guru before engaging in the divination. This is to ensure that the practitioner has the qualifications to engage in the divination successfully. It is also advisable that one train under the guru to understand everything about the divination method before starting to practice on your own.

F) Dorje Legpa and Nechung are not the same deity. Nechung is known to be a Gyalpo spirit, whereas Dorje Legpa is actually a Theurang spirit. Therefore they are two entirely different beings. Dorje Legpa is actually part of the ‘Ma Za Dam Sum’ or the ‘Three Terma Protectors’ who are propitiated mainly in the Nyingma tradition. You can read more about Dorje Legpa here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dharma-protectors-of-tibetan-buddhism.html. In regards to Nechung, you can read more here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/nechung-the-retiring-devil-of-tibet.html. As for why prophecies from the Nechung oracle can be mistaken, please see my previous replies to you. If I remember clearly, I have given some possible reasons already.

G) You are correct that Yamantaka is an emanation of Manjushri. His consort is actually known as Vajra Vetali and is an emanation of Saraswati. Yamantaka and Vajra Vetali are in the form of a Yidam or meditational deity. Yamantaka/Vajra Vetali’s practice belongs to the Anuttarayoga tantra or Highest Yoga Tantra. Through this practice one can gain enlightenment in just one lifetime.

In the case of Palden Lhamo, she is also an emanation of Saraswati but in the form of a Dharma protector. The role of a Dharma protector is to clear obstacles and provide the necessary conditions for practice. Their practice does not lead to enlightenment, but aids practitioners so they can concentrate on the practices that DO lead to enlightenment. This includes the Yidam practice of Yamantaka as mentioned above.

Palden Lhamo is known as the consort of Mahakala, which is true. There are actually over 75 different forms of Mahakala, all of whom are emanations of different Buddhas. For example Four-Faced Mahakala is an emanation of Manjushri in the form of a protector. Six-Armed Mahakala on the other hand is an emanation of Chenresig. Therefore Palden Lhamo can be the consort of Mahakala.

H) Torma itself is an offering of food to the Buddhas. Therefore traditionally it is made of food substances, which usually include barley flour and butter. There are actually a lot of different uses and variety of torma for different purposes. The most common form of torma is the one associated with the row of sensory offerings offered on one’s altar. This can be replaced with a pack of biscuits if you like. Other people replace this with a fixed torma offering. These are the plastic ones you have come across. Most commonly, these are used for fixed sensory offerings on one’s altar to represent the offering of food.

I) There are many different ways to make a prayer wheel. You are right that for traditional prayer wheel mantras were written with very good ink or gold if the mantras were handwritten. These days however, I believe that people print out the mantras necessary rather than write them by hand. If you would like to know more about prayer wheels and their construction, you should get hold of the book ‘Wheel of Great Compassion’ by Lorne Ladner. This book explains the manner in which one can create their own prayer wheel. I have not read the book myself but am told it includes the information you would need for this.

J) In regards to politics, I am not familiar with the current elections to possibly make an informed decision. From a Buddhist perspective however, a good candidate would be the one who promotes peace, harmony, well-being and religious harmony. You should not support those that perform dubious actions, lie, cheat or who persecute others. Instead support those with positive qualities.

K) In regards to Nechung’s history, yes he is considered a very powerful deity. There are differing accounts to his origin, some say he was a war god from Mongolia while others say that he was an ancient god from Persia. However, in both accounts he came to Tibet and was very powerful. Then he was subdued by Guru Rinpoche who bound him by oath to serve the Dharma. You can read more here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/nechung-the-retiring-devil-of-tibet.html

L) In regards to the last section of your questions, the links you have provided are from an unreliable source. The whole purpose of this website is to deride Buddhism in all its forms as something negative. This is obviously not the case. The rituals associated with 4-Armed and 6-Armed Mahakala would have been used to clear obstacles. This would have been portrayed as a spiritual battle. What the protectors would actually have been battling against would have been the negative karma of the people at the time.

In regards to the nine-headed demon, I do not believe that it would have been Rahula because Rahula is oath bound, which means he would not go against an enlightened being. This means he would definitely not fight with any of the Mahakala protectors. When they refer to the nine-headed demon, it does not refer to Rahula. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Tsering Dolker,

Thank you. Answering your Dharma questions is what the Kechara Pastors are here for. I completely agree with you on this regards. In my previous answer, I was not saying that I or anyone else at Kechara holds this mistaken view about women. I was just stating that some people may hold this view about women in regards to your original question.

