Another lovely sunny day! Gen Chokga, in her light-hearted way, leads two meditations in the morning based on Gen-la’s teachings the night before. In the second one, the object of meditation is the wish to rely on the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden, setting us up for the afternoon’s big event.
As the queue forms outside the temple, a stormy looking cloud appears in the previously blue sky, like the line from the sadhana about ‘the red and black fire and wind’ (or at least the black wind bit!) which accompanies the arrival of Dorje Shugden. Inside the temple, the empowerment begins with the group practice of ‘Wishfulfilling Jewel’. When we reach the section on dispelling obstacles, to the thunder-like sound of more than a 1000 people simultaneously engaging in a single handclap (symbolizing remembering emptiness), the sun bursts through the clouds splendidly illuminating the room. It feels like a good sign! Obstacles are being dispelled….
Who is Dorje Shugden?, Gen-la Dekyong asks. He is same as our Spiritual Guide Je Tsongkhapa, our Tantric Deity Buddha Heruka, and the Dharma Protector. We need to see these three as one. This is our special wisdom view. She explains we will receive the empowerment of Dorje Shugden’s body, speech, and mind through which we purify our ordinary body, speech and mind, and sew the seeds for the attainment of Buddha’s body, speech and mind. During the empowerment Genla guides us skillfully into a focused and peaceful state. The empowerment feels profoundly healing. As one Sangha friend put it: You just felt like you could relax and let Dorje Shugden do all the work.
The day ended with a new event: a q&a with Gen-la Khyenrab on the Heart Jewel practice. Gen-la Khyenrab made sure that lots of laughter accompanied the good advice. One such gem: If you get bored in your daily practice, just as in an ordinary relationship, you need to make a special effort and have a ‘date night’ with your Dharma Protector!