Have you experienced any harm from Dorje Shugden practice?

[dsiluvu]

Ohhh never harm. Dorje Shugden in fact protected me from so many harm and so many misfortunes!!!

If it was not Dorje Shugden I bet I would have had a very very bad marriage, perhaps even separated by now. He has also helped my sister countless of times... every time she does his puja when he luck is down or she is in desperate need of some kind of help... he would immediately help and very quickly her situation would change very fast.

Also almost died in a very bad car accident, the car was a goner, me, not a scratch.

So yeah this is my testimony that Dorje Shugden is always there watching, protecting and always pushes one towards the Dharma more and more. It is like that is his only main goal. Keeping you safe so that you can do more Dharma practice. If it was not for Dorje Shugden's protection and guidance, a lot of my negative karma would have exploded by now. He is so kind and compassionate to want to even protect me from the smallest of harm just so I am ok and can do my dharma. Amazingly compassionate...not harm.

[pgdharma]

Ohhh never harm. Dorje Shugden in fact protected me from so many harm and so many misfortunes!!!

If it was not Dorje Shugden I bet I would have had a very very bad marriage, perhaps even separated by now. He has also helped my sister countless of times... every time she does his puja when he luck is down or she is in desperate need of some kind of help... he would immediately help and very quickly her situation would change very fast.

Also almost died in a very bad car accident, the car was a goner, me, not a scratch.

So yeah this is my testimony that Dorje Shugden is always there watching, protecting and always pushes one towards the Dharma more and more. It is like that is his only main goal. Keeping you safe so that you can do more Dharma practice. If it was not for Dorje Shugden's protection and guidance, a lot of my negative karma would have exploded by now. He is so kind and compassionate to want to even protect me from the smallest of harm just so I am ok and can do my dharma. Amazingly compassionate...not harm.

Dear dsiluvu, how fortunate that you have Dorje Shugden to protect you from so many misfortunes and harm that you experienced.  Dorje Shugden is so compassionate and will never hurt or harm anyone who does his practice.

[beggar]

Ah... a good post from a very wise being! Gives a lot to think about.

People have a lot of mistaken thoughts about Protector practice. Sometimes, when people start a protector practice, they might experience some signs of purification and for a short while, things may actually get a little bit worse before it becomes better.

It is mistaken to think that this is because the Protector and the practice is causing us harm. It is the opposite. When these supposed bad things rise up, it is a good sign. It means that our practice is effective and something is happening. It means our karma is arising and clearing, which is good because it is purifying while we have the support of our practice and it is in controlled circumstances (we must consider how much worse the karma would be if it arose when we are in an uncontrolled situation, with no practice to protect us).

It is important to have faith always that the Dharmapalas help us at the most beneficial and the most high level. Even if we cannot understand what is happening yet, we have to understand that it is for an ultimate benefit and to help us in a spiritual sense, not just a worldly sense.

If we are committed and persevere, we will see and receive good results. the purification brings up and then clears obstacles, and then clears the way for positive results to come.

It is also very important to keep all this in mind so we don't react negatively to any possible obstacle and purification that comes up. If we react badly, we just create more and more negative karma and create the harm for ourselves. As it has been said before in previous posts, we create our own harm... it is never the Dharmapala.

[diamond girl]

This practice has given me peace of mind, focus and resolve. I have recently been addressing some difficult personal situations. I accept that when things are difficult and our minds get clouded it is karma. I relate it truly to the meaning of cause and effect. For good things to happen we create the causes for it by doing good things. Similarly, the bad things in life also are created by the causes of our actions.

Whenever I am in tough situations it feels like no solution is foreseeable. The amazing thing is that when I do my dorje shugden prayers, solutions and options come clearly to me. This has happened to me not once but many many times. Initially I thought it was mere coincidence but after many such "enlightening" moments, it was clear to me my Protector was helping me and giving me solutions to be happy. 

So, the word "harm" and dorje shugden are not suited to be in the same sentence.

[LosangKhyentse]

It is IMPOSSIBLE any practice that comes from His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche can do any harm. His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche's various Buddha activities of composing, teaching, meditating clearly shows the level of his attainments. His various other activities of creating oracles, sponsoring dharma activities, composing the National anthem of Tibet, etc all strictly benefit others. 

