Finally, a section for you to clarify your Dharma questions with Kechara’s esteemed pastors. Just post your question below and one of our pastors will provide you with an answer.
Note: This section of H.E. Tsem Rinpoche’s blog is meant for Dharma questions or questions related to Kechara and our lineage. If the question is not relevant or out of our scope, we will respectfully request you to seek an answer on a more relevant platform. Before posting your question, we would also like to suggest that you look through some of the older posts (or do a search on this blog) before you post a question as your question may have been already answered in an older post.
Browse through previous question submissions and learn from the Pastors’ answers. Click on the different page numbers or arrow buttons to view older questions.
Question asked by Luna
Hello to you! I have some questions!
FIRST QUESTION: How can I explain the fact rhat our sufferings trace back to us? Even if I say "karma" they find it absurd. And if looking through a non-Buddhist perspective it definitely does seem absurd. For example, if I said the reason why you got bullied is because of YOU, you created the karma for that. That would most definitely come off as weird and absurd! How could I possibky explain it in more secular terms?? SECOND QUESTION: What is equanimity in the Buddhist sense? THIRD QUESTION: Sri Lankan/Sinhalese Buddhists see certain gods as Buddhas. So I was then wondering whether it'll be okay to prostrate to it without the fear of it being a worldly god? Same with just having a picture of it and so on. FOURTH QUESTION: Some argue that Setrap is unenlightened, are they wrong? Or does Setrap just manifest differently for the sake of fitting in different schools of Buddhism FIFTH QUESTION: Can divination be done by anyone?
Question asked by Khang
Have a nice days Pastors!
I have a question:
When we are not near to our Guru to seek for his advices or Mo.
I wish to seek advices or Mo through Lord Shugden with strong visualise blessing ftom my Guru.
But I'm very beginning, how i can receive advices and instructions such as Mo?
Thank you so much.
Question asked by Le
Hello Pastors!
I have a questions regarding to how lord Dorje Shugden help us:
I saw some people when they're invoke lord Shugden that they recieve help very quick but sometimes, that his help quite slow.
How is it happen?
I heard that it's depend on our karma and merits but for some people when they haven't much conditions to gain merits.
Example:
When they are poor how they can practice giving paramita to gain merits?
When they are not near their Guru to serve, near sangha to contribute their abilities or even their health not too good to do much heavy Dharma-works how they can get merits when they are into this types of problems?
Does Lord Dorje Shugden still help us with our problems or make conditions for us to gain merits to be able to let him help us? when ourself feelling that we are not having much merits to let him help us.
During my health situations that i can not do too much prostrations but can i practice circumbulation around my garden Buddha statue as a method to purified my negative karma?
What should i visualise during circumbulation?
Thank you so much.
Question asked by Anonymous
Greetings!
• Who Avalokiteshvara Hari Hari Hari? It's likr the deities stacked on top of eachother, who are they?
• Why are Buddhas invoked, even when they can't help us and it's up to us to save ourselves
• What happens if our mala falls off our hand and we lost pur spot, what do we do?
• Why did Trijang Rinpoche say that mixing other schools with Gelugpa will cause the Gelug school to become impure and collapse
• What is a pandaka, I hward a lot about them and like how it effects the vinaya, sexual misconduct, etc. There's so many definitions, but I don't know which one is right.
Question asked by Terri
Greetings Pastor and Thank you for the advise on purifying karma for accidentally harming animals/insects and on reciting the Mantra OM KHE TSARA GHANA HUM HRI SOHA for blessing of our feet. This is very helpful.
I have a second question on the mantra if you do not mind answering.
Is there a certain visualization we should be focus on when reciting this mantra?
-with gratitude
Terri
Question asked by Kevin
Halo pastor! I have just finished my 2 day tsongkhapa retreat in my home. Here are some question I would like to ask.
– Can I do longer version( invocation, praises) to propitiate dorje shugden during retreat?
– Do I need to prepare new swastika and kusha grass every retreat? or I can reuse it.
– Do I have to do seperate torma offering to both lama tsongkhapa and dorje shugden? As it has only one in the retreat prayer text.
– Can I include other pratices like name recitation of Amitabha during Lama Tsongkhapa guru yoga? Before the dissolution and do I remain the visualisation of lama tsongkhapa and his two heart son on the cloud?