Please do feel free to ask more Dharma questions if you have any. Thank you.

Dear Ling Po,

The practice of the deity Chakrasamvara belongs to the Anuttarayoga Tantra (Highest Yoga Tantra) and as such the greatest of the siddhis attainable is complete enlightenment within one lifetime.

Siddhis are actually of two types. These are called mundane siddhis and supra-mundane siddhis. Mundane siddhis are abilities that usually only last for one lifetime. However supra-mundane siddhis are abilities that are never lost as they arise from our accumulated merits. These abilities are with us from lifetime to lifetime until we achieve enlightenment.

Generally speaking the benefits of Chakrasamvara’s practice include the transformation of one’s mind, purification of past negative actions and the clearing of obstacles. This is coupled with the accumulation of merits, wealth, attainments and good health. Specifically Chakrasamvara practice grants the siddhi of abandoning the twelve interdependent links of samsara (represented by his twelve arms) through the four doors of liberation (symbolised by his four faces). These four doors are: (1) an understanding of emptiness, (2) signlessness or absence of attributes, (3) wishlessness or the absence of aspiration and (4) the ultimate emptiness or the lack of composition of all phenomena. Through Chakrasamvara practice one can also harness the usually destructive energies of attachment, anger, desire and hatred as a means to achieving enlightenment. Instead of supressing these energies, you channel these negative energies into something beneficial.

As an Anuttarayoga Tantric practice, the unique attainments Chakrasamvara grants is preventing ordinary or uncontrolled death; and transforming the bardo (intermediate stage between death and rebirth) and the process of rebirth as paths towards enlightenment. Usually during these process we are at the mercy of the effects of our karma. But this system can grant you the unique power to control these events. During our practice of Chakrasamvara we actually transform our perception of all mundane experience as a higher spiritual path.

On a side note, but an important one, Heruka Chakrasamvara’s practice is unique amongst all the Buddhist tantras. While all the others degenerate over time, Chakrasamvara’s practice is the only tantra whose effectiveness actually increases as the times degenerate further. Therefore we are extremely fortune if we are able to make a connection with Chakrasamvara, especially in our current Kaliyuga age. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Tsering Dolker,

Thank you for your question. You have asked a very good question. The Buddhas are enlightened beings therefore they have equanimity for all sentient beings including men and women. However, as you have said, some temples do not allow women to enter.

This is most likely due to the fact that one or more of the deities that have shrines in the temple are not enlightened beings. For example there may be a temple to a certain god. This god could have a consort such as a goddess or unenlightened dakini. Since unenlightened beings are still subject to emotions, this consort may become jealous or angry at seeing another women in the temple, therefore cause the woman harm. For this reason, women may not be allowed to enter the temple.

On the other hand there are some people who believe that during a woman’s monthly cycle, she become ritually ‘unclean’ due to her bodily processes. At this time women may not be allowed to enter certain temples as they are ‘unclean’.

There are others that believe that during a woman’s monthly cycle, since there are major changes happening in the body, this effects the energy or ‘winds’ in their bodies. At this point they are susceptible to outside energies, and being inside a temple where there is a powerful being, this may have a negative effect on them. This is why they are sometimes not allowed inside.

However the examples I have given above are for temples in which there are unenlightened deities. Most Tibetan Buddhist temples will not include these unenlightened deities such as these. For example in Kechara, since we pray to the enlightened Buddhas, women can enter all our temples. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Harold Musetescu,

Thank you for your question. There are many forms of Vajrapani. Could you provide me with more information as to the specific form of Vajrapani that you would like to know about?

Personally, I have not come across a form of Green Vajrapani in my personal practice, therefore I cannot give you any more information. If you can provide me with the specific name of the deity you would like to know more about I may be able to find out.

However, I do know of a green form of Vajrapani, who belongs to the mandala of the Kalachakra deity. In this form, Vajrapani is green, with three faces. These are green, red and white. He has six hands. In his right hands he holds a Vajra, curved flaying knife and axe. While in his left hands he holds a bell, a skull and head of Brahma. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Lunezia,

Thank you for your question. Unfortunately I am not familiar with the works of Rudolf Steiner. Perhaps you could ask the question again, including the names of his works. Alternatively, you could summarise them here and I can give a Tibetan Buddhist view on them. Thank you.

