Dorje Shugden and mental stability

[Ensapa]

Hi guys! Just want to share with all of you how Dorje Shugden has helped a friend have a more stable mind. He suffers from manic depression and ever since I have introduced him to Dorje Shugden, his mind has been more stable and calm than before. He inherited his depression from his parents as it runs in the family and has been on many different medications before but it did not help much. We used to get into arguments all the time before I introduced Dorje Shugden to him. It was only a few months later that our friendship improved and he is much more stable when handling situations compared to before. Even when he is depressed, he does not react much to it and his mind is much more stable now.  His interest for Dharma has also grown as well, exponentially and he asks me questions all the time about the Dharma. In the past, these questions were rare and few in between and I do really thank Dorje Shugden for helping my friend out .

This is real proof that Dorje Shugden does help with mental issues. If he can help my friend, I am very sure he can help other people as well that is suffering from the same problem.

[AnneQ]

There has been many testimonials both in Buddhist/meditation and medical websites that attest to the belief that spiritual practices and mental health go hand in hand. So why not practice D.S in order to alleviate mental disorders? It makes sense that spiritual practices be it meditation, doing pujas and mantra, as well as doing Dharma work to benefit society can directly help with mental disorders as these practices allow the practitioner to be more positive, optimistic, mentally stronger and prepared to face many challenges that life present us daily. Moreover, doing more Dharma work encourages us to focus and reach out to people much less privileged that ourselves which in turn stop us from focusing in on our own problems and mental disorders. Practicing D.S can do all this and more.
On a personal level, in some ways, I am guilty of being "mentally unstable" as I stumble through samsara in this life time, and practicing D.S does help me face many tough challenges and decisions, as well as giving me a source of comfort and security as I try to engage in more Dharma practices.
So I may not have a serious mental disorder that requires medication but practicing D.S is proof, at least for myself personally, that it can help.

[Manjushri]

Dorje Shugden is Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. With wisdom, wrong view and depression can be eliminated, mental stablity will take its place. Lama Tsongkhapa, who is an emanation of Manjushri as well, is very good in countering depression, and bring stability to all. I have heard many testimonials from people who do Lama Tsongkhapa's, Dorje Shugden's and Manjushri's practise who have gained results of alertness, sharper memory, clearer speech amongst others.

Doing practises diligently, faithfully and consistently will bring one tremendous benefit. Otherwise, Naropa wouldn't have to meditate in his cave and gain direct visions of Vajravarahi under instructions of his guru Tilopa. Of course his negative karma was greatly purified before he engaged in his meditations, but it shows that doing practises diligently is very powerful.

I am glad that your friend has received help from doing Dorje Shugden's practise well..He will help everyone, especially those that requires help the most. He will counter your depression, clear your obstacles, bring you resources that you need for your spiritual growth and provide protection. His practise is so apt for today's world.

[Ensapa]

To be honest, I have always heard that Dorje Shugden would help in stabilizing the mind as he is one with Lama Tsongkhapa. Lama Tsongkhapa's practices can help stabilize the mind and clear depression, but in some cases due to heavy negative karma, some people may not respond well to his practice and that is where Dorje Shugden comes in as he is closer to us karmically by the power of his vows. I myself have a more stable mind compared to the past. If something unhappy happens, my mind breaks down and I am unable to do anything for that period of time. It was a devastating and unhappy situation and I have tried many methods to help myself relief it and have studied a lot of Dharma with the hopes of removing it but nothing succeeded until my kind and incomparable Lama introduced me to Dorje Shugden. I would not say that things have gotten better overnight, but I can still function when I am in negative mental states where previously, I would have been making wrong decisions and would have mentally detached myself from myself. Dorje Shugden has helped me a lot. It is amazing how Dorje Shugden helped me with my own mental problems. The stability and mental strength before and after is tremendous.

I would really like to recommend people who are beset with mental problems to practice Dorje Shugden, but the ban has denied many of these people who are badly in need of relief from their mental torture from Dorje Shugden. How sad.

[vajratruth]

I am not surprised that Dorje Shugden is very effective in curing “mental problems”.

Practitioners know that we are all born with our minds poisoned. And as such, we do not see reality of our true nature. Reality to us is what our mind perceives it to be and we up our own logic.  So when we see things which fits into the mind’s perception of what is good and correct we become happy and then suddenly when we sees things which do not fit into the mind’s perception of what is correct, right and to our preference, our mind then rejects that situation and we become unhappy, sad or fearful. Conditions affect our mind which product our thoughts which in turn trigger off various emotions and feelings. Because nothing is permanent in samsara and because things and conditions change constantly, our thoughts fluctuate wildly as do our emotions.

In that condition, it is very difficult to study the Buddha’s teachings. Since Dorje Shugden’s “job” is to remove our inner and outer obstacles, it would make sense for the Protector to help us overcome that state where the mind harbors wrong views and incorrect perceptions and suffer for it.  The poisoned mind is the source of our inner obstacles and also very often our outer obstacles as well.

Our mind begins to stabilize when we realize the true nature of all things and how all things and phenomena lack true existence. When we are not so chronically obsessed with certain thoughts and feelings, we begin to relax and our minds start to stabilize.