– Is dharma protector practise after guru yoga or before dissolution?
Thank You!!
Question asked by Duy
Someone told me that I should chant the Offering food prayer to offer the first pice of my food to Dorje Shugden. I am not a vegetarian so I always eat meat in meal.
Can I offer my meal to him?
Thank you
Question asked by Terri
Thank you Pastors for taking the time to answer questions. I find this blog very informative.
I have a quick question on killing. If someone accidentally kills an animal for example, with their vehicle, or accidentally steps on an insect.
What is the steps or procedure to purify or cleanse that bad karma?
-with gratitude
Terri
Question asked by Simplycurious
Hello
I have a question….is there a sort of rule about not gifting statues of certain deities to people? For example I've heard that one should not gift White Tara or Manjushri to anyone but I think that's more of a different lineages's approach. Hoping you can clarify on this issue. Thanks.
Question asked by Anonymous
Greatest blog ever – this one surely is.
Question asked by Gerry
– Troma Nagmo's iconagraphy is interesting, are they are female? I ask this because they appear to have a mustache
– Why is it less desirable to be a women, in the Lam-Rim is says that this is because there are more obstacles to practicing the Dharma, but that still doesn't fully answer my question
– Pearls kill, why offer them?
– What is Tushita like? Environment, setting, etc
– What is Gyenze mantra in Tibetan Script?
Question asked by TJ
Guidance practice for beginner.
To Spiritual Practice and clear negative karma.
Pls advice where to start?
Question asked by Anonymous
Hello pasotrs/whoever is reading:
● I was wondering if I could make offerings that are outside of tradition (in artwork). Thangkas usually show jewels, skull cups with a substance inside, tormas, etc. But I was wondering if I could draw offerings that are 'out of the ordinary'? Maybe 8 sensory offerings, or maybe traditional Hindu offerings like diya lamps, bells, incense, etc
● I remember Tsem Rinpoche said something like "Trijang Rinpoche wrote a book about Dorje Shugden and he stated that Dorje Shugden is not for Gelug only", I'm not sure if that was 100% accurate, but it was something like that, but do you possibly knoe the book atsem Rinpoche was pointing to?
● What was the most recent being that was added into the Buddhist pantheon (worldly and non-worldly)? I know Namkar Barzin is fairly recent, like around 100 years ago, but do you know anyone that was verified as a Buddhist being?
● It's difficult to understand how ALL sects of Buddhism trace back to the Buddhas. How come some cannot agree on simple things, like is there a bardo or no bardo.
Question asked by Lee
Hello Pastors!
I have a questions about:
When we are doing Serkyem to Lord Dorje Shugden. Is it other Dharma Protectors like Palden Lhamo, Mahakala and Kalarupa accompany with Lord Dorje Shugden to help us? Or only Lord Dorje Shugden with his retinues and Lord Setrap?
Thank you so much.
Question asked by WLY
• What is the process one goes through ti become a monk/nun in Shar Gaden?
• Deity practices for lessening lust?
Question asked by Kee
Sorry for this question- in Buddhism when women menstruate should we not go near altar or do our prayers? Why did people establish this rule in the past?
Question asked by Bhavisha
I am very very greatful to the great Tsem Rinpoche and all working here for Dharma, I am really very grateful 🙏
Namo Buddhaya
1.My neighbor have four caged bird and when they go for farming at village they gave it to me for 10 days to care. I literally could see their efforts to get out and felt immeasurable pain. Two of them born in the cage. When they returned I made them to understand to not collect bad karma, make them feel painful by doing so and told them to free. They didn't listen and think vice-versa that in actual they are taking care of them in very good way by doing so. They never release them from the cage. I make some oath by myself for atleast their physical freedom. But I thought they have very short life and whatever I am doing has very slow effect. If anything u can suggest for their freedom to do me mantra or else. I will do. Because I have seen and felt their pain. Two of them were trying so hard with their beak to break iron cage.
2. My mother told me when I born I had a red swastika mark on my front neck bit of left side. When after 4 or 5 day after she told or show everyone it just disappeared. I confirmed everything with my grandmother and she also described same and agreed on event. I want to know if it has something meaningful to say me or anything related to I know. Sometimes question arise out of my ego and sometimes curiosity but here I found the right space and people to talk or ask about it because swastika has special meaning in buddhism.
