Buddhism and spiritual protection

[Maddie]

I want to talk about a topic that I feel does not get much attention within Buddhist discussion (especially Buddhism in the West) and that is spiritual protection from harmful spirits, and other entities, as well as black magic and psychic attack from other human beings.

 

 It has been my experience in Buddhism in the West for Buddhism to be approached very skeptically and secularly. Not only has this been my personal experience but try googling the topic and very little useful information comes up as well. I would actually like to be one of these content and happy western Buddhist skeptics but unfortunately personal experience has not allowed this to happen to me. When looking for solutions to this problem on google most hits that come up are from either a Christian perspective or a pagan/wiccan one. I even tried to talk about this to a western monk at a nearby monastery but he just seemed to think I was superstitious.

 

 While I don't claim to be any particular sect of Buddhism most of my study and time has been from a Theravada point of view (but not exclusively). What I have found from this tradition so far that has been of some benefit are the Paritta chants, specifically the Rathana and Atanatiya suttas. Playing them on youtube seems to help to a degree, and chanting them myself seems to help even more (in English). I have found some Mahayana sutras and mantras to be helpful occasionally as well. But other than that I have not found much within Buddhism that seems to be helpful. Other things that so far I have found to be helpful from personal experience are not Buddhist but magic herbs and crystals which are basically from indigenous human spiritual practice for most of our evolution from pretty much everywhere in the world. I had tried in the past some Catholic practices (even though I have never been Catholic) and those seemed to be effective as well such as rosaries and attending mass, but couldn't really do it very long after I started reading the rest of what Catholics thought but maybe I was throwing the baby out with the bath water. Other than that I don't really know what else to try, and nothing has seemed to give me a once and for all solution.

 

 If anyone has had experience with such things and know of things that are useful, especially from a Buddhist perspective I would love to hear about it. I would also be interested in knowing what so little seems to be said about this topic, especially in western Buddhism?

[Vajra Fist]

I practice Pure Land, so my experience is limited. However I have found that reciting in my mind the nembutsu, Namu Amida Butsu, is extremely powerful in dispelling entities encountered through my qigong practice. Just twice this morning I had to fend off an attempt by an entity to latch on to my energy body. Each time it fled when I recited the nembutsu.

[Spotless]

This is a topic that is a sticky wicket - it requires several components that makes general talk difficult.

 

Most teachers have no knowledge of what to really do or say because they are either unaware or simply don't want to go there with most people because it walks into a labyrinth of edgy myths and fears.

 

Also - most people who are interested in this stuff tend to be from the Evil vs Good phase of frequencies and are attractors of ants to the picnic - it is often a high resistance group.

 

Movies have lead us to believe ridiculous ideas and our religions relish in a mire of beliefs and fears and poppycock.

 

Another difficulty is the belief that we humans are at some sort of disadvantage against "all the evil beings". Not realizing the absolutely astonishing power and strength which we have and that we are at considerable advantage over all "bad" beings and that nearly all "bad" beings are no more powerful than knats on your windshield (and even those appearing to have some more considerable power are petty by comparison). But with resistance and fear they are massive persistent evil doers with which we must duel or become taken their prisoner.

 

I am certain that many will come forward here regarding concrete help and info - and you can look up many prior discussions on it.

Many traditions do teach this stuff in the east and west ( new age ). Some is fear based and simple but certainly helpful in a pinch if you feel attacked and bombarded. Some is warrior based and that will occupy you for years. Some is neutrality based and that is where you will leave it all behind - though here and there you will use what you have learned. This is generally the progression you will go through in understanding this stuff.

Edited April 18, 2017 by Spotless

[Maddie]

Vajra, interesting you should say that because though I'm mostly tend toward Theravada the one Mahayana Sutra and mantra I have found to be useful/tried was the Amitabha Sutra and the Amitofu mantra.

[Maddie]

Spotless, yes I agree the good vs evil view of the world is a problematic issue in and of itself. This is one reason as a Buddhist I posted in the Buddhist discussion area as opposed to another place. I have felt the confusion of this entity more than once when it was harassing me and I shared my merits with it and offered it loving kindness lol. I don't see it as intrinsically evil rather I see it as a being in Samsara suffering from delusion like the rest of us, but I do wish for it to leave me be in peace.

