(By Tsem Rinpoche) Significance to Buddhist Sarnath is considered a sacred place to the Buddhists for being the place where Gautama Buddha first taught seven weeks after achieving enlightenment in the 6th century BC. This first teaching is known in Sanskrit as Dharmacakrapravartana Sutra, Turning the Wheel of Dharma Sutra. The main topic is...
Posted in Asia, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Travel | 10 Comments »
In the heart of Indochina lies Laos, a tropical country that was once known as the realm of a million elephants. Today Laos or Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao P.D.R.) boasts a wealth of natural wonders and unchartered rivers, surrounded by mountains and lush green landscapes, making it one of the leading countries for...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Travel | 8 Comments »
Kiri Vehera Stupa (Kiri Vehera) in Kataragama is one of the sixteen sacred places in Sri Lanka that have been visited by Buddha Shakyamuni (Solosmasthana). Kiri Vehera is unique because it facilitates a close and beautiful relationship between Buddhism and Hinduism. In the 6th century BC, King Mahasena, the previous incarnation of the celebrated...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Inspiration & Worthy Words, Travel | 9 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor David) Introduction Since the time of the Buddha, the Dharma that he taught has spread to many countries beyond India. This has resulted in Buddhism adapting and becoming entrenched in many parts of Asia. Each country that Buddhism has spread to have developed their own unique flavour while retaining...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Travel | 12 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Beatrix Ooi) The Kelaniya Temple is considered one of the most sacred sites in Buddhism. It was constructed on the banks of the Kelani River, near the city of Kelaniya, about 12km to the northeast of Colombo. It is said that the temple was consecrated by the historical Buddha during...
Posted in Asia, Travel | 10 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey (1921 – 1995) was a great Buddhist master who founded Dhargyey Buddhist Centre in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1984. During his lifetime, Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey had invited his close students and high incarnate lamas, Venerable Jampa Thupten Rinpoche (Thupten Rinpoche) (1941 – 2011) and Venerable Lhagon Rinpoche (Lhagon...
Posted in Audio Teachings, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Downloads, Great Lamas & Masters, Videos | 3 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, I had a friend that lived down the street from where I lived in Howell, New Jersey, USA, and she had a pretty big library of spiritual books, especially books on Buddhism. Back in the 70’s many of the local libraries did not carry many books...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Books & Poetry, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Downloads, Explorers, Travel | 33 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Joy Kam) Gal Vihara, also known as Gal Viharaya, means stone or rock temple in Sinhalese. It is a Buddhist temple situated in the second largest ancient city of Sri Lanka, in the Northern Central Province of Polonnaruwa. The Buddha images at Gal Vihara are known to be very sacred...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Guest Contributors, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 13 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Sri Lanka is a beautiful country where the majority (70%) of the population are Buddhists of Theravadan tradition. However, Sri Lankan Buddhism is unique because, in addition to focusing on the practice of attaining self-liberation through one’s own effort, they adopt the practice of Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara. Within the Sri...
Posted in Asia, Downloads, Travel | 10 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2011 MES AYNAK, Afghanistan — It was another day on the rocky hillside, as archaeologists and laborers dug out statues of Buddha and excavated a sprawling 2,600-year-old Buddhist monastery. A Chinese woman in slacks, carrying an umbrella against the Afghan sun, politely inquired about their progress. She had...
Posted in Asia, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Travel | 15 Comments »
Sri Lanka, previously known as Ceylon, is a beautiful country with many great places to visit for pilgrimage or holiday. The country houses no less than eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, many of which contain holy and sacred objects of veneration such as the relics of Buddha Shakyamuni or ancient Buddha images that have...
Posted in Asia, Guest Contributors, Travel | 11 Comments »
Dear respected friends around the world, I have read several inspirational accounts of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche from various high lamas and somehow this one always seems to stick out the most. Needless to say, this is one of my favourite accounts of this great lama. It is warm, intimate, inviting and it draws you...
Posted in Downloads, Great Lamas & Masters, H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 25 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline Woon) Among the many countries around the world, Sri Lanka is known for its rich Buddhist culture and heritage. It is where the the ancient city of Polonnaruwa is located, a place where kings ruled Sri Lanka’s central plains more than 1,000 years ago. It was a thriving...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Travel | 13 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, Due to her enlightened compassion, Tara manifests in innumerable forms to benefit sentient beings. These manifestations reflect the many needs of sentient beings, including protection, long life, peace, the overcoming of obstacles and saving beings from danger. Tara is one of the most beloved deities in...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice | 13 Comments »
H.E. Tsem Rinpoche appeared as the main guest speaker on the TV program “Buddhism’s Holiest Day” on Malaysia’s National TV2, on Wesak Day 2013. Rinpoche was approached by TV2 for His opinion on Wesak Day. They wanted it as part of their Wesak Day Special documentary on TV2. Besides Tsem Rinpoche who represents the Vajrayana...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Malaysia, Videos | 44 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, Today, I was surprised with a very precious and beautiful gift. I’ve had other people personally paint up Vajrayogini images, and they have offered them to me as a gifts, which is a great honour. However, this particular Vajrayogini is extremely beautiful because it has been...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Students & Friends, Vajra Yogini | 34 Comments »
When I was 18 years old, a student of Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, a person by the name of Mr. Doren Harper had picked me up in his van from where I was staying in Los Angeles and took me over to Thubten Dhargye Ling Center. This was just before I had moved back into...
Posted in Me | 22 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, It is with great sadness that I have learned of the passing of such a learned master and close friend of mine, His Eminence Kensur Konchok Tsering Rinpoche. We had been friends for many years and it was truly my honour. He was not my teacher...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Great Lamas & Masters, Inspiration & Worthy Words, Prayers and Sadhanas | 29 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) The images of the Buddhas in ‘Faces of Enlightenment’ and their iconographies changed my whole outlook on Buddhism. The images and iconographies of enlightened beings represent the Dharma in visual form. When we study, contemplate and meditate on them, we create the causes to attain the qualities of these beings, the...
Posted in Books & Poetry, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Guest Contributors | 11 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Beatrix) What is a Chaplain? A chaplain is either a priest, minister, pastor, imam, rabbi or a lay delegate of a religious tradition, who is attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, school, police department, fire department, university or a private chapel. The word...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Current Affairs & News | 21 Comments »