At a time when nearly all in this Northern Land
Were living in utter contradiction to Dharma,
Without illusion, O Tsongkhapa, you polished the teachings.
Hence I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

When the teachings of the Sakya, Kargu, Kadam
And Nyingma sects in Tibet were declining,
You, O Tsongkhapa, revived Buddha’s Doctrine,
Hence I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, gave to you
Special instructions on the thought of Nagarjuna.
O Tsongkhapa, upholder of the Middle Way,
I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

“Mind and form are not empty of their own natures
But are empty of truly existent mind and form”,
You, O Tsongkhapa, are Tibet’s chief exponent of voidness,
Hence I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

In merely a few years you filled
The land from China to India
With peerless holders of the saffron robes.
Hence I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

Those who become your followers
And look to you and your teachings
Are never again disappointed or forsaken.
Hence I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

The trainees who walk in your footsteps
Breath the fresh air of the Great Way.
They would die for the good of the world.
Hence I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

Anyone who disparages your doctrine must face
The terrible wrath of the Dharma protectors.
O Tsongkhapa, who abides in truth’s power,
I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

In person and in dreams you come to those
Who but once recollect your image.
O Tsongkhapa, who watches with compassionate eyes.
I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

In order to civilize men and spirits you spread
Your teachings through Kham, Mongolia and Turkestan:
O Tsongkhapa, subduer of savages,
I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

For men coarse and far from the Way, you dispel
Mental clouds, evils and bad karma.
O Tsongkhapa, who bestows quick progress,
I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

Those who take heartfelt Refuge in you,
Even those with no hope for now or hereafter,
O Tsongkhapa, have their every wish fulfilled.
Hence I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

Having exposed false teachings transgressing
The excellent ways well shown by Buddha,
You firmly established your Bold Doctrine.
Hence I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

Manifesting sublime austerity and discipline,
The form and fragrance of your life was incomparable.
O Tsongkhapa, controlled one pleasing to the Buddhas,
I sing this praise to you of Ganden Mountain.

By the strength of the sons of your lineage
And by my having faithfully offered this praise,
May the enlightened activity of Buddha Shakyamuni
Pervade the earth for ages to come.

Footnote: Extracted from the Life and Teachings of Tsong Khapa (Edited by Prof. R. Thurman)

Therefore, the Dharma Protectors we propitiate are emanations of enlightened Buddhas and not samsaric gods. They assume lowly wrathful and horrific forms in order to have a stronger connection to aid us quicker in times of distress.

Most of us normal people have little karma to receive help quickly from the Buddhas directly. Contrary to what you may think, it is not that they are beyond reach. It is our karma, spiritual and mental disposition that prevents us from receiving help from the Buddhas. Thus, out of compassion they assume the forms of Dharma Protectors to come to our aid.

Protector practice is widespread in ancient Buddhist India and has been passed to Tibet. Protector practice includes the offering of “golden drink” that requires the Serkym set.

The offering is usually tea, milk or even alcohol. These are poured gradually during the offering puja onto the taller cup till it overflows to the lower bowl below.

Offering of piping hot black tea is a strong signal to the Dharma Protector to come to our aid fast, according to Tsawa Phultok Rinpoche in Nepal.

It was more than a thousand years ago that Lord Padmasambhava, the lotus-born, blessed this earth with his presence. And yet, he is more alive than ever in the hearts of those with faith.

His practice and teachings are increasingly relevant for us today as our minds become more deluded and obsessed, for he is the very incarnation of transmutation, the releasing of confused energies into their original wisdom-purity.

It was Guru Rinpoche who subdued all opposing forces and established Buddhism in its supreme form in Tibet. He taught the king Trisong Detsen:

“The root of the secret mantra, the tantric swift methods, is to keep the samaya commitments. The roots of samaya, the bond to one’s spiritual teacher, are devotion and effort. And the root of these two is prayer; to pray to your spiritual Master and to your yidam deity.”

Guru Rinpoche did not write extensively but left many hidden spiritual treasures, termas, all over Tibet. Pure-minded practitioners find them to this day when the time is right for them to be revealed.

His spiritual energy in the form of sound that helps to transform the mind (Mantra):

OM AH HUNG BENZA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG

She heals and blesses and averts grave dangers by the power of pacification.

Her legs are crossed in meditation posture and she has eyes of watchful compassion on her forehead, the palms of her hands and the soles of her feet, watching over us like a mother over her child. There is nothing that she doesn’t see. Her right hand shows unconditional giving; while her left, holding a blue utpala flower, blesses her children of faith with fearlessness.

Her divine body’s radiance is like that of a full moon on an autumn night, cooling, calming, soothing, and the moonbeams of her love and consolation shine through every window into every lonely room. Her all-forgiving softly smiling eyes invoke instant faith and deepest trust.

Throughout India, Tibet, China and Japan, Lady White Tara is famous for granting long life and averting life-threatening situations. The explanation of how she can do so can be found in her Mantra – her spiritual energy in the form of sound that helps to transform our mind.

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAMA AYUH PUNYA JANA PUTRIM KURUYE SOHA.

Ayuh means long life, putrim abundance, punya ethical purity, jana wisdom, so we’ll gain an abundance of good life by acting wisely and pure,ly and if we do so she will help us in mysterious ways.

Someone once asked H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche to bless a Tara statue, but he replied it wasn’t necessary because “if it’s Tara it is already blessed”.

No words can describe her; she is just too wonderful and holy.