[Kar3n]

Buddha taught that no thing exists independently (emptiness or sunyata), there is no separation. Even if we deem some thing to be evil or harmful it is part of us and we it.

 

Rather than thinking you need protection, the Buddhist approach would be to show compassion.

[Vajra Fist]

The difficulty with possessing spirits arises because they are often thought forms rather than energy vampires. Once attached, they fundamentally change your thinking, clouding your judgement and possibly leading you away from practice. To take refuge in Amitabha in those circumstances is not being uncompassionate.

[C T]

Buddha taught that no thing exists independently (emptiness or sunyata), there is no separation. Even if we deem some thing to be evil or harmful it is part of us and we it.

 

Rather than thinking you need protection, the Buddhist approach would be to show compassion.

Most Tibetan lamas acknowledge that there is a reality where spirits, psychic entities, unseen malevolent forces, poltergeists, and so on conduct their influences, and which unfortunately find their way into our reality. 

 

Generally the advice is to take refuge in the Triratna, make offerings, and conduct prayers to pacify any encroachment which becomes noticeably troublesome, and this is usually done via peaceful means.

 

Sometimes it will happen that the presence(s) can become overly stubborn and begins to exert an increasingly negative influence on an individual/property/business despite sincere efforts made to appease, and yet fail to yield any positive shift. At this stage, it may be recommended that a more wrathful but non-harming intervention be adopted in order to resolve the matter. 

 

Im not entirely convinced that laypeople will have access to these wrathful exorcism liturgies and ritual practices, but should an individual become thusly oppressed and unable to shift certain 'things' in their space, help can always be sought from a Buddhist community nearby. If there is none available, then one may have to write to a few masters and hope they will assist, although it should be noted that most times assistance might be rendered even without the person knowing about it. 

 

I remember one time someone was in such a situation, and went to request help from a Buddhist sangha. The sangha got together and did pujas etc on his behalf, but it didn't resolve the issue. A short time later, a young lama visited the area, and was told of the incident. The young lama said he was not personally in the position to help, but said that his teacher will. So he asked to meet the troubled individual. The young lama gave this person the name of his teacher, and told him the next time he felt the onset of oppressive forces to say the teacher's name out loudly and to command the oppressive energy to cease its activity immediately. He followed the advice, and was released upon the next disturbance, never to be troubled again. 

 

I was also told that how such things will resolve would depend on karma, affinity and devotion level. Sometimes the teacher will ask the oppressed to bear it out otherwise the karmic connection will not be exhausted. But after asking, usually the teacher will still do some intervention secretly whenever he or she comes across oppressed individuals. 

 

Personally i find devotional practices to be very good in armouring oneself against unnecessary psychic disturbances. There are also some secret mantras which can cut through any kind of negative activity, but unfortunately these cannot be shared publicly. 

 

 

 

All the best. 

Edited March 9, 2017 by C T

[Maddie]

CT, thanks for the thorough reply. I actually have tried to contact the local Sangha but I found them to be quite skeptical. This is led me to primarily then have to figure out how to deal with this on my own. Would you mind listing some specific devotional practices that you find to be useful?

[C T]

CT, thanks for the thorough reply. I actually have tried to contact the local Sangha but I found them to be quite skeptical. This is led me to primarily then have to figure out how to deal with this on my own. Would you mind listing some specific devotional practices that you find to be useful?

Skepticism around this subject among western sanghas are not really at all surprising, especially among the various Theravadin sects. If you are able to connect with a Tibetan sangha perhaps that will yield a more fruitful outcome, although this would also depend on which school the sangha is affiliated with.

 

In the Nyingma tradition, the school im most familiar with, its quite common to find the masters and the yogis being rather sympathetic in such matters, although I have no doubt adepts from other Tibetan schools are just as exposed and well informed in relation to spirit disturbances etc, but perhaps its down to emphasis that seems to create some sort of difference to those who choose to scrutinise in that way. 