Dear Chen,

Thank you for your question. His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche has previous recalled that Kyabje Zong Rinpoche mention that there is a substitute for offering meat during tsok. To do this you put a couple of drops of alcohol in tsampa (roasted barley flour) and use this as a replacement for offering meat. However this substitute should only be used when we cannot acquire meat for the tsok offering. If we can easily acquire meat, then it should definitely be used during tsok offering.

To engage in tsok offerings one must have received the initiation into one of the Highest Yoga Tantra practices. At that time one would have received the tantric vows. Within these vows it states that practitioners should always rely on those substances that keep us or bond us close to our tantric practice. These substances include both meat and alcohol.

Both meat and alcohol have a lot of tantric meaning, which would have been explained by your Guru after receiving the appropriate initiation. This vow is actually broken when you do one of either two things: consume them in large quantities out of attachment, or stay away from them altogether because you are repulsed by them. In the second case, this may be due to being an extremely strict vegetarian or being teetotal.

This may seem strange but is actually part of the method employed in tantric practice to break our conceptions of the nature of reality, thereby propelling us further on our spiritual path towards enlightenment. The use of both meat and alcohol within the tsok offering is meant to break away these conceptions. When we do not use them, we actually end up breaking our vows, which are supposed to guide us and keep us on the tantric path. I hope this helps, please do feel free to ask any further questions.

Thank you.

Dear Jennifer,

Thank you for your question. I am sorry to hear of this. At this crucial time, you should continue to have strong faith in Medicine Buddha and engage in the practice for your aunt, dedicating the merits from the practice to her fortunate rebirth. You can find a good practice to Medicine Buddha here that you can engage in: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/medicine-buddha-practice.html. You can also recite the Medicine Buddha mantra and then blow the mantra on her. Better yet, you can recite in front of her so she can hear the mantra and the imprints are planted in her mindstream.

Sometimes, even when we are doing all we can, we feel that we haven’t been able to do enough or that the methods we are using are not working out. However, this may not always be the case. In fact Medicine Buddha practice is known to be extremely beneficial, it’s just that perhaps you may not see its benefits physically.

The best thing to do at this point is to make her mind as calm as possible. If you know she has any unresolved issues, you should try to ease her worries and let her know that everything is alright and will be alright after she has passed away. Let her know that she is loved and that it is ok to pass onwards. A calm mind is very important at the time of death. A disturbed mind will open up negative karma and not lead to a fortunate rebirth. On the other hand a calm mind will open up neutral or positive karma which will lead to a fortunate rebirth.

If you are able to do so, you can sponsor pujas to generate merit for your Aunt at this time. If you want you can sponsor Medicine Buddha Pujas (http://www.vajrasecrets.com/medicine-buddha-puja-fund) or even Lama Chopa (http://www.vajrasecrets.com/lama-chopa-puja-fund). These pujas are very good for those on who are close to death or even for those who have passed away. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Roy Martinez,

Thank you for your question. I’m sorry to hear that your friend is suffering so much from addiction and shocked to read that meth use is on the rise in the States. As you have so rightly said, true change can only occur when your friend decides that he has to overcome this addiction. When he has done so, he can begin his journey of recovery, during which time your help as well as the help of his family will be needed.

In regards to practices that you can engage in, I would suggest the practice of a Dharma protector. Since the situation is bad and can become worse if he does not overcome his addiction, I would suggest the practice of Trakze, who is the wrathful form of Dorje Shugden. The practice can be found here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/trakze-to-dispel-black-magic-spirits.html.

Although Trakze practice is commonly used for protection against spirit harm and black magic, the practice actually deals with the heavy negative karma that underlies this. Heavy negative karma, or the imprints of it is most likely the cause for your friend’s addiction. Everything that happens to us, the circumstances we are put in and the choices we make are based on our karma and its imprints. Trakze’s practice is very beneficial to overcome the strongest of these negative karmas. The practice is very good at removing obstacles and if you make very strong dedications when engaging in the practice, you will be able to see an improvement in your friend’s situation.

