Be a lamp unto Yourself As the Buddha was dying, Ananda asked … who would be their teacher after death? He replied to his disciple – “Be lamps unto yourselves. Be refuges unto yourselves. Take yourself no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Hold fast to the truth as a...
Posted in Inspiration & Worthy Words | 14 Comments »
Generally stupas are the physical representations of a Buddha’s mind. They come in 8 main shapes. Each shape is equal to the representation of Buddha’s mind. They can contain: Relics of Buddha Relics of High monks Relics of attained masters Sutras Mantras Multiple images of Buddhas such as statues/tsatsas/pictures/paintings/precious items Wealth vases Blessed items...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Travel | 40 Comments »
Dear friends around the world, I found this beautiful picture that radiates warmth, love, spirituality and great gentle power. His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to me was a living Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava. Everything he did was to benefit others. He spent his whole sacred life learning Dharma, practicing Dharma, accomplishing Dharma and disseminating Dharma....
Posted in Great Lamas & Masters | 18 Comments »
Dear Friends, I have uploaded here very precious audio and video teachings by His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche. They are very rare and even to hear the voice of this great master is a tremendous blessing. The teachings on Tantra you can listen to if you have the initiation otherwise please do not listen....
Posted in H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Videos | 21 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Swee Keong's altar in his home is so beautiful. In Gaden the monks always have a Je Tsongkapa set like this with Gyaltsab Rinpoche on the left and Kedrub Rinpoche on the right. Mantras and relics will fill the statue...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice | 9 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Pu Tuo Shan, also known as Mount Putuo is located on a island southeast of Shanghai, in the Zhoushan prefecture of Zhejiang province in China.
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, China, China 中国, Travel | 7 Comments »
Serkong Dorjechang was a great Lama during the time of the 13th Dalai Lama. He was a monk of Gaden Jangtze and when he was studying in Gyume Tantric College, he would see ladies or dakinis swimming in his tsopu (monk bowl) during pujas. He reported this and other incredible signs to H.H. the...
Posted in Great Lamas & Masters | 22 Comments »
Seen as one of the most holy places of Chinese Buddhism, Wu Tai Shan is a sacred Buddhist mountain located in North-East China in Shanxi Province. One of the first times I heard of this mountain is from His Holiness Gaden Tripa Jampal Zhenpan in the USA before he conferred upon us the Manjushri empowerment. I had the fortune to visit this holy place over ten years back. Did alot of prayers there also. Also known as Mount Wu Tai to many foreigners, the Chinese words translate to “Five (Wu 五) Plateau (Tai 台) Mountain (Shan 山)”. The mountain has f...
Posted in China, China 中国, Travel | 23 Comments »
Below are some of the gifts that I have received for my birthday this year…
Posted in Letters, Cards & Gifts | 1 Comment »
Buddha means “The Awakened One” or “The Enlightened One”. Although there are many Buddha’s, nowadays when people say “Buddha” they are usually referring to Buddha Shakyamuni...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice | 8 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Recently, BBC aired a fascinating documentary about the travels of historian Bettany Hughes. In this documentary, she introduces BBC viewers to the seven wonders of the Buddhist world… and these are some of the most spectacular monuments built by Buddhists across the globe. Although seven is not near how many more...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Travel | 15 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Thai forest monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu, a frequent contributor to Tricycle, sends the following: It never ceases to amaze me that scholars—who should know better—keep repeating the idea that the Buddha lived in a time when everyone took for granted two principles: (1) that rebirth happened, and (2) that karma had an...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice | 19 Comments »
H.E. Tsem Rinpoche Visits Wat Pho Thailand! I love Wat Po and have visited numerous times. I use to come here in the quiet of the day to do my prayers/sadhanas years ago. Now it’s streaming with tourists non-stop. Very popular place for people to visit and make wishes at this sacred temple....
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Travel | 19 Comments »
When the Chinese Zodiac reached Japan, it met with a very strong and positive response and became very popular among the Japanese...
Posted in Horoscopes | 27 Comments »
All the qualities of the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times (past, present, and future) are embodied in Vajra Yogini. So these 8 Praises praise all the Buddhas simultaneously through Vajra Yogini...
Posted in Vajra Yogini | 34 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) If you are in Bangkok, please go visit the most exquisite Lord Buddha in Wat Traimit. This Wat (Temple) is in Bangkok itself...
Posted in Asia, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Travel | 21 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) I came across this very beautiful and exquisite pictorial biography of Buddha Sakyamuni in a book produced and printed by the Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple in Penang.
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice | 8 Comments »
You know we were driving to Wat Po, the Royal Palace area and it took us around 1.45 hours for a normally 25 min ride due to very heavy traffic. At many places we were at a standstill. At one of these standstills, I looked out of the window and guess what??!! I spotted...
Posted in Asia, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Travel, Videos | 22 Comments »
Dear friends, Today I visited four large Buddhist Temples here in Kelantan State in East Coast Malaysia. Afterwards the blog team and I went to the Beach (August 8, 2011) to film a Paranormal episode, teachings on the Yoga of Tsongkapa in abbreviated commentary and also a story about the attitude behind Dharma work...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Me, Transcripts, Tsongkhapa | 55 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Concentration is important in both Dharma practice and ordinary life. The Tibetan word for the practice of concentration is zhi-nay (zhi-gNas). Zhi means peace and nay means to dwell; zhi-nay, then, is dwelling in peace or being without busyness. If we do not carefully watch the mind it may seem that...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Great Lamas & Masters | 16 Comments »