The Origin of Tibetan Dharma Protectors
The Northern and Southern schools of Buddhism are very different due to their climate, geography, background, culture, practice, is very very different. In Tibet, shamanistic practice (penpo) was very strange and very powerful. It is the leading practice. That is worshipping ancestors, nature spirits, fairies, gnomes, demons, gods, devas, which are very strong. All these ‘beings’ can help you to get money, get love, destroy enemies, create magic etc. Shamanistic is pre-buddhistic in Tibet where people are more interested in the primitive aspects of living. This is not spiritual practice. Spiritual practice is to bring you to a state of compassion and omniscience. During pre-buddhistic time, Tibet is an old society, which have huge mountain ranges, many mountains are unexplored. Magic and spirits are very strong. Every culture has such ‘magic’ practice, because of people’s greed, desire and lust. When the Buddhist teachings were coming to Tibet, the great Abbot Shantarakshita came to Tibet to teach Buddhism, he had tremendous obstacles. The ‘penpo’ priests were against Buddhism and did everything they can to stop it. These priests use all kinds of magic but couldn’t harm Shantarakshita because he was a pure monk, but they harmed the people trying to attend. After many many years, Shantarakshita realise he can’t stop these obstacles because he doesn’t have occult power to overcome.
Finally, Guru Rinpoche and pandits came to Tibet to wage a spiritual war with the mountain deities, penpo priests, etc. Guru Rinpoche spend first few years to overcome these obstacles and subdued them. He then created the first monastery in Tibet called Samye. The most ferocious spirit (Pehar) was defeated and his energy was contained inside a vase and housed inside Samye monastery. He was sworn to assist the growth of Dharma instead of destruction. There are also many other local spirits who are subjugated and house in certain temples because their energy is very strong.
High Lama can subjugate these spirits. But these spirits or deities we cannot pray to. They’re tapped upon for their energy to help. It’s better they help us than to create obstacles. We give them offerings in order to make friendship. Dharma protectors are not created by anybody, but are sworn to the prior Buddha aeons ago to assist beings who take refuge in the Buddha. Read someone works, meditate and see the result, to know whether someone is a Buddha.
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