3. I am keeping eye on my dreams since 4 to 5 years and I have seen there no progress. Even since two years I am living my best life but in my dream I am always in the past while actually I am future oriented person and visit the places with lower vibes which I don't in real life. I actually don't have nightmares but I feel not good about my dreamlife. There is no always scary places but always lower vibes and full of ignorance type of places and people from my past. If anyway I can make lucidity in my dreams or make it more vibrant. I just recently started orange manjushri mantra.
My questions are different and any of them or all are not related to dharma or your scope please ignore.
I am very very greatful.
Thank you 😊
Question asked by Kevin
Halo pastor, may i know if i need to renew the water offering the next day after doing one day of retreat or i just add few drops of water in the bowl? Do i need to renew the serkym every session in the day? And may i know where can i learn the mudras of offering in the torma offering part? Can i copy and change the protector and serkym part to dorje shugden in the prayer text for tsongkhapa retreat and print it out? (others remain the same). Thank you..
Question asked by Luna
~ Is there any case where we are able to drink the liquid after Serkym, or is it 100% not allowed
~ I was drawing Mether, Namkar Barzin, Dorje Shugden, and I am now contemplating whether I should add Kache Marpo, but that's besides the point. I was wondering if me, as a lay person, can draw unenlightened deities. Their practices are so held secretly, it suddenly felt wrong, half way drawing Namkar Barzin. Should I continue this drawing?
~ In one of Lama Zopa Rinpoche's book, he mentioned that we can preform the Vajrasattva practice in the toilet, the toilet as Yama's mouth, the dung as the karma, but I didn't want to take another Guru's advice, outside of my own, so could I do this practice?
Question asked by Lee
Hello Pastors!
I have questions regarding Kalarupa practices:
How's Lord Kalarupa's assistance compare to Lord Dorje Shugden?
If someone only know to do short Kalarupa prayers, chanting his mantra and offer his serkyem daily. Is it benifits same with ones practice long puja of Kalarupa? or is it quite different benifits between do long puja to Kalarupa and do short prayer to Kalarupa?
How's lord Kalarupa help and guide us in our daily life?
I heard that Kalarupa is protector for Yamantaka practice but if we haven't receive Yamantaka empowerment and we are only have Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa.
Does He still a proector for those who practice Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga?
Thank u so much
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Meet the Pastors
Serving the community. Tirelessly
Combining the responsibilities of the ordained and the appearance of a layperson, pastors are the connection between the sangha and the everyday practitioner. They are ordinary people who have taken an extraordinary step in dedicating their lives towards sharing the Buddhist tradition. As laypeople holding vows, pastors will make the Dharma accessible to more people, giving them guidance and sharing knowledge. The pastors are usually present at Kechara House and available for consultation anytime. For more information, contact house@kechara.com.
Pastor Chia (sangha to be)
As a pastor, Chia will dedicate his life to befitting others through spreading the works of Tsem Rinpoche and Dharma to many people, through the use of pujas, rituals, counseling and sharing of his knowledge.
Ordained as a Pastor in 2011, Chia Song Peng has had a rich and varied Dharma career. He has held a core position with the Kechara Paradise retail outlets, served as a personal attendant to Tsem Rinpoche, embarked on various pilgrimages and received initiations into higher yoga tantric practices. He is accomplished in many pujas and has a deep understanding of the Dharma.
As a pastor, Chia has dedicated his life to befitting others through spreading the works of Tsem Rinpoche and Dharma to many people, through the use of pujas, rituals, counseling and sharing of his knowledge.
When Chia first met Tsem Rinpoche, he was asked if he wanted to become a monk, however even though this was his aspiration he informed Tsem Rinpoche that he would do so at a later date. For Chia, as he has is already in the Dharma full-time, it would be best if he became ordained. Tsem Rinpoche has reminded Chia from time to time to work towards becoming a monk and he promised that he would do so in the future.
Kechara began from nothing to become a growing Dharma organisation with major projects such as Kechara Forest Retreat, so Chia thinks that this is the perfect time to become ordained as a monk. Recently Tsem Rinpoche asked Chia again if he would like to be ordained, this time Chia said yes.