 

Disclaimer: Im only highlighting the above specifically in relation to your current predicament, and not implying any comparison to determine if one path is more superior to the other. 

 

 

 

In relation to devotional practices, there are basically three types: Preliminary, middling, and superior. Again, this is speaking from the Nyingma perspective, although the other Tibetan traditions, while having their own unique format and modes of practice, in essence there is no difference with regards to the pith instructions especially in stressing the need for cultivating bodhicitta thru accumulating the necessary merits found in the preliminary exercises. 

 

The grounding or preliminary approach is one where the practitioner seeks to observe the basic guidelines set out in the tradition they find affinity with: It begins by first taking refuge, paying homage to one's lineage masters, renouncing samsaric activities, generating the wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, accumulating merit thru reciting mantras and prostrations, mandala offerings, and so on.

 

In the process, one might develop some level of affinity to one (or more) of the many Mahabodhisattvas or Buddhas (or even Shakyamuni Buddha himself) in that particular tradition, and from this grows a more specific relationship with that particular representation of one's own enlightened essence. Following on from this, one's practice becomes more focussed and more time and energy is directed towards strengthening the birth of a more intimate spiritual bond.  This bond will only strengthen by increasing one's devotion - not so much to seek help from an outside figure, but to energise one's motivation to work on oneself using the enlightened qualities of certain deities as inspiration. If this is not done, then the bond will once again return to a dormancy, or simply as a seed of potential, waiting for another spark to reignite it again. 

 

The middling approach is much the same as above, except now the aspirant, having achieved some stability thru fulfilling the accumulations, is ready to proceed with the higher tantras which would require empowerments. At this stage, a maturing aspirant will have become familiar with the inseparability of outer and inner refuge, the inseparability of relative and ultimate bodhicitta, and also the inseparability of guru, yidam, khandro and one's own enlightening potential. This increases one's confidence in the path, and all previous subtle doubts will have subsided. In the most traditional sense, if the lineage master detects that one still has even the slightest traces of doubt, then the empowerments will not be bestowed, and the student is told to complete another round of the preliminary practices, which takes anything from 3 months to a year, generally speaking. 

 

The superior practice of devotion is where one has reached the stage in which all dualistic views have subsided, equanimity arises spontaneously, where all sounds become mantra, all that arises is seen as the mandala of perfect union of bliss and emptiness, and all activities are performed for the benefit and enjoyment of leading others to the shore of enlightenment, without any traces of separation and/or discrimination. This effectively means one has attained buddhahood in one's lifetime. A worthy aspiration indeed. 

 

 

The above-mentioned merely outlines the scope that's involved. 

Check out Berzin Archives, Wisdom Publications and/or FPMT for more authoritative insights. 

 

 

All the best.

[Sudhamma]

Interesting topic. I'm a Theravadin.

My observations through these many years of practice: 1. In traditional Theravaden countries, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia/Laos, people(initiates) do practise spiritualism. In Sri Lanka, there are lay-devotees who practise Buddhist magic for healing and exorcism and in Thailand, it's a well known fact that there are Buddhist monks who do as well. In this forum, there is one posting by Vajra Guru on Cambodian Buddhist yantra which when consumed will initiate spiritual guidance.

 

2. The Buddha himself used spiritual powers: some of his exploits are in The Jaya Mangala Sutta.

 

3. The Ratana Sutta is often used by Theravadin monks to cleanse the place. One story in Singapore in the 1950s: A British military barrack was said to be haunted and Christian pastors, Catholic priests, Taoist priests, Buddhist monks, Muslim Imams, and Hindu priests were called to exorcize the place. All failed and the haunting persisted until The Mangala Vihara, the second Theravaden temple in Singapore was approached. The chief monk went and tied the holy string cordoning the area and chanted the Ratana Sutta. It was a very simple ceremony, no bells, no gongs, no incense, no offerrings and the British administrators were obviously doubtful. But the hauntings stopped. That's the power of the Word.

