Flew in From USA for Refuge
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you very much for your compassion and understanding. I cannot express how much it means to take refuge with you. I embark on this spiritual journey with joy and not a little trepidation. With your kind guidance, I know that if I persevere and practice with the right motivation, devotion and absolute faith, I will one day be enlightened. Through any trials and tribulations, may I always be mindful that I take this path for the benefit of all sentient beings.
As I sat listening to you teach during the Refuge Ceremony on April 23, I was overcome by a multitude of emotions. What you said that evening (and incidentally every time I read your books or watch your teachings on-line or YouTube), you touch a chord in my heart. I have found little joy in the pursuit of the “perfect” life! Thank you for your heart advice. My first practice is to let go of all the regrets, unhappiness and emptiness of my life. May I let go of my “miserliness” and learn to be generous of heart and compassion.
I have learnt so much from you and continue to find answers to questions and new insights surface every time I go on-line to read your blog or visit your website and listen to your teachings on YouTube. While nothing can compare to being present at your dharma talks, it is still wonderful that spiritual guidance from you is just a click of the mouse away. Now that I have met you, I will never feel the distance again even if I live thousands of miles (and a couple of oceans) away!
Thank you, Rinpoche for your wonderful gifts. Lama Tsongkapa statue now sits beautifully on my altar, I wear the pendant all the time and the beautiful mala is used for my daily sadhana. You have given me such inspiration.
With much love and folded hands,
Yee Ling
(Ms Yee Ling called up to find out the date of myself giving refuge, marked it on her calendar and flew in from New York, USA to do so. I was so amazed at her devotion and sincerity. I decided to blog her letter and picture of this sweet lady to share and inspire. She takes her spiritual practice very seriously. Wonderful she has the merits and intelligence to make dharma a priority. Tsem Rinpoche)
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
It is amazing how Ms Yee Ling is so devoted to Rinpoche. She could ave just find another Guru to take refuge in. But her guru devotion towards Rinpoche is so strong that she took the trouble to find out which day Rinpoche is available and fly in to take refuge. It is very nice to know that there is such strongly devoted students that would go through all the troubles to take her refuge.
Yee Ling is Roland Lee sister in law. She called up from New York to ask when Rinpoche is giving Refuge Ceremony on April 23. She has the thought of becoming Rinpoche’s student. Then when she got the answer from Rinpoche’s liason that Refuge Ceremony will be on. She made booking for flight to Kuala Lumpur. As her sister Lin is staying in Kuala Lumpur she will not have any problem with accommodation. But there was slight obstacles for Yee Ling when she arrived. She was told the Refuge Ceremony would not take place. She did not lose heart. And on that day still at attended the Puja. Rinpoche paid a surprise visit to Kechara House and gave Refuge to those attending. Yee Ling was able to be a student of Rinpoche in the end.
This is really wonderful sharing that distance is not a hindrance and I personally spend some time daily to listen to Rinpoche video and reading the blog from Penang. I really encourage those whom are in KL to really make an effort to attend the range of activities in Kechara as you there already have the team and infrastructure in place. I also invested in Dharma books and already building my collection of Kechara books and enjoy reading it.
I met Yee Ling during CNY 2 years ago via her sister, Lin. Lin had requested to come over to our house to show Yee Ling our 4.5 feet Lama Tsongkhapa statue. We hosted them for lunch and it was very nice to share our dharma experience with her. She is certainly a very attentive listener and very receptive towards dharma. I’m really happy for Yee Ling that she has finally found a Guru that she can put her trust & faith and take refuge. Yee Ling has been listening to Rinpoche’s dharma talks via Youtube as she lives in US. She personally shared with us that she can relate very much to Rinpoche’s teachings and finally she had this calling to fly in to KL when she heard that Rinpoche will be giving refuge. I want to congratulate Yee Ling for committing to take her spiritualism to the next step. This is a testimonial that Rinpoche’s dharma teachings are reaching out to benefit many people around the world. I want to thank the Kechara e-division team for making Rinpoche’s teachings available on the internet.
What I understand from here is, if we have a strong connection due to previous life and it carried forward to this life, no matter how far we are, or how impossible for us to meet, we will still meet.
