Hope in prayers

[DharmaDefender]

I find that a lot of Protector prayers bears a lot of very obvious relevance to our lives today. One of my personal favs are these lines below. I can't help but feel a little hope whenever I recite this part.

Now is the time to distinguish the truth and falsity of actions and effects
Now is the time to dispel false accusations against the innocent
Now is the time to protect the pitiful and protectorless
Now is the time to protect Dharma practitioners as your children

[jessicajameson]

Hey DharmaDefender,

Your name on the forum reflects this section of the Protector prayer!

Those 4 lines really stirs deep within me. It makes you feel empowered to create a change:

- That we have the potential to make a change.
- To stop going with the flow, take action and step in to change the course of our karma.

I like those 4 lines coz it's about others. It's about helping others and it conjures within me the feeling of altruism as well as the compassion Protectors have.

For those beings that we are able to help, we should: humans, animals... and even spirits, I suppose.

[Big Uncle]

Lovely prayer and motivation. I think this is a prayer to implore Dorje Shugden to take charge and do what must be done for the person praying. So, we are hoping for a miraculous windfall, we won't get it since we didn't create the cause for it in the first place. Dorje Shugden is unable to protect us from our negative karma if we constantly performing actions that are contrary to the Dharma. Dorje Shugden is very powerful and is described to have the strength of 1000 Protectors but if our actions are constantly and overtly negative, even he can't assist us.  However, if we are sincere to transform, he is just standing next to you, waiting to assist us.

[triesa]

Lovely prayer and motivation. I think this is a prayer to implore Dorje Shugden to take charge and do what must be done for the person praying. So, we are hoping for a miraculous windfall, we won't get it since we didn't create the cause for it in the first place. Dorje Shugden is unable to protect us from our negative karma if we constantly performing actions that are contrary to the Dharma. Dorje Shugden is very powerful and is described to have the strength of 1000 Protectors but if our actions are constantly and overtly negative, even he can't assist us.  However, if we are sincere to transform, he is just standing next to you, waiting to assist us.

Agree totally with what Big Uncle said here.

Another analogy is when we are doing actions contrary to the Dharma, even we pray and do our sadhana daily, it will still be like as if we are putting a cloth or a veil infront of Dorje Shugden, and he couldn't see us, and therefore could not help us.

[shugdenprotect]

Truly moving and beautiful!

These lines give rise to great hope during these degenrate times when delusions are strong and where the innocent and weak are "used and abused" by the vicious cycle of dog-eat-dog mentality. Often, it is defeating to witness the phenomena of modern times but such powerful prayers inspires and motivate us to take action to protect and care and rip out our delusions.

As Big Uncle said, at the end of the day, even Buddha can only help those who help themselves...and helping yourself is by taking action to create a different result that benefit others.

[pgdharma]

Lovely prayers. It's one of my favourite too. How compassionate of Dorje Shugden to help those in need. However, we must create the karma for  Dorje Shugden to help and protect us. It is important that we  must set our motivation correctly in our spiritual practices, we must be prepared to transform ourselves and we must have faith in Dorje Shugden.

[Barzin]

Yes.  Lovely prayers indeed.  What is touching is all about others.  Never about "myself".  If Dorje Shugden is a evil spirit, wouldn't he want to take revenge?  His prayers only show once again he is enlightened with a qualities of a Buddha, putting others before him.  It is the perfect time for this precious protector to arise.

"The time has come to show your might...
With four conducts, swift and decisive..."

[DharmaDefender]

Yes.  Lovely prayers indeed.  What is touching is all about others.  Never about "myself".  If Dorje Shugden is a evil spirit, wouldn't he want to take revenge?  His prayers only show once again he is enlightened with a qualities of a Buddha, putting others before him.  It is the perfect time for this precious protector to arise.

"The time has come to show your might...
With four conducts, swift and decisive..."

Thats what I dont get sometimes. I've never felt anything but caring energy from Dorje Shugden so I cant for the life of me imagine why anyone could reject him as an evil spirit just because someone else said so...Jesus, how infantile and underdeveloped in thinking! You know what? No one told me to like Dorje Shugden; it was my own experience that led me to believe in him. So with the deepest respect to all anti-Shugdenites, don't tell me what I can and cant believe..that business is between me, my lama and my karma!

[icy]

Yes.  Lovely prayers indeed.  What is touching is all about others.  Never about "myself".  If Dorje Shugden is a evil spirit, wouldn't he want to take revenge?  His prayers only show once again he is enlightened with a qualities of a Buddha, putting others before him.  It is the perfect time for this precious protector to arise.

"The time has come to show your might...
With four conducts, swift and decisive..."

Yes, I like this too!  How true it is. 

