You should try to check if someone knows anyone in the planning department to get an idea of how they view the center. If someone from the planning department does come to check the center, you should apologize. You can explain that it was built under a different director. It is hard to keep it quiet if they do come, but it is possible to do a puja to prevent them from noticing.
You never know when someone can complain about the center. For example, somebody might suddenly get angry at the director, and then complain to the planning department. Therefore, it is very, very important that the center perform pujas continuously—not just when the center’s luck is down, but all the time for the success of the center, and also for the success of people who do retreat, study, and practice at the center. This helps to prevent obstacles, and helps people to be successful in their practice.
The center should recite daily the Heart Sutra, praises to the 21 Taras, and the prayer to remove obstacles, which follows directly after the Heart Sutra and includes the Lion-face Dakini mantra. Every month, besides the normal practices recommended for centers, you should definitely do Tara Puja. From time to time, it is good to do incense puja.
When an actual difficulty happens, you can do the following practices. One is Dala Pandu. This is a puja you perform when you are attacked. By doing this, you energize the white protectors, or devas, that you are born with. Performing this puja increases their power while at the same time it decreases the power of the enemy’s devas. When the enemy’s devas are more powerful, you are defeated. By weakening the deva of the person attacking you, then the person is weakened.
Recite the Diamond Cutter Sutra. This helps when there is a court case. Normally the Heart Sutra is very powerful, but when it is very serious, recite the Diamond Cutter Sutra. Even if you are not involved in a court case, even if there is just a risk of one, you can still recite this sutra.
You should recite the prayer of whichever is the center’s protector as much as you can. That will help the center continue without obstacles, and function well.
The most important thing to avoid receiving problems from others is to recite the prayer called “Gyalsen Tse Moi Punggyen.” You can recite the Tibetan phonetics, but you must pronounce them well. It would be better to have it translated and then recite it in English.
Medicine Buddha practice is very powerful for overcoming problems, and for achieving success. The center should be doing this monthly anyway. It is important for retreat centers and other centers which have practitioners to do Medicine Buddha practice, to help those practicing there.
