In a particular tradition that I am familiar with, it is
said
that there are three kinds of protectors. They are
dharmapalas,
lokapalas and ksetrapalas. Respectively they translate
to
"dharma-protectors," "world(ly)-protectors" and
"field-protectors."
Dharma-protectors are those who are highly advanced on the
Path.
From Vajrayana's point of view, these beings are actually
manifestations of the activities of the Buddhas. Some of
these
beings are considered Buddhas while some are on different levels
of
the Bodhisattva path. For example, Mahakala and Ekazati are
both
considered fully enlightened beings while someone like Dorje
Lekpa
is considered a tenth stage bodhisattva. The
worldly-protectors
refer to beings who have pledged to protect the teachings and
practitioners. These include powerful worldly gods, local
spirits,
energies and other beings. It is said that sometimes these
beings
do not even fully accept the teachings of the Buddha. They
are in
other words as deluded as we are - some of them more, others
less.
Field protectors are usually associated with very specific places
or
buildings. In Tibet, families live in the same place and house
for
hundred of years. As time passes, it is believed that there
are
certain protectors especially connected with that particular
house,
clan or family. Spiritually both the worldly and field
protectors
are much lower than the Dharma-protectors. Both the worldly
and
field protectors are not particularly related to Dharma in the
same
way as Dhama-protectors are.
How should we relate to the protectors? I
remember reading His
Holiness the Dalai Lama's response to a similiar question.
His
Holiness advised that it is actually sufficient to regard the
Triple
Gem (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) as protectors. In his
opinion, if
one truly takes refuge in the Triple Gem they will be the
best
protectors one can have. He further explained that protectors
are
related to Vajrayana practice and only those who are deeply
involved
with Vajrayana practices should be concerned with the
protectors. I
suspect that His Holiness' response in this case is spoken for
the
general audience and in no way indicates that he is not in favor
of
protector practices. Other teachers also agree that if one
really
relies on the Triple Gem, protection is guaranteed.
Very briefly, according to Vajrayana, protectors
should never be
seen as something separate from oneself. Protectors actually
have
two levels which we can relate with. On the relative level,
there
are protectors like Mahakala, Palden Lhamo, Dorje Lekpa or
Ekazati.
There are numerous sadhanas (practices) associated with these
protectors. But ultimately, it is our own rigpa (the natural
mind
which is empty, spacious and open) that is the protector.
The
sadhanas usually have a structure where the meditator visualizes
him
or herself as a particular protector. The meditator is
reminded
again and again that his or her own nature is never separate
from
the protectors'. Some teachers further explain that in a way,
these
protectors are simply our own awareness and mindfulness. Because
we
are beings with both body and mind, it is easier in the
beginning
for us to focus on some being with a form - the various
protectors.
By meditating on their enlightened form - the various attributes
and
ornaments (these are related to different enlightened qualities
and
activities), one is to actualize these same enlightened qualities
in
oneself. In a sense, we can say that the protectors are our
own
awareness and mindfulness appearing in enlightened forms.
With
right awareness and mindfulness, we will be able to relate to
things
as they truly are (the wisdom aspect) and carry out the
bodhisattva
activities (the compassionate aspect). Therefore, the
effectiveness
of these protectors are directly related to our own level of
awareness and mindfulness. I have also heard another
teacher
explaining that the law of karma is the real protector. Here,
he
means that if one were to truly understand cause and effect,
one
will then abstain from performing any negative actions but
instead
only cultivate good.
Perhaps on a more advance level, the
Dharma-protectors are
related to different forms and levels of energies. These
energies
are said to be latent in us. By relating to a particular
protector,
one learns how to channel up a particular energy and to deal with
it
in an enlightened way. Because energy is simply energy (with
negative and positive potentials), there is always a chance of
not
knowing how to deal with a certain energy that has been
aroused
through practice. Or perhaps the means of arousing that
energy is
misused. This is when it is believed that negative effects
will
occur. This effect might not only affect the practitioner
himself
but might include other as well. Therefore, some teachers
are
extremely cautious when it comes to protector practices.
In
traditional language, protector's practice is something that
one
does only if one is certain that one can fulfill all the
commitments
(samaya or damtshig) related to that practice. Unlike
practices
like Chenrezig meditation or Tara, it is said that when the
protector practice is done wrongly or is not done consistently,
the
protectors will get extremely "wrathful." These protectors
are
guardians of the different practices. It is also said
that
protectors are there to make sure that the purity of the lineage
is
protected. And to do that, they guard the practices of
the
practitioners. It is not uncommon to hear people saying that
when
they became lazy in their practice or got distracted,
something
mysterious or supernatural happened that pulled them back into
the
Path again! And devout Tibetans will straightaway acknowledge
the
protectors for fulfilling their duties. There are also
stories of
protectors who guard termas - hidden "treasures" (teachings,
ritual
objects etc, that have supposedly been hidden by masters like
Padmasambhava to be retrived in latter days to benefit
people).
Some of these protectors are even believed to fiecely guard
these
termas so that if the wrong people get these termas, they might
be
destroyed or the termas will simply vanish. These protectors
are
usually not Dharma-protectors but some worldly protectors.
Therefore, on the relative level, these
protectors are treated
like independent beings who have pledged to protect the Dharma
(but
since the ultimate and relative can never be taken as distinct,
one
is always reminded of the ultimate protector - one's own
natural
mind). Different lineages, teachers and practices have
different
special protectors. For example, Palden Lhamo and Dharmaraja
is
particularly associated with the Gelugpas. For the
Kagyupas,
Mahakala is especially significant. Different aspects of
Mahakala
(two-armed, four-armed, six-armed, female aspects) are practised
by
the Sakyas, Gelugs, Kagyus and Nyingmas. In the Drikung-Kagyu
(one
of the major sects in the Kagyu school), Achi Chokyi Drolma is
a
protector intimately related to members of this lineage.
Milarepa
himself is related to the five protector goddesses of Tibet -
known
as the Tseringmas. Among the Nyingmapas, Ekazati, Rahula and
Dorje
Lekpa are protectors very closely related to Dzog-chen. The
famous
deity of the Nechung oracle is the personal protector of the
Dalai
Lamas. Various elaborate rituals and sadhanas are performed
to
these protectors in the lives of practitioners. There are
certain
monasteries that have protector practices carried out 24 hours a
day
for 365 days a year. If I am not mistaken, there are a group
of
monks specially charged with the task of performing protector
practices for the welfare of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in
particular, and the live of the Dharma in general.
full article on
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/protect.htm