On that day, the moment when Rinpoche hug Yee Ling and give her word of courage, it really touches many’s heart; I saw tears around the audience, the whole room was filled with great compassion (which Rinpoche has and always shown us), care (everyone in that room would want Yee Ling to be ok, to be fine), sincerity (the effort that Yee Ling made to come to Malaysia for this ceremony). Every single person was just soaking into these energies.
People use modern technology these days solely for their own benefit, but technology, and the internet has so much more use, so much more to offer than personal entertainment. It is a platform to knowledge, to resources and education, to researching, and most of all, to learning. If it wasn’t for Rinpoche’s, e-division’s and all of Rinpoche’s students’ and volunteers’ endless work in placing all these wonderful resources on the internet through http://www.kechara.com, http://www.tsemtulku.com, http://blog.tsemtulku.com http://www.youtube.com/user/tsemtulku, justintv and all other sites and networks, it would’ve been impossible for Rinpoche’s teachings to reach, benefit and help such a wide array of audiences, and would not have brought Yee Ling all the way from USA to KL to take refuge with Rinpoche. Speaking on a personal level, if Jean Mei did not send me a youtube link on one of Rinpoche’s talk on karma, I would not have known and be so interested in dharma. Yes, occassionally I would hop onto Rinpoche’s blog or check out kechara.com but have never really listened to a teaching, not until I stumbled upon Rinpoche’s youtube videos. So know that you guys are doing a great job online. It really really benefits alot of people. Eventhough they are not able to personally attend one of Rinpoche’s talk, it is very benefical to be able to listen and watch it online. We are all so lucky that we are able to attend and go directly to the centre.
I rejoice that Yee Ling has taken refuge with Rinpoche. I met her at Kechara Oasis when Lin and Roland brought her to the restaurant and chatted with me. Yee Ling is an intelligent lady. She has to check and decide for herself before does something and certainly in such important matter as to whom she should rely on spiritual matters; if she is going to commit in a spiritual journey. She wanted to hear of our spiritual experiences with Rinpoche and I shared with her my own spiritual odyssey. She must have talked to a few friends in Kechara, flew home to New York, contemplated and return here to take the plunge on Refuge Day with Rinpoche. Although she is from so far a distance she is never too far from Rinpoche’s teaching with the aid of modern technology.
Well explained, JP. Thank you for that! All the comments are really helpful for me to see the different points of views, the stories and even learning the whole background of each story shared. Rinpoche is a genius, as always. By posting and blogging, and getting us to comment, we are really imparting and sharing the Dharma inside us. I am so glad to be part of this ‘blogging puja’.
I think on a normal day, most people would not make the time to read for whatever reason. This “blogging puja” makes it possible for all of us to read every single thing. What a great wealth of information Rinpoche keeps here. We are so so fortunate.
Yes, Dharma should be made a priority. Dharma makes us better people, and provides the way for us to live a better life.
If the monks can risk their lives and brave through the perilous journey to bring Dharma from Tibet to the rest of the world, then what is stopping us from taking a little tiny step for ourselves and humanity?
Thank you for sharing this post, Rinpoche. May we always be near our Guru and value that.
Thank you, SP and E-Division for bringing Rinpoche’s priceless teachings to everyone’s living room, computer and wherever else they may be. May everyone truly benefit and be happy like Yee Ling.
I met Yee Ling on the 1st week of Chinese New Year 2010. She just came back to KL from a trip to Angkor Wat, Cambodia with her sister, Lin Lee and her family. Lin wanted me to meet Yee Ling. She told me that Yee Ling was a buddhist, did some retreats before and had many questions.
When I first met Yee Ling over lunch that Lin organised, we both had a great chat. It felt as though we were old friends who have not met for a long time. Yee Ling told me that after reading Sogyal Rinpoche’s book, “The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying”, she realised she wants to be more spiritual with the rest of her life. Although she has everything that she can ask for, she still felt empty.
We chatted for 3 hours that day. Before we departed, I asked her to check out our website http://www.kechara.com and watch Rinpoche on http://www.youtube.com . Most of her questions will be answered if she does that. I gave her a Setrap Box set and suggested to her to do Setrap’s practice so that her inner obstacles will be cleared.
