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 Kev
Dear Pastor Adeline,
Thank you very much for your reply.
I appreciate it.
I've bought the Lamrin Book. But I gave it away to somebody in Bangkok. I'm currently there for 1 year already.
Will be coming back to KL soon.
But those mentioned below:
-Wheel of Sharp Weapons,
– Bodhisattvacha-avatara by Shantideva,
– Lojong, –
50 Verses of Guru Devotion by Ashvagoshabefore
1. Are those above books?
Can I read them online or video…where can I get them?
I read somewhere along the blog the preliminaries are 100,000 x …
2. Can you lists down all the preliminaries I need to do please?
After I've done all the above, who should I tell to proceed with the next step?
Do I need to record everything officially and hand it over to somebody stating that I've completed it?
Thanks,
Kev
Question asked by Kev
Hi, I’ve got a few questions I hope you can answer. 1. What preliminary things I should do in order to get Vajra Yogini initiation? 2. Since Rinpoche is in USA, should I finished all the required preliminaries, how does he give me initiation since he’s so far away? Can the pastors give initiation? 3. Can I do ALL the preliminary required at the Gompa?
For example the water offerings, mandala…etc.
My home do not have all these.
Can I just come to the Gompa to do all these everyday? 4. What’s the AVERAGE month/years to complete all these preliminaries before getting the Vajrayogini Initiation if we do it everyday.
Would like a number please… 5. I would like to know how to become a monk in Kechara? Thank you for your time. Kev
Question asked by Fenni
Dear Pastors,
I'm really thankful that Rinpoche shared with us the video of HH the Dalai Lama explaining the meaning of OM MANI PADME HUNG mantra. The discussion followed in the responses was also a great help to comprehend what HH Dalai Lama tried to convey, since I couldn't really follow through on the first sight. I wonder if there is also an explanation as well for Manjushri's and Lama Tsongkhapa's short mantra, OM AH RA PA TSA NA DHI?
Thank you in advance. May all wonderful works of Kechara continue to flourish.
Question asked by Marco
Dear Pastors,
My question below is not answered and seems skipped to next questions. May I ask is that because my question is not appropriate? Thank you for your kind attention.
"
I was informed that if a person break the root bodhisattva vow, then the person can never reach the first bodhisattva level in this life. I would like to ask is that still the case even if the person do the vajrasattva purification? If that is the case, what will be the result of that person. Is there any suggested path and practice for this kind of people who break the root bodhisattva vow. In this life, what is the meaningful path for this kind of person if the person cannot reach the first bodhisattva level. Thank you very much for your kind attention."
Yours faithfully,
Question asked by David E
Hello pastors! I'm back with more questions!
I'm in the rpocess of setting up an altar and wish to decorate it with pictures of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, dharma protectors, etc. I have found a couple guides online that show how to arrange the pictures according to their hierarchy (Guru, yidam, dakini, protectors, top down, right to left).
My questions are thus: in terms of altar set up, do we consider Maitreya Buddha a guru, or a yidam? If we have a picture of Shakyamuni Buddha, is he guru or yidam? If we have pictures of several gurus (HH The Dalai Lama, Lama Tsongkhapa, His Eminence Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, Shakyamuni Buddha/Maitreya Buddha), which takes the top most position? Where do Bodhisattvas lie in this arrangement?
Is there a hierarchy within the groups (yidam, dakini, protectors) which must be adhered to? For instance, as Green and White Tara sprang from Chenrezig's eyes, does that make Chenrezig "superior" to Green/White Tara strictly in terms of altar set up?
If we choose to include wrathful as well as peaceful emanations, what is the arrangement for those? For isntance, I have a picture of Mahacundi Bodhisattva in her peaceful form, and her three-faced wrathful form. How should they be arranged in relation to each other?
Sorry if my questions seem all over the place, I really want to get this right. Thank you a thousand fold for your good help and advice.