 

4. The power of parittas and mantras: a. About 10 years ago, wife was suffering from acute insomnia and had to be hospitalised. I arranged for my temple to perform a chant while I would as well at home at the appointed time (9pm). Traditionally, the temple would chant: Jinapanjara Sutta after the three usual suttas including Ratana. Jinapanjara is the one for the sick. As for me, I did a 108 times of a particular verse (cant remember which now) in the Ratana Sutta. The next morning I asked my wife whether she slept, and for the first time after about 2 months, she slept. She said that she slept at about 9:30pm. Coincidence? b. The Ratana was used to alleviate drought and disease and was first used by the Buddha himself, and centuries later in Sri Lanka.   c. I had used the 6-syllable mantra, Om mani padme hum once to stop a haunting in my neighbour's residence. d. In 2015 there was one morning when I was out of a sudden felt very sick (extreme numbness of half of the body), and quickly got up to go to the altar and quickly did a chant (simple homage to the Triple Gems) and felt a force above my head pressing downwards. Believe it or not, the numbness subsided to a mere tingling. Of course, i still consult a doctor after that.

 

I believe that once a person begins the chant with "Namo tassa..." the spiritual beings will begin to assemble to listen to the chant. These are the beings that provide you with protection from harm and danger on condition that the one performing the chant is 'approachable' in terms of cultivation, conduct and diet. One story in Thailand goes back to the early 1900s with Ariya (Ajahn) Mun had to traversed forests and jungles to reach towns. There was once that after days of trekking in the jungle, he was hungry and exhausted. He stopped at a spot, looked up to the sky and spoke to heaven to the effect that he believed that there were devas and that now he was on the verge of dying from hunger and yet there were no devas appearing to help him. After that, he continued his trek and came to a clearing where he saw a splendidly dressed man with containers on the ground. The man beckoned to him. Ariya Mun asked where he came from. The man did not reply, but merely smiled and pointed upwards to the sky and walked away. Ariya Mun was baffled as there were no villages nearby, and a man who dressed like a noble in the middle of a jungle. But the containers were fragrant with the smell of glorious food. Readers who are Theravadins in the Thai tradition would recognise who this Ariya Mun was. 

 

The second verse from Ratana Sutta is a command by the Buddha:

 

"Tasma hi bhuta nisametha sabbe,

Mettam karotha manusiya pajaya

Diva ca rattoca haranti ye balim,

Tasma hi ne rakkhatha appa-matta"

 

Translation:

"Listen here, all beings!

Show your love to those humans who,

day and night, bring offerings to you.

Protect them with diligence."

 

May you be well and happy always!

Sabbe satta sukhita hontu!

 

Be diligent in your cultivation.

Edited March 10, 2017 by Sudhamma

[Spotless]

Many of the rituals are primarily an elaborate play for the sake of the addictions (of fear) of those being plagued and also to help those doing them that something indeed must be happening. The person may certainly be plagued by some entity - more often than not a simple automaton that is attracted to a frequency and is automated in getting responses from that frequency. It is often a lifeless soulless mechanistic "entity" - constituting about 97 % of the rascals we fight to the death along with elementals.

At a certain point if intervention is required it takes a considerable show in order to convince the victim to feel at ease enough not to continue to resist(attract) the entity(ies).

 

Stronger problematic relationships are particularly noticeable in those with seizures - often very strong contractual agreements with another being.

 

Dealing with space invaders can be extremely cut and dried but it requires strong clarity regarding just who possesses what and complete lack of fear and rivalry. In essence a trespassing entity is given only one choice - leave or be reduced backward to the point that it is no longer stuck in its identified willfulness.Those that are fully stuck will require either a trap in which they will battle themselves for an eternity privately - or reduction / re-forging. Both are simple and very effective - obviously it is more humane to deal with them but one must know how to do it and know it is the final word.

 

Appeasing entities has never been something that I played with - saying hello to one and bringing it into present time - this can work wonders. Showing an entity its folly and assuring it that the folly must come to an end is also very effective. Taking an entity to a higher realm can sometimes work or bringing in higher influences in order to help a slightly stuck beleaguered being is also common.

 

But allowing beings to plague one that is not by our own attraction is unthinkable - no appeasement is necessary or helpful.

