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Samfoonheei on Nov 22, 2021 at 2:10 pm
Great message …. Rinpoche thanks for this sharing. May more people going on vegetarian to stop the sufferings of animals who has no voice of their voice, and cannot speak for themselves. Not to mention millions of animals are been slaughtered every day, ended on dinner’s tables. There’s no doubt that vegetarian diets are good for our health. Research shows that people on balanced plant-based diet are consistently slimmer and healthier than meat eaters. They also have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancers and diabetes. Vegetarians happen have a healthier BMI, controlled blood pressure and low cholesterol levels as well.
Thank you Rinpoche for this great message. It has opened up our eyes and we have to go on vegetarian for a healthy life . For most not to ignore the sufferings of animals .
Look at the poor baby chasing after the mother. Why do we do that to them? It’s time to seriously think about our choices in life and how they affect others. Be kind. Don’t break up families.
It is our human ability to envision and to empathise with the joy and suffering of others. When we witness suffering, especially animals who has no voice of their voice, we have the ability to put ourselves in their shoes, empathise their suffering and visualise their experience. From that, develop a genuine sense of compassion. If we do not do something about it, the suffering continues. It is this act that makes us a better person. Thank you Rinpoche for this potent teaching.
Thank you for sharing this video about stop eating meat and vegetarianism. It showed me a entirely different perspective to look at no meat diet and I am stunned by it.
Many people that I know of, enjoyed eating meat. However, when they came across videos of butchery or how animals are being slaughtered, they are unwilling to watch it through. Some of them do not want to be remind of what happens before the meat end up on their table. They just want to enjoy the meat guilt free.
Going Vegetarianism is not an act of being a hipster. It is an act of compassion and empathy. Going Vegetarianism is to show that we do care for the animals.
Well said. If only all the world could get messages like this daily instead of the intense and massive advertising from the money making food industry.
Millions of animals are getting slaughtered every day just for the sake of ourself. A lot of times on the highway I see trucks carrying chickens , ducks and sometimes cows.
I really can’t believe how cruel people are getting nowadays.
More and more animals are getting killed every day as the population increases.
Soon enough there would be no more animals left in this world.
I really urge people to become vegans because it would make healthier than those people who eat a lot meat.
Meat can cause a series of health problems.
Also vegetables have more nutrients than meat , so you would be wasting money buying meat and ending up getting sick.
Lets not kill animals for nothing and just eat things that does not kill innocent animals.
Hopefully in future everyone would be a vegetarian.
Kechara Penang Study Group on Sep 14, 2014 at 8:22 pm
Kechara Penang Study Group has completed a blog retreat on this article today. All were very moved by the strong message given by Rinpoche on the sufferings of the these animals, being slaughtered to satisfy our unnecessary taste buds. We even shared a story of a cow that tried to seek protection from a nearby family as this cow was too terrified to face its own death. This story was published in the newspaper before. Besides that, we also described some of the pains that these animals have to go through in the process of being slaughtered i.e. the teary eyes, horrible sounds, being tied up, the tools and methods used to kill them and etc. Although we were not supposed to blame others but we did acknowledge that this was partly due to our culture and the way we were being brought up. For this reason, the members are trying to cut down the consumption of meats. One of the member is in the process of going meatless for at least twice a week while another is trying to go vegan for nine days and thereafter will reduce accordingly. He is keen on becoming a vegan in the near future. Once again, we thank Rinpoche for this message. It has opened up our eyes and we have concluded that we cannot simply continue to ignore the sufferings of these animals. By taking up this responsibility, hopefully it will influence more and more to vegan.
Attendees: Sharyn, Soon Huat, Leonard Ooi, Kai Lynn, Calvin Thum and Jacinta Goh.
OM MANI PEME HUNG
endless times for the suffering animals, the poissened waters, the contaminated airs, the poissened soils and all suffering beeings in all realms, dimensions and universes.
Leo Tolstoi wrote:
As long there´re slaughterhouses,
will be battels between humans.
Since Fukushima I´m again Vegeterian,
since a few month Vegan.
In Theresienstadt where killed 1 milion Jews by the Nazi system,
world wide many bilions of animals are killed every year.
This perspective is a very strong, powerful, gory and truthful. Thank you Rinpoche for consistently sharing about animal abuse.
Most of us do not think of it this way, basically do not ever think about it because we know if we do, it will bring us so much disgust in ourselves, the guilt will stop us from stuffing our face with that pork chops. We basically refuse to think of it because we simply wish to continue pretending it is okay to indulge in another being’s flesh and not feel guilty of the crime. Cos if we really think about it, what makes us any different from those who murder people? They also take away someone’s life, just like we do when we devour the meat on our plate, someone had to die for us to eat it. So how come we are entitled to take an animal’s life and not face any consequences for it?
It would be a huge mistake to think there is no consequences for this… our health is one huge consequence of this as study has shown that eating all these dead animals, have so many repercussions to our health, diabetic, high blood, heart attack, cancer because of the amount of toxic it releases when they are being executed. Even the British MP is encouraging people to eat less meat https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/british-mps-says-eat-less-meat.html
I guess if we don’t really care about those being killed for us to eat, would we at least care about our very own health? For those that do not care about both, they will get their own results and hopefully it is not too late/ugly.
We only have to open our eyes to a very few common practices to see that animals suffer terribly. Actually all farm animals in U.S., roughly ten billion of them, raise annually to be killed for food. They live in facilities that anyone would call factories rather than farms. The suffering of these animals is considered no more important than their tools and materials in any factory. Virtually, all pigs, chickens(for eggs and meat) live in metal cages, with hardly enough rooms to move around, let alone fulfill their natural behaviours. A large and ever-increasingportion of the Dairy cows suffer similarly. But the animal factory owners like to tell the public that they care for their animals, that they have to because those animals are their livelihood. But what they care about is whether the animals grow rather than die. The suffering is not part of the consideration! Why should we care about the animals? Animals are actually intelligent living beings, and they can feel, think and suffer too! They are like us humans and many can act in ways that communicate or suggest their feelings. In today’s modern and enlightened society, we should come to recognize that basic similarities of human and animal beings are not that great in difference and, therefore, we should broaden our circle of compassion. As such, it’s time to eliminate the impact of suffering of animals in ending upon our human’s dinner plate too, by us taking a joyful step to adopt ” a Vegetarian Lifestyle”. One can even reduce one’s killing of animals and strenghten one’s compassion towards the pain and suffering of all animal beings. Om mani padme hung.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing, I don’t want to be a murderer. I am cutting down eating meat because I feel bad that I have had hurt so many animals.
Every time when I recite the Confession Clause in Tsongkhapa Gaden Lhagyama, I feel bad and regret about this. I know if I truly regret from the depths of my heart, I should stop eating meat. I am trying and I hope I will give up eating meat and become a vegetarian in future.
Before taking vegetarian vow, I used to hide my identity of being a (part time) vegetarian just because I was afraid people would laugh at me and I didn’t want to cause inconvenience for people around me while ordering food. So sometimes I forced myself to eat meat just to look good and thought it would be better to be a “flexitarian”, so I don’t need to explain too much to my friends and also to feed my cravings for meat.
It was until I watched “Earthlings” and kept on reading Rinpoche’s teachings on vegetarianism, I learnt how animals suffered just to get on my plate and fulfill my desire on my taste buds. The fear, uncertainty, mourn…when they knew they will be slaughtered for unreasonable reasons..I felt so ashamed for it. I do believe in karma. I knew the pain that caused by me directly and indirectly are all gonna come back to me… So, few months back, I decided to be a vegetarian, officially, by taking vow, and I’m proud to announce this to everyone I met on the dining table. “Yes, vegetarian, please.”
Thank you Rinpoche for giving us a good explanation that all the animals are being killed through tremendous pain, fear and suffering before they are made as food for people to eat. I would like to share some of my little story that I saw with my own eyes. There was one night with little rains fall and the wind was cool. I was driving back home after my work. There was a big lorry in front of my car, carrying many live chickens and these chicken are shivering inside the small plastic cages without much space for them to stand or move. As they were being transported for slaughter in front of my car, my heart was really saddened and feeling really despair as I was not able to free them and not able to save them from being killed. I kept on chanting Medicine Buddha mantra and dedicated to the chicken along the same road until I reached to another cross road. It was a sad experience for me that keep on reminding me that we should not make the animals to suffer for us. Animals are being controlled, abused and tortured until their last breath before they are brutally killed without pain killers. May all the animals be freed from suffering and pain, and live freely with happiness and protection.