Pastor Khong Jean Ai (sangha to be)
Jean Ai wishes to become a vessel that holds the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa to benefit future generations, inspiring others to live by the Buddha’s teachings.
Jean Ai met His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche as a young child and through her parents' involvement with Kechara over the years, she has never known a life without His Eminence. Jean Ai was a regular volunteer of Tsem Ladrang during her childhood and teenage years. After graduating with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Warwick in the UK and working at the London Probation Service, she returned to Kuala Lumpur to join Tsem Ladrang's e-division. There she managed kechara.com, responsible for the weekly Kechara e-newsletter, including content generation and editing. Since then she has joined His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s writing team, responsible for executing Rinpoche’s personal instructions and managing his correspondence.
Having visited a nunnery in India in 2004, Jean Ai remembers noticing how happy and purposeful everyone was. She had a feeling of familiarity and the sight of the robes comforted her. Immediately, Jean Ai messaged her mother who told her to ask Rinpoche’s advice. Rinpoche told her to complete her secular education so that when she taught the Dharma her words would carry the credibility and weight of a university degree, something she completed with the motivation that some day she wanted to become a nun.
Through her ordination as a nun, Jean Ai wishes to become a vessel that holds the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa to benefit future generations, inspiring others to live by the Buddha’s teachings. Through this she hopes to repay the kindness of her parents and her Guru. Above all she wants to abide in a state free of suffering, and she wants this for others as well.
Pastor Shin Tan (sangha to be)
For Shin, this is a great step forward to being fully committed to the cause of others and repaying others’ kindness through sharing the Dharma with others.
Before joining Kechara, Shin worked as a lecturer and provider of content and
e-learning content solutions for various start-ups. Whilst providing training to educators teaching students in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) at various colleges, she was invited to attend a Dharma talk given by His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche at Kechara House. This event rekindled her interest in Tibetan Buddhism, as she recalled the joy of accompanying her parents to teachings as a teenager.
Joining Kechara Media & Publications in 2006 as a volunteer, Shin assumed a full time position there as a Marketing Executive, with the aim of making His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s teachings available to more people around the world. Shin is now a member of the Tsem Ladrang Team, who takes care of His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s secular matters, enabling Rinpoche to focus on teaching the holy Dharma.
Shin states that when she decided to join Kechara full time, she had already decided to be of some benefit to others and spend the rest of her life doing only that. Working closely with His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche, seeing his tireless effort in helping others and spreading the Buddhadharma through the Gaden tradition despite tremendous challenges has made her realise that the next logical step is to become ordained as she has the opportune conditions to study with her Guru. For Shin this is also a great step forward to being fully committed to the cause of others and repaying others’ kindness through sharing the Dharma with others.
Pastor Adeline Woon (sangha to be)
Since finding her spiritual home here in Kechara, Adeline has made dharma work her life’s mission and wishes to dedicate herself fully towards the benefit of others.
Adeline stumbled across His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche's blog towards the end of 2010 and has been following his blog and Facebook page ever since. Since graduating from Dharma Drum Buddhist College Taiwan with a Masters of Arts in Religious Studies in July 2012, she returned to Malaysia and joined Kechara as a Senior Education Executive. Adeline was attracted by His Eminence’s straightforwardness and impressed at Kechara's growth under his guidance. To Adeline, His Eminence is someone who walks the talk, keeps his promises and sincerely cares for others displaying an excellent example of guru devotion, qualities that she seeks to develop herself.
Since finding her spiritual home here in Kechara, Adeline has made dharma work her life’s mission. It was in May 2013 that she officially requested His Eminence for ordination as a nun to dedicate her life fully for the dharma. According to Adeline, become ordained means that she is being true to her calling to live according to the dharma and be of benefit to others.
This however can only be achieved by meeting and studying under her root Guru. Adeline has been fortunate enough to have met with hers - His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche.
Pastor Niral Patel (sangha to be)
It is Niral’s motivation for full ordination to better himself, learn the teachings of our lineage in order to preserve them for future generations. He wishes to benefit others, just as he has benefited and is still benefiting from Tsem Rinpoche’s explanation of the Dharma.