To overcome this obstacle of your friend not listening to your pleas, you can also sponsor pujas which will be performed on his behalf at Kechara House, if you have the means. For example you can sponsor a Dorje Shugden Puja (http://www.vajrasecrets.com/dorje-shugden-wishfulfilling-puja-fund), Trakze Puja (http://www.vajrasecrets.com/trakze-puja-fund) or even a Gyabshi Puja (http://www.vajrasecrets.com/gyabshi-puja-fund). A lot of people have received a lot of benefit from these pujas.

If your friend decides he wants to overcome his addiction and if he is so inclined, once he has started his road to recovery, he can engage in the practices of Medicine Buddha (https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/medicine-buddha-practice.html) or Shize (https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/shize-a-practice-for-healing-and-long-life.html) to aid the healing process. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Valerie,

Thank you for your question. Please see below for the compatibility for a rat and rooster sign from our Relationship Compatibility for the Rat page (https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/horoscopes/relationship-compatibility-for-the-rat.html)
–
RAT PARTNER + ROOSTER PARTNER: 66%
This couple will not go well together. The Rat will be resentful as the Rooster goes about criticising the Rat’s shortcomings. The Rooster’s eccentric character and analytical nature annoys the Rat, who will find the Rooster ungrateful. The Rooster’s materialistic nature will also aggravate the thrifty Rat.

Both parties are controlling and independent in their own right. They like to control both people and each other. However, the Rooster has the tendency to preach, coupled with a bossy and inflexible character. This conflicts with the intelligence of the Rat, who thinks independently and is therefore less likely to follow the Rooster’s words blindly. The Rooster can also make the Rat feel inferior by the Rooster’s cocky and arrogant attitude.

The Rat partner will seek what the Rooster partner cannot provide, which is warmth, affection and tenderness. From the very beginning, the relationship is doomed for failure. The relationship has a better chance of success if the Rooster and Rat are more mature, as they are more likely to be more patient which each other.
–

Even though the compatibility of a rat and rooster is not that good, it does not mean that you cannot spend the rest of lives together. Horoscopes are not set in stone by any means. There are many methods we can use to make our relationships better but they all rely on one thing and that is our own effort. If you want to make your relationship work then you must put the effort to make it work.

His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche has given a very special teaching on the key to a successful relationship, which you can find here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/students-friends/ingredients-for-a-successful-relationship.html. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Patricia Mendoza,

Thank you for your question. I’m sorry to hear that your son is incarcerated. There are many methods available for you to help your son. You can purchase or download video teachings and then burn them on to DVDs or USB drives and send them to your son if he is able to watch them. If your son has access to the Internet then he can view the many teaching videos on His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/tsemtulku.

If he can is allowed to have books, you can send him books to read or donate to the prison library and inform your son which books you have donated so he knows that they are there to read. If you ask which tradition your son is following, I may be able to help guide you in this.

There are also some organisations in the United States that may be able to help:

http://www.prisonmindfulness.org

http://www.buddhistpathways.org/

http://www.liberationprisonproject.org/

These organisations may be able to help in this situation. Please note that we have no affiliation or experiences with the above, but they are a good place to start. I hope this helps.

Dear Demian,

Thank you for your questions. As for the visualisations, they are supposed to be as life-like as possible, not as animations or static paintings. This means that you even visualise them moving as well. For example in the refuge visualisation according to the Lam Rim tradition, the Buddhas and deities in your visualisation should be moving. But I understand that this is hard to accomplish for most people at the beginning. This sort of visualisation actually takes time and effort to develop. Therefore when you are first familiarising yourself with the visualisation of any practice, you can start off with a static painting-like figure, but gradually develop them into full visualisations with movement. For those beginning to use visualisations, you should focus on one visualisation of a particular deity. For example if you engage in Lama Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga every day, you should concentrate on the visualisations for this practice. Once you have familiarity with one, it will be easier for your engage in other visualisations because you are used to the concentration that is needed for visualising. You just need to keep practicing and you will be able to visualise better over time.

Yes, an enlightened being can have more than one mantra. For example Vajrasattva has a long mantra which is 100 syllables long and a short mantra. In certain practices, such as Highest Yoga Tantra, a deity can have many mantras. For example in the practice of Yamantaka there are four mantras which are all the mantras of Yamantaka. On the other hand, there may be differences in mantras according to which tradition and lineage you are practicing.

