(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 »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Taking Refuge By H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche The One Hundred and Fifty Verses of Praise says: Take refuge in whomever Has absolutely no shortcomings, Absolutely no blindness, and in whom resides Every aspect of all good qualities. When you think of this, Respect those who praise him And abide by his...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche | 10 Comments »
My friends, Years ago I was at home (early 80’s) in New Jersey flipping through the channels on the TV and came across Saturday Night Live (a big big show back then). I didn’t really appreciate the show, but watched it out of boredom. It was years later when I got older I realized...
Posted in Celebrities & People, Film, TV & Music, Videos | 48 Comments »
Dear friends, I have recently read up more and more on quotes and thoughts from Steve Jobs. To me they sounded very Buddhist. Whatever he was saying had a powerful logical and spiritual tone to it. And now I see why. He is a Buddhist. His thoughts and philosophies for work and life come...
Posted in Celebrities & People, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 27 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 »
How do you feel about this religious figure appearing on this billboard? Do you feel the same about him appearing in an Apple ad? Would it depend on the type of Apple ad? Explain. December 1, 2007 Although the Dalai Lama has been exiled from his fellow Tibetans since 1959, he remains...
Posted in Celebrities & People, Etc | 12 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Introduction My fellow Tibetans, both in and outside Tibet, all those who follow the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and everyone who has a connection to Tibet and Tibetans: due to the foresight of our ancient kings, ministers and scholar-adepts, the complete teaching of the Buddha, comprising the scriptural and experiential teachings of...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice | 29 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 »
K.d. lang's new album, Watershed, reflects the dramatic changes in her life since she became a committed Buddhist. K.d. lang talks for the first time about her Buddhist teacher and practice...
Posted in Celebrities & People | 10 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Thich Nhat Hanh is an expatriate Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk. A teacher, author, and peace activist, Nhat Hanh was born in central Vietnam on October 11, 1926. He joined a Zen monastery at the age of 16, studied Buddhism as a novice, and was fully ordained as a monk in 1949....
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice | 38 Comments »
I did a post a while back called “Yesterday I Experienced True Generosity” and in the comments section Kevin wrote a nice story about Buddha, a lamp and old lady. Here is the post. Thanks Kevin, Tsem Rinpoche From Kevin Tan on Sep 11, 2011 at 1:45 am This old lady reminded...
Posted in Inspiration & Worthy Words | 12 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 »
This picture says it all…How kind our mothers are to us. How kind our fathers are to us. How kind our teachers are to us. All of us have someone very kind in our lives that nurtured us. Never forget their kindness. Never live your life like you did it on your own…impossible. Repay...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 33 Comments »
One of the top 10 great Guru monks of the country (Thailand) is Luang Phor Chong of Wat NaTangNok Temple, BangSai district, Ayuthaya province. He passed away on the Buddhist important MaKhaBuCha day of February 17th, B.E. 2508, with the age of 93. Luang Phor Chong and Luang Phor Parn of Wat BangNomKho are...
Posted in Great Lamas & Masters, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 15 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 »