Niral was born and raised in the UK, having graduated with a BA in Anthropology, he was working as a Financial Administrator for a Serviced Apartment & Hotel company as well as a Management Services company before stumbling across His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s Youtube channel, entirelyby accident. It was through His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s teachings that he began to understand the importance of practicing the Dharma, in order to benefit himself and others around him.
Having been in contact with one of Tsem Rinpoche’s long time students in the UK, he was encouraged to visit Kechara in late 2012 for a 10 day visit. At the end of the visit Tsem Rinpoche requested Niral to come to work at Kechara, to which he agreed.
Niral moved to Malaysia in February 2013 to work as an education coordinator at Kechara House, assisting the Education Division in the creation and implementation of the new education syllabus, teaching teenagers during the Kechara Sunday Dharma School. Ever since meeting Tsem Rinpoche, he has always been encouraged by Tsem Rinpoche to do more Dharma work and strive to better himself. It is with that in mind, that Niral has requested monastic ordination.
It is Niral’s motivation for full ordination to better himself, learn the teachings of our lineage in order to preserve them for future generations. He wishes to benefit others, just as he has benefited and is still benefiting from Tsem Rinpoche’s explanation of the Dharma.
Pastor Tan Gim Lee (sangha to be)
Gim Lee’s main focus is to guide and help anyone who steps through Kechara’s doors through Dharma sharing, counselling, performing pujas and other Buddhist services. She wishes to repay Rinpoche’s kindness by spreading Lama Tsongkhapa’s holy teachings and inspiring others on the spiritual path.
She discovered Kechara by chance in 2006 and started to participate Kechara's activities almost immediately especially the retreat to collect 10 million Migtsema recitations. In April 2006, when Gim Lee met H.E. Tsem Rinpoche and first listened to his teachings, she wept uncontrollably. Though she could not understand it at the time, she had finally found her perfect teacher. She is especially touched by Tsem Rinpoche's compassionate method of teaching by setting his own examples.
Having joined as a staff of Kechara House responsible for housekeeping in 2009, Gim Lee is now one of Kechara House's Front Desk Managers predominantly based in the retreat centre in Bentong, Pahang. She also teaches the Sunday Dharma Class and moderates Dharma discussions on Tsem Rinpoche's blog chat.
The many teachings she has received from Tsem Rinpoche have changed her priorities in life. She found answers to her questions about the purpose of life, and she has realised that the way to overcome the sufferings of pain and anger is by following the path of compassion and wisdom as taught by Lord Buddha. These realisations have led to her request to be ordained as a Sangha member.
As pastor now, and later as a Buddhist nun, Gim Lee's main focus is to guide and help anyone who steps through Kechara's doors through Dharma sharing, counselling, performing pujas and other Buddhist services. She wishes to repay Rinpoche's kindness by spreading Lama Tsongkhapa's holy teachings and inspiring others on the spiritual path.
Pastor Loh Seng Piow (sangha to be)
Loh Seng Piow developed a strong wish to help Rinpoche in spreading the Dharma to the world. With that determination, Loh Seng Piow chose not to pursue his PhD degree in Cambridge University (for which he had been offered a place), resigned from his research job, and joined Tsem Rinpoche as full-time Dharma worker, and has never looked back since.
Back in 2001, Loh Seng Piow had no inkling of just how involved in Dharma he would become. As a Masters degree-holder in Engineering, Loh Seng Piow was working as a research engineer in Singapore when he met His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche. Rinpoche’s talk left a strong impression on him and after a few encounters with Rinpoche, Loh Seng Piow started developing websites for Rinpoche and Kechara.
Loh Seng Piow was trained in science, but soon realised that there were many questions that science could not answer. At the same time, he also felt that science and technology are not the solution to human problems, as humans are much better off compared to thousands years ago, yet the problems in this world are still the same, if not more, and we do not seem to be happier than our ancestors.
Loh Seng Piow soon realised that the Dharma is the ultimate solution to human problems, and that the methods used by His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche are very suitable for this modern era. Loh Seng Piow developed a strong wish to help Rinpoche in spreading the Dharma to the world. With that determination, Loh Seng Piow chose not to pursue his PhD degree in Cambridge University (for which he had been offered a place), resigned from his research job, and joined Tsem Rinpoche as full-time Dharma worker, and has never looked back since.