Question asked by T
Karma cannot be escape. So do the buddha cannot escape from karma, everybody cannot escape from karma. Hence for the beings in hell, some of the beings are torture by denizens. Do the denizens get negative karma from torturing the beings? And based on my discoverey I would like to knw that weather existence of hells are actually arises from the mind? Which means hell are a delusion it is not created by god or demon and so do the same for heaven and all realms. A cartoon type of example, if a hell being and human were friends, if a hell being invites a human to hell, the hell being are able to fell taste touch and see the torture chamber in hell, but a human who do not have the cause to be in hell will see everything black and empty when the hell being bring them to hell, is this correct? While human who have third eye can see hell ghost and all that stuff is a different story because they have gain a level where they are able to perceive directly a subtle mind where their achievement is free from negative defilement due to spiritual practice which means they can see that all manifestation and emanation of the subtle mind. Hence, like buddha they are able to help sentient being without experience any suffering meaning they are able to help beings in hell without being torture by another denizen because all phenomena that label as hell arises as a manifeststion from a deluted subtle mind where buddha are like a doctor trying to save a patient in hospital bahagia? Where this patient see everything bad as good? If my theory were right, that means six realms are actually reamless because it does not exist at all all, it exist because a deluted mind exist? Which means the self is ignorance and then ignorance manifest into three poison and manifest into84000 afflicted emotion and with the power of these afliction form six group (samsara)of being where they have the same afflicted motivation and produce a same afflicted result? Hence this y we should focus ourselves?
Question asked by jason
i recently got the 21 tara iniation . My lama when so fast when reciting all the mantras . can you guys give all 21 tara mantras. jchau@student.concordia.ab.ca
Question asked by mimi
Can those who do not have the dorje namjoma aka Vajravidarana iniatation , recite is his mantra for purification
Question asked by Lynda
Dear Tsem Rinpoche,
With deep respects and love and gratitude. Your blog saved my practice. Due to the information and dharma articles in your blog I have become stronger and now the fund raiser and President of my Dharma centre. It’s hard to fundraise but after speaking up and changing myself so people will have a good view of Buddhism, I am hitting more success. Fear was my enemy just like you taught (Thank you so much). I wanted to take a break from the center not that I was doing that much, but I realize I don’t want to waste time and blame others anymore. Just get the work done. My mother ‘taught’ us to blame and I’ve been doing that my whole life. It didn’t work for my mom and it is not working for me. Thank you for your truthful and direct teachings always. You are a rare gem that no one should lose. Your students are incredible lucky to be with you. We meet our teacher perhaps once every two years for three weeks when he travels to the US. Please continue your blogging. I am a ardent fan of your blog and share with many friends. I read and re-read your articles often. Thank you for all your work. Thank you and your team. Lynda
Question asked by AL
Any resources available on the following discussion from The Elephant Journal.
This is not possible in higher forms of Buddhism [in response to a famous athlete claiming his marital infidelity was related to him using various women for a tantric practice]. In the highest yoga forms of Buddhism (tantra), no actual physical copulation is necessary to achieve higher attainments. Most advanced practitioners engage in tantric practice are celibate monks in fact. There are lay and monk practitioners. But higher tantra does not involve copulation. Higher achievements are compassion, wisdom, focus, tenacity, consistency and the ability not to project our minds wrongly creating more unhappiness for ourselves and others. Buddha achieved full awakening under the bodhi tree as a celibate monk 2,500 years ago.
Question asked by Marco
Dear Pastors,
I was informed that if a person break the root bodhisattva vow, then the person can never reach the first bodhisattva level in this life. I would like to ask is that still the case even if the person do the vajrasattva purification? If that is the case, what will be the result of that person. Is there any suggested path and practice for this kind of people who break the root bodhisattva vow. In this life, what is the meaningful path for this kind of person if the person cannot reach the first bodhisattva level. Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Yours faithfully,
Question asked by Jenome R
Dear Tsem Rinpoche, I congratulate you on your blog reaching four million views (4,000,000)so far! It still growing! You have reached so many people across the globe with your cyer dharma. Your blog contains so much knowledge and information not to mention your hundreds of teachings on youtube. Thanks for providing all of this to all of us free of cost and full of love. I appreciate you so much.
