Ensapa,
I don't think DS, an enlightened being, need to be saved by Setrap, another enlightened being. Strange isn't it?
Why do high lamas do protector practice then? Many high lamas like the Karmapa and Dalai Lama have their own personal protectors, why do they still need to be protected?
the reason why is not because they need the help, but rather they manifest in a human form and although they are enlightened but their conditions and environment, and the people they want to reach out to and help are not. also they will need help to overcome obstacles that arise due to the very reason that they are human. It might also be that they are doing this to show us an example of the benefits of holding your Dharmapala close to you.
Nothing will change the fact that Tulku Dragpa Gyaltsen practiced Setrap till the very end.
Dear Michaela,
perhaps not as strange as some may think. The concept is similar to what Ensapa is saying, that enlightened beings manifest in various forms, some human, some worldly deities, some as enlightened beings in order to achieve a certain purpose.
This can be seen in the Dalai Lama's example as well, where His Holiness consults Nechung for divination and oracular pronouncements. Why would chenrezig need a worldly deity to foretell the future when he himself has clairvoyance? Surely not. Therefore, another conclusion has to be drawn. As explained by my great and wise lama, Dalai Lama is merely setting an example for others to follow - to have faith in the protectors, to have faith in their advice and pronouncements, and perhaps to have faith in the power of lamas to harness worldly deities to do their bidding. It is also an example of humility - in the Dalai Lama's own words "I am just a simple monk". That is of course not the truth but like any true Gelug, humility is key thus the Dalai Lama pretends to rely on the advice of oracles and such. Who knows, the Dalai Lama surely has greater clairvoyance than Nechung and perhaps is even telling Nechung what to say. Not inconceivable.
As to the relationship between Shugden and Setrab, they are as brothers in the same mandala, and I too have heard it said that when one calls upon Shugden, Setrab comes along. And vice versa. So much so that in Kyabje Trijang Dorjechang's great work Music Delighting, the relationship between Setrab and Shugden is mentioned many times. I quote some below:
First was during the funeral of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen, whose primary protectors were Setrab and Four Face Mahakala.
After he had died because of these sudden circumstances, his holy relics were cremated in the courtyard of Drepung's Tantric College. When the incense smoke from the cremation rose, as if intentionally, straight upward in
three streams of smoke, his attendant, saying, 'Such pretending, even now, after such evil deeds of others' jealousy and bad intentions have befallen you!' whipped his zen robe at the fire, at which time the smoke divided such that two streams still went into the sky but one stream wound down to earth in the direction of the village of Dän Bag and went to Sang Pung while, in actuality, his transcendent wisdom requested Setrab's support at Sang Pung, and arose in a wrathful form.
The second when the 5th Dalai Lama and several great tulkus were doing fire puja to subdue Dorje Shugden, who was supposedly causing great disturbances in Lhasa. In the words of Trijang Dorjechang himself, Setrab helped to distract the 5th Dalai Lama but Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was equally attained and the fire puja had no effect.
The Fifth Dalai Lama performed the ritual activity but as he was doing it Sangpu Setrab emanated a monastery on top of Bumpa Ri, Vase Mountain, where none had been before and rocked the Potala Palace back and forth, which caused the Great Fifth's concentration to waver just slightly; and also by the power of Dragpa Gyaltsen, himself, having singlepointedly practised glorious Guyasamaja while he was alive and attained high experiential realizations of its two stages, the fire puja was not successful.
And the third and final mention of Setrab is when another fire puja to subdue Dorje Shugden was being done by Mingling Terchen and once again, Setrab manifested to assist.
When Mingling Terchen performed wrathful fire puja and Gyalchen came to the fire puja ladle, when he was about to put him in the fire, Setrab emanated a celestial mansion in the sky until Terchen's mind was distracted and he lost him from the ladle. The ritual monks saw a pigeon fly away.
So why would an enlightened protector come to assist a supposedly worldly protector against the wishes of an enlightened master the 5th Dalai Lama? Why would Setrab go against Chenrezig? It doesnt make sense and a logical explanation must exist.
I conclude that Setrab is showing his support of Dorje Shugden, not because Shugden needs his help, but because we need to see logical examples and proof that Shugden is not worldly but enlightened and this is just one of the bases of examining the situation.