Meeting Rinpoche was a very refreshing experience for Loh Seng Piow, as he never knew Dharma could be so unconventional yet maintain its essence. As Rinpoche’s personal attendant, Loh Seng Piow has had many incredible moments with Rinpoche and considers himself extremely fortunate because he sees real Dharma in action, both on and off the throne. It challenges him to practice Dharma 24/7. In this way, Rinpoche has blown away his old and persistent way of thinking, which was very much focused on the outer rituals of Dharma.
Having seen that Tsem Rinpoche truly embodies what he teaches, Loh Seng Piow is convinced beyond doubt that it is possible to develop our minds to a higher state, and ultimately achieving enlightenment. All these factors have propelled Loh Seng Piow to take a step further in his Dharma career to become ordained as a pastor in order to be even more effective in sharing and disseminating the Dharma to benefit others.
Pastor Yek Yee
Naturally an introvert, Yek Yee has transformed what was once her weakness into her strength; making what was once impossible now eminently possible.
Independence was forced upon Kok Yek Yee from the tender age of nine, when she had to juggle between work and school to make ends meet. Always the introvert, Yek Yee had few friends and had difficulty expressing herself. So it was unexpected when she chose a career in journalism.
Yek Yee excelled as an award-winning reporter with Guang Ming Daily and Nanyang Siang Pau. Her articles garnered her a fanbase, and in writing, she found an outlet for the thoughts and feelings that she could not verbalise. However, despite her success, Yek Yee was not satisfied. Temporary happiness was not what she was looking for – success, money, relationships, or fame was not the key.
In her search for happiness, Yek Yee met H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, who told her “don’t retaliate with your speech, but use your power of writing to express yourself”. This led her to join Kechara Media & Publications as a writer; subsequently she was appointed Senior Editor as well as a Liaison to His Eminence.
Yek Yee now holds a core role in Kechara Care, giving advice, tours, counseling and teachings to whoever walks through their doors. Through courage and determination, she has transformed what was once her weakness into her strength; making what was once impossible now eminently possible.
As a Pastor, her patience and open-mindedness developed through her journey with Kechara will bring comfort and solace, and her new-found ability to nurture and teach others will bring hope to many.
Pastor Lanse Chiah
Having been a Pastor for a year, Lanse wishes to continue with her integral duties by renewing her vows again.
Lanse graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Jinan University in Guangzhou, China in 1999 and became a part-time lecturer for several years, teaching western medicine in a Traditional Chinese medical college in Kuala Lumpur.
For a long time, Lanse remained an atheist, subconsciously searching for a spiritual guru as she sought answers to questions she harboured in her mind, questions that had led her into a state of depression during her time at university. As such, she would often read philosophical books in her search for answers.
Lanse first came to know of Kechara in 2007, through her friend of over 10 years, Pastor Yek Yee. She was surprised to see a complete transformation in Pastor Yek Yee, whom she had always known as a non-spiritual person. The first book by Kechara that Lanse chanced upon was the Chinese version of Be Greedy. Naturally, Lanse was skeptical at first, thus she read the book in an attempt to find mistakes with the philosophy. However, she couldn’t find any and was left impressed by how logical the explanations in the book were.
In March 2009, Lanse joined Kechara Media & Publications (KMP) part-time to carry out Chinese translation and help with transcription. The following year, she contemplated upon whether to pursue a full-time medical or a Dharma career, finally deciding on the latter. Lanse came to realise that, although both careers share the same motivation of easing people’s sufferings, she felt that her work in Dharma could lead to a greater contribution for the sake of all sentient beings in a deeper, spiritual sense.
Having been a Pastor for a year, Lanse wishes to continue with her integral duties by renewing her vows again.
Pastor Han Nee
It was not until she witnessed how Rinpoche brought peace and comfort to her dying mother, that she realised she also wanted to touch others with the Dharma.
Lim Han Nee, a mother of two, is a retired secondary school principal. She retired in December 2000 after a 30-year career in education. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Education at Leicester University in the UK, at the end of 2001.