 

I am not exaggerating in that 97% are gnats - complete nothing elementals blown hugely out of proportion. The other assorted 3% are mostly dealt with in compassion and with ease - but not given a choice regarding transgressions - zero. Most beings do not meddle in human affairs. Religious mythology and the type of devil worship many Christian sects espouse unknowingly in their great resistance to them and adoration of their power taunts many lesser rascals.

 

Religious figures know squat about this stuff and luckily call up on some help because they know no better. Prayer even with the glue of fear in this case can work some of the time. Even with the ridiculous willfulness and righteousness and grande show - the clown show works because things are just messy and silly at some levels but they still work.

 

The warrior path is not quite as silly but what it lacks in silliness it makes up for in drama and bravado. And it can / will help one move beyond it at some point. At some point less and less fear draws in less and less "fights" and more and more prowess until the ego has enough fill of itself that it has amassed all sorts of techniques it finally really believes work - and so they do! They can now scare away gnats with a simple stare.

 

And they now have the gumption and fortitude to wrangle with other things until they are satisfied that they have the upper hand and so then they will. (Still all very dramatic).

 

Their is no such thing as a loose "evil" entity that is not stuck - and so one has permission in such a case to use all means. Given this situation the being has no options - none if you are able to simply deal with it. You release it from its binding teathers and invoke the powers that can and will gladly help you. Sometimes this means a reduction to near infancy or even nothingness. You stay with this type for the little time it takes to work On them - their is no working With this type - they are entirely beyond themselves. They are held and reworked or held to the flame entirely.

 

Helping those that haunt is generally extremely simple - and again - most are actually lifelike souless afterbodies that wander about in non-existence and act entirely through automated frequencies of reaction that continue from the enlivened embodied body it once was. If they happen to be real and just stuck - often a simple hello and a dash of gold and they are off to where they are meant to be.

 

Most bothersome beings are addictions we share our space with.

 

(This may appear to be a cold and fairly trivializing review of how we deal with beings ("unwanted entities) - but the worship (fear mongering) of said beings is so rediculous and overblown and comical as to be in need of a bit of perspective. It's a bit like a vast fear of snakes or rats or spiders or flying - (gone nuts) and propagated by how we bumble along in this fear baked stew.)

Edited April 18, 2017 by Spotless

[taoguy]

Just chant some of these mantras:

 

- Cundi mantra (7 times)

 

- 'Omerlah' (7x)

 

- 'Om tsern' (7x)

 

- Namo Ambitabha

 

- Nine word dharani (from Forshang sect) - Namo benshi da zi zai wang fo

 

They work. But as long as you get into a jhana/dhyana state, the entities can't even get near you... Because you're like boiling hot water and they're ice.

Edited March 11, 2017 by taoguy

[roger]

dmattwads,

 

Keep it simple.

 

Just as a Christian would pray to God, "Protect me, Father," or, "Help please, God," you can make such requests to your Buddha nature.

 

Our Buddha nature is a conscious part of us and is unlimited in power, love, and wisdom.

 

Just ask that part of you to protect and help you.

 

I hope this helps.

[Fa Xin]

All good replies here.

 

an appeal to a higher power, heartfelt and confident.

Archangel Michael is the resident evil whooper of the Lord. He will come when asked I've seen.

 

6 syllable mantra is extremely purifying and securing.

 

Working with the sun (meditations, visualizations) is extremely powerful in attracting good juju and protecting as well.

 

Visualize the sun engulfing you and burning away any negative attachments you may have. Do this every morning and night.

 

Learn to relax and foster compassion, first and foremost.

A shift like this will do wonders.

[roger]

Visualize the sun engulfing you and burning away any negative attachments you may have. Do this every morning and night.

 

That would probably be a great meditation.

 

The sun has a very, very powerful energy, as an experience I had once demonstrates.

 

I was meditating on oneness with the sun, trying to feel and experience oneness with it, and shortly into the meditation, I felt a shock, as if being jolted by the sun's infinitely powerful energy.

 

I don't think this is a reason NOT to do energy work with the sun. Actually, I think it may be evidence that it's a good idea to do so.

