Setrap
Wrathful Emanation of Buddha Amitabha
The Protector Setrap appears to us as a wrathful emanation of the Buddha Amitabha, where he protects us as angry, though concerned, parents would towards their wayward children ~ hoping to wake them to their senses and bring them onto the correct path.
Though in a wrathful form, the Protector is always motivated by compassion and loving care for all sentient beings.
As an Enlightened Buddha, Setrap’s apparent fury is never directed against any beings. Instead, his wrath is directed at destroying our inner and secret defilements of attachment, anger, ignorance and our self-cherishing attitudes which bring us so much suffering.
Utterly opposed to attachment, Setrap acts with objectless equanimity towards all beings. Being the great enemy of anger, Setrap acts with supreme love towards all beings.
Being the victor over ignorance, Setrap directly cognises Emptiness and possesses the highest wisdom that perceives the best manner of liberating all sentient beings. As the antidote to the self-cherishing attitude, Setrap cherishes all beings above Himself.
With sincere prayers and request of His assistance, Setrap is known to accomplish the swiftest destruction of outer, inner and secret obstacles in our path towards Enlightenment.
His spiritual energy in the form of sound that helps to transform the mind (Mantra):
OM MAHA YAK CHA TSA SOHA
Dharmapala Setrap Chen or more commonly known as “The Wild Tsen” or “Setrap Protector” is actually an ancient protector who comes from the Holy Land of Bodhgaya where Lord Shakyamuni Buddha was enlightened. Setrap Protector is actually the wrathful form of Buddha Amitabha that sworn to protect the teachings of Buddhism to Lord Sakyamuni Buddha. Setrap Protector is brought to Tibet by the translator called Loden Sherab (Ngog Lotsawa) from India just to spread and make the dharma grow. Setrap Chen’s name actually derive from the word “golden cuirass” and it refers to the Gold Armor that he wears in Battles, This Symbolized the battle with our minds and also the spiritual side with the Demons of both inner and outer.
Setrap Protector is an ancient Protector that exists before our age and sworn to protect the teachings of Buddhism to Lord Sakyamuni Buddha himself and renewed his vow with Guru Rinpoche. At that time Lord Setrap’s Practices are most commonly practiced in Buddhist Monasteries in both Nalanda and Bodhgaya in India. Traveled with the translator called Loden Sherab to the Land of Snow (Tibet) from India just to spread and make the dharma grow. Just before Loden Sherab starts his journey to Tibet, the abbot of Bodhgaya Monastery was said to have entrusted him with Setrap Protector for the success in growth of Buddhism in Tibet.
Setrap Protector being the wrathful emanation of Buddha Amitabha has been the protector for Ganden Shartse Monastery one of the two college of Gaden Monastery for many hundreds of years. Setrap Protector’s tasks among these degenerate times are good in pacifying our obstacles and also to make conditions conducive for everything good; namely the practice of dharma which leads to our eternal happiness. His role of being a wrathful emanation is very similar like angry parents towards their child. Although sometimes our parents seems to be angry at us, but the anger is always motivated by love and concern towards their child’s well being. Buddha Amitabha emanate into this wrathful form is to direct into our inner and secret defilement of our own attachments, anger, ignorance and or ego. As an “Enlightened Buddha” despite his wrathful outer looks, Setrap Protector is well known for accomplishing the deadliest and swiftest destruction for all inner, outer and secret obstacles. As stated in the ”Setrap Puja Book” (Shartse Jewel) the cudgel that Lord Setrap holds with his right hand are made of ‘sandalwood from the forests of Malaya’ – (Malaya in now known as Malaysia). As a proof of a being a devoted protector of Buddhism, Setrap Protector actually sew Guru Rinpoche’s shoe to his crown when he renewed his vow as a proof.
Therefore Setrap Protector is “One of the Best” of the Enlightened being that we can pray to when we have any obstacles to pacify, especially those who keeps us away from Dharma.
