Dear J. Melor,

Purification practices are the best. They can change the course of the karmas we have accummulated from deeds we regret that will definitely bear results. TR

Dear Johan,

Thank you. I like things to be modern and progressive very much. TR

Dear Joey,

All teachings no matter what chapter eventually leads to the destruction of the self cherishing mind which is the roots of all of our problems past, present and future. Until this ‘enemy’ is rooted out in stages, we cannot see much changes within ourselves. The disciplines with our teacher (samaya), centres, dharma codes, ethics is specifically to slowly root out self cherishing. If we follow, we will see a difference. If we don’t then years can pass and we remain the same or degenerate further.

Whatever promises we have made with our teacher, sangha, centre or Three Jewels should be honoured always and that in itself is a method to changing ourselves for the better.

TR

Dear Bob,

In Gaden many years ago, His Holiness Dalai Lama recommended we become a Master of one trade and not a jack of all….He recommended to be firm with one’s lineage without being bias against another. I just share his advice with you.

TR

Dear Xandu,

Thanks for you positive feedback of appreciation. Kechara would be happy to know as they work hard. TR

Dear .. .. ..,

It is wonderful you wish to start prostrations. If you do short length ones or long length ones, both are ok. But in a prostration retreat, only the long ones are counted.

A picture of Buddha, Tsongkapa or Tara is good enough on the wall. Other rites, offerings, etc enhance the prostrations only.

You can download sacred pictures here: http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/downloads

You can do prostrations any time with or without a teacher. It is not getting ahead of yourself at all. There are many practices that can be done without a teacher. I have given teachings on how to do prostrations and it is on the youtube.

Any general practices associated with Three Jewels is beneficial.

I wish you success. TR

Dear R,

Language is language. Just change our views, motivations and habituations and everything falls in place. TR

Dear Jon,

Heheheeheh…Yes I ALWAYS play pick games with my students…it has never stopped. It is an interesting way for them to see their minds and for me to guage..heheeh…Well those that work hard and commit to our Dharma works really make me feel close to a person and get close in time.

TR

Dear Carolyn,

1. I have given a talk that answers exactly your first question a few weeks ago. Please listen to the talk. It addresses exactly why when things are difficult it inspires us to practice and deeper. Many of people’s questions have been answered in my videos, please take a look. I am sure it will help you:

http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/kechara-13-depts/i-was-so-happy-yesterday.html

2. Attachments lead to addition of selfish karma and adding to selfish mind. Selfish mind gets reinforced. Actions and aspirations that benefit others are not for the self and do not reinforce the selfish mind. Selfish mind creates causes for our negative karma and problems… So having a wish and aspiration to benefit others is not attachment. On the contrary, it begins to eliminate attachment to the wrong object-selfishness.

3. Invite a Setrap and have a roo over the door of the house. The main door. You yourself devote yourself to Setrap and the interferences if any will be dispelled for sure.
If your mother still insists, then you just quietly do your Setrap and don’t argue with her. Sometimes even after the wound is healed, there’s still psychological ‘damage’ or fears remain for a time.

I wish you luck and good blessings. TR

Dear Janice,

Thank you very much. At times it’s staggering to do alot of work and non-stop, but stopping is not an option.

TR

Dear Rafael,

Good realizations. Look back to see how many years have passed and if there’s any true results. Important to always self examine this way. If not much results, then we must change our approach..TR

Dear Roy,

You should be initiated and be under a teacher to do the 6 Yogas of Naropa. It is a profound practice.

Re the sleep yoga in VY’s practice, it is very profound as it changes the bardo into a path. You must recieve initiation and commentary to practice.

TR

Dear Josh, All that I have posted do not require initiation or empowerment. You may start immediately.

TR

Dear Js,

You do not need transmission or initiation to begin your Setrap. You may begin immediately. Important is to do the practice stable and long term.

Much luck. TR

Thank you very much. TR

Dear Yee Ling,

Since the travelling seems so important break the retreat and start up from where you left off when you return.

As for 100,000, it is the minimum to help turn the mind around using a starting number for beginners who cannot do advanced practices for now… There are practitioners who do 3 or 4 million of each preliminary and see many powerful signs from this as a result. There are Americans who go into retreat for 3 years, 3 months and 3 days doing just the preliminaries. Very powerful.

I wish you happy travels.

