Story about a bird

[DharmaDefender]

Seems birds feature a lot in stories about Dorje Shugden...

The other day I was talking to a fellow Shugdenpa whos just come back from India. While he was there, he said he heard a story about how Dorje Shugden helped his friend cross the mountains.

Apparently there were a group of monks making their escape and they got lost in the mountains. They were so hungry to the point of boiling their belts to eat. Anyway, story goes they never lost faith in the Protector and prayed to him every day.

Now heres the bit that kind of took me aback - a little bird appeared and flapped its wings erratically to get the monks attention. Geoff said the monk was talking high up in the Himalayas. Theres no vegetation, no animals, nothing but snow for miles and miles and miles...

Anyway, so the bird appeared and it caught their attention because it was so out of place, so the monks went after it. The bird would fly off a little distance away and flap its wings, then fly off a little way away and do the same thing. It kept doing that and the monks kept following and itd wait in one spot long enough for the monks to catch up.

So they kept following the bird and it led them to a village where the villagers gave them food, and it was the food that saved them.

See, I dont think it was a hallucination because how can your hallucination lead you to a village. And the monks got nowt to gain if he lies so why lie? So Im inclined to believe him.

[WisdomBeing]

what a miraculous story. Thank you for sharing it. what i like about your story is that despite the monks being lost in the snow, they didn't give up on their protector, which probably led to the protector sending the bird for them. The moral of the story for me would be to never give up on Dorje Shugden, no matter what. Unlike the monks in your story, I am definitely not stuck in some mountains in a life or death situation. On the contrary,  life here is pretty good. There is no reason to not have complete faith in Dorje Shugden.

[vajrastorm]

Yes, I like this story too. And yes, we should never give up our complete trust and faith in the Protector. Many of us are lucky that we can do His practice without having to face strong and violent opposition or adverse conditions. We should make maximum use of this opportune condition to not just do His practice, but to spread it far and wide. The King is here to protect and spread the precious teachings of Je Tsongkapa for the benefit of all  who so badly need them and yet(many of whom) have little merit to receive them in this degenerate Kaliyurga age.

[beggar]

Thank you for sharing this - it shows how much can be created just by our strong faith and our perseverance and devotion to the dharma. While the bird story is very impressive and inspiring, to me it is actually not about the bird at all, but about how such beings would never give up in the face of such adversity. The atrocities that such monks would have had to face in their homeland, before leaving, is incredible - I am sure many of us have heard what Tibetan monks and nuns were subjected to when the Chinese took over - the bombings of their monasteries, watching their lamas and friends being killed, the torture... I think we can only imagine a fraction what it would have been like. And yet, they don't give up. They are still monks today, 60 years on. And they are happy.

How many of us, in the comforts of our modern worlds, are ready to give up at the drop of a hat? If one little thing doesn't go out way, we become angry, discourage, depressed and despondent. We think, "there's no way out" and we want to leave. Imagine if all those monks who crossed the Himalayas had reacted as we do - we would not even be here on a forum talking about Dharma!

[Barzin]

I really like this story.  As simple as it sounds, it actually lies a deeper meaning to it.  I am sure we have heard many miraculous stories of the protector.  This one is one that is simple, yet so inspiring.  I can imagine the hard shop that the monks had to endure during the escape, not just that even until today, the Shugden practitioners are suffering from various attacks whether it is mentally or physically.

But this story demonstrated how one who holds strong faith in protector, then he will be able to help us.  The protector always around to help us, but we must not give up our faith in protector.  In today's world, it is so hard to keep one's faith.  But the story of the monks have given us hope and inspired us not to give up, no matter how hard it seems.  Because the job of the protector is to assist us to gain attainments and eventually enlightenment.

[Zhalmed Pawo]

The story could be understood as an example of how the previous vow of Shakyamuni holds true; there is no need to insert any protectors here.

[thaimonk]

This is a story of how someone was saved while travelling in the snows. How Dorje Shugden emanated as a bird to lead the way. It's straightforward. Nothing more and nothing less. The miracles this amazing protector can perform to save devotees.

Beautiful and inspirational.

[Zhalmed Pawo]

Heh.  I'll bet that you also think that the story about Atisha entering Tibet while levitating over his king-given horse is about Atisha's miracle powers, not about holding the Vinaya?

(Most of the "fanciful stories" are about basic Dharma, not about exotic spiritual stuff. I'm not saying that levitation or protectors are mere stories, but I'm saying that the Stories typically are about basic Dharma, not exotica.)

[Mana]

This is a story of how someone was saved while travelling in the snows. How Dorje Shugden emanated as a bird to lead the way. It's straightforward. Nothing more and nothing less. The miracles this amazing protector can perform to save devotees.