Thank you Rinpoche for this powerful teaching about the importance of generating genuine compassion.
We can only generate true compassion by first putting ourselves in the place of animals who have been slaughtered or are being slaughtered to be served up as the piece of meat on the dining table.We must be able to feel their pain and their anguish every step of the way until their death. Likewise, with the other six realms,especially the other lower realms of suffering.
Also only through frequent contemplations and meditations can we generate sustained and genuine feelings of compassion.
The highest potential of the mind is brought to bear in generating empathy and eventually bodhicitta.
The most important of all is for us to develop the realization that the piece of succulent meat, dressed up with all the sauce, gravy and garnish, came from a life that had been murdered and slaughtered in the most brutal and callous manner. How can we then say that living our lives by looking forward to such a meal, no matter how fine and stylish the dining set up and ambience, is positive and meaningful living?
This morning, in the Lamrim class, the topic was on the suffering of the lower realms. We went through some of the sufferings of beings in the hot hells. The suffering is intolerable. Rinpoche’s message reminds us that we must develop compassion for the animals. Out of compassion, we must do something about it, not only for the animals but also for those who, out of ignorance, are committing negative karma. We need to create awareness of the suffering of animals.
Dear Rinpoche, Thank you for such a powerhouse video to share with others. The part about ‘which utensil to use” was very liken to the type of attention one takes when creating a detailed alter. I thought this is so fitting for a society which considers very little sacred. It draws attention to how we are still offering animal sacrifice. Carion eaters . Carion Alters. I love and respect the Earth and Nature and all her family so much that i can’t watch too much torture or else my mind becomes very disturbed. But I do think that if one is eating meat then one should watch these beings slaughtered before eating and see if it doesn’t eventually or immediately result in a change of heart.
Sincerely and with deep respect for your extensive deeds to rescue all beings, Om Ah Hum,
Oya
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing,I do agree with what Rinpoche is trying to translate here.Few years back then, I was a chef.I used to prepare poultry meals, which involved a lot of slaughtering done by myself but after a deep understanding towards Buddha’s teachings,I decided to let go of stuff I used to do.Althought, I’m still a chef but no longer serving poultry dishes instead plainly Vegetarian dishes.Dear Rinpoche, in replying your past message, I’m currently doing well with my business up growing.Thank for your concern,and I will try my best to prepare variety of selections for people to choose from.There’s actually few of my customers who thank me as they find it hard to find a decent vegetarian meal around residence.Its comforting to know they are people out there who appreciates.
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KECHARA FOREST RETREAT PROGRESS UPDATES
Here is the latest news and pictorial updates, as it happens, of our upcoming forest retreat project.
The Kechara Forest Retreat is a unique holistic retreat centre focused on the total wellness of body, mind and spirit. This is a place where families and individuals will find peace, nourishment and inspiration in a natural forest environment. At Kechara Forest Retreat, we are committed to give back to society through instilling the next generation with universal positive values such as kindness and compassion.
Venerable Ajahn Chah was a Thai Buddhist monk, an influential teacher of the Buddhadhamma and a founder of two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition. Been a man of great wisdom was respected and loved in his own country Thailand. He was also instrumental in establishing Theravada Buddhism in the West and a revered monk whose life and teachings continue to this day. He was undoubtedly one of the most revered Buddhist teachers in the modern era. His teachings were rooted in direct experience and presented in simple language. He was an exemplary teacher who inspired deep confidence and enthusiasm amongst his followers who came from around the world. Ajahn Chah remained bedridden until his death at the age of 73. Interesting biography of a great teacher.
Thank you Rinpoche for this interesting sharing
DUKKAR (SITATAPATRA) or White Parasol is known for her powers to protect against sorcery, spirit harm, evil spells,malicious intents and so forth. She is white in colour because the principal means by which she accomplishes protection is the enlightened energy of pacification. She is a form of Tara and is well recognized throughout Tibet, India ,Nepal and the Himalayan region. Whoever practices her mantra will gain protection against supernatural danger and witchcraft.
All thanks to the kindness of the monks from Gaden Monastery Kecharians from Puja team have conducted a Dukkar Puja and learned the various traditional pujas as well.
Thank you Rinpoche for this wonderful sharing.
The possibility of extraterrestrial life has always fascinated humans and we’ve been searching for alien life for some time now.No extraterrestrial life has yet been conclusively detected. We always wondered if there is life beyond Earth in space. With all of the countless billions of stars and possible planets and moons in space, we do think that under the right conditions, life can exist elsewhere in space. However, there is no evidence for this. Extraterrestrial life has never been discovered, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I do believe of their existence. Only a small fraction of our galaxy has been studied and the question of whether aliens exist is something scientists have been trying to understand, explore and figure out for a long time. Despite decades of peering at and listening to planets around other stars, scientist still don’t have a concrete answer to the question of whether we are alone in the universe. Scientists are have been using new methods to reveal that we’re not alone in the universe and that alien life must be out there.
Reading this interesting blog will definitely opened our eyes as one day we could possible see them , rather than just listening their voice . Since in a few occasion they the aliens have made communication contact with human.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
The Karmapa heads the 900 years old Karma Kagyu sect, popularly called the Black Hat sect of the Tibetan Buddhism. The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, is the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu lineage, a Buddhist school in Tibet. The Karma Kagyu lineage is the most influential of the Tibetan Buddhist lineages outside Tibet studied and practiced all around the world. The teachings of the Kagyu lineage have been passed down for nearly a thousand years within Tibet. As one of Tibetan Buddhism’s four main lineages, the Kagyu School is especially known for its profound meditative practices, its tradition of strict retreat, and the countless awakened individuals it has produced. The teachings of the Kagyu lineage stretch back to ancient India, having a long history behind it.
H E Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche, a Karma Kagyu Lama, recently sent an open letter to HH Dalai Lama on behalf of the thousands or millions of Kagyu practitioners. This letter mentioned various points of aggressive pressure and assaults, threatening, and discrimination attributed to supporters of H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama. Finally one courage Lama speaking up how practitioners have been suffering all these while. He is the only high-ranking Tibetan Lama formally recognised both by Dalai Lama and the Chinese.
Well it seem that other Tibetan religious groups also experiencing religious discrimination ,having many similarities to the Gelup lineage. Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche has dedicated his life to the preservation of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche highlighted the lack of religious freedom among the Tibetan people due to the persistent interference of their Tibetan leadership. Due to the Tibetan leadership the Karma Kagyu split so as in the Gelup lineage sufferings to the practitioners. In time to come hopefully it will resolve the disputes for the sake of Dharma.
Thank you Rinpoche for this interesting sharing.
Everyone of us have a dream house. Some might go for bigger house while some might choose a simple house far away from city lives and so forth. Living in a green mountainous place doing practices, mantras, prostrations, offerings and reading the holy dharma was a dream of our Guru Tsem Rinpoche . That’s a great idea , what a beautiful place to live without much disturbance of traffics and activities . Kechara Forest Retreat is one special place one might go for. Having a house, quiet and green environment place is definitely everyone wish. One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. Green and clean, that’s everyone dream.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
We have to understand that we own nothing. Everything that surrounds us is temporary. Life is like a flowing river in which nothing stays not even our relationships, fame, riches, poverty, happiness, sorrow, disease, objects, people, troubles, problems, etc. We have to accept the true facts all things will change with time, nothing stays permanent. Let us make our future now, and let us make our time in this world meaningful doing what we have to do. Learning, practicing Dharma is a good choice to make before its too late. Do something useful for others in our life .We are all going to die, it’s just a matter of when no one knows. We can’t take along anything we have as we come into this world with nothing, we goes with nothing too.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing as a reminder for us all of the precious nature of life.
It’s wondrous . There is so much we don’t know about the workings of our beautiful planet. Imaging a world where we could better in farming as to nature. But making Kechara Forest Retreat a spiritual sanctuary for all is amazing as mother Nature brings a sense of calmness and brings a greater sense of appreciation for life. All thanks to our Guru Tsem Rinpoche and many faithful students goes all the way up to where its today. Pastor Chia, Ms Julia Tan and Ms Li Kheng were the few who have done a fantastic job increasing yields and providing more healthy food.
