Palden Lhamo

[Red Faced Buddha]

I recently read about Palden Lhamo and I was disturbed when I read about her.How can a Buddhist venerate a "deity" who supposedly flayed her own son?I don't know if the myth is true or not,but it is still disturbing.It'd be like a fundamentalist killing her kid because she thinks he's "of the Devil."

[Seishin]

Did she do this before she turned to Buddhism?

It might also be worth noting that she is a wrathful gaurdian of Buddhism

Gassho,
Seishin.

[futerko]

Her husband, the king of Lanka, was sacrificing his subjects and teaching their son to become the ultimate destroyer of Buddhism. She made the threat to try to get him to reform, but when he didn't she carried out her threat and while the king was away, killed her son, drank his blood and ate his flesh, then rode away on a horse saddled with her son's flayed skin.

She then went to hell for years, but eventually stole the sword and sack of diseases from the king of the demons and fought her way back to earth, living in a charnel ground, she renounced her own beauty, starving herself and not washing, letting her hair and nails grow long, and wallowing in her fury, she cried out, "If there is anyone out there, God or human, who can give me any reason to live, if anyone can offer me even an ounce of comfort, come now, because I am killing myself."

At this, the Budhha of compassion appeared, saying, "I have a mission for you. You have met and vanquished all the demons. You can subdue any menace with your flaming sword and sack of ills. You know every dirty trick in the book. You have no fear. You will be the shield of all who follow the path of compassion."
She replied, "You trust me to protect these children of light after all I have done?" - "Who else but you?" the Buddha replied.

[Konchog1]

I recently read about Palden Lhamo and I was disturbed when I read about her.How can a Buddhist venerate a "deity" who supposedly flayed her own son?I don't know if the myth is true or not,but it is still disturbing.It'd be like a fundamentalist killing her kid because she thinks he's "of the Devil."

She isn't enlightened. So refuge isn't taken in her.

[conebeckham]

Not true, Konchok, at least according to some lineages, where Palden Lhamo is indeed a wisdom protector.

[JKhedrup]

This seems another one of those tough ones. Most of the Gelug lamas I know say that she is high-bhumi Bodhisattva, but those from Drepung (where she is the monastery protector), state she is fully enlightened

[Inge]

Her husband, the king of Lanka, was sacrificing his subjects and teaching their son to become the ultimate destroyer of Buddhism. She made the threat to try to get him to reform, but when he didn't she carried out her threat and while the king was away, killed her son, drank his blood and ate his flesh, then rode away on a horse saddled with her son's flayed skin.

She then went to hell for years, but eventually stole the sword and sack of diseases from the king of the demons and fought her way back to earth, living in a charnel ground, she renounced her own beauty, starving herself and not washing, letting her hair and nails grow long, and wallowing in her fury, she cried out, "If there is anyone out there, God or human, who can give me any reason to live, if anyone can offer me even an ounce of comfort, come now, because I am killing myself."

At this, the Budhha of compassion appeared, saying, "I have a mission for you. You have met and vanquished all the demons. You can subdue any menace with your flaming sword and sack of ills. You know every dirty trick in the book. You have no fear. You will be the shield of all who follow the path of compassion."
She replied, "You trust me to protect these children of light after all I have done?" - "Who else but you?" the Buddha replied.

Awesome story.

[waimengwan]

The protector of all the 14 Dalai Lama is Palden Lhamo. Why would the Dalai Lama rely on an unenlightened protector? Wasn't it Palden Lhamo who assisted the Dalai Lama to escape to India?
Tsem Rinpoche my teacher also holds Palden Lhamo in high regard and he felt very comfortable and happy doing this practice since young.

The story of the ship captain who killed the evil merchant came to mind. he knew with certainty that if we did not stop the veil merchant the evil merchant will languish in the lower realms for a very long time. So if we know that this child, if he does destroy buddhism it will harm countless sentient beings, and this child will go down to the lower realms killing him in this life seems the lesser of two evils, I think.

[JKhedrup]

This is true. Enlightened beings and bodhisattvas can see the greater good of all sentient beings in a way we ordinary ones cannot comprehend.

It is true that His Holiness the current Dalai Lama, and the Dalai Lamas in general, have a special connection with Palden Lhamo ('the Glorious Goddess'). This relationship dates back to the first Dalai Lama, Gendun Drup.

There is a also a system of Mo dice divination connected with Palden Lhamo.

[plwk]

Another source on Sri Devi here & here
In the Chinese Mahayana Tradition (and also in other East Asian Mahayana Trads), she is regarded as one of the Dharma Protectors and her Dharani is recited four times in the daily Morning Liturgy: once as part of the collection of the Ten Small Mantras & thrice accompanied in the praise to another Dharma Protector, Skanda Bodhisattva. Also during the annual 9th Day of the 1st Lunar Month, in the Golden Light Dharma Repentance (An Offering to the Buddhas & Celestials). See below videos of her Dharani in Chinese & Sanskrit (fast & slow versions by Malaysian Buddhist artist, Imee Ooi)



Her Dharani may be found here (scroll down to the second last posting), images & a Japanese site

[Yudron]

I recently read about Palden Lhamo and I was disturbed when I read about her.How can a Buddhist venerate a "deity" who supposedly flayed her own son?I don't know if the myth is true or not,but it is still disturbing.It'd be like a fundamentalist killing her kid because she thinks he's "of the Devil."