When we visualise a deity we should visualise according the practice we are following. For example, if we are engaging in Saraswati practice according to the Buddhist tradition then our visualisation should follow the Buddhist tradition. The reason is that the mantra and the form of Saraswati are both the exact same facet of enlightened energy. Without the combination of both, you cannot gain true benefit from the practice to its fullest extent, which you should be aiming for. For example the physical form of Saraswati is itself a roadmap to enlightenment as well as the example of what you can achieve – an enlightened body. Therefore if you practice the Hindu mantra, then you should be visualising the Hindu form of Saraswati. If you practicing the Buddhist mantra of Saraswati, you should visualise according to the Buddhist tradition.

In regards to all female Buddhas being the Devi that is described in Hinduism, unfortunately they are not. Within Buddhism, when you achieve enlightenment, your mind becomes one with all the other Buddhas. This is called the Dharmakaya or Truth Body, and is a word to describe the ultimate meaning of enlightenment. This state is genderless and has no labels. Out of compassion certain Buddhas take form in order to benefit sentient beings. For example, Saraswati. Saraswati then emanated herself in a wrathful form – Palden Lhamo. That is why they say Saraswati and Palden Lhamo are the same. As for Guan Yin, she is actually Chenresig but in the form of a female. In India Chenresig appeared in the form of a man, while in China Chenresig appeared in the form of a woman. This is because in China the principle of compassion was attributed more to women than men. This is in contrast to the Hindu principle of Devi. While all goddesses are said to be emanations of the Devi, Devi herself is intrinsically female and has characteristics, as opposed to the Dharmakaya, which has no labels as all.

In regards to the Gayatri or Kali mantras, from a Buddhist perspective they are the mantras of goddesses. While they can grant wishes and attainments, ultimately they cannot lead you to enlightenment, as only the mantras and practice of enlightened beings can do so.

In regards to performing empowerments yourself, I remember writing something about this to you previously. There is such a thing as self-empowerment, but this empowerment does not give you permission to engage in new practice. Rather, when you hear the term self-empowerment, this refers to granting the empowerment on yourself after you have met certain requirements: receiving the original empowerment from a qualified Guru, keeping the tantric vows and commitments, engaging in a retreat with concluding fire puja if necessary, and then obtaining your Guru’s permission to engage in the self-empowerment. Actually these are the requirements for passing on the practice to others as well. This is the only sort of empowerment that you can do yourself. But to do this, you must already have received the empowerment yourself from a Guru and then kept the necessary requirements.

You can worship Budai with the Maitreya mantra. There is nothing wrong with this because he is considered an emanation of Budai.

As for prostration, yes there is a certain method to use when bowing to the Buddha. Within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition this is emphasised a lot. In fact when done correctly prostration can be a method to purify negative karma. You can watch two short video clips here, in which His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche teaches how to prostrate properly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbMFtzTGgkE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qon9lYJ_7M

I hope this helps. Thank you.

Dear Harold Musetescu,

Thank you for your question. As far as I am aware, there has not been another example of a Dharmapala being banned amongst other Tibetan traditions. That being said there are examples of Dharmapalas who were not accepted at first, but over time have become mainstream practices.

For example when Achi Chokyi Drolma first arose as a Dharma protector within the Drikung Kagyu she was not accepted by many practitioners. However over time her practice became mainstream within the lineage and from there has even spread to the other lineages as well. You can read more about Achi Chokyi Drolma here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/achi-chokyi-drolma-chief-protectress-of-the-drikung-kagyu.html.

Although not a Dharma protector, Yamantaka’s practice was opposed to by many in Tibet during the time it was introduced there. Now it has become a mainstream practice and is one of the three great tantras within the Gelug tradition, showcasing its centrality to practice within the tradition. You can read more about this here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/ra-lotsawa-the-yamantaka-hero.html.

Therefore there has not been another example of a Dharma protector who has been so persecuted against, as Dorje Shugden is. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear TIrom,

Thank you for your question. The ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ mantra, which is also known as the ‘mani mantra’ is the mantra of Chenresig. Mantras are actually the energies of the Buddhas in the form of sound. Therefore mantras are associated with certain deities, whose enlightened energies they embody. The mani mantra is that of Chenresig.