Thank you Li Kheng for highlighting the problems, sufferings under the unethical Dorje Shugden ban.
Dorje Shugden is one of the important protector deities worshipped by many throughout the Tibetan Buddhism . And even many high Lamas since the time of the 5th Dalai Lama and in monasteries have had propitiated Dorje Shugden. Tibetan leadership has been exploiting their people all these years with the Dorje Shugden ban. Many families are torn apart by this ban instituted by the Tibetan Leadership.
Living in Malaysia a multi-country is a privilege , we allowed to pray what we want , having religious freedom. But not for those Tibetans living in India, Nepal and so forth who propitiate Dorje Shugden. Current days many news has created increased exposure and awareness of the plight of Dorje Shugden practitioners in the world. And it is slowly going down to history , as many Tibetans are standing up and speaking up on the unfairness and discrimination to be heard.
Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding…..quoted.
We should respect all religions and just believe in peace, kindness and harmony. Everyone has the right to choose and practise a religion. We should never judge, mistreat or hurt others just because they practice a different religion than ours. The first way we can begin to respect different forms of spirituality is to learn about them. Promoting tolerance and understanding is an important part of our life. Respecting people of other faiths allows us to foster an environment of tolerance and understanding. It helps us recognize that there are diverse perspectives and beliefs in the world. Everyone has the right to choose and practise a religion. The deep frustration felt by the Tibetan people who lack religious freedom to practice how and what they want, is beginning to surface with more and more people speaking up against the behaviour of the Tibetan leadership. Dorje Shugden practitioners face restrictions on freedom of belief, speech, assembly, and cultural identity. Every aspect of Tibetan life is under siege but until recently they could speak out about what they are facing, the more is spoken out, the more others will be aware of the issue. Reading what H E Tsem Rinpoche had said why he had to keep silent about his Protector practice of Shugden until now. Its all about guru devotion and faith in his guru. Tsem Rinpoche had explained clearly the reasons behind it. Well hopefully more and more people understand after reading this blog. Having peaceful dialogue through communication and solve the controversy issue for the sake in the preservation of the Dharma, has to be achieved.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Tibetan sky burial is a mysterious funeral practice that fascinates and sometimes intimidates people from a different cultural background. Tibetans see it as a last gift to the universe — a way to show the insignificance and the impermanence of our earthly lives. In reality sky burial, holds much greater significance. The practice demonstrates fundamental values and beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism such as reincarnation, impermanence, compassion, and non-attachment. Although it might seem brutal for some at first, yet this tradition demonstrates deep love and compassion towards all living beings and genuine concern about the earth. It’s the last act of merits and they consider them a spiritual practice that’s all about giving back to the world.
Sky burials is a funeral practice are where human corpse is placed on a mountaintop to decompose to be eaten by scavenging animals such as carrion birds.
Looking at those pictures though scary yet will remind us to train our mind and every single time in life is important spent it wisely. Nothing stays forever, its better to accept it and prepare our next life as what Tsem Rinpoche had advised us to meditate on death.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
The historic first Kalachakra initiation by the young Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu held publicly in Tibet,China. Awesome over hundred thousand attended the self-initiation of the Kalachakra deity and teachings. Among them thousand monks and nuns and hundred incarnated lamas and teachers in attendance were HE the 20th Denma Gonsa Rinpoche, HE Nyitrul Rinpoche, Venerable Lama Jampa Ngodrub Rinpoche and many other High Lamas. On the first day auspicious sign appeared with shower of rain. With over thousands of people attended this initiation , it proven that the influence of the young Panchen Lama is growing and will continue to grow even more and stronger. This also proves that he is indeed the unmistaken incarnation. This definitely have a positive impact on the acceptance of Dorje Shugden’s practice. Historically, one of the main Protectors of the Panchen Lamas is Dorje Shugden and he is also the Protector of Tashi Lhunpo, the monastic seat of the Panchen Lamas.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor David for this great sharing.
Revisit this post again and fortunate given the opportunity to attend the initiation recently with my Dharma brothers and sisters. About thousands of people took the initiation of Avalokiteshvara, or in Tibetan Chenrezig Ngesung Kundrol recently at Kechara Forest Retreat. We are indeed very fortunate to receive the blessing from Venerable Chojila .The very first initiation of Chenrezig Ngesung Kundrol been held here. Its such an auspicious powerful event attended by many people from around Malaysia and overseas.
Thank you Rinpoche with folded hands.
More than 350 years, highly attained Lamas have relied on the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden to clear obstacles and create conducive conditions for their spiritual path. Buddhist masters from the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism as such Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug . Over a period of time, the practice entered into Mongolian culture, since than Mongolia had adopted Tibetan Buddhism many hundreds of years ago. Mongolia has a long history and connection with Dorje Shugden. Even the State Oracle of Mongolia, Choijin Lama Luvsankhaidav, regarded highly of Dorje Shugden and had a special thangka commissioned for worship. Lama Luvsankhaidav even took trance of Dorje Shugden painted the importance the Mongolian people once placed on the protector.
Interesting read,
thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
The historic Choijin Lama Temple located in the center of Ulaanbaatar Mongolia. The Choijin Lama Temple is an architectural masterpiece of the 19th and 20th centuries at the order of the spiritual leader of Mongolian Buddhism the eighth Javzandamba Khutagt. The complex was dedicated to his younger brother, the sitting Choijin Lama, who had served as the official state oracle of Mongolia until his death. The historic temple of the Choijin Lama is an important example of Chinese-style religious architecture where the Choijin Lama would go into a trance. This temple been one of Mongolian Buddhism’s surviving links with the past with unique collection of copper and brass sculptures, scroll paintings, diverse artworks, masks engravings, and instruments used for religious ceremonies. This temple is considered one of the most beautiful temple in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia and is now a museum preserving the elaborately decorated interiors and containing a rich collection of other Mongolian Buddhist sculpture and painting.
Thank you Rinpoche and Choong for this interesting write up
That’s wonderful now we have H E Tsem Rinpoche’s short biography in Mongolian. More and more readers got to know of our Guru and Dorje Shugden. May Rinpoche’s teaching spread and reach out to those Monglians.
Thank you Rinpoche and writers team for this wonderful sharing.
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Concept: Tsem Rinpoche Technical: Lew Kwan Leng, Justin Ripley, Yong Swee Keong Design: Justin Ripley, Cynthia Lee Content: Tsem Rinpoche, Justin Ripley, Pastor Shin Tan, Sarah Yap Admin: Pastor Loh Seng Piow, Beng Kooi
I must thank my dharma blog team who are great assets to me, Kechara and growth of dharma in this wonderful region. I am honoured and thrilled to work with them. I really am. Maybe I don't say it enough to them, but I am saying it now. I APPRECIATE THESE GUYS VERY MUCH!
Tsem Rinpoche
About Rinpoche
Name
H.E. Tsem Rinpoche
Root Guru
H.H. Zong Rinpoche
Ordained by
H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama
Affiliations
Pukhang Khangtsen, Gaden Shartse Monastery
Founder and Spiritual Advisor, Kechara House Buddhist Association Malaysia
President, Tsem Rinpoche Foundation, Inc.
Honorary Doctor of Psychology, The Open International University
Hear the holy voice of Kyabje Zong Rinpoche giving advice on the practice of Dorje Shugden to those who had received the life-entrustment initiation. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche wanted to make sure those present received the maximum benefits from their practice, and that they kept their practice well. LEARN MORE >>
In Tibetan Buddhism, it is always said that whatever we practice must come from an enlightened source to be beneficial in our spiritual journey. As such in this video, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche shares with us the history and reincarnation lineage of Dorje Shugden to explain how great this Dharma protector is through the examples of his previous lives, showing us his powerful spiritual attainments. LEARN MORE >>
Dear everyone... This is a good condensed talk I gave on Guru Yoga of Tsongkapa. This is the one you should share with others when they are interested in a not too lengthy explanation. It is the perfect practice for everyone who wants simplicity yet effective blessings. You can share this with more people, it will be good.
"If you say you don't have money to help a animal shelter, why then do you have money to buy meat?"