Beautiful and inspirational.

Enlightened Beings can definitely perform miraculous events. The fact Shugden can enter a human oracle is itself attesting to the mystical and miraculous side of Dorje Shugden. We can never limit the abilities of a Buddha. Their miracles can be seen as actual miracles and also simultaneously methods to subdue certain delusions. After all, Buddha Shakyamuni performed many miralces during His lifetime. Certainly an Awakened being can manifest in thousands of thousands of simultaneous emanations performing many deeds benefitting others.

[LosangKhyentse]

Seems birds feature a lot in stories about Dorje Shugden...

The other day I was talking to a fellow Shugdenpa whos just come back from India. While he was there, he said he heard a story about how Dorje Shugden helped his friend cross the mountains.

Apparently there were a group of monks making their escape and they got lost in the mountains. They were so hungry to the point of boiling their belts to eat. Anyway, story goes they never lost faith in the Protector and prayed to him every day.

Now heres the bit that kind of took me aback - a little bird appeared and flapped its wings erratically to get the monks attention. Geoff said the monk was talking high up in the Himalayas. Theres no vegetation, no animals, nothing but snow for miles and miles and miles...

Anyway, so the bird appeared and it caught their attention because it was so out of place, so the monks went after it. The bird would fly off a little distance away and flap its wings, then fly off a little way away and do the same thing. It kept doing that and the monks kept following and itd wait in one spot long enough for the monks to catch up.

So they kept following the bird and it led them to a village where the villagers gave them food, and it was the food that saved them.

See, I dont think it was a hallucination because how can your hallucination lead you to a village. And the monks got nowt to gain if he lies so why lie? So Im inclined to believe him.

Very beautiful story of how Dorje Shugden manifests in a very practical manner to benefit others. I have no doubts Shugden manifested as a bird to lead the way for the monks who solicited Him on their dangerous escape. I have heard many stories first hand from monks of how Shugden helped them or friends they know. These monks are straightforward and are not in the habit of making up stories. It happened, it happened, if it didn't, they wouldn't say anything.

Certainly in my life I know for sure Dorje Shugden has helped me clearly with decisive signs. I hold those events close to my heart and it just further re-affirms my unchanging faith in Dorje Shugden.

TK

[Tenzin K]

Having strong faith and good samaya is what i learn from this story.

Strong faith with the protector and i believe they should have great samaya with their Guru in order to get such blessing from Dorje Shugden.

This is a great example for us if we go all the way with the practice all resources will definitely come to us but if we doubt and not committed we will definitely see no sign.

[iloveds]

This story or, "account" has like it has been said before basic Dharma. What is so basic about doing your daily prayers to protector and when the time comes placing your life in His hands.

In a Christian sense it is blind. But in the Buddhist sense we may have met the divine through an authentic oracle. I'm sure there are many accounts of Dorje Shugden saving or averting, supporting in our time of need.

Take Shar Gaden for example... What stops the extremists doing anything to them? Where do they get their funding to survive in such a terrible environment to practice. If you are a Buddhist you know what is the purpose of a Dhamapala/Protector. Dorje Shugden is their protector and he still helps them to expand And they are.

[WoselTenzin]

The story of the bird is indeed very inspiring.  If we think logically, under normal circumstances it is quite impossible if not unlikely for a bird appear miraculously in the midst of unending snow land and lead the monks to a village that provided food.   I am sure this is one of the ways the protector has sent help to these monks after hearing their prayers. Our protector works in many amazing way.  I am sure these monks must have great faith and clean samaya with their guru and protector for the protector to send them help in times of desperate need.

[Big Uncle]

Wow! Dorje Shugden saved this monk's life. I am sure he hold his vows, samaya and commitments to receive such a powerful protection from the King. It is amazing, I hear from time to time how Dorje Shugden saves lives during critical moments when we surrender ourselves to his protection.

He is a monk so he has a lot of blessings to tap into so Dorje Shugden could help him easily. For us lay people, I think we have to propitiate Dorje Shugden on a daily basis with at least his mantra and occasional black tea while maintaining good samaya with our Lama and Dharma brothers and sisters to be able for Dorje Shugden's blessings and protection.

[dorjedakini]

Very beautiful story of how Shugden show sign to help people. They indeed have great faith in their Lama and Shugden. It is Shugden too who guided Dalai Lama and entourage escaped safely from Tibet to India, if Shugden wants to harm Dalai Lama, why would he guide them and safe Dalai Lama and their life? I believe that now they look like against each other, but in face they are helping each other to promote Je Tsongkhapa's teaching.