Question asked by Ping
Dear Pastors,
If we watch romantic movies (not porno), with kissing scene, does that consider breaking the sexual misconduct vow? Can we keep watching as long we don do anything, but our mind just imagining?
Question asked by elad
hello there, im practicing meditation for the last year and as long as im getting more aware of buddhism i feel more and more connected to it or prehaps to myself. i hope you can tell me how can i make my practice deeper.
thank you very much.
Question asked by Lol
Regarding on the video where kandarohi and rinpoche debate, got one thing which I don't really understand on imputation. What it means about imputation in buddism? And ya how does the irresponsible person get more negative karma by allowing an imputation from the perceiver? I need more detail explanation on that part. I'm quite confused.tq in advance
Question asked by lavander
Dear Rinpoche, I've been wondering, If there are some people, who you sense have shown you immense kindness so many times over, but due to well, whatever the reason, you act out, and hurt them, by mistake
Question asked by confused
Hi
I have a question regarding nature and estanlishment of guru/disciple realtionship.
First of all, how Guru/disciple relationship is established? I kinda have two types of information on this, but I think that I might have misunderstood something. One of my sources says that the Guru is the one from whom you take vows, this it what it says in Berzin archives.com: " …demarcation line of an actual spiritual teacher, if we look at the definitions, it’s the one that we take vows with. There are lay and monk vows, bodhisattva vows, there are tantric vows. That’s where you establish the relation with the spiritual teacher.It’s not that you have to say, “Oh, you’re my teacher,” and they have to say, “You’re my disciple.” So this is not what we do to"
Now few days ago I was reading Lama Yeshe wisdom archives.com about Guru devotion. There, lama Zopa rinpoche was exhanging letter with students and said in one letter to student that, if you are in the precence of teacher and he is teching dharma, and you think in your mind that this person is guru and I am his student, that`s when you establish guru/disciple relationship. I want to however say that these are personal letters sent between teacher and student and then later published. Many times (almost always, rather) the context is not revealed at all so information can be received in very distorted way and misunderstandings can happen. I think that this is just the case here but I am not sure.
So how is it that you establish guru/disciple relationship really?
Question asked by Confuse
On the taking trance video rinpoche have mention that we must be careful that some of the trances are not real. Because spirits are able to transform themselves and act exactly like the buddha. In short spirits are able to transform themselves whatever they want including Buddhas, hence the buddha that we see May not necessary be real. From here we have know that spirits have the ability to copy the buddha in terms of form. Can spirits copy the buddha in terms of sound also such as mantras? Example, let say we have a third eye and we saw buddha appear, the buddha that we see May not be real it might be a spirit who are able to cheats us on sight. now if we recite mantras which is the sound that represent of certain energy by the buddhas, can the spirits copy that energy? Or copy the mantra and produce different energy (the spirit own energy). If we look at a basic level it is impossible that spirits can cheats us through buddha mantras but can you explain more a little bit, I was quite blur, I did have the idea was impossible, but I can't find the logical reasoning behind it. Besides, if u mention that it is impossible because the source of the mantra are from three eons of virtue practice of the buddha and it also are the heart essence of the buddha, then y the spirit are able to copy the form of the buddha where it also requires also three eons to have that kind of body and the body are also emanated from the heart? Which means both sight and sound of the buddha have the same holy source but y sight are being able to be duplicate by spirit and y sound(mantras) are not?