Harm only comes from self created causes. If there is no cause, there can be no result. No god, no deity, no lama, no power within existence can bring you sufferings if you did not have the causes already within you.

The self-empowering teachings of Buddha is universal that it can apply to all life and all situations.

Dorje Shugden can never harm because His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche has thoroughly 'checked' this practice and he approves. Simple.

TK

[Roberto]

I'm so thankful and greatful to this website and the people who maintain and keep us all connected. As a relatively newcomer i am sponging it in. With these added insights to the text truly invaluable.

Is is really so simple
- set a good motivation
- be sincere / do no harm
- make requests / do prayers
- thanksgiving for wishes fulfilled.

[DSFriend]

It is IMPOSSIBLE any practice that comes from His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche can do any harm. His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche's various Buddha activities of composing, teaching, meditating clearly shows the level of his attainments. His various other activities of creating oracles, sponsoring dharma activities, composing the National anthem of Tibet, etc all strictly benefit others. 

Harm only comes from self created causes. If there is no cause, there can be no result. No god, no deity, no lama, no power within existence can bring you sufferings if you did not have the causes already within you.

The self-empowering teachings of Buddha is universal that it can apply to all life and all situations.

Dorje Shugden can never harm because His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche has thoroughly 'checked' this practice and he approves. Simple.

TK

I agree with everything that is said.

Also, If we start doubting this one practice by HH Trijang Rinpoche, then that's the end of any other practices and teachings, taught by HH Trijang Rinpoche because they would all come from a tainted source. However, this is not the case. This great lama gave us this practice, which he himself have practiced for many lifetimes with results.

[Zach]

Whenever we experience arising of cleansing karma, View the situation as Dorje shugden Yamantaka wrathfully purifying your negativity, In such a way every situation we can gain benifit from !

[jessicajameson]

Whenever we experience arising of cleansing karma, View the situation as Dorje shugden Yamantaka wrathfully purifying your negativity, In such a way every situation we can gain benifit from !

I agree. It's also really good to remember not to blame others (including the Buddhas!) for our bad "misfortunes".

I had a friend who said how after doing a protector (Yamantaka) practice, his situation didn't get better... his sister lost her job, his parents financial situation was still grim. AND HE BLAME IT ALL ON THE PROTECTOR!!

How silly! I thought to myself, what does "your parents financial situation and your sister losing a job" have anything to do with it? Why not blame a neighbourhood robbery or even global warming on the protector, while you're at it!

It's true what you said, when we do our practice (sincerely and with a good motivation) negativities and obstacles may arise. I remember reading somewhere that: in the monastery, if you were faced with some troubles or problems, the more senior and older monks would say that you're very lucky.

Initially I was quite taken aback upon reading it, then it explained how lucky the monks are to face an obstacle in a more contained and controlled situation, like that in a monastery and in the life where you're serving and practicing the Dharma.

If we practice sincerely, (like what ZachW says) we should see obstacles as purifying our negativity - not blaming it on enlightened beings.

[beggar]

I'm so thankful and greatful to this website and the people who maintain and keep us all connected. As a relatively newcomer i am sponging it in. With these added insights to the text truly invaluable.

Is is really so simple
- set a good motivation
- be sincere / do no harm
- make requests / do prayers
- thanksgiving for wishes fulfilled.

Hi Roberto,
Yes, actually the basic principles are very simple - we are the ones who complicate things in our daily lives and mess it up with our attachments, delusions, likes, dislikes, angers, ego.... 

What is important is to not just practise these things while we are sitting in front of our altar. We should maintain this all the time, throughout the day in all our different activities, even in something very ordinary like washing our car.

The dharmapala practices help us to create situation where we can practice with no obstacles, so we can practise these things all the time. Sometimes, it can mean very peaceful situations for us to practice to the best of our ability. Sometimes, it can also be very difficult, even violent situations where we are "tested" and where there is no way but to get stronger and put our learnings into practice.

In every situation, if we have faith in our dharmapala, commitment to his practice and conviction that he can help us (yes, he definitely can!), then every moment and encounter and situation throughout the day is an opportunity to practise the lamrim, lojong, yidam etc It is very complete!

[Roberto]

I have yet to be harmed by this so called "Spirit", all i feel is a sense of protection and warm feeling whenever I think of Him.