 

Working with the moon might be very helpful also, although I've never tried it. The moon has an energy of peace, whereas the sun is extreme power.

Edited March 29, 2017 by roger

[Apech]

Buddha taught that no thing exists independently (emptiness or sunyata), there is no separation. Even if we deem some thing to be evil or harmful it is part of us and we it.

 

Rather than thinking you need protection, the Buddhist approach would be to show compassion.

 

 

 

While this is true - within the vajrayana tradition there are Dharmapalas such as Mahakala which specifically are about taking negative energy and transforming it.  There are specific prayers and mantras for this - but it is best to get transmission for them.

 

From personal experience I would say that you can experience negative entities both related to yourself (arising from your own karmic connections) and also arising from the activity of other people - and they can affect you - ultimately they are 'empty' but then so is everything else - on a practical level sometimes they need addressing.  Many negative things from others are unconscious on the part of the other person and should be understood as merely the product of confused minds and so in liberating the energy involved it is as much for them as for yourself you might do so.

[Fa Xin]

That would probably be a great meditation.

 

The sun has a very, very powerful energy, as an experience I had once demonstrates.

 

I was meditating on oneness with the sun, trying to feel and experience oneness with it, and shortly into the meditation, I felt a shock, as if being jolted by the sun's infinitely powerful energy.

 

I don't think this is a reason NOT to do energy work with the sun. Actually, I think it may be evidence that it's a good idea to do so.

 

Working with the moon might be very helpful also, although I've never tried it. The moon has an energy of peace, whereas the sun is extreme power.

Yes!!! The sun has extreme power. And the moon has healing, cooling down and relaxing energy too. I work with both planets! They compliment each other.

 

FX

[futuredaze]

While it seems that a lot of shamanic traditions, and then even some religions like Taoism and Christianity, utilize this idea of "spiritual protection," Buddhism does not really talk much about it.

 

I am thinking of the time the Buddha mentioned that he just teaches "a handful of leaves" compared to the whole tree of leaves, the whole of his knowledge.  The Buddha only taught the most practical, most relevant "leaves" to his students.

 

For me, just observing any negative sensation in meditation ultimately dispels it.  I'm not sure how this works, to be honest.  I think that since we normally cling to, or run from, phenomena, experience, etc., that the stillness in meditation is something of a remedy for maladies (physical and spiritual alike).

 

Just my two cents, of course, but I pay no more attention to "spiritual protection" than I do to flies.  Of course if something is a physical or psychological threat, I will try my best to address it.  but a lot of spiritual things are more mental, and those things are dealt with differently.

Edited April 13, 2017 by futuredaze

[futuredaze]

While this is true - within the vajrayana tradition there are Dharmapalas such as Mahakala which specifically are about taking negative energy and transforming it.  There are specific prayers and mantras for this - but it is best to get transmission for them.

 

From personal experience I would say that you can experience negative entities both related to yourself (arising from your own karmic connections) and also arising from the activity of other people - and they can affect you - ultimately they are 'empty' but then so is everything else - on a practical level sometimes they need addressing.  Many negative things from others are unconscious on the part of the other person and should be understood as merely the product of confused minds and so in liberating the energy involved it is as much for them as for yourself you might do so.

That is true that spiritual protection seems to be treated differently in Vajrayana Buddhism.  Mahayana Buddhism also seems to address this.  Theravada Buddhism, not so much.

 

Buddhism is vast, though, like any spirituality.  Every school will claim to be the best, but ultimately that is somewhat subjective.  I've been to Zen centers, Vipassana retreats (Theravada), and a few Tibetan temples.  It was good to explore the different styles of Buddhism so I could find what works best for me.  Some people pick one, some combine different things from different teachings.

[qicat]

https://www.amazon.com/Tantra-Practice-David-Gordon-White/dp/0691057796

 

"Tantra in Practice" p.400 The Demons. Discussion about buddhist approach to demons and subdue. I see a lot of parallels with Daoists' teachings ( see my PPT on Qi Deviations). Demons are "maras": external and internal. Gcod system seems to be a "facing your demons" practice. Use at your own risk ( and assumes empowerments)

 

Original text name "The Great Collection of the  Teachings on the Noble Practice of Severing the Demons, Perfection of Wisdom". 

