Question asked by Jason Chau
Hi, I have a few questions regarding setrap? On page 71 of the medium shartse's jewel it says the hundred-syllable mantra arises from their three places … transgressions of the great dharmapala's body , speech, and mind, whatever has been defiled is cleansed and becomes pure. If Setrap is enlighted and a buddha or a budda's emanation why does he need to be cleansed or purified? do buddhas need to be cleasned, aren't they already free from transgressions? Second Question On page 93 of the medium shartse's jewel it says in the future you will become a non Buddhist opponent of the teachings … buddhas and bodhisattvas will be called to subdue you! How can an enlighted ( buddha) protector who is also an emanation of amitabha be born as an evil non Buddhist. How can he be subdued if he is a buddha? Question three Besides setrap and dorje shugden, what other enlighted protector takes trance in an Oracle.?
Dear Jason Chau,
There are mundane and supra-mundane Dharma protectors. Mundane Dharma protectors can be further divided into actual mundane Dharma protectors and supra-mundane protectors in worldly form.
Dorje Shugden, Setrap, Dorje Legpa are examples of supra-mundane Dharma protectors appear in worldly form.
“Due to varying conditions of beings, Buddhas appear in forms other than that of actual Vajradhara.” (~ Uttaratantra) Therefore, Setrap as a supra-mundane Dharma protector who manifests in worldly form will appear as if he has not abandoned all faults, hence he too needs to be cleansed.
Your second question: How can an enlighted ( buddha) protector who is also an emanation of Amitabha be born as an evil non-Buddhist. How can he be subdued if he is a Buddha?
Buddha can manifest in different forms just to benefit sentient beings. Supra-mundane protector in worldly form is one such example. Hence it’s no surprise if a Buddha manifests as a non-Buddhist that can be subdued.
According to Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche in “Music Delighting the Ocean of Protectors”, these are all projections of nothing but our own mind:
“Even those who appear to be enemies who are harming oneself, for someone who is meditating on the spiritual path, at the common
stage of great scope, appear as one’s own extremely cherished dear child, and at the uncommon first stage, they appear through the force of meditation as gods and goddesses. When the special bliss of completion stage is generated in the mind, they appear in mandalas throughout space in wisdom forms and pure lands. Gradually, when one attains the supreme great bliss, they appear in no form other than that of the great Sambogakaya of Akanishta Pure Land because their appearance as enemies and the conception of them as enemies has been severed. For example, just as enemies we don’t even want to see or hear about can later become friends with whom we are inseparable, all are projections of nothing but our own mind. ”
Your third question: Besides Setrap and Dorje Shugden, what other enlighted protector takes trance in an Oracle?
In Gelug tradition, another common enlightened protector who takes trance in an oracle is Kacha Marpo who is the emanation of Hayagriva.
Recommended reading:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/music-delighting-the-ocean-of-protectors-a-definitive-guide-to-dorje-shugden-by-trijang-rinpoche.html