In many ways, we are all mentally unstable and we have one sort of mental illness or another.  Those of us who show more obvious signs of mental illness are the waves on the surface of the ocean. These are easy to identify and deal with. It is those huge currents under the surface that are most damaging to our practice of Buddhism.  We don’t even realize it until our Protector creates situations for them to manifest and dealt with once and for all.

[Ensapa]

I am not surprised that Dorje Shugden is very effective in curing “mental problems”.

Practitioners know that we are all born with our minds poisoned. And as such, we do not see reality of our true nature. Reality to us is what our mind perceives it to be and we up our own logic.  So when we see things which fits into the mind’s perception of what is good and correct we become happy and then suddenly when we sees things which do not fit into the mind’s perception of what is correct, right and to our preference, our mind then rejects that situation and we become unhappy, sad or fearful. Conditions affect our mind which product our thoughts which in turn trigger off various emotions and feelings. Because nothing is permanent in samsara and because things and conditions change constantly, our thoughts fluctuate wildly as do our emotions.
Not all practitioners are lucky. Some practitioners are affected with an existing mental condition that prevents them from learning, applying or absorbing the Dharma. There are in fact, many people with mental illnesses such as borderline personality disorder or delusional disorder that act in ways that are contradictory to the Dharma, but they see nothing wrong with their behavior. Of course it can be found in other religions, but these people came into Buddhism looking for a free fix to their problems.

In that condition, it is very difficult to study the Buddha’s teachings. Since Dorje Shugden’s “job” is to remove our inner and outer obstacles, it would make sense for the Protector to help us overcome that state where the mind harbors wrong views and incorrect perceptions and suffer for it.  The poisoned mind is the source of our inner obstacles and also very often our outer obstacles as well.
Not every protector or Yidam can cure mental illness effectively or improve the condition, just enough so that the practitioner can do Dharma and create the cause to eliminate mental illness. When I say mental illness, I refer to people who are diagnosed by psychiatrists and also people whose mental faculty is damaged in some way to the point they are no longer able to control their body, speech and mind and Dharma cannot penetrate them at all.

Our mind begins to stabilize when we realize the true nature of all things and how all things and phenomena lack true existence. When we are not so chronically obsessed with certain thoughts and feelings, we begin to relax and our minds start to stabilize.
Some mental illnesses are reversible, when a real, kind and patient Guru is around. The Guru can use different methods to reverse chronic depression or schizophrenia but the methods are not always painless. You got it spot on however, when you say that people start to heal when they're not obsessed with thoughts and feelings.

In many ways, we are all mentally unstable and we have one sort of mental illness or another.  Those of us who show more obvious signs of mental illness are the waves on the surface of the ocean. These are easy to identify and deal with. It is those huge currents under the surface that are most damaging to our practice of Buddhism.  We don’t even realize it until our Protector creates situations for them to manifest and dealt with once and for all.
There are some people who, like i have said in the earlier paragraph are no longer able to control their body, speech and mind. Everyone is unstable in some way because they have been conditioned by Samsara, but there are some that are worse than others to the point where Dharma cannot penetrate and they experience unbearable mental suffering every single day. It is these people that really desperately need the protector's help so that they can heal and live life as a human being again.

I love your post about this subject, vajratruth, as we know, many Buddhist teachers in any traditions usually recommend a psychiatric patient to seek mental treatment and not use Buddhism as a quick fix it. Dorje Shugden does not advertise that he can fix mental problems, but he does it anyway. This is what I find incredible about our Dharma protector that many people sorely need, as the plague of this era is mental disease.

[Gabby Potter]

I have too heard a lot of amazing life-changing stories of how Lord Dorje Shugden has saved peoples' lives. Therefore there's no way I will believe that Lord Dorje Shugden is a demon or ''spirit'', He is DEFINITELY not. I have also witnessed how people changed for the better when they do His sacred practise, it is just indescribable.

[grandmapele]

Thank you, Ensapa for sharing. This is indeed good news and affirmation of the positive powers of propitiation of Dorje Shugden and Tsongkhapa. This tells us that we must not give up this powerful practice.

[Dondrup Shugden]

I have no doubts that propitiating Dorje Shugden will bring on mental stability.  However if a depressive person or mentally challenged person is recommended to do so on their own without guidances, the results will not be what normal people will obtain. Positive results of prayers and faith depends on right motivation and consistency in practice. That is why I highly recommend guidance.

As such, I would like to recommend that medical attention is sought, then the person be enrolled to the practice.  Dorje Shugden will definitely help but let us also help DS to help us by being worthy and following the right ways.

[Pema8]

Buddhism as any religion will focus out to help others and help the planet. In this way, I believe, engaging in religion will help anyone who seriously engages himself in practicing his faith. It gives a positive goal and direction to life.

Mental instability arises due to karma and if we find ourselves attracted by Buddhism this is already a big help. There is no "quick fix" and Dorje Shugden who is closer to the needs of the people of this day and age will protect us and guide us to find the cure we need even to which doctor we find and the cure we get. Dorje Shugden will bring what we need to continue our spiritual journey to benefit others on the way to enlightenment.