A month later, Yee Ling wrote to me to thank me for giving her the Setrap Box set and introducing Kechara’s website and Rinpoche’s youtube vidoes. She said that she’s been feeling very happy and light. Rinpoche seemed to be addressing her issues every time she watches a video clip of Rinpoche on youtube. Because of this, she would religiously watch at least 1 video clip a day.
A month or 2 later, Yee Ling called me and asked whether she can fly back to Kuala Lumpur to take refuge with Rinpoche because she heard that Rinpoche was going to give refuge. My immediate response was, YES of course! Then I asked her whether she understands what taking refuge means. She said she does and she has watched almost all of Rinpoche’s videos. She said that Tsem Rinpoche is her root Guru because Rinpoche’s teachings resonated in her heart and healed her tremendously over the past 3 months. So by hook or by crook, she will return to Kuala Lumpur to take refuge!
I am very happy for Yee Ling. Without modern technology, we would never have been able to make such a huge difference in her life over such a short period of time. I sincerely thank Seng Piow for putting Rinpoche’s videos on youtube and Ladrang’s E-Division for taking it to another level.
Taking Refuge to the Three Jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha) under a spiritual guide is a promise of oneself or taking vows in the Five Precepts. It involves attending a refuge class to understand what these five precepts are before attending the formal refuge ceremony given by ones spiritual guide.
Yee Ling made a commitment to fly back from USA to Malaysia to take these vows from Tsem Rinpoche is a clear indication she trusts him wholeheartedly. She learned to let go of her obstacles and surrender to a higher being for help. Dharma can transform anyone who sincerely put in the effort.
I am surprised that a person would fly all the way from a distant country in the West to the East just to take refuge. I believe that she has great guru devotion and devotion towards the holy glorious Dharma. Her letter was extremely touching as she showed how much she thanks Rinpoche for giving her the great honor of Refuge and her true feelings of the Dharma spoken by Rinpoche. She takes her spiritual practice very seriously into the next level. I think it is definitely wonderful she has the merits and intelligence to make dharma a great priority.
I met Yee Ling through her sister when she was in town 2 years ago. I gave her a framed Lama Tsongkhapa tsatsa for her to make connection. Little did I expect that she would end up take refuge and becoming my Dharma sister so soon.
Yee Ling had to overcome some personal obstacles to come back for this refuge ceremony. Due to her prayers and strong faith in Dharmapala Lord Setrap, the obstacles were cleared although there were some really anxious moments prior to it. Once again, Lord Setrap is showing us His swiftness in helping us to overcome obstacles especially if our motivation is towards the Dharma.
Yee Ling, welcome to the Kechara family and the illustrious Gaden tradition.
This is a beautiful example of yet another person who has been touched and inspired by Tsem Rinpoche half a world away. YouTube is a precious tool to access precious resources during this 21st century, and in this case, real dharma that resonates out of real practice. I recall one teaching where I learnt that only words from one who practices and lives the teachings can cut and touch someone’s heart deeply otherwise, it’s just empty words without effect. Well it is evident that Rinpoche has touched many lives and he has affected me deeply.
Incidentally, YouTube is where I found Rinpoche too. If it weren’t for Rinpoche’s kindness conveyed through YouTube, I wouldn’t have been anywhere near the dharma. Rinpoche’s generosity in sharing without asking anything in return, except that we practise, touches and motivates me. To practise what we learnt is the only way to sustain it, otherwise just listening for the sake of knowledge or entertainment will make any realisation fizzle out in time.
Terima Kasih Rinpoche!
Indeed when one is so convicted and full of faith, the seven seas are just like seven drops of water to get to their destination.
This is another worthy account of that zeal and conviction worthy of emulation and to encourage all, both aspirants and those ‘old timers’.
Like the Buddha Himself who never looked back after he fled the palace, similarly, like Yee Ling, firmly established on the Path with Rinpoche and Kechara.
Syabas! and Sadhu! for your determination and steadfastness.