After gaining her master’s degree, Han Nee considered further options of embarking on a doctorate in education or spending her years in retirement, travelling and visiting family. At the same time, she was also in search of her spiritual path. She had begun exploring Theravadan and Chinese Mahayana Buddhism for answers to questions she had.
In December 2004, Han Nee attended a teaching retreat on the topic of the Lamrim and White Tara held by His Eminence Gelek Rinpoche. As the retreat proceeded, she found her questions were being answered. Then in June 2005, Han Nee was introduced to Kechara by her sister, where she met her spiritual guide, His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche, who has recently told her that she must go all the way in the Dharma for the benefit of others.
Han Nee had been a school guidance counsellor for nearly twenty years. However, it was not until she witnessed how Rinpoche brought peace and comfort to her dying mother, that she realised she also wanted to touch others with the Dharma.
A member of Kechara’s Puja Team, who conduct sponsored pujas in Shabten Khang, Han Nee is also a member of the Education Division with the portfolio of Content Development. Apart from this, Han Nee is also a member of the weekly Kechara Chat Time team.
Pastor David Lai
In 2014, with a sincere wish to benefit others, David decided to be ordained as a Buddhist pastor to continue serving the spiritual needs of the organisation.
David Lai has been a student of His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche for over a decade now and was one of the founding members of Kechara. He joined Kechara as a full time staff in 2005 and has been working in various departments beginning with the Kechara Paradise outlets.
Right from the beginning, David had been advised by His Eminence to go into writing. Overcoming various hurdles, David finally began his literary career with the publication of his first book and autobiography, There’s No Way But Up in 2009. The book charts his spiritual journey from his childhood and culminates in the meeting with His Eminence.
The positive feedback from this book led him to write various other publications like Vajrayogini and Other Power Places in Nepal – a pilgrim’s guide of Nepal, Tales My Lama Told Me – a book on short stories and Conversations in Love – a book on relationships. These books continue to inspire and bring people onto the Dharma.
Besides writing, David has found his passion in sharing the Dharma since his earlier days working in the Kechara Paradise outlets. Over the years, David has received innumerable teachings from His Eminence, ranging from public teachings to personal instructions and advice. He is known to passionately share these teachings whenever he can and to whomever he meets. In 2014, with a sincere wish to benefit others, David decided to be ordained as a Buddhist pastor to continue serving the spiritual needs of the organisation.
Pastor Henry Ooi
After following Rinpoche as a Dharma student for all these years, learning and practicing the Dharma, Henry knows the importance of the pastors’ role in Kechara founded by Rinpoche. He wants to become a pastor to serve Rinpoche, to serve Kechara, and to serve the public.
Born in 1952 in Penang, Henry moved to Kuala Lumpur in search of work after he finished his Form Five studies in 1969. He worked at different types of jobs and it was when he was jobless in 1997/8 that he met His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche at the house of his cousin, Ruby (now Dato’ Ruby Khong), when Rinpoche was giving a dharma teaching. At that teaching Henry was awed by how Rinpoche taught Dharma with simple yet profound explanations.
With the kind guidance, teachings and Dharma practices by Rinpoche including instruction to engage in their first spiritual retreat, Henry and his wife Angel started a small business that soon became profitable. A few years later after Kechara House Buddhist Association was founded, Rinpoche started to enrol students as liaisons and that was when Henry and Dato’ Ruby offered themselves. Later more students were elected as liaisons that saw the birth of Liaisons Council. The Liaisons Council is now known as the Board of Directors of which Henry is one of its members.
Currently Henry is the Project Director, overseeing the construction and completion of projects in the Kechara Forest Retreat. Prior to this appointment he was the Head of Department in Kechara Paradise retail outlets of which he served for about ten years. He still remains as its company director as well as director for most of the companies within Kechara. He served one term as vice president of Kechara House Buddhist Association from 2012 to 2103.
After following Rinpoche as a Dharma student for all these years, learning and practicing the Dharma, Henry knows the importance of the pastors’ role in Kechara founded by Rinpoche. He wants to become a pastor to serve Rinpoche, to serve Kechara, and to serve the public. As he aspires to be a monk as he grows older, being a pastor of Kechara will pave the way for his aspiration. Henry believes that as one gets older in life, one should have already prepared for the imminent, death. And what a beautiful death it will be, to die in Kechara Forest Retreat in a monk’s robes. This is the kind of death that Henry wants. But before the imminent death happens, Henry wants to continue working in Kechara Forest Retreat, serving the community and whoever comes into it in whatever way he can. And when he is not physically anymore to serve others, he will request instructions from Rinpoche to enter into retreats in Kechara Forest Retreat.
