(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline)   A Brief Introduction to China The People’s Republic of China has a long and varied history with its beginnings in an ancient civilisation dating back to 4,000 BCE, when large settlements could be found along the banks of the Yellow River. The country is located on the...

Read more »

23

(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline) Dear friends around the world, I am honoured to have been given the privilege of presenting my research on Nechung with all of you, here on His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche’s blog. Nechung has been a Tibetan Buddhist Dharma protector for the past 1,300 years, keeping his...

Read more »

94

Bodhgaya is the centre of many sacred sites. Chief among these is the Mahabodhi Temple Complex where Prince Siddhartha became enlightened and where Buddhism began more than two millennia ago.

Read more »

4

(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline Woon)   Introduction Geshe Lobsang Tayang (1867-1937 CE), also known as Jetsun Lobsang Tayang or Jetsun Lobsang Tamdin, was born in 1867 in an area within the Gobi desert, an arid region between northern China and southern Mongolia. Known for his vast knowledge of Buddhism, Geshe Lobsang Tayang...

Read more »

26

(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline Woon) It’s intolerable to see The continual endless suffering Of all living beings ; And it’s unbearable to witness The Sage’s teaching in decline . – – – Outside the long pavilion walkway, Along both sides of an old path, There grow the most fragrant wild grasses Whose...

Read more »

2

  Introduction Since the time of the historical Buddha, the Sangha (ordained monastic community) have been sharing the Buddha’s teachings with many people from all walks of life. Over time, the Sangha travelled to many villages and cities, expanding their reach to different states in India, following various trade routes as recounted in many old Buddhist stories....

Read more »

4

The “green” school is a non-profit, private and international school with a future-orientated concept, built sustainably from bamboo. Sustainability, conservation, education, community support and promoting the children’s individual talents...

Read more »

13

Su Shi was a prominent figure in the Song Dynasty as well as a poet, calligrapher, writer, painter, gastronome, pharmacologist, and a statesman...

Read more »

14

Satya Narayan Goenka was a leading Burmese-Indian lay teacher of Vipassana meditation. He was a student of the late Sayagyi U Ba Khin of Burma, an eminent 20th Century authority on Vipassana meditation...

Read more »

12

An Shigao (安世高), a Parthian monk also known as Parthamasiris, was the first translator of Buddhist texts into Chinese and an early Buddhist missionary to China...

Read more »

7

(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline) Formerly known as David Hewavitharne, Anagarika Dharmapala (Sinhalese: අනගාරික ධර්මපාල) of Sri Lanka was one of the most revered Buddhist revivalists and writers of the 20th Century. He was well known as a significant reformer of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as well as one of the founding fathers...

Read more »

6

(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline)   Introduction When the word ‘Japan’ comes to mind, people will usually think about Hokkaido, Tokyo, or Osaka, as these prefectures are the most popular tourist destinations. Another prefecture that should not be left out on any trip to Japan, one that is distinct from mainland Japan with...

Read more »

9

Sophia: Suffragette Princess   Introduction Princess Sophia Alexandra Duleep Singh was born on August 8, 1876 to Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, and Maharani Bamba Müller, the daughter of a German father and Abyssinian mother who had grown up in Cairo and spoke only Arabic at first. Her parents...

Read more »

7

(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline) Shikoku (四国, which literally means “four countries”) is the smallest among Japan’s four main islands as well as the least populous one with over 4 million people. It is located at the southwest of Honshu Island and is east of Kyushu Island. Just as its name implies, Shikoku is divided into four prefectures that refers to the former four provinces that made up this island, namely Awa, Tosa, Sanuki, and Iyo. These four provinces are replaced by today’s four prefectures of Tokushima, Ko...

Read more »

8

(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline) Kyoto and Nara were once two of ancient Japan’s capital cities that flourished as the county’s cultural and political centres. Japan’s capital city was relocated to Tokyo in the 18th century, and has remained so until today. The two prefectures of Kyoto and Nara are parts of the...

Read more »

9

(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline)   Introduction Kucha, or Kuchar, was one of the earliest and most prominent centres in the Tarim Basin along the northern branch of the ancient Silk Road. The ancient Silk Road was an important trade route where commerce was carried out and cultural exchange took place. It was...

Read more »

10

  Introduction The Buddhist scriptures from China are great treasures of knowledge, and came about due to the kindness of the Buddhist masters who risked their lives to travel to China in order to spread the Dharma. The hardships that they endured throughout their journeys didn’t stop them from sharing the Buddha’s precious teachings...

Read more »

11

(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline Woon) Myanmar, previously known as Burma, is a new and developing tourist destination in Southeast Asia, known for its rich culture and natural attractions. It is an exotic and fascinating destination in Asia that offers numerous archaeological sites, pagodas and temples, rivers and natural lakes, sites of natural...

Read more »

11

(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...

Read more »

7

(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...

Read more »

13