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"Eating animals is not our God-given right, but being kind to them is."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"What makes us good humans is not how we abuse animals, but how much we allow them to live and be happy freely."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"We need another and wiser and perhaps a more mythical concept of animals.... We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complex than ours they moved finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth."
~ Henry Beston, The Outermost House
"Not eating animals is only unnatural when we are not used to it."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES
"We may encounter defeat, but we must not be defeated."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"What you are today, is the choice you made yesterday."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"You think you can choose your life? What an ego trip!"
~ Lama Yeshe
"If TODAY you are dissatisfied, you must make the changes to create different results for TOMORROW."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
SPIRITUAL QUOTES
“Meditating on Dorje Shugden while reciting his mantra will open the gateways to higher dimensions, blessings and protection.”
~ Tsem Rinpoche
“If one does the recitation of the Lama Tsongkhapa guru yoga prayer for even one month using one of the visualizations for great or clear or quick wisdom, one will definitely see development of that wisdom. It is proved by experience. There is no doubt that by doing the Lama Tsongkhapa guru yoga practice one can meet Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings from life to life. And furthermore, it gives one the opportunity to be born in the pure realm of Lama Tsongkhapa, Tushita, whenever death happens.”
~ Pabongkha Rinpoche
"I was 18 years old in 1983. That was a very special year as I met His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and received innumerable precious teachings and empowerments from Him at Thubten Dhargye Ling Centre in Los Angeles, California. It was the best time of my life. A time that seems so magical and surreal to me. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche is Heruka Buddha and I met Heruka."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"If being me offends you, maybe I'm not the problem."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"Never abandon your spiritual teacher no matter how many inner obstacles you need to overcome."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"Actions to force something to be permanent makes all the karmas arise."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"The dharma is not easy to listen to… because some people take it as criticism. But Dharma should not be just feel good only for the moment but for deeper contemplations."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"Whether we do work and suffer but for others or we do work and suffer for ourselves, either way we have to suffer. That is the nature of samsara. So let us suffer for others and then suffering has meaning."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"Those who really want the dharma to grow within themselves and to grow for others should never fear hard work, timing, difficulties, struggles, disappointments because it is for a good cause. Working for Dharma is not a prison or work, but it is purely spiritual practice. It is purely collection of merit and purification. Actually not doing dharma work is the real prison."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"His Holiness Zong Rinpoche stressed the need to continue to practice even when we come up against obstacles, and that we should continually review our progress. He stated that a happy, luxurious life was like a good dream, and that obstacles and difficulties were like a bad dream. We should give them no significance, but simply carry on working towards real, everlasting happiness."
~ Ngala ’ö-Dzin Tridral
"Things in samsara always go wrong. That's its nature. Don't be surprised."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"Knowledge never quenches the thirst, only application."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
LIFE QUOTES
"I pity men who occupy themselves exclusively with the transitory in things and lose themselves in the study of what is perishable, since we are here for this very end-that we may make the perishable imperishable, which we can do only after we have learned how to approach both."
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"Money amplifies negative characteristics and that can cause problems.
To walk away from that was actually very easy. I didn't even consider it."
~ Angeline Francis Khoo
"I shall not commit the fashionable stupidity of regarding everything I cannot explain as a fraud."
~ Carl Jung
"There is a devil there is no doubt, but is he trying to get into us or trying to get out?"
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"If you love someone, show it by being honest, respectful & honorable with them."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
~ Henry David Thoreau
"If I can just be the way I am & you the way you are & we accept each other, world peace is near."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"I am Asian, you are some other beautiful color. Together we make diversity so beautiful."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"It's amazing how some people have never met me or know who I am, but based on a few things they read here & there & rumours, they have formulated a new personality for me & all the things I've never done they passionately speak about....I find it funny and entertaining now. I guess we can't spend our lives fighting rumours...we just have to work hard & then rumours get proven wrong on it's own as a by product. No point explaining repeatedly. Just do our work & show results!!"
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"There's a difference between patience and laziness. Patience comes from respect while laziness from disrespect of others."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"Although outwardly we have so much, we have so many conveniences, inwardly we have become more unhappy, so, acquisition is not the secret to happiness. The more we get, the more we have, the more unhappy we become."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"Before we experience any pain, we already had a fixed view of how things should be. When the experience we encounter contradicts our views, then the pain arises. The pain arises due to our fixed views not so much the experience itself. So the secret is changing the views. Re-educating ourselves on our views."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"You know since very young, for better or worse, I always did the things that others told me not to do. I wasn't really good at following the rules. Even now with how I share Dharma and my practice, I just do it the way I think it should be done but I do it sincerely. Not what others tell me what I can and can't do."
~ Tsem Rinpoche
"Love me or hate me, both are in my favor... If you love me, I'll always be in your heart... If you hate me, I'll always be in your mind."
~ William Shakespeare
"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous or honest."
~ Maya Angelou
Devotional Songs
Sung by Mary Fewel Tulin, these mystical songs in praise of the guru originate from the Sikh tradition. Yet, they are applicable to all traditions for those who want to venerate their guru.
The Known and unknown are both feared,
Known is being comfortable and stagnant,
The unknown may be growth and opportunities,
One shall never know if one fears the unknown more than the known.
Who says the unknown would be worse than the known?
But then again, the unknown is sometimes worse than the known. In the end nothing is known unless we endeavour,
So go pursue all the way with the unknown,
because all unknown with familiarity becomes the known.
~Tsem Rinpoche
Photos On The Go
Click on the images to view the bigger version. And scroll down and click on "View All Photos" to view more images.
5 years ago
According to legend, Shambhala is a place where wisdom and love reign, and there is no crime. Doesn't this sound like the kind of place all of us would love to live in? https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=204874
5 years ago
108 candles and sang (incense) offered at our Wish-Fulfilling Grotto, invoking Dorje Shugden's blessings for friends, sponsors and supporters, wonderful!
5 years ago
Dharmapalas are not exclusive to Tibetan culture and their practice is widespread throughout the Buddhist world - https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=193645
5 years ago
One of our adorable Kechara Forest Retreat's doggies, Tara, happy and safe, and enjoying herself in front of Wisdom Hall which has been decorated for Chinese New Year
5 years ago
Fragrant organic Thai basil harvested from our very own Kechara Forest Retreat farm!
5 years ago
On behalf of our Puja House team, Pastor Tat Ming receives food and drinks from Rinpoche. Rinpoche wanted to make sure the hardworking Puja House team are always taken care of.
5 years ago
By the time I heard about Luang Phor Thong, he was already very old, in his late 80s. When I heard about him, I immediately wanted to go and pay my respects to him. - http://bit.ly/LuangPhorThong
5 years ago
It's very nice to see volunteers helping maintain holy sites in Kechara Forest Retreat, it's very good for them. Cleaning Buddha statues is a very powerful and effective way of purifying body karma.
5 years ago
Kechara Forest Retreat is preparing for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations. This is our holy Vajra Yogini stupa which is now surrounded by beautiful lanterns organised by our students.
5 years ago
One of the most recent harvests from our Kechara Forest Retreat land. It was grown free of chemicals and pesticides, wonderful!
5 years ago
Third picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Height: 33ft (10m)
5 years ago
Second picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Height: 33ft (10m)
5 years ago
First picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Height: 33ft (10m)
5 years ago
The first title published by Kechara Comics is Karuna Finds A Way. It tells the tale of high-school sweethearts Karuna and Adam who had what some would call the dream life. Everything was going great for them until one day when reality came knocking on their door. Caught in a surprise swindle, this loving family who never harmed anyone found themselves out of luck and down on their fortune. Determined to save her family, Karuna goes all out to find a solution. See what she does- https://bit.ly/2LSKuWo
5 years ago
Very powerful story! Tibetan Resistance group Chushi Gangdruk reveals how Dalai Lama escaped in 1959- https://bit.ly/2S9VMGX
5 years ago
At Kechara Forest Retreat land we have nice fresh spinach growing free of chemicals and pesticides. Yes!
Fresh eggplants grown on Kechara Forest Retreat's land here in Malaysia
5 years ago
Most Venerable Uppalavanna – The Chief Female Disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni - She exhibited many supernatural abilities gained from meditation and proved to the world females and males are equal in spirituality- https://bit.ly/31d9Rat
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha.