Pastor Patsy Gooi
All that Patsy wants now is to spend the rest of her life doing dharma work, dharma practices and being of benefit to others.
Formerly a full time housewife with plenty of free time, Patsy had the great fortune to visit Gaden Monastery and meet H.E. Tsem Rinpoche almost twenty years ago. That one week stay in the monastery changed her view of life. Prior to that, she had no spiritual inclinations but meeting Rinpoche stirred something inside her, and she realised that there was more to life than just eating, sleeping, shopping and having fun. Rinpoche’s approach to dharma was logical and practical but most importantly, he stressed that we should always focus out and work towards benefitting others. Rinpoche made dharma easy to understand and his advice was and still is, to “change inwardly, not outwardly.”
In 2009, after years of practicing and applying what she had learned from Rinpoche’s teachings, Patsy decided to set up a Kechara retail outlet in Penang to share the dharma with others. She knew that Rinpoche’s teachings were very applicable to the people of our time and that his activities would benefit others just as they had benefited her. She also wanted to repay the kindness of her Guru who had constantly helped and guided her. Today, Kechara Paradise Penang is not just a dharma shop but also organises puja sessions, animal liberation and dharma talks.
In 2010, again with Rinpoche’s blessings, Patsy set up the Kechara Soup Kitchen Activity Center in Penang. Saddened to see the plight of the homeless and urban poor on the streets, Patsy decided to practice “compassion through action” as taught by Rinpoche in the most active way she knows. Today, together with her team of volunteers, Patsy feeds the homeless and urban poor four times a week and provides basic food provisions to many hardcore poor families on a monthly basis.
All that Patsy wants now is to spend the rest of her life doing dharma work and dharma practices, and that she may be of benefit to others.
Pastor Albert Ratchaga
In 2008, Albert Ratchaga began working as a part timer in Kechara Paradise, but as he learned more about the works of Rinpoche and Kechara, Rinpoche’s kindness and compassion touched him deeply. He realised that his work gave his life more meaning and decided to join Kechara full time.
Through his work as a sales executive, Albert was able learn more Dharma from Rinpoche's teachings and use this wisdom to assist those who entered his store to overcome their problems, thus improving their lives.
Albert soon developed a deep wish to follow in Rinpoche’s footsteps and in 2016 was ordained as a Pastor to continue benefitting and serving others.
Dear Luna,
In regards to karma, it’s hard to explain this to people who are secular. But you can try to explain it like gravity. You cannot see gravity, but you can feel the affects of it. For example if you throw a ball into the air, you know for certain that gravity will pull down. Similarly, everything in existence is governed by the law of cause and effect. Even science acknowledges this, but the Buddhist sense goes further because we believe in previous lives to. Karma and the belief in previous lives are joined together, so if a person does not believe in previous lives, karma will seem absurd to them.
There are different types of equanimity in Buddhism, for example there is the type of equanimity you can gain in mediation, where you mind is calm and not disturbed by either good or bad emotions, there the is the type of equanimity between viewing all beings as being equal, and there is the type of equanimity of viewing all experiences as neither being good or bad. The list goes on, so the definition of what equanimity really means depends on a particular teaching that you need to realise.
In regards to certain gods and goddesses as being Buddhas in the Sri Lankan tradition, you need to make very sure that they actually view these deities as Buddhas. If they really do, then prostrating to them will be fine as long as they are fully enlightened.
Setrap is definitely an enlightened being. He is an emanation of Amitabha, so how can he not be enlightened. Setrap is the protector a Gaden Shartse Monastery, which was established by Lama Tsongkhapa himself. Some people may say that he is unenlightened, but perhaps they have some particular motive.
Divination cannot be done by anyone, there is a whole procedure to make a person qualified enough to do divination. You can watch/read more about it here:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/tibetan-divination-a-complete-explanation.html
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugdens-dice-divination.html