In 1642, a reincarnation of one of Buddha Shakyamuni’s disciples was born the son of a very poor herdsman in Mongolia. Gifted and recognized as a “khuvilgaan” or tulku at the young age of three, Luvsanperenlei would breeze through his local monastic education and later moved to Lhasa, Tibet to attend Drepung Monastery where...
Posted in Great Lamas & Masters | 28 Comments »
Dear friends around the world, I believe in alternative diets that give us the nutrients our bodies need while allowing us to live a healthier and cruelty-free lifestyle. It is a false belief that we can’t get enough protein and other nutrients from a plant-based diet. Some world-renowned athletes are vegetarians, even the Roman...
Posted in Animals, Vegetarianism & Environment | 23 Comments »
Who would have thought that a keris could hold so much power? During my trip to Yogyakarta, I came to understand that a keris is a very common choice of heirloom. It is an article handed down from one generation to the next amongst Javanese royalty, political leaders and also members of the general...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Guest Contributors | 14 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Joy Kam) Gal Vihara, also known as Gal Viharaya, means stone or rock temple in Sinhalese. It is a Buddhist temple situated in the second largest ancient city of Sri Lanka, in the Northern Central Province of Polonnaruwa. The Buddha images at Gal Vihara are known to be very sacred...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Guest Contributors, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 13 Comments »
Dear friends around the world, I have always respected great spiritual masters like Mother Teresa and Saint Francis of Assisi, who went out of their way to reach out to those who need help, regardless of religious and racial differences. A religion is a pillar that supports and fuels our mental, emotional and spiritual...
Posted in Current Affairs & News | 15 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Sri Lanka is a beautiful country where the majority (70%) of the population are Buddhists of Theravadan tradition. However, Sri Lankan Buddhism is unique because, in addition to focusing on the practice of attaining self-liberation through one’s own effort, they adopt the practice of Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara. Within the Sri...
Posted in Asia, Downloads, Travel | 10 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2011 MES AYNAK, Afghanistan — It was another day on the rocky hillside, as archaeologists and laborers dug out statues of Buddha and excavated a sprawling 2,600-year-old Buddhist monastery. A Chinese woman in slacks, carrying an umbrella against the Afghan sun, politely inquired about their progress. She had...
Posted in Asia, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Travel | 15 Comments »
Dear friends, As a huge fan of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I strongly believe in the effectiveness of its treatments, for example, acupuncture, cupping, gua sha and more. I have met quite a few TCM doctors who specialise in acupuncture and I must say that the treatments have personally helped me quite a lot....
Posted in Current Affairs & News, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 13 Comments »
Sri Lanka, previously known as Ceylon, is a beautiful country with many great places to visit for pilgrimage or holiday. The country houses no less than eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, many of which contain holy and sacred objects of veneration such as the relics of Buddha Shakyamuni or ancient Buddha images that have...
Posted in Asia, Guest Contributors, Travel | 11 Comments »
As I sat in the cool environs of Kechara Forest Retreat reflecting on Life and its Purpose and what is next, it suddenly occurred to me that life is how you play the game and how you will take rebirth. Life on earth has all the six realms that we meditate on when we...
Posted in Guest Contributors | 28 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline) Poetry has always been held in high regard in Chinese culture and poems has been one of the most common art form that Chinese literati had sought as a means of influencing the thinking of the people over the ages. It is through poetry and beautiful verbal expressions of art that Chinese scholars and intellectuals have traditionally provided insights into issues that mattered to the psyche of the Chinese society and shaped the mentality of the people. The high point in Chinese poetry took place in the Tang d...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Books & Poetry, Celebrities & People, China 中国, Explorers | 6 Comments »
Dear respected friends around the world, I have read several inspirational accounts of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche from various high lamas and somehow this one always seems to stick out the most. Needless to say, this is one of my favourite accounts of this great lama. It is warm, intimate, inviting and it draws you...
Posted in Downloads, Great Lamas & Masters, H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 25 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline Woon) Among the many countries around the world, Sri Lanka is known for its rich Buddhist culture and heritage. It is where the the ancient city of Polonnaruwa is located, a place where kings ruled Sri Lanka’s central plains more than 1,000 years ago. It was a thriving...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Travel | 13 Comments »
(译文请往下阅读) Who are the Kalmyks? Prior to the 15th Century and a long time ago, there were many west Mongolian tribes who referred to themselves by their respective tribal names. Spread throughout this region are countless archeological sites with petroglyphs, cave paintings, standing stone monuments and ancient forts that date back as far as 10,000 years. By the 15th Century, four major West Mongolian tribes had formed an alliance, adopting “Dörben Oirat” as their collective name. However, this alliance subsequently dissolved and the...
Posted in Family, Guest Contributors, Me, 中文 | 23 Comments »
Since I was a child, I have been fascinated with Bigfoot, and have read books and watched many documentaries about the subject. It was one documentary I saw as a kid that got me started and it’s been a lifelong interest in Bigfoot. Recently, I encountered an article from Times-Standard News on the Finding Bigfoot...
Posted in Yeti/Bigfoot/Sasquatch | 20 Comments »
Before I begin, I would like to affirm that I am not a feminist, nor a sexist and nothing much more than a female who has worked and built her career in a “men’s world” many years ago. Did I hate the environment? Had it been unpleasant? Not at all. This piece is all about...
Posted in Guest Contributors | 9 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche, Pastor Niral and Pastor Shin) George Roerich, born Yuri Nikolayevich Roerich in 1902, is known as one of the world’s greatest Tibetologists and linguists. Yuri is the Russian version of the name George. It is said that he could speak over 30 languages and dialects from Europe and Asia. He was...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Downloads, Explorers, Guest Contributors | 24 Comments »
九皇爷诞是马来西亚民间信仰文化里最热闹﹑最具历史的庙会活动之一。这项庙会由每年的华人农历九月初一开始至九月初九结束为止。九皇誔是善信们一年一度集体持素的日子。
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Malaysia, 中文 | 1 Comment »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) One of the many fascinating and historical festivals in Malaysia is the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. This festival takes place from the first to ninth day of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. Throughout this nine-day festival, adherents observe a strict vegetarian diet, meditate, study scriptures, interact with fellow...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Malaysia, Travel | 14 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, Due to her enlightened compassion, Tara manifests in innumerable forms to benefit sentient beings. These manifestations reflect the many needs of sentient beings, including protection, long life, peace, the overcoming of obstacles and saving beings from danger. Tara is one of the most beloved deities in...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice | 13 Comments »