This monthly practice takes place on or close to the 29th of each month, so-called Protector Day, and consists principally of prayers to our Dharma Protector, the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden.
A Dharma Protector is an emanation of a Buddha or Bodhisattva whose main functions are to avert the inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from attaining spiritual realizations, and to arrange all the necessary conditions for their practice.
Dorje Shugden is a Dharma Protector, which means he specializes in helping us keep our minds off delusions and on Dharma. One way he does this is by helping us transform all appearances into the spiritual path, opening our wisdom eyes so that we know what to do with each situation as it arises, generating Dharma minds such as renunciation, compassion, or wisdom.
Enlightened beings appear in different forms for different purposes, including as teachers, personal Tantric Deities, and Protectors. One simple way to get the numerous benefits of having this Buddha in our life is to consider Dorje Shugden to be the same nature as the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri and Je Tsongkhapa — he is the manifestation of the omniscient wisdom of all enlightened beings appearing in this form to protect us. Then we can simply make any requests to him to avert our own and others’ obstacles and give us favorable conditions for gaining temporary and lasting freedom and happiness.
At 3.5 hours, it is by far our longest puja! You are welcome to join all or any part of it.
We also make specific prayers for our friends, family members, Sangha, and others who are suffering or have died.
