This praise, composed by His Holiness Kyabje Dagpo Rinpoche, recounts the origins and previous lives of Dorje Shugden, beginning with Manjushri.

By understanding Dorje Shugden’s enlightened nature, we realise that relying on him cannot lead us anywhere except for Enlightenment. Reciting any praise of Dorje Shugden on a daily basis reminds us of his attainments, and the type of being we are propitiating. It also serves as a reminder of the qualities we can attain as a result of relying on him, that his practice will help us to attain common and uncommon siddhis.

In this praise therefore, Kyabje Dagpo Dorje Chang describes in detail how Dorje Shugden took rebirth as various enlightened masters before arising as the enlightened Protector Dorje Shugden. Dagpo Rinpoche even describes how meditation masters attempted to kill Dorje Shugden but were unable to because he had “successfully completed Guhyasamaja’s two stages”; that is, in his previous lives as Lamas like Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, he had achieved Enlightenment through complete mastery of the Tantras and therefore did not possess the karma to be killed or harmed.

Dagpo Rinpoche recounts Dorje Shugden’s arising as an uncommon Dharma Protector specifically to protect the lineage of Jina Manjushri Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings. In doing so, Dagpo Rinpoche’s description also reflects the pervasiveness and significance of Dorje Shugden’s practice, noting that Dorje Shugden was enthroned “by the Chinese Emperor, the Dalai Lama and his regent” as the “guardian of the Yellow Hat teachings”.

Studying the origins of Dorje Shugden is especially recommended as it increases our understanding of his enlightened nature as the Buddha Manjushri. From this understanding, faith arises which in turn nurtures stability. Stability is necessary to ensure our long-term connection with Dorje Shugden so we can continue to reap the benefits of having such a Dharma Protector watch over our practice. It is for these reasons that it is highly recommended that this praise of Dorje Shugden is recited daily, as part of the Diamond Path sadhana compiled by H.E. the 25^th Tsem Rinpoche.

A Praise to the Indestructible Protector

By His Eminence Kyabje Dagpo Rinpoche

Though gone to the state of the Sugatas countless eons ago,
To benefit the teachings and migrators in whatever form subdues them,
Your hundreds of emanations have twenty-seven enlightened activities;
All praise to the pervasive lord, mighty Dorje Shugden!

Manjushri, Virupa, Sakya Pandita, Lord Buton,
Omniscient Duldzin Dragpa Gyaltsen, Panchen Sonam Dragpa, and so forth,
Emanating in an endless succession of scholar-siddhas of India and Tibet,
Displaying all sorts of excellent deeds, eulogies to you.

Divine one, when you were the Lord Tulku Dragpa,
At the age of thirteen you had already listened
To teachings such as Path of Bliss from Panchen Lozang Chogyen
And became a great treasury of instructions, eulogies to you!

Your analysis of scriptures of the ‘six ornaments’ was unimpeded,
You meditated and practised in hundreds of isolated places,
You saw all yidams and were worshipped by hosts of dakinis,
Praise to the holy crown of scholar siddhas!

Teaching fortunate ones, you were a real Arya Nagarjuna and Haribhadra!
Defeating opponents, you were skilled in debate like Dignaga himself!
In composition of poetic verse you were without peer,
Famed as a second Aryashura, to you I offer praise!

When Dorje Dragden, overlord of the haughty ones
Repeatedly urged you to fulfil your vow to arise
As a Dharma Protector uncommon to the Geden,
You generated that mind of wrathful courage, praise to you!

Born from cells of the father, King of Obstructors,
And the supreme mother, Queen of Existence,
One whose body mandala of Shugden’s five families, chief and entourage,
In their great wrathful palace, was instantly complete, praise to you!

Then, although four undisputed powerful Tantrikas,
With samadhi, began wrathful rituals to strike you down,
Through power of having completed Guhyasamaja’s two stages,
You would not be silenced, and showed signs of heroism, praise to you!

Through the sport of your mind’s five wisdom energies,
Like a great encampment of the Dalai Lama on journey,
You showed a wondrous spectacle of miraculous manifestations
Of the eight spirit forces to your physician, in reality, praise to you!

Then, having gone toward Tashi Lhunpo in Tsang,
Because of a slight inauspicious occurrence,
You immediately went to Sakya in a wrathful manner,
And were enthroned as a senior Dharma Protector, praise to you!

Those who were polluting the Yellow Hat Teachings,
Leading improper recipients, who lacked training in the common path,
To a perverted behaviour, with initiations and instructions,
Both gurus and disciples, were punished, praise to you!

When, because of the times, study of lamrim had greatly declined,
So that the lay and ordained were practically deprived of a pure refuge,
For the many beings wandering on mistaken paths,
You acted as a guru revealing the supreme path, praise to you!

When a powerful siddha generated a profound meditation,
Wishing to overpower you with a Karma Guru fire puja, at that time
A beautiful maiden distracted his mind and his samadhi was destroyed;
Praise to you, the slaughterer of those who misuse Tantric activity!

When a greedy governor, without reason, badly harmed
The community endowed with morality, with your power, O Deity,
You struck him with a terrible fatal disease and, when he promised
To act in accordance with the Teachings, you healed him, praise to you!

To the abbot of Ganden Rabten you said, ‘If you build,
A Protector palace, I’ll provide the conditions immediately!’
And you gave a rain of desirable objects in actuality,
From an empty sky like a sky treasure, praise to you!

Pretending to be Dragshul Wangpo, you tormented the oracle
By swallowing a vajra in his throat,
And repeatedly split his temple abode, and so on,
Praise to the terrifier of even the great gods!

When all the deity’s people took refuge in you and made requests,
Saying, ‘Build a statue of Tsongkhapa and I will grant activity!’
You gave them relief
And justified belief, praise to you!

When a high Chinese minister summoned lay and ordained Tibetans
For execution, you said, ‘In seven days I will help!’
And as you said, you destroyed
The Chinese minister, praise to you!

Those who mix or pollute the Ganden teachings,
Whether great beings, ordinary beings, or powerful lords,
You grind into particles of dust, O Deity,
Protector of the Yellow Hat Teachings, praise to you!

In border regions where Shenrab’s bad system was practised,
With many clear, decisive signs of the four activities,
You became precious guides who acted to spread
The excellent, fully unmistaken path, praise to you!

Enthroned as guardian of the Yellow Hat Teachings,
By the Chinese emperor, the Dalai Lama, and his regent,
You generated the intent to protect the Teachings
From now until the Buddha, Aspiring One, praise to you!

In short, the illusory multitudes of emanations
Of your body and activities, to which no end is seen,
Fulfils hopes like a treasure vase, a wish-granting jewel or tree,
To that infinite display, prostration and praise!