The visualisations associated with the mantra are those of Chenresig. The visualisation I mentioned before are good to engage in without having received any form of initiation into Chenresig. Once a person has received the initiation, they can practice more advanced forms of Chenresig visualisation. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Maryin Hopkirk,

Thank you for your question. Self-immolation is an extreme measure taken by people who feel so strongly about a certain issue that they are willing to end their life in a violent manner to make their point heard.

From a Buddhist perspective, we have to examine not only the act but also the motivation behind the act. For example, within Buddhism the taking of a life, including your own life, has serious karmic consequences and as such is considered a non-virtue. However even such a non-virtuous act, if motivated by compassion and noble state of mind, can lead to a very powerful accumulation of merit.

In the Lam Rim texts there is a story that is often mentioned. This story is of a previous life of Buddha Shakyamuni. In that life he was called Mahasattva and worked as a ship’s captain. During one expedition, he ferried 500 traders across the sea. These traders were on their way to acquire very precious gemstones. On board was also another man named Kalashakti who was planning to kill the traders on the return journey and take the gemstones for himself. Generating great compassion, Mahasattva killed Kalashakti. As a result he saved the 500 traders from being killed but actually also saved Kalashakti from committing a non-virtuous action, for which he would bear the karmic consequences in the future. He had saved from Kalashakti from having to take rebirth in the three lower realms.

The act of taking a life, whether another’s or one’s own cannot be a meritorious action. However Mahasattva, did actually generate a tremendous amount of merit as well. This was due to his motivation of great compassion for both those that were to be harmed (the traders) and the one who was to harm them (Kalashakti). Therefore what is most important is one’s motivation.

Applying this to the case of self-immolation, it is not simply about the act being ‘acceptable’ or not, but rather if the act is beneficial or not. Obviously the act itself generates negative karma, but depending on the motivation it could also generate merit as well. Actions within Buddhism are not only judged on the act alone but also the motivation. So there are many factors to consider when judging an action.

There are indeed practices in which a practitioner can eject their consciousness out of their body to a pure land or another body. These are called Powa practices, in which a practitioner trains themselves to be able to do so, either at the time of death or when then need to. In the case of self-immolations, it is very possible that the monks would be able to eject their consciousness if they had received the proper empowerments, teachings and engaged in the practices necessary to be able to do so.

According to Buddhism, self-sacrifice for the greater good is ‘acceptable’. However one needs to understand what this greater good is. If this greater good is to save others from being harmed or harming others, as in the story of Mahasattva mentioned earlier, then it is good. If however it is for other reasons that do not ultimately benefit anyone, then it would obviously not be ‘acceptable’. The action is still the taking of a life but can further reaching consequences than just one life. As in the case of Mahasattva, who saved Kalashakti from falling to a lower rebirth. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Demian,

Thank you for your questions. As I mentioned in an earlier reply, there is nothing you can do that will act as a quick-fix to curb your friend’s desires. This is because this type of behaviour is habituated, which can be difficult to break. For your part you can only pray to the enlightened beings to let him realise that his behaviour is destructive and also slowly educate him about this. Any lasting change can only come about when he himself wants to change, no matter how much we force the issue, even using black magic to do so as you have done in the past. As this is an internal behaviour, he needs to want to change for any methods to work. Once he wants to overcome these desires then there are methods that he can use to do so, for example meditation which includes visualisation. Perhaps you can read this article by Pastor David Lai on his own blog, which talks about this: http://www.davidlai.me/2016/07/28/curbing-sexual-desire/

Vajrakilaya is not practiced within Kechara. As far as I am aware it is not a practice common within the Gelugpa tradition, but it is within other traditions such as Nyingma and Kagyu. Therefore I cannot tell you more about the practice of why some people claim that Vajrakilaya was used to perform black magic curses. However, this may be due to his wrathful appearance and the wrathful imagery found in his practice. May Buddhist deities can appear in very wrathful forms, and their practice includes violent imagery that includes the binding of slaying of enemies. This does not actually mean that through their practice outer enemies can be destroyed. The enemies the practices deal with are actually internal enemies. This actually refers to our negative emotions, negative karma and imprints. It is through the practice of these deities that we can subdue our internal enemies. A comparison can be made with the imagery and practice of Dorje Shugden. Dorje Shugden’s prayers often include the slaying of an enemy, but this enemy is actually our negative karma, negative imprints and everything that keeps us bound to suffer within samsara.