Milarepa is believed to have killed many humans through sorcery. Part of the reason we venerate Milarepa is that his mind changed 180 degrees after encountering the Dharma. I don't know if I personally believe that sorcery can cause the collapse of a building or not (probably), or that goddesses exist beyond collective human thought forms (I don't know), but these conversion stories are moving and inspirational. For me, the stories of King Ashoka's conversion or modern examples like criminals such as Jarvis Jay Masters are more powerful, although we don't ascribe enlightenment to them.

When we visualize ourselves as a Guru, Yidam or Dakini and do protectors practices (and on a good day I make offerings to at least 50 reformed criminals) we are reminding all our own internal converted demons to use that force and energy now to protect the Dharma and sentient beings.

[Red Faced Buddha]

The protector of all the 14 Dalai Lama is Palden Lhamo. Why would the Dalai Lama rely on an unenlightened protector? Wasn't it Palden Lhamo who assisted the Dalai Lama to escape to India?
Tsem Rinpoche my teacher also holds Palden Lhamo in high regard and he felt very comfortable and happy doing this practice since young.

The story of the ship captain who killed the evil merchant came to mind. he knew with certainty that if we did not stop the veil merchant the evil merchant will languish in the lower realms for a very long time. So if we know that this child, if he does destroy buddhism it will harm countless sentient beings, and this child will go down to the lower realms killing him in this life seems the lesser of two evils, I think.

I thought it was somebody else who assisted him in his escape from Tibet.The guy with the third eye,He Who Cannot Be Named on this Forum.

[JKhedrup]

This is a myth perpetuated by two or three websites on the internet, but discredited by most Tibetans and Tibetologists. The Nechung oracle was traditionally consulted for such matters.
Please remember to steer clear of discussion on this topic, it can only lead to more conflict on the forum. Refer to the Terms of Service of the website, which indicate that by registering here we all agree not to discuss this issue.

[Konchog1]

The protector of all the 14 Dalai Lama is Palden Lhamo. Why would the Dalai Lama rely on an unenlightened protector? Wasn't it Palden Lhamo who assisted the Dalai Lama to escape to India?
Tsem Rinpoche my teacher also holds Palden Lhamo in high regard and he felt very comfortable and happy doing this practice since young.

The story of the ship captain who killed the evil merchant came to mind. he knew with certainty that if we did not stop the veil merchant the evil merchant will languish in the lower realms for a very long time. So if we know that this child, if he does destroy buddhism it will harm countless sentient beings, and this child will go down to the lower realms killing him in this life seems the lesser of two evils, I think.

I thought it was somebody else who assisted him in his escape from Tibet.The guy with the third eye,He Who Cannot Be Named on this Forum.

Dorje Drakden (Nechung) gave him the proper directions and predicted four years in advance that doom was coming.

[Red Faced Buddha]

This is a myth perpetuated by two or three websites on the internet, but discredited by most Tibetans and Tibetologists. The Nechung oracle was traditionally consulted for such matters.
Please remember to steer clear of discussion on this topic, it can only lead to more conflict on the forum. Refer to the Terms of Service of the website, which indicate that by registering here we all agree not to discuss this issue.

I know,I had simply heard the story differently and was confused about who actually helped the Dalai Lama out of Tibet.Anyway,thanks for the information about Palden Lhamo.

[gregkavarnos]

These guys actually helped the Dalai lama escape from Tibet:

Dalai Lama.jpg (75.16 KiB) Viewed 709 times

[Red Faced Buddha]

These guys actually helped the Dalai lama escape from Tibet:

Dalai Lama.jpg

I was almost expecting the Dalai Lama to look like an old man in this picture,LOL.Can't imagine him as a kid.

[chokyi lodro]

I find it fascinating - but predictable, if you think about it - that the photo looks almost identical in detail to the corresponding scene in Kundun - clichéd as it may be.

[Karma Dorje]

Another source on Sri Devi here & here
In the Chinese Mahayana Tradition (and also in other East Asian Mahayana Trads), she is regarded as one of the Dharma Protectors and her Dharani is recited four times in the daily Morning Liturgy: once as part of the collection of the Ten Small Mantras & thrice accompanied in the praise to another Dharma Protector, Skanda Bodhisattva. Also during the annual 9th Day of the 1st Lunar Month, in the Golden Light Dharma Repentance (An Offering to the Buddhas & Celestials). See below videos of her Dharani in Chinese & Sanskrit (fast & slow versions by Malaysian Buddhist artist, Imee Ooi)

The goddess Shri or Lakshmi is not the same as Palden Lhamo who is Mahakali. Shri/Pal is simply an honorific, in this case of Mahadevi.

[Red Faced Buddha]

Another source on Sri Devi here & here
In the Chinese Mahayana Tradition (and also in other East Asian Mahayana Trads), she is regarded as one of the Dharma Protectors and her Dharani is recited four times in the daily Morning Liturgy: once as part of the collection of the Ten Small Mantras & thrice accompanied in the praise to another Dharma Protector, Skanda Bodhisattva. Also during the annual 9th Day of the 1st Lunar Month, in the Golden Light Dharma Repentance (An Offering to the Buddhas & Celestials). See below videos of her Dharani in Chinese & Sanskrit (fast & slow versions by Malaysian Buddhist artist, Imee Ooi)

The goddess Shri or Lakshmi is not the same as Palden Lhamo who is Mahakali. Shri/Pal is simply an honorific, in this case of Mahadevi.

Isn't Lakshmi the Hindu goddess of wealth(and wife of Vishnu.)I don't see what similarities she would have with Palden Lhamo.