[Rihanna]

Dear Dharma Defender,

Thank you for posting this from Heart Jewel by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. How apt considering what Dorje Shugden practitioners are experiencing now...

I find that a lot of Protector prayers bears a lot of very obvious relevance to our lives today. One of my personal favs are these lines below. I can't help but feel a little hope whenever I recite this part.

Now is the time to distinguish the truth and falsity of actions and effects
Now is the time to dispel false accusations against the innocent
Now is the time to protect the pitiful and protectorless
Now is the time to protect Dharma practitioners as your children

[dsiluvu]

Dear Dharma Defender,

Thank you for posting this from Heart Jewel by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. How apt considering what Dorje Shugden practitioners are experiencing now...

I find that a lot of Protector prayers bears a lot of very obvious relevance to our lives today. One of my personal favs are these lines below. I can't help but feel a little hope whenever I recite this part.

Now is the time to distinguish the truth and falsity of actions and effects
Now is the time to dispel false accusations against the innocent
Now is the time to protect the pitiful and protectorless
Now is the time to protect Dharma practitioners as your children

So are you saying that Dorje Shugden is not fulfilling his prayers, not protecting those who are pitiful and pretectorless?
Hope you don't mind but just what are you implying?

I think we all know the great sacrifices Tibetans have to go through in regards to this issue, in fact many DS practitioners are being put down from all over the world. But to me it is a huge test of patience, tolerance, your practice and faith and well, how do we know if this is not a test from protector himself? I mean DS can see pass, present and future right, so would he not see this coming and forewarn us all to prevent it rather then mending the wounds?? Funny if you think like that and dangerous to take words in literal context...

[Carpenter]

I think we all know the great sacrifices Tibetans have to go through in regards to this issue, in fact many DS practitioners are being put down from all over the world. But to me it is a huge test of patience, tolerance, your practice and faith and well, how do we know if this is not a test from protector himself? I mean DS can see pass, present and future right, so would he not see this coming and forewarn us all to prevent it rather then mending the wounds??

Yes, I totally agree with this, dharma practice is to be able to stand strong during difficult situation – undefeatable, to be able to resist when temptation arrived – unmovable.

When we surrender ourselves to Dorje Shugden, to believe in him and to do his practice, we should not have doubt about what we are experiencing, if Dorje Shugden has prepared this path for us, that means this is the most effective way for us.

Dharma practice is not about wanting things our way but it is to doing it with the correct way. At least that's what I always believe...

[DharmaDefender]

I find that a lot of Protector prayers bears a lot of very obvious relevance to our lives today. One of my personal favs are these lines below. I can't help but feel a little hope whenever I recite this part.

Now is the time to distinguish the truth and falsity of actions and effects
Now is the time to dispel false accusations against the innocent
Now is the time to protect the pitiful and protectorless
Now is the time to protect Dharma practitioners as your children

So are you saying that Dorje Shugden is not fulfilling his prayers, not protecting those who are pitiful and pretectorless?
Hope you don't mind but just what are you implying?

I think we all know the great sacrifices Tibetans have to go through in regards to this issue, in fact many DS practitioners are being put down from all over the world. But to me it is a huge test of patience, tolerance, your practice and faith and well, how do we know if this is not a test from protector himself? I mean DS can see pass, present and future right, so would he not see this coming and forewarn us all to prevent it rather then mending the wounds?? Funny if you think like that and dangerous to take words in literal context...


[/quote]

Uhhhh dsiluvu, were both in agreement about the same thing - yes, its a warning and a hopeful message that it'll be over soon. I think maybe your eyes need a trip down to SpecSavers!

[Helena]

I find that a lot of Protector prayers bears a lot of very obvious relevance to our lives today. One of my personal favs are these lines below. I can't help but feel a little hope whenever I recite this part.

Now is the time to distinguish the truth and falsity of actions and effects
Now is the time to dispel false accusations against the innocent
Now is the time to protect the pitiful and protectorless
Now is the time to protect Dharma practitioners as your children

Thank you so much for highlighting this beautiful part of the prayer, DD!
I wholeheartedly agree with you!

Not only it is filled with hope but it is also empowering like Jessica wrote!
I especially like the part about dispelling false accusations against the innocent because I believe the time will definitely come when the ban is no longer of consequence.
My other favourite is "to protect the pitiful and protectorless". This is what I also firmly believe what Dorje Shugden does for all.

My Guru once said, when prayers are made with a strong motivation that is sincere and we call on the Buddhas to help, there is real power in that.
Many of my heartfelt prayers have come true in this respect.
And I am very thankful that I am going deeper into my spiritual path for there is really nothing else I seek more in this world of samsara.