Black Pandit Hat?

[Namdrol]

I have seen red and yellow pandit hat, but this black pandit hat is the first time, this is a lama from Karma Kagyu sect doing Mahakala fire puja during Monlam.

[harrynephew]

This is an interesting post. I thought that black pandit hats only existed in Nakthang tangkhas!

Nonetheless, I've read from somewhere that whenever a Lama or a presiding Acharya does pujas for any of the four enlightening conduct, namely; pacifying, increasing, controlling and subjugating, the lama will wear regalia of the relevant colors connected to these activities. For example, a Lama doing healing/pacifying puja would be donned in white robes, white crown and hold implements concerning this mode of conduct.

Hence, looking at this pic, this Lama is conducting a Mahakala Puja which is a form of subjugation puja. We can see also that in the fire pit there is a triangular shape mandala with tormas and offerings inside. We are able to see a black cloth on the side which is his ritual implement for subjugation.

I am unsure if this hat is valid in accordance with our lineage, but I think what I just posted here would be of the closest explanation I can give. Hope this helps

[Big Uncle]

This is an interesting post. I thought that black pandit hats only existed in Nakthang tangkhas!

Nonetheless, I've read from somewhere that whenever a Lama or a presiding Acharya does pujas for any of the four enlightening conduct, namely; pacifying, increasing, controlling and subjugating, the lama will wear regalia of the relevant colors connected to these activities. For example, a Lama doing healing/pacifying puja would be donned in white robes, white crown and hold implements concerning this mode of conduct.

Hence, looking at this pic, this Lama is conducting a Mahakala Puja which is a form of subjugation puja. We can see also that in the fire pit there is a triangular shape mandala with tormas and offerings inside. We are able to see a black cloth on the side which is his ritual implement for subjugation.

I am unsure if this hat is valid in accordance with our lineage, but I think what I just posted here would be of the closest explanation I can give. Hope this helps

That's a pretty interesting explanation. However, I wonder if there is an authentic tradition of such hat colours or is it something that sprang forth from a terma. Whatever it is, the Nyingma rituals are known to be very powerful but not as powerful as Dorje Shugden though. None of their most powerful rituals could do anything to Dorje Shugden.

[Namdrol]

Whatever it is, the Nyingma rituals are known to be very powerful but not as powerful as Dorje Shugden though. None of their most powerful rituals could do anything to Dorje Shugden.

The Nyingma rituals cannot do anything to Dorje Shugden is not because their ritual is not powerful, but rather it is the nature of Dorje Shugden that made their ritual ineffective.

Dorje Shugden is a Buddha, a Buddha does not have any karma to be harmed, so the ritual cannot to anything to him is not because the ritual is "not powerful enough", but rather it is from the side of Dorje Shugden that nothing can harm him because he has no karma to be harmed, there is a difference.

So Big Uncle your statement implied that Nyingma ritual is less powerful than Dorje Shugden, is not exactly accurate. It is not the ritual, it is the nature of Dorje Shugden.