5 years ago
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha. She was his step-mother and aunt. Buddha's mother had passed away at his birth so he was raised by Gotami.
5 years ago
Another nun disciple of Lord Buddha's. She had achieved great spiritual abilities and high attainments. She would be a proper object of refuge. This image of the eminent bhikkhuni (nun) disciple of the Buddha, Uppalavanna Theri.
5 years ago
Wandering Ascetic Painting by Nirdesha Munasinghe
5 years ago
High Sri Lankan monks visit Kechara to bless our land, temple, Buddha and Dorje Shugden images. They were very kind-see pictures- https://bit.ly/2HQie2M
5 years ago
This is pretty amazing!
First Sri Lankan Buddhist temple opened in Dubai!!!
5 years ago
My Dharma boy (left) and Oser girl loves to laze around on the veranda in the mornings. They enjoy all the trees, grass and relaxing under the hot sun. Sunbathing is a favorite daily activity. I care about these two doggies of mine very much and I enjoy seeing them happy. They are with me always. Tsem Rinpoche
Always be kind to animals and eat vegetarian- https://bit.ly/2Psp8h2
5 years ago
After you left me Mumu, I was alone. I have no family or kin. You were my family. I can't stop thinking of you and I can't forget you. My bond and connection with you is so strong. I wish you were by my side. Tsem Rinpoche
5 years ago
This story is a life-changer. Learn about the incredible Forest Man of India | 印度“森林之子”- https://bit.ly/2Eh4vRS
5 years ago
Part 2-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
5 years ago
Part 1-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
5 years ago
The great Protector Manjushri Dorje Shugden depicted in the beautiful Mongolian style. To download a high resolution file: https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz
5 years ago
The Mystical land of Shambhala is finally ready for everyone to feast their eyes and be blessed. A beautiful post with information, art work, history, spirituality and a beautiful book composed by His Holiness the 6th Panchen Rinpoche. ~ https://bit.ly/309MHBi
DON'T MISS THIS!~How brave Bonnie survived by living with a herd of deer~ https://bit.ly/2Lre2eY
5 years ago
Global Superpower China Will Cut Meat Consumption by 50%! Very interesting, find out more- https://bit.ly/2V1sJFh
5 years ago
You can download this beautiful Egyptian style Dorje Shugden Free- https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz
5 years ago
Beautiful high file for print of Lord Manjushri. May you be blessed- https://bit.ly/2V8mwZe
5 years ago
Mongolian (Oymiakon) Shaman in Siberia, Russia. That is his real outfit he wears. Very unique. TR
5 years ago
Find one of the most beautiful temples in the world in Nara, Japan. It is the 1,267 year old Todai-ji temple that houses a 15 meter Buddha Vairocana statue who is a cosmic and timeless Buddha. Emperor Shomu who sponsored this beautiful temple eventually abdicated and ordained as a Buddhist monk. Very interesting history and story. One of the places everyone should visit- https://bit.ly/2VgsHhK
5 years ago
Manjusri Kumara (bodhisattva of wisdom), India, Pala dynesty, 9th century, stone, Honolulu Academy of Arts
Click on "View All Photos" above to view more images
Videos On The Go
Please click on the images to watch video
5 years ago
Pig puts his toys away
Animals are so intelligent. They can feel happiness, joy, pain, sorrow, just like humans. Always show kindness to them. Always show kindness to everyone.
5 years ago
Always be kind to animals-They deserve to live just like us.
Whales and dolphins playing with each other in the Pacific sea. Nature is truly incredible!
5 years ago
Bodha stupa July 2019-
Rainy period
5 years ago
Cute Tara girl having a snack. She is one of Kechara Forest Retreat’s resident doggies.
5 years ago
Your Next Meal!
Yummy? Tasty? Behind the scenes of the meat on your plates. Meat is a killing industry.
5 years ago
This is Daw
This is what they do to get meat on tables, and to produce belts and jackets. Think twice before your next purchase.
5 years ago
Don’t Take My Mummy Away!
Look at the poor baby chasing after the mother. Why do we do that to them? It's time to seriously think about our choices in life and how they affect others. Be kind. Don't break up families.
5 years ago
They do this every day!
This is how they are being treated every day of their lives. Please do something to stop the brutality. Listen to their cries for help!
5 years ago
What happened at Fair Oaks Farm?
The largest undercover dairy investigation of all time. See what they found out at Fair Oaks Farm.
5 years ago
She’s going to spend her whole life here without being able to move correctly. Like a machine. They are the slaves of the people and are viewed as a product. It’s immoral. Billions of terrestrial animals die annually. Billions. You can’t even imagine it. And all that because people don’t want to give up meat, even though there are so many alternatives. ~ Gabriel Azimov
5 years ago
Our Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir speaks so well, logically and regarding our country’s collaboration with China for growth. It is refreshing to listen to Dr. Mahathir’s thoughts. He said our country can look to China for many more things such as technology and so on. Tsem Rinpoche
5 years ago
This is the first time His Holiness Dalai Lama mentions he had some very serious illness. Very worrying. This video is captured April 2019.
5 years ago
Beautiful Monastery in Hong Kong
5 years ago
This dog thanks his hero in such a touching way. Tsem Rinpoche
These people going on pilgrimage to a holy mountain and prostrating out of devotion and for pilgrimage in Tibet. Such determination for spiritual practice. Tsem Rinpoche
5 years ago
Beautiful new casing in Kechara for Vajra Yogini. Tsem Rinpoche
5 years ago
Get ready to laugh real hard. This is Kechara’s version of “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane!” We have some real talents in this video clip.
5 years ago
Recitation of Dorje Dermo‘s mantra or the Dharani of Glorious Vajra Claws. This powerful mantra is meant to destroy all obstacles that come in our way. Beneficial to play this mantra in our environments.
5 years ago
Beautiful
Beautiful sacred Severed Head Vajra Yogini from Tsem Rinpoche's personal shrine.
5 years ago
My little monster cute babies Dharma and Oser. Take a look and get a cute attack for the day! Tsem Rinpoche
5 years ago
Plse watch this short video and see how all sentient beings are capable of tenderness and love. We should never hurt animals nor should we eat them. Tsem Rinpoche
5 years ago
Cruelty of some people have no limits and it’s heartbreaking. Being kind cost nothing. Tsem Rinpoche
6 years ago
SUPER ADORABLE and must see
Tsem Rinpoche's dog Oser girl enjoying her snack in her play pen.
We were told by Uncle Wong he is very faithful toward Dorje Shugden. Dorje Shugden has extended help to him on several occasions and now Uncle Wong comes daily to make incense offerings to Dorje Shugden. He is grateful towards the help he was given.
6 years ago
Tsem Rinpoche’s Schnauzer Dharma boy fights Robot sphere from Arkonide!
6 years ago
Cute baby owl found and rescued
We rescued a lost baby owl in Kechara Forest Retreat.
6 years ago
Nice cups from Kechara!!
Dorje Shugden people's lives matter!
6 years ago
Enjoy a peaceful morning at Kechara Forest Retreat
Chirping birds and other forest animals create a joyful melody at the Vajrayogini stupa in Kechara Forest Retreat (Bentong, Malaysia).
7 years ago
This topic is so hot in many circles right now.
This video is thought-provoking and very interesting. Watch! Thanks so much to our friends at LIVEKINDLY.
7 years ago
Chiropractic CHANGES LIFE for teenager with acute PAIN & DEAD LEG.
7 years ago
BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN NEW YORK STATE-AMAZING.
7 years ago
Leonardo DiCaprio takes on the meat Industry with real action.
7 years ago
Do psychic mediums have messages from beyond?
7 years ago
Lovely gift for my 52nd Birthday. Tsem Rinpoche
7 years ago
This 59-year-old chimpanzee was refusing food and ready to die until...
she received “one last visit from an old friend” 💔💔
7 years ago
Bigfoot sighted again and made it to the news.
7 years ago
Casper is such a cute and adorable. I like him.
7 years ago
Dorje Shugden Monastery Amarbayasgalant Mongolia's Ancient Hidden Gem
7 years ago
Don't you love Hamburgers? See how 'delicious' it is here!
7 years ago
Such a beautiful and powerful message from a person who knows the meaning of life. Tsem Rinpoche
7 years ago
What the meat industry figured out is that you don't need healthy animals to make a profit.
