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