Maybe its wishful thinking, maybe its virgin jitters being so new to the practice.  Which brings me to another question.

Can my karma be sooo bad that even a Dharma Protector can not help? I mean, if someething bad happens would it be like a christian sense, oh the devil did it and god wants us to learn from it...but from the buddhist perspective its my karma ripening, and I just didn't have the merits for a Dharma Protector to help me?

The Atheists will have a field day on this one.

[Barzin]

Thankyou for posting this.  It really made me think a lot regarding the ban on Shugden practice and has cleared many of m doubts.   True enough, if Shugden is an evil spirit; how can high lamas get reincarnated very quickly and recognized by H.H himself???  This made a lot of sense and if Shugden is really a spirit, there are sure ways to subdue him.  If not, why should Shugden's practice be banned?   

I am new to the practice and I have not experienced any "disturbance" (if Shugden is a spirit); in fact it has helped my practice to become more stable, mindful and conditions are more favourable.  If is not protector, then who else can it be?  Unless me myself have been worshiping hundreds of different deities...   I regard this as a rare chance to meet a protector like this and we should truthfully cherish it.  We shouldn't have doubts as the practice has been proven by many highly attained masters already.  With pure motivation and faith, it will only make our practice easier and gain results.

Barzin 

[Helena]

Recently, I received an email from a FB Friend warning about me about practising and believing in UN-Enlightened Spirits and that I may be harmed in the end. I was not angry or upset as I am sure this person had sincere concerns.

It is obvious that a lot of people still do not see the 'logic of reality'. What's the reality as it is?

1) If Dorje Shugden is a harmful spirit, then everyone who has practised Dorje Shugden would most definitely not have the karma to return again, especially the High Tulkus. So, how does anyone explain this fact when they keep seeing the high Lamas returning again? How could they all return in the first place?

2) If everyone has ever been harmed by Dorje Shugden, surely these people would have given up a long time ago on their own accord. There won't be any need for a ban at all. People would automatically abandon because they would have experienced no good results from it. However, this is not the case. The reality is that they are all back and no one is willing to give Dorje Shugden's practice up at all. In fact, they are all protesting about it and upset. No one wants to give up.

3) If Dorje Shugden is harmful, how can more Dorje Shugden monasteries appear or be built? If something is bad, surely, it will bring about bad results too. It is just a matter of time for harmful actions or deeds to 'produce' bad results that everyone can see. Cause and effect. But we do not see bad results from practising Dorje Shugden or holding our devotion to Dorje Shugden. We only see the bad results the ban on Dorje Shugden has created. This is the biggest difference and it is as clear as day.

How long do others and TGIE want to continue in this blatant denial?

T

[Barzin]

NO!  How can a protector harm us?  How can an enlightened being harm us?  Why would he want to do so? 

i actually thought of this before...  We actually can get harm from spirits, real people and objects.  But If we have never broken our samaya and do our practice diligently, I would say that none of the above can really harm us... In the end, we all know that it is all controlled by our karma.  So if the people who believed that Shugden is a spirit, therefore if they do their practice well and hold their guru samaya well.  The "spirit" shugden can not and should not harm you.  So i would assume those with broken commitments and samayas might have experienced some harmful experiences with spirits or maybe just some bad obstacles before.  But how can we prove that it is from the "spirit" Shugden?  I would say by having broken commitments, there should be more spirits/obstacles disturbances rather than just the "spirit" Shugden alone. 

So base on that, those who know and worshipped Shugden as a compassionate enlightened being.  I would say we all gotten our answer already.   Dorje Shugden will only help us, guide us, lead us to enlightenment and purify our negative karma as long as we keep our guru samaya clean and do our practice properly.

[DSFriend]

Dorje Shugden's practice increases study, contemplation, practice of guru devotion, spread Lobsang's stainless tradition. And that has been the emphasis of my practice ever since I received Dorje Shugden as my Protector. I have not received any harm, or bad dreams, and the anxieties attacks which I used to experience have stopped. From the benefits which i have received, i will not stop practicing.

For the future benefits that I will be protected in my next life, I fully trust the illustrious lamas such as Pabongkha Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche, Dagom Rinpoche, and so many other monks and practitioners, some with titles and many with no big titles but have gained attainments. The attainments they have are proofs that what they are practicing is right and most beneficial.