Sick animals are more profitable... farms calculate how close to death they can keep animals without killing them.
That's the business model.
How quickly they can be made to grow, how tightly they can be packed, how much or how little can they eat, how sick they can get without dying...
We live in a world in which it's conventional to treat an animal like a block of wood.
~ Jonathan Safran Foer
7 years ago
This video went viral and it's a must watch!!
7 years ago
SEE HOW THIS ANIMAL SERIAL KILLER HAS NO ISSUE BLUDGEONING THIS DEFENSELESS BEING.
This happens daily in slaughterhouse so you can get your pork and Bak ku teh. Stop eating meat.
ASK A PASTOR
A section for you to clarify your Dharma questions with Kechara’s esteemed pastors.
Just post your name and your question below and one of our pastors will provide you with an answer.
Scroll down and click on "View All Questions" to view archived questions.
Lee Sun asked:Hello Pastors:
What's different between Sang and Sur Offering?
Can I do Sur offering same as Sang Offering?
I hear that we should do Sur Offering in the afternoon or night, isn't it?
Or can we do sur offering anytime possible?
Thank you so much.pastor answered:Dear Lee Sun,
Yes, there is a difference between Sang and Sur.
Sang is offered to the Dharma Protectors and sometimes the Yidams (meditational deities). Most Sang prayers can be recited without initiation, etc. For example, the smoke offering to Dorje Shugden, available here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/incense-offering-to-dorje-shugden.html Anyone can engage in this Sang offering.
The Sur offering, or more correctly the Tsa Sur offering is a smoke offering to the Three Jewels as well as those who have recently passed on and are in the bardo states. Such bardo beings are at the mercy of their karma, so the smoke offering is said to nourish them and alleviate some of their karma so they can take a good rebirth and not suffer as much. It’s a common practice among Tibetan Buddhists that this practice is performed during the 49 day period of a person’s passing to aid them on their journey to their next rebirth.
The offering is made by burning various types of herb incense, tsampa (roasted barley flour), butter, and other ingredients. Other types of commonly available herb incense such as sandalwood, white sage, etc., can also be added to the mix before it is burned.
The ability to make such an offering does not actually come from the smoke itself, but the practitioners ability to generate themselves as Chenresig or another type of tantric deity, usually belonging to the Kriya Tantra classification. As such in our tradition, this offering can only be performed by those with the appropriate initiation and practice conferred by a fully qualified tantric guru. Though there are many texts available nowadays elsewhere online, the method to actually make the offering should be taught directly from your guru, otherwise the offering won’t actually be effective.
For that reason, we don't provide the Tsa Sur text publiclly here on this site or share information about the practice, as it is only taught by a guru once you have received the appropriate initiation. Hope this helps.
Rojal Poudel asked:Can my altar have many Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and deities?pastor answered:Dear Rojal,
Thanks for your question. Nice to see you back here. Yes, you can have as many Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Dharma Protectors as you wish. Some people like to keep many images, other people like to keep their altars more simple. It's entirely up to you. Traditionally speaking the Lamas and Buddhas would go in the centre, the Bodhisattvas and yidams on the left side, and Dharma protectors on the right side. But the arrangement is up to you.
On the left side, you should have a Dharma text to represent the speech of the Buddha and on the right side, you should have a stupa, to represent the mind of the Buddha. That way you have the complete set of Body (image), Speech (Dharma text) and Mind (Stupa) of the Buddha. Then it is considered to be a complete altar. I hope this helps. Thanks.
kevin asked:Hi pastor I would like to ask something about mantra rolls the ones in yellow papers. If I open it to see the mantras inside, will it lose its power or integrity as a sacred object? Thank you very much.pastor answered:Dear Kevin,
Thanks for your question. No, the mantra roll will not lose it's power or integrity if you open then. However, they are some points to remember:
> Mantras are rolled tightly like that so there more copies of the mantras for insertion purposes. And they are rolls because they are easier to insert. Mantras are also the form of the Buddhas in sound (even when written), hence Dharma texts and mantras are respected. So it you do open the roll for whatever reason, you should be careful to wrap them back tightly again.
> The second point is the yellow covering (which is usually made out of cloth), is an offering to the Buddhas. Just like adorning Buddha statues with robes and clothing is an offering. Hence, the covering should also be put back correctly and nicely on to the mantra roll.
I hope this helps. Thank you.
July 10, 2024 04:24
Anonymous asked:I wish to not practice Shugden anymore and practice another protector, I haven't undergone initiations, commitments, etc. I've only been merely reciting daily prayers. Originally, I was deeply drawn to Palden Lhamo, now fast-forward to today, I feel affinity to Palden Lhamo again. Is it okay to just switch protectors overnight? Also I like to ask, can I take vows in front of an image, I can't attend any physical classes/ceremonies, etc. Thank you very muchpastor answered:Dear Anonymous,
If you wish to practice Palden Lhamo and not Dorje Shugden, that is fine. Both are enlightened Dharma Protectors, so there will not be any unfortunately circumstances. And yes, you can switch.
However, and this is the main point, once you have chosen which Protector to practice, you have to be consistent. If you are not consistent and perhaps keep switching between the two, you will not experience the most benefits from either practice. The purpose of Dharma Protector practice is to get benefits in both worldly and spiritual life to help us, however we must be consistent and commited to our practice to get the real benefits. If you would like to practice Palden Lhamo instead, that is wonderful. But it would be best to stick to Palden Lhamo's practice from now on and do it consistently.
You can take refuge in front of your altar (which would include an image), that is very much done when you can't attend the ceremonies at Dharma centres, etc. Here is Kechara, we have a service in which we take you through the Refuge ceremony only if you cannot attend our events physically. During the ceremony, you would be in front of your altar at home. You can email Care@Kechara.com if you are interested.
Other vows are different. For example the 8 Precepts need to be received in person or online for the 1st time. Then after that you can take the 8 Precepts whenever you want in front of your altar or image, as you already have the vows. Other vows, such as the layman vows, monastic ordination, Bodhisattva vows, etc, need to be received in person from someone holding those vows.
I hope this helps.
Dear blog friends, you can submit your photos to this section by sending an email to tblogpics@gmail.com. Include your message in the "Subject" field (up to 250 characters only). Be sure to include your name in the subject field too!
5 days ago
Thank you Pastor Seng Piow for the dharma sharing and leading today's puja 3rd August 2024. Pic by Siew Hong and uploaded by Jacinta.
5 days ago
Puja sponsorships packages of RM100, RM 50 and RM30. Really appreciate the continuous support for our Penang DS Chapel. 28/7/2024 By Jacinta
5 days ago
Completed weekly puja at Penang DS Chapel. 27th July 2024 by Jacinta.
5 days ago
For those Penang members who were back in Penang, instead of having a weekend off, they chose to go to Penang DS centre and did a DS puja for the benefits of all beings. 20th July 2024, Saturday. By Jacinta
5 days ago
So proud of Penang Kecharians for attending initiations given by Venerable Chojila at Kechara Forest Retreat, Bentong on 20th - 21st July 2024. Against all odds, many of us made it there. (Not in the pic Mr. Teo and Sunny) By Jacinta.
5 days ago
Wishing all sponsors' wishes be fulfilled and thanks for supporting our Kechara Penang Puja packages on 13/7/2024. By Jacinta
5 days ago
#throwback 13th July 2024, Kechara Penang Study Group completed DS puja. We have special guest that day, Paul, a long time senior Kecharian with his friends. By Jacinta
1 month ago
Beautiful offerings arranged by Choong. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
1 month ago
7/7/2024 Kechara Penang weekly puja completed. Kechara Penang Study Girup by Jacinta.
1 month ago
This week's puja offerings sponsored by a few people and we hope their wishes be fulfilled. Pic taken by Choong and uploaded by Jacinta.
1 month ago
29th June 2024. Kechara Penang Study Group completed weekly Dorje Shugden cum Manjushri Namasangiti. Pic taken by Choong and uploaded by Jacinta
2 months ago
Need a dose of spiritual nourishment or perhaps any spiritual protection? Do take up our Kechara Penang food/candles offering packages. Do not hesitate to contact our member Choong for more info. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
2 months ago
Different food offerings offered on Penang Kechara Chapel's altar behalf of the sponsors. May sponsors' wishes be fulfilled. Great effort from Choong Soon Heng, one of our Kechara Penang dedicated members who thought of this way for people to generate merits while clearing obstacles. Uploaded by Jacinta.