 

But since not everybody is equipped for such practice, there are other ones:

p.489 of the book. "Ritual Manual for the Protective Fire Offering Devoted to Manjursi, Chuin Lineage". I assume you can ask any lama for such rituals if needed?

 

........

Personal observation on this stuff: I was feeling someone "off" today ( the weather perhaps), but around 4 pm I somehow started to look at the Buddhist calendar I picked up overseas. I noticed as soon as I finished going through the calendar and reading mantras on its pages I was feeling like I just had a nice long meditation. The calendar was empowered at the temple and it stated on its last page specifically what to do with it once the year is over ( i.e. either return to the temple or burn it with the provided mantra to release the energy). 

Edited April 13, 2017 by qicat

[Stumpich]

On 3/9/2017 at 0:15 AM, Vajra Fist said:

I practice Pure Land, so my experience is limited. However I have found that reciting in my mind the nembutsu, Namu Amida Butsu, is extremely powerful in dispelling entities encountered through my qigong practice. Just twice this morning I had to fend off an attempt by an entity to latch on to my energy body. Each time it fled when I recited the nembutsu.

 

 

 

Interesting you say this - two nights ago I was attacked by demons twice while I was asleep -

 

the second time was bad enough but, the first time was really bad -- they were both bad just in different ways -

 

they were both severely evil & severely disturbing - but the first one almost physically killed me --

I don't see them having any trouble knocking the life out of an elderly person

 

- this isn't the first time this has happened since I moved in this place - they tend to physically attack you

 

- there is some seriously bad energy here 

Edited September 18, 2017 by Stumpich

[doc benway]

If the OP is still in need of help in this area, most Bönpo lamas and geshes are able to address these concerns.

The tradition is made up of the Nine Ways of Bön, some of which are rooted in the early, shamanic ways of Bön. The second vehicle, the Way of the Shen of the Phenomenal World, teaches rituals, remedies, and practices related to external forces and harmful energies. Many traditional Tibetan medical practitioners are trained to help with such problems as well. 

 

Right now is a difficult time due to the recent passing of His Holiness, the spiritual head of Bön.

Most of the high lamas and geshes are in India right now participating in rituals related to his death and upcoming funeral.

Some have stayed behind at US centers but are very busy with similar practices.

 

You can reach out to any of a number of Bön centers in the US and abroad.

Here are a few in the US:

Ligmincha.org

Bonshenling.org

Yeruboncenter.org

Olmoling.org

 

If the OP wants to PM with his location, I can help you find a center close to you.

[Orion]

Good topic. My time with western Buddhist communities frustrated me because they were being too secular about all this. They pitched Buddhism to newcomers as a form of ancient psychology, but it's not really comparable. You can't deny that the spirit world is happening and has a relationship to humans, especially humans that are engaging in deep consciousness practice.

 

Besides that... I found it very challenging to track down any worthwhile knowledge about protection from Buddhism until I came across some lineage practitioners from India and Tibet. They came to Canada to offer teachings in a limited capacity and I was fortunate to be included. It was a two week program with a lot of isolation, purification, and discussion of how certain rituals, prayers and tools worked. I found it amazing because if you watch these rituals not knowing, they seem pretty standard; but once you receive the teachings and the secrets, you realize there is so much going on in the rituals that is precisely proscribed for protection and thwarting of malevolent spirits.

 

In a nutshell, it seems like the real deal of Buddhist magic is behind locked doors, like most worthwhile things. I can understand why. The last thing they'd want is a bunch of western new agers and sangha taking the knowledge and profiting off of it. Or worse, watering it down and rendering it less effective. You need to gain their trust before they're really tell you anything. But from what I've seen and experienced, the rituals are real and incredibly powerful.

[Maddie]

Unfortunately I did not find the Buddhists community near me very helpful. The western monks actually seem to look at me like I'm nuts when I asked them about this. Being the pragmatist that I am I found Hindu mantras to be of some help.