tattoo of Dorje Shugden

[Ensapa]

Personally i would not do it because our body is impure by nature and it will smell etc and to permanently place an image of a Buddha on it would be the same as sticking a buddha image on a pile of filth. I am okay with pendants because they are removable. But thats also why i dont wear any under my shirt. Imagine it going between my armpits!!

the DS tattoo is very cool tho. just that i feel personally that its not very respectful...hmmm

[ilikeshugden]

Wow! The tattoo looks great. I don't think I would ever get a tattoo but I still think it is beautiful. I am just worried about if you put such a beautiful image of a holy being on your arm, it might look deformed after you age a bit. I think it does not contradict any vows right? Please correct me if I am wrong but aren't there monks who also have tattoos?

[lightning]

Wow! The tattoo looks great. I don't think I would ever get a tattoo but I still think it is beautiful. I am just worried about if you put such a beautiful image of a holy being on your arm, it might look deformed after you age a bit. I think it does not contradict any vows right? Please correct me if I am wrong but aren't there monks who also have tattoos?

It contridict the Vairocana Buddha commitment for having a tattoo after empowerment, if you have alreadly taken HYT. As mentioned eariler, I believe that for the three lower tantra, there may be a violation in tantric commitment having pernament tattoo or do anything that bring harm to your body after the empowerment. Since you have alreadly become a commitment being or commitment sattva for your tuterlay Buddhist deity after empowerment has been taken.

[kris]

Wow! This is indeed very interesting and I never thought of this.

Thank you lightning, wisdombeing, big uncle and all for all the interesting thoughts.

But what is the conclusion? Is it OK or not ok to have Buddha tatoo?

[icy]

Weird imagination came to my mind - a Dorje Shugden tattoo club!  Would this be possible?

[sahara]

Wow! Dorje Shugden tattoo is cool Yes! the DS tattoo is very cool tho. But just that i feel personally that its not very respectful and why would we want to harm our body ....right?
I like what dondrup say "Why do we need to use tattoos to show our spirituality? Are there no other better and more respectful ways to venerate the Buddhas? "

[lightning]

Wow! This is indeed very interesting and I never thought of this.

Thank you lightning, wisdombeing, big uncle and all for all the interesting thoughts.

But what is the conclusion? Is it OK or not ok to have Buddha tatoo?

my answer is Not Okay to have tattoo after you had your empowerment.

[WisdomBeing]

Dear Lightning,

I definitely won't do it after I receive empowerment - if i ever receive it! Have you received it? An empowerment beats a tattoo any day!!!! Ok, i'm being facetious.

Re harming our bodies - nobody has commented about the Thai monks who tattoo their bodies with mantras. Again - i presume we do not tattoo if we receive higher tantric initiations but while we are stewing in the cess pool, surely we can do a few holy tattoos. If not images of the Buddha, can we tattoo mantras? I've also seen Thai monks with tattoos of animals.. does anyone know what they mean?

[nagaseeker]

i will definitely not doing this whether receive empowerment or not , u will surely feel pain for such a details tattoo.If u like Dorje shugden , u  should just set up an altar and make offering to him daily ,visualize that he is in ur heart daily wherever u go instead of tattoo on ur arm and show off to others ( although it is kinda cool n help to put imprint to others ) i mean , u won't bring any buddha image into ur toilet right ? and when u get old , the snow lion become shar pei dog and DS become ........  

[valeriecheung]

I will say NO too, as dharma practitioner should humble instead of tattoo on your body.

[lightning]

Dear Lightning,

I definitely won't do it after I receive empowerment - if i ever receive it! Have you received it? An empowerment beats a tattoo any day!!!! Ok, i'm being facetious.

Re harming our bodies - nobody has commented about the Thai monks who tattoo their bodies with mantras. Again - i presume we do not tattoo if we receive higher tantric initiations but while we are stewing in the cess pool, surely we can do a few holy tattoos. If not images of the Buddha, can we tattoo mantras? I've also seen Thai monks with tattoos of animals.. does anyone know what they mean?

I am not well versed in Hinayana aspect. In a lot of places nowadays, Buddhism has become more and more degenerated, as precepts laid down by Buddha become less authetic as many become less strict on the actual authetic precepts. Preharps Thai monks is allowed to tattoo as they refrain from sex. I would prefer not to tattoo mantra or holy image unless I would want to remain celibate throughout my life.

[thaimonk]

Dear Lightning,

I definitely won't do it after I receive empowerment - if i ever receive it! Have you received it? An empowerment beats a tattoo any day!!!! Ok, i'm being facetious.

Re harming our bodies - nobody has commented about the Thai monks who tattoo their bodies with mantras. Again - i presume we do not tattoo if we receive higher tantric initiations but while we are stewing in the cess pool, surely we can do a few holy tattoos. If not images of the Buddha, can we tattoo mantras? I've also seen Thai monks with tattoos of animals.. does anyone know what they mean?

I am not well versed in Hinayana aspect. In a lot of places nowadays, Buddhism has become more and more degenerated, as precepts laid down by Buddha become less authetic as many become less strict on the actual authetic precepts. Preharps Thai monks is allowed to tattoo as they refrain from sex. I would prefer not to tattoo mantra or holy image unless I would want to remain celibate throughout my life.

That's a good way to look at it because they are celibate so it's more respectful. Thai monks still sweat, go to the toilet, vomit which would not be ideal to have sacred images nearby or on the body.


Thai monks for hundreds of years have been tattooing sacred mantras, prayers, images and Buddhist protection on lay people's bodies. It is a common practice. Lay people are not celibate and surely the Dharma words on their bodies are very sacred just as well.

I guess the bottom line at our level is whatever we do, there is negative repercussions as well as good points. We have to just see what is more before we do anything.

[lightning]

Dear Lightning,

I definitely won't do it after I receive empowerment - if i ever receive it! Have you received it? An empowerment beats a tattoo any day!!!! Ok, i'm being facetious.

As mentioned eariler, there are a lot of hints that I have dropped eariler suggested that I have taken HYT empowerment and my eariler conversation with you in the PM

[lightning]

I

I guess the bottom line at our level is whatever we do, there is negative repercussions as well as good points. We have to just see what is more before we do anything.

Agreed on this point

[WisdomBeing]

That's a good way to look at it because they are celibate so it's more respectful. Thai monks still sweat, go to the toilet, vomit which would not be ideal to have sacred images nearby or on the body.

Thai monks for hundreds of years have been tattooing sacred mantras, prayers, images and Buddhist protection on lay people's bodies. It is a common practice. Lay people are not celibate and surely the Dharma words on their bodies are very sacred just as well.

I guess the bottom line at our level is whatever we do, there is negative repercussions as well as good points. We have to just see what is more before we do anything.

That's a good point re celibacy. I also like your last comment about everything having good and bad and we just have to weigh up everything and make decisions based on that.

I know that the holy images or mantras cannot be sullied as they are intrinsically holy, but it would be our view of these holy images which could be distorted. For example the well known controversy over the Buddha Bars - whether a Buddha statue should be allowed to be in a bar at all, since the bar is the very antithesis of everything Buddhism represents.

The bar represents samsara's attachments of almost every kind - to relationships, alcohol, food, beauty, sex. However, perhaps the only chance at all of a blessing they could receive would be from a Buddha statue in the bar, though i'm sure that wasn't the motivation behind the Buddha bar.  I'm putting myself out on a limb here but i think that it's okay for there to be a Buddha statue in a bar for that reason.