2 months ago
These are some of the offerings offered on behalf of our sponsors. We have different offerings packages which one can choose from or just simply sponsor our weekly puja in dedication to our loved ones. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
3 months ago
We hope you enjoyed our pictures, as much as we enjoyed our Wesak Day together in Penang. Let us carry the energy and enthusiasm we experienced so far and inspires many more. Happy Wesak Day! 22/5/2024 KPSG by Jacinta
3 months ago
Puja offering packages. Thanks to those who sponsored the puja. May all your wishes be fulfilled. KPSG by Jacinta
3 months ago
Colourful altar with plenty of offerings. We had DS puja with Praise to Buddha Shakyamuni as we celebrate this special day of Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana. KPSG by Jacinta
3 months ago
Some of the activities done during the Wesak Day Celebration in Penang. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
3 months ago
Wesak Day Celebration in Penang!Buddha's Bathing Ritual. 22/5/2024 Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
3 months ago
11/5/2024 Saturday @3pm. After puja, all members helped out clearing the offerings and we shared out the blessed food offerings with our families, friends and even animals. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
3 months ago
11/5/2024 Saturday @3pm. Activities during puja. Members chanting Dorje Shugden mantras. We've completed Dorje Shugden puja cum Namasangiti. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
3 months ago
11/5/2024, Saturday @3pm. Activities : Offerings of khata to Rinpoche, garland of flowers to Dorje Shugden and a new Tibetan butterlamp being offered on the altar. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
3 months ago
Today we have an inaugural cancer free diet talk and info sharing by Mr. Ooi. Mr. Ooi is a Penangite and like any other man, he has a family to provide for. From colon cancer stage 4,he is now known as a cancer-free man. Learn more about his story and his acquaintance with Dorje Shugden here https://youtu.be/x7i-yXJBUwM?si=A-5O0udxjg52iS58
3 months ago
Kind-hearted sponsors sponsored these kuih-muih & flowers for today's puja @ 4th May, 2024. Should you wish to contribute these or sponsor our weekly puja, do contact us for more details. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
4 months ago
Pastor Seng Piow guides us on the flow of Dorje Shugden puja, its benefits, significant of Chanting the names of Manjushri and also explaining the dedication for the sponsors and to those in need before we start the puja as we have 2 newcomers today.
4 months ago
Two Pastors in da house! Double the merits, double the happiness. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
4 months ago
Mr. Cheah Fook Wan offered lights and incense to The Three Jewels prior to the puja in Ipoh. (KISG - Kin Hoe)
4 months ago
Kechara Ipoh Study Group has carried out Mother Tara prayer recitations on Sunday afternoon in Ipoh. (KISG- Kin Hoe)
4 months ago
Powerful Dorje Shugden puja @ Jalan Seang Tek, Penang. Every Saturday, 3 pm. Remove obstacles and grant blessings to fulfil wishes. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta. 6th April 2024
5 months ago
Rejoice to the volunteers (also kind sponsors) who cleaned the Gyenze Chapel and made abundant offerings to Gyenze. ~ Alice
5 months ago
Offered beautiful flowers abundantly to Gyenze. ~ Alice
5 months ago
Offered beautiful flowers abundantly to Gyenze. ~ Alice
5 months ago
Our weekly Dorje Shugden Puja @ 23/3/2024 . William, as the umze is seen here burning incense powder as we are about to recite the Sangsol Prayer to Dorje Shugden composed by Ganden Serkong. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
5 months ago
And here's Mr Wong of KSK Ipoh who dropped by to pray and offered some donation to the Chapel. Kechara Penang Study Group. Pic by Siew Hong & uploaded by Jacinta.
5 months ago
Today's puja (16/3/2024) ended around 420pm, Jacinta was the umze of the day. Pic by Siew Hong. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
5 months ago
Group photo taken after the last session, sealed with King of Prayers. Come and join us next time! Sayonara - 9-10th March 2024 - Kechara Penang DS Retreat by Jacinta.
5 months ago
Abundance altar! Fruits, flowers, Mee Koo (traditional Penang buns), Bee Hoon, sourdoughs and snacks are some of the offerings to Rinpoche, Buddhas & Bodhisattvas. Kechara Penang Dorje Shugden Retreat 9-10th March, 2024 by Jacinta.
5 months ago
Siew Hong, one of retreatants and an active member of Kechara Penang group proudly presented her torma to be used during the Kalarupa puja. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
5 months ago
Torma making was taught by Pastor Seng Piow and held one day before the retreat. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
5 months ago
Penang Dorje Shugden Retreat cum Puja, 9-10th March 2024 led by Pastor Seng Piow with 12 retreatants. Uploaded by Jacinta
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Great message …. Rinpoche thanks for this sharing. May more people going on vegetarian to stop the sufferings of animals who has no voice of their voice, and cannot speak for themselves. Not to mention millions of animals are been slaughtered every day, ended on dinner’s tables. There’s no doubt that vegetarian diets are good for our health. Research shows that people on balanced plant-based diet are consistently slimmer and healthier than meat eaters. They also have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancers and diabetes. Vegetarians happen have a healthier BMI, controlled blood pressure and low cholesterol levels as well.
Thank you Rinpoche for this great message. It has opened up our eyes and we have to go on vegetarian for a healthy life . For most not to ignore the sufferings of animals .
Your Next Meal!
Yummy? Tasty? Behind the scenes of the meat on your plates. Meat is a killing industry.
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559986650.mp4
This is Daw
This is what they do to get meat on tables, and to produce belts and jackets. Think twice before your next purchase.
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559986627.mp4
Don’t Take My Mummy Away!
Look at the poor baby chasing after the mother. Why do we do that to them? It’s time to seriously think about our choices in life and how they affect others. Be kind. Don’t break up families.
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559986609.mp4
They do this every day!
This is how they are being treated every day of their lives. Please do something to stop the brutality. Listen to their cries for help!
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559986591.mp4
What happened at Fair Oaks Farm?
The largest undercover dairy investigation of all time. See what they found out at Fair Oaks Farm.
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1559988165.mp4
It is our human ability to envision and to empathise with the joy and suffering of others. When we witness suffering, especially animals who has no voice of their voice, we have the ability to put ourselves in their shoes, empathise their suffering and visualise their experience. From that, develop a genuine sense of compassion. If we do not do something about it, the suffering continues. It is this act that makes us a better person. Thank you Rinpoche for this potent teaching.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing this video about stop eating meat and vegetarianism. It showed me a entirely different perspective to look at no meat diet and I am stunned by it.
Many people that I know of, enjoyed eating meat. However, when they came across videos of butchery or how animals are being slaughtered, they are unwilling to watch it through. Some of them do not want to be remind of what happens before the meat end up on their table. They just want to enjoy the meat guilt free.
Going Vegetarianism is not an act of being a hipster. It is an act of compassion and empathy. Going Vegetarianism is to show that we do care for the animals.
Humbly,
Chris
Well said. If only all the world could get messages like this daily instead of the intense and massive advertising from the money making food industry.
Millions of animals are getting slaughtered every day just for the sake of ourself. A lot of times on the highway I see trucks carrying chickens , ducks and sometimes cows.
I really can’t believe how cruel people are getting nowadays.
More and more animals are getting killed every day as the population increases.
Soon enough there would be no more animals left in this world.
I really urge people to become vegans because it would make healthier than those people who eat a lot meat.
Meat can cause a series of health problems.
Also vegetables have more nutrients than meat , so you would be wasting money buying meat and ending up getting sick.
Lets not kill animals for nothing and just eat things that does not kill innocent animals.
Hopefully in future everyone would be a vegetarian.