Question asked by T
I have vow to kuan yin that I only stick to her and recite only her mantra. Now by reciting kuan yin mantra can I gain greater wisdom? We'll I hope I can. And ya do u know any manifestation of kuan yin in wisdom form? Can u mention the name of the being? Example hayagriva a manifestation of kuan yin in protector form. Thank you in advance
Question asked by Patrick
Dear Rinpoche, a very good friend of mine suffers from misophonia. She can not leave the house, watch youtube videos or even phone call people. Misophonia is a neurological condition where even the sounds of other people eating or breathing drives you mad with rage. Can you help me with helping her ? I want her to be able to go out and find friends or at least hear music again.
Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 13 of the Malaysian Copyright Act 1987, allowance is made for “fair dealing” for purposes such as non-profit research, private study, criticism, review or the reporting of current events. The Operator and author(s) of TsemRinpoche.com, a not-for-profit blog, do not claim ownership on the intellectual property rights of the contents, images and/or videos reproduced in this article. Any subsisting intellectual property rights shall belong to the legal owner of the contents, images and/or videos.
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
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 Kev,
Looking forward to your return to Malaysia! Meantime, you can order a copy of the Lamrim we use in Kechara – Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabongkha Rinpoche here http://vajrasecrets.com/books/english-books/lamrim-liberation-in-the-palm-of-your-hand.html.
As for the rest, please try Boarders, MPH or Kinokuniya bookstores. Alternatively, you can order them online through Amazon or any other online bookstores like http://www.shambhala.com/.
For Lojong, the root text is Eight Verses of Training the Mind by Geshe Langri Tangpa and you might want to get a commentary like Transforming the Mind (Thorsons, 2000) or Kindness, Clarity and Insight (Snow Lion, 2006) by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for more detailed learning.
Same goes to Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra and 50 verses of Guru Devotion. Please read together with commentaries to ease your understanding. The former can pair with A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night: A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (Shambhala, 1994) by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the later one can pair with Dangerous Friend: The Teacher-Student Relationship in Vajrayana Buddhism (Shambhala, 2001) by Rig ‘dzin Dorje.
Each preliminary practice is 100,000 times plus 10 % 10,000 that is used to make up the numbers we might have miscounted along the way. So total for each preliminary practice is 110,000. The preliminaries practice are:
1. Prostrations:
http://www.kechara.com/support/resources/recommended-reads/purifying-the-karma-of-body-speech-and-mind/
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/vajrasattva-and-prostrations-transcript.html
2. Guru Yoga:
http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/tsongkhapa/tsongkhapa-retreat-instructions-and-prayer-text.html
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/tsongkhapa
3. Water Offerings:
http://tsemtulku.com/resources/articles/water-offerings/
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/making-water-offerings-to-the-buddhas.html
4. Mandala Offerings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFp3AvHXYxg
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/mandala-offering-%E2%80%93-a-powerful-method-to-accumulate-merits.html
5. Vajrasattva:
http://tsemtulku.com/resources/prayers/prayers-deity-prayer/vajrasattvas-purification-practice/
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/vajrasattva-and-prostrations-transcript.html
I suggest you to submit a formal requested with offerings to His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche to request for his blessings before you embark on your preliminaries practices. Reason being, when we start our preliminary practice, we are opening our negative karmas for purification, it can be very intense (imagine eons of negativities) and difficult especially when you are doing it on your own. With proper guidance and the blessings of the Guru is the only way to support your practice all the way. You can submit your formal request to His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche c/o Kechara House Buddhist Association Malaysia here:
7, Jalan PJU 1/3G,
Sunwaymas Commercial Centre,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, MALAYSIA.
[t] +603 7803 3908
[f] +603 7803 3108
[e] care@kechara.com
You will need to record your numbers and submit official update to His Eminence from time to time so that he knows you are ok. The pastors and Kecharians will help you along the way on the technical side of things. Please add us on Facebook, if you have an account there. If you don’t, please start one :).
Here are some additional reading you might need as well:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/butterlamps.html
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/cosmic-tantra.html
All the best.