Within the Gelugpa tradition, the oracle of Gyalchen Karma Trinley is from Sera monastery and the tradition of consulting the oracle is largely only done so at Sera monastery. As far as I am aware the oracle takes trance of the deity Gyalchen Karma Trinley, who is a worldly protector (therefore not enlightened), who is part of the extended retinue of Hayagriva.

Mantras are the enlightened energies of the Buddhas in the form of sound, therefore mantras are not simply made. They are given by the enlightened beings themselves when they teach the practice of that particular deity. Some mantras can be traced back to Buddha Shakyamuni, and they can also be found in sutras and tantras that have an authentic lineage stemming back to the enlightened beings. For the masters and enlightened beings you have mentioned, that are from the Kagyu tradition, their mantras already exist. If you would like to know these mantras then you should enquire with a qualified master from that tradition.

As for the visualisation of the deities it is important that they are visualised according to the method and form as described in the texts. This is because the form of an enlightened being is very important. Visualising the form correctly allows us to generate merit. Visualising with the correct iconography also shows us the path to enlightenment, as every part of an enlightened beings’ form represents the path towards enlightenment or an aspect of enlightenment that can be achieved through that particular deity’s practice. For children, however, some people may advise them to visualise a simpler form of the deity so that they can create affinity with that particular deity. In this case, when they are old enough to visualise correctly then they should be taught how to do so. In my own personal experience, I know some parents who teach their children how to visualise correctly, a little at a time, so that they can build up a complete visualisation according to the traditional manner. This is because children have a very good imagination and are able to learn quickly.

Chod practice within the Gelugpa tradition belongs to the Highest Yoga Tantra set of practices. Therefore one does not engage in the practice without an appropriate empowerment. As such it is not advisable to read the prayers unless under the guidance of a qualified Guru once you have received the empowerment. As for the pronunciation of Tibetan in English phonetics, there are various systems. The most common of these is the Wylie system. As far as I am aware this system does not use accents above either vowels or consonants. For those systems that use accents, it usually follows the standards of European languages. You can research more how to pronounce the letters according to the European uses of the accents. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Simona,

Thank you for your question. Generally speaking most practitioners would not get tattoos of the enlightened beings and mantras. In the refuge commitments it states that one is to view all images of the enlightened beings as the enlightened beings themselves. Therefore practitioners do not generally get these sorts of tattoos. That being said there is nothing wrong with religious tattoos.

However the 8 auspicious symbols are not images of the enlightened beings but offerings made to them and representations of the qualities of the Three Jewels. For example:

1. The right turning conch: symbolises the melodious sound of the Dharma, which dispels the darkness of ignorance.

2. The parasol: symbolises both the protection from illness, harmful forces and obstacles granted by the Three Jewels and also represents their enlightened nature.

3. The victory banner: symbolises the victory of Buddha’s teachings over suffering, death and everything that harms.

4. Two golden fishes: symbolising fearlessness and happiness that comes from practicing the Dharma. They also represent the two most important rivers in ancient India – the Ganga and Yamuna.

5. The Dharma wheel: symbolises the teaching of the Dharma and the realisations gained from practicing the path.

6. The endless knot: symbolises the inter-relatedness of all phenomena. It also symbolises the union of compassion and wisdom necessary to achieve enlightenment.

7. The lotus flower: symbolises freedom from obscurations and defilements of the body, speech and mind. It represents complete purity and the enlightened state of being.

8. Treasure vase: symbolises the treasure obtained from practicing the Dharma, from long life, wealth and success to the ultimate liberation from suffering.

Though not technically images of the Buddhas, as they represent some of the enlightened qualities or the benefits of Dharma practice, you should still be somewhat respectful. If you decide to get the tattoos, may I suggest that you ensure it is placed, at the very least, above the waist. The higher the possible, the better, as this is more respectful. For example a good place would be the upper arm. I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Dear Cliff,

Thank you for the interesting link. Perhaps you could post a comment on a relevant page of this blog. You could tell us more about this from your point of view and others could also join in the conversation by posting replies. This section isn’t really conducive to discussion as it is just a question and answer section. I hope this helps.