Question asked by Spencer O'Boyle
Greetings. Since I am in USA I follow Rinpoche's blog, Twitter, and the somewhat recently launched Dorje Shugden website for instruction. Of course I would love to be "officially" initiated into Rinpoche's sangha but there is nowhere in United States to do so. He is the ONLY lama/teacher I would consider for DS instruction. So, all that being said I have to ask what has happened to Setrap? He was so prominent in Kechara when I first got up study and now it seems he has disappeared from the forefront. What has happened? I obviously missed something (?) and would like instruction on what to do. I have DS and Lord Setrap in my practice but want to keep up with Rinpoche and Kechara House's current practices. So I continue to propitiate Lord Setrap and recite his mantra or is there a new practice Rinpoche has put in place of Lord Setrap? Thank you for any and all advices given. Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha
Dear Spencer,
Within Dorje Shugden’s mandala, there are many high level beings. In fact, Lord Setrap resides on the first floor above Dorje Shugden and Buddha Amitabha on the second floor. Therefore, they are intimately related and when you propitiate Dorje Shugden, Lord Setrap is also propitiated automatically. Whatever offerings including prayers are made, it is to Dorje Shugden and the whole mandala including Lord Setrap. This is evident in the serkyem or tea offering practice of Dorje Shugden, where you also make an offering to Lord Setrap.
Kechara in the past propitiated only Lord Setrap openly because we have not gotten permission from Dorje Shugden to come out with out practice (via the oracle). Since, Dorje Shugden had given us permission (via the oracle) to openly practice Dorje Shugden and so, we are now openly practicing Dorje Shugden as well. At Kechara House, we still conduct a joint protector puja between Dorje Shugden and Setrap. Setrap is an enlightened being and very close with Dorje Shugden. In fact the same oracle takes trance of Setrap and Dorje Shugden. So if you wish to focus on Dorje Shugden practice, that is fine.
Or, you can continue to propitiate Dorje Shugden and Setrap simultaneously or you can streamline your practice to just Dorje Shugden. You do not have to worry that It will offend Setrap because they are both emanations of enlightened beings and are therefore beyond jealousy and competition.
I hope this helps you to understand our situation a little better so you can make an informed decision on the matter. Thank you.
PS – I have included a picture of the Dorje Shugden Mandala to illustrate my point.
– You can watch Dorje Shugden and Setrap take trance of the Panglung Oracle in this video (below) of the opening of Serpom Monastery. Dorje Shugden enters the oracle at 1:55 and Lord Setrap at 2:26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu17CKW0lMQ