When I read Yee Ling’s letter to Rinpoche, my eyes were filled with tears as I felt her sincerity from every single words she said. She probably resonanced with how I felt towards Rinpoche when I first met him in 2001.
Then I realise how fortunate we are right here in malaysia with our Guru, to be able to listen to his teachings all the time, and working with him closely in all dharma related works. I remember Thierry has once mentioned that back in Brussel where he used to live, he could not even found a Dharma book in the bookstore, let alone dreaming of having a Dharma centre with a residence lama there. He went on and expressed that he found we (kechara members , friends and students) are extremely extremely lucky to have a center like Kechara House, whereby every facilities are provided for us to learn and practise the Dharma, where else can you find a buddhist center with 13 grwoing departments of such diversification, from arts & crafts, to community service, educational classses and regular pujas and retreats, all under one roof.
Shouldn’t we all treasure this center and make it grow and grow …… we have benefited one way or another from kechara, so let not say “NO” anymore. With everyone’s help, we can have KWPC up in the hills with greens very soon!
When I saw Yee Ling at the Refuge Ceremony and heard that she has flown across the world to take refuge from Rinpoche, I rejoice from the bottom of my heart for her. I can only imagine the joy and happiness of finally meeting her Guru who has changed her life. It really dawn upon me how lucky we are in Malaysia to be so close to Rinpoche and be able to interact and receive teachings directly from Rinpoche. This I am sure is due to our incredible merits and spiritual aspiration in our past lives and also prayers from the side of Rinpoche to benefit those who have affinity with him. The question is, are we taking full advantage of our favourable conditions (highly qualified Lama at our door step, freedom of religion and peaceful country) to progress in our spiritual practice? If we are not now, we may lose it forever and most likely we may not come across it again because we did not create the cause for it. Scary but true.
Reading Yee Ling’s letter reminds me again how fortunate we are to have this opportunity right at our doorsteps to practise Dharma so (physically) closely to our Guru. Are we making the most of it and really “taking advantage” of this incredible merit and fortune to be near something so precious? Are we really doing the best we can?
People like Yee Ling are so far away and yet very devoted to the practice even if she’s not physically close to her Guru, as she has expressed in her letter. There are some people we hear from, around the world, who have absolutely no opportunity to go to a Dharma centre (there are none around their vicinity or city) or meet a teacher – how then could they ever get the kind of personal, close, direct advice that we have? And what are WE doing about this opportunity we have?
Yee Ling’s letter has opened up a lot of questions for myself to think about. Really, really, truly how lucky we are to have Rinpoche so close to us, who can speak our language and guide us so personally.
How crazy that sometimes, some of us even think, “Oh I don’t want to go to the centre, because it’s too far away on the other side of town.” Yee Ling flew across the world for refuge…! I guess it’s really not about whether we can or not – it’s how much we really want it.
Yee Ling and I had come one full circle in Kechara House.
We went to the same school, Bukit Bintang Girls’ School, from Form 4 to Form 6.I used to give her a ride to school soon after I passed my driving test in Lower 6. Needless to say she must had been very courageous to be my first passenger 🙂
Yee Ling was a “tom boy” then with short hair and very skinny. After Form 6 we went separate ways, she to England and I to New Zealand.
Later, she worked in Hong Kong for quite some time before she followed her husband to live permanently in USA.
Four years ago when Yee Ling was back for holiday,I brought Yee Ling and her family to KH hoping that she would somehow get connected with our Guru.Fortunately,even though she was thousands of miles from M’sia, Yee Ling has the good karma to receive teachings from Rinpoche through you-tube.
On 23 April Yee Ling took refuge with Rinpoche and we finally reunited as dharma sisters!
My best wishes to my old friend, may she be happy and fulfilled on her spiritual journey.
I was so touched when I saw her hugging Rinpoche at the taking refuge, such sincerity is hard to find these days.. We are so lucky that Rinpoche is with us, and for us to have met the dharma. I am very happy that Yee Ling has met the dharma and it benefits her tremendously…
Way to go Yee ling! and come visit your dharma brother and sisters
sometimes! 🙂
yes, very sincere and touching.
Such a beautiful letter and so similar to how I feel towards Rinpoche!