Kechara Penang Study Group has completed a blog retreat on this article today. All were very moved by the strong message given by Rinpoche on the sufferings of the these animals, being slaughtered to satisfy our unnecessary taste buds. We even shared a story of a cow that tried to seek protection from a nearby family as this cow was too terrified to face its own death. This story was published in the newspaper before. Besides that, we also described some of the pains that these animals have to go through in the process of being slaughtered i.e. the teary eyes, horrible sounds, being tied up, the tools and methods used to kill them and etc. Although we were not supposed to blame others but we did acknowledge that this was partly due to our culture and the way we were being brought up. For this reason, the members are trying to cut down the consumption of meats. One of the member is in the process of going meatless for at least twice a week while another is trying to go vegan for nine days and thereafter will reduce accordingly. He is keen on becoming a vegan in the near future. Once again, we thank Rinpoche for this message. It has opened up our eyes and we have concluded that we cannot simply continue to ignore the sufferings of these animals. By taking up this responsibility, hopefully it will influence more and more to vegan.
Attendees: Sharyn, Soon Huat, Leonard Ooi, Kai Lynn, Calvin Thum and Jacinta Goh.
OM MANI PEME HUNG
endless times for the suffering animals, the poissened waters, the contaminated airs, the poissened soils and all suffering beeings in all realms, dimensions and universes.
Leo Tolstoi wrote:
As long there´re slaughterhouses,
will be battels between humans.
Since Fukushima I´m again Vegeterian,
since a few month Vegan.
In Theresienstadt where killed 1 milion Jews by the Nazi system,
world wide many bilions of animals are killed every year.
STOP THE WORLD WIDE FASCISM AGAINST ANIMALS!
This perspective is a very strong, powerful, gory and truthful. Thank you Rinpoche for consistently sharing about animal abuse.
Most of us do not think of it this way, basically do not ever think about it because we know if we do, it will bring us so much disgust in ourselves, the guilt will stop us from stuffing our face with that pork chops. We basically refuse to think of it because we simply wish to continue pretending it is okay to indulge in another being’s flesh and not feel guilty of the crime. Cos if we really think about it, what makes us any different from those who murder people? They also take away someone’s life, just like we do when we devour the meat on our plate, someone had to die for us to eat it. So how come we are entitled to take an animal’s life and not face any consequences for it?
It would be a huge mistake to think there is no consequences for this… our health is one huge consequence of this as study has shown that eating all these dead animals, have so many repercussions to our health, diabetic, high blood, heart attack, cancer because of the amount of toxic it releases when they are being executed. Even the British MP is encouraging people to eat less meat https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/british-mps-says-eat-less-meat.html
I guess if we don’t really care about those being killed for us to eat, would we at least care about our very own health? For those that do not care about both, they will get their own results and hopefully it is not too late/ugly.
We only have to open our eyes to a very few common practices to see that animals suffer terribly. Actually all farm animals in U.S., roughly ten billion of them, raise annually to be killed for food. They live in facilities that anyone would call factories rather than farms. The suffering of these animals is considered no more important than their tools and materials in any factory. Virtually, all pigs, chickens(for eggs and meat) live in metal cages, with hardly enough rooms to move around, let alone fulfill their natural behaviours. A large and ever-increasingportion of the Dairy cows suffer similarly. But the animal factory owners like to tell the public that they care for their animals, that they have to because those animals are their livelihood. But what they care about is whether the animals grow rather than die. The suffering is not part of the consideration! Why should we care about the animals? Animals are actually intelligent living beings, and they can feel, think and suffer too! They are like us humans and many can act in ways that communicate or suggest their feelings. In today’s modern and enlightened society, we should come to recognize that basic similarities of human and animal beings are not that great in difference and, therefore, we should broaden our circle of compassion. As such, it’s time to eliminate the impact of suffering of animals in ending upon our human’s dinner plate too, by us taking a joyful step to adopt ” a Vegetarian Lifestyle”. One can even reduce one’s killing of animals and strenghten one’s compassion towards the pain and suffering of all animal beings. Om mani padme hung.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing, I don’t want to be a murderer. I am cutting down eating meat because I feel bad that I have had hurt so many animals.
Every time when I recite the Confession Clause in Tsongkhapa Gaden Lhagyama, I feel bad and regret about this. I know if I truly regret from the depths of my heart, I should stop eating meat. I am trying and I hope I will give up eating meat and become a vegetarian in future.
Before taking vegetarian vow, I used to hide my identity of being a (part time) vegetarian just because I was afraid people would laugh at me and I didn’t want to cause inconvenience for people around me while ordering food. So sometimes I forced myself to eat meat just to look good and thought it would be better to be a “flexitarian”, so I don’t need to explain too much to my friends and also to feed my cravings for meat.
It was until I watched “Earthlings” and kept on reading Rinpoche’s teachings on vegetarianism, I learnt how animals suffered just to get on my plate and fulfill my desire on my taste buds. The fear, uncertainty, mourn…when they knew they will be slaughtered for unreasonable reasons..I felt so ashamed for it. I do believe in karma. I knew the pain that caused by me directly and indirectly are all gonna come back to me… So, few months back, I decided to be a vegetarian, officially, by taking vow, and I’m proud to announce this to everyone I met on the dining table. “Yes, vegetarian, please.”
Thank you Rinpoche for giving us a good explanation that all the animals are being killed through tremendous pain, fear and suffering before they are made as food for people to eat. I would like to share some of my little story that I saw with my own eyes. There was one night with little rains fall and the wind was cool. I was driving back home after my work. There was a big lorry in front of my car, carrying many live chickens and these chicken are shivering inside the small plastic cages without much space for them to stand or move. As they were being transported for slaughter in front of my car, my heart was really saddened and feeling really despair as I was not able to free them and not able to save them from being killed. I kept on chanting Medicine Buddha mantra and dedicated to the chicken along the same road until I reached to another cross road. It was a sad experience for me that keep on reminding me that we should not make the animals to suffer for us. Animals are being controlled, abused and tortured until their last breath before they are brutally killed without pain killers. May all the animals be freed from suffering and pain, and live freely with happiness and protection.
Thank you Rinpoche for this powerful teaching about the importance of generating genuine compassion.
We can only generate true compassion by first putting ourselves in the place of animals who have been slaughtered or are being slaughtered to be served up as the piece of meat on the dining table.We must be able to feel their pain and their anguish every step of the way until their death. Likewise, with the other six realms,especially the other lower realms of suffering.
Also only through frequent contemplations and meditations can we generate sustained and genuine feelings of compassion.
The highest potential of the mind is brought to bear in generating empathy and eventually bodhicitta.
The most important of all is for us to develop the realization that the piece of succulent meat, dressed up with all the sauce, gravy and garnish, came from a life that had been murdered and slaughtered in the most brutal and callous manner. How can we then say that living our lives by looking forward to such a meal, no matter how fine and stylish the dining set up and ambience, is positive and meaningful living?
Dear Rinpoche,
This morning, in the Lamrim class, the topic was on the suffering of the lower realms. We went through some of the sufferings of beings in the hot hells. The suffering is intolerable. Rinpoche’s message reminds us that we must develop compassion for the animals. Out of compassion, we must do something about it, not only for the animals but also for those who, out of ignorance, are committing negative karma. We need to create awareness of the suffering of animals.
Dear Rinpoche, Thank you for such a powerhouse video to share with others. The part about ‘which utensil to use” was very liken to the type of attention one takes when creating a detailed alter. I thought this is so fitting for a society which considers very little sacred. It draws attention to how we are still offering animal sacrifice. Carion eaters . Carion Alters. I love and respect the Earth and Nature and all her family so much that i can’t watch too much torture or else my mind becomes very disturbed. But I do think that if one is eating meat then one should watch these beings slaughtered before eating and see if it doesn’t eventually or immediately result in a change of heart.
Sincerely and with deep respect for your extensive deeds to rescue all beings, Om Ah Hum,
Oya
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing,I do agree with what Rinpoche is trying to translate here.Few years back then, I was a chef.I used to prepare poultry meals, which involved a lot of slaughtering done by myself but after a deep understanding towards Buddha’s teachings,I decided to let go of stuff I used to do.Althought, I’m still a chef but no longer serving poultry dishes instead plainly Vegetarian dishes.Dear Rinpoche, in replying your past message, I’m currently doing well with my business up growing.Thank for your concern,and I will try my best to prepare variety of selections for people to choose from.There’s actually few of my customers who thank me as they find it hard to find a decent vegetarian meal around residence.Its comforting to know they are people out there who appreciates.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for the powerful message on this video. I have watched and commented in another related article on Battery Cage System under the blog title “Win A Manjushri” https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/animals-vegetarianism/win-a-manjushri-statue.html
Thank you.