TR

Dear JS,
Please visit Gaden Shartse Monastery. This is the home Monastery of Tsongkapa and founded by Tsongkapa over 600 years ago. Setrap has been the protector of Gaden Shartse Monastery since it’s inception. Tens of thousands of High lamas, Abbots, Gaden Tripas, monks, teachers, Geshes, Tulkus have relied on Setrap in the past as they do now. So if Setrap is ‘good’ enough for them it’s good enough for us. Setrap is the main protector of Gaden Shartse.

When you hear rumours or read conflicting information, you should ask yourself:

1. What is the quality of the person/persons/source which starts the rumours.
2. What studies have they done?
3. What source do they get their information from?
4. What could their motive be to share information with you that disparage an enlightened being?
5. How much do they know and show us the text, or source to validate their claims.

One should not be flippant about one’s practice/decisions or always just get doubts so fast. If one gets doubts after thorough investigation then either one has little affinity with a certain enlightened being or one should create more merits, or one should investigate further. Just talk or hearsay sources from here and there are like talking into the wind with no one present.

Many times HH Dalai Lama has visited Gaden Shartse Monastery as he did earlier this year and he joins in our prayers.

All in all, if you have doubts, which is normal for one who has not investigated more and thoroughly, I suggest two things: Take the time, care and responsibility to study more or just don’t do Setrap.

But to infer Setrap is a spirit would be saying the whole Sangha of Tsongkapa’s monastery has been and are wrong. The holy Sangha of the illustrious Gaden Shartse Monastery does not worship spirits.

Setrap is 100 percent the sacred emanation of the Buddha of the Western Paradise, Lord Amitabah.

I wish you luck.

TR

Dear DJ,

It would be the Wisdom mantra Buddha’s mind of emptiness.

Thank you.

TR

Dear Jenny,

We have all types of people in Kechara from so many backgrounds and very diverse. Everyone is so uniques and different.

There are Kecharians that practice Dharma deeply and some do not. There are ones who are senior hence can have the knowledge to practice deeper and new ones who have lots of questions to be answered before they go deeper into practice. We have Kecharians that have alot of merit so Dharma practice comes to them eaiser and those who are generating more merit in order to improve. We have Kecharians who are patient, angersome, loving, jealous, spiteful, generous, knowledgeable, sincere, caring, selfish, giving, helpful, lazy, etc…Kecharians are just like anybody else. So naturally conflicts and differences in opininons will arise from time to time. Important to not focus on conflicts, but resolve and move on. Conflicts will continue to arise. So what we do is talk it out. Or have a liaison talk to the conflicting parties. If this does not resolve the issue (which 99% of time it does), then it is brought up to the BOD (highest Body of decision makers within Kechara).

See it this way, sick people go to a hospital and get the remedy. Some go all the way in following the doctor’s instructions and get well fast. Some follow occasionally. Some follow at their convenience, some don’t follow, some follow later. Just like that, we have many types of people who come to Kechara. Different attitudes. All are welcome even so. I expect the basic courtesy from Kecharians from eachother-truthfulness, sincerity, and being genuine. These are basic human courtesies we should extend everywhere we go in fact.

My heads of each dept do much more than other people. They give so much of their time, lives, finances, love, energy and care to their depts. They are humans too and they do slip. But on the whole they do much more than most I must say. Without them I cannot accomplish much.

I appreciate, love and genuinely care about my heads of Dept very much as well as the staff, members, volunteers and students.

May all be blessed by Lord Tsongkapa and have their obstacles removed by Setrap.

TR

Dear Rafael,

At this time, focus on fundamentals of dharma. Learn the fundamentals. If you do that it will lead to higher understanding naturally. You may have finished grammar school, city college, and University in the secular world as an example. But when you enter dharma you have to start at grammar ‘school’ first. If you go directly to University, the materials will serve to confuse not infuse. Just an example for you.

The unity of all is not all are one, but all are subject to the same laws of impermanence therefore one in that causes and conditions are the same. All phenomena are bound by the same causes and conditions hence subject to decay. One should not grasping inherently decaying phenomena which is the source of samsara… Nothing is solid no matter their appearance temporarily. A large mountain may look strong and solid. The planet mars may look strong. A house may look firm, but all three are one in that they share the ‘same’ causes and conditions, when removed, it decays. The oneness of the universe is that all are subject to the laws of causes and conditions.

I hope this helps you.

TR