Archive for October, 2011

It was quite a busy period, thinking back to 15 years in Singapore, as a lot of people would come to see me for discussions… usually, these were relating to personal matters. One of them was a lady who was experiencing strange occurrences in her own bedroom...

Pujas (prayer sessions / offerings) have a lot of significance… It is not just a prayer that we make when we need help with something or want to ask for something. They can have very deep meaning and can really bring so many different types of benefits to ourselves and people around us. I...

How I wish to be in this place with fresh air, endless trees in sight, animals, greens, lakes, rivers… How I yearn for the mountains ever since I can remember… my karmic imprints for places related to mountains is so strong… I feel at home there… I feel like I am going back to...

  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 teachings. In other...

  The pictures above are the Fasting Buddhas in Tsem Ladrang……my home. I invited a 3 ft Fasting Buddha home today and on this auspicious occasion, I would like to share some information with you. Fasting Fasting is the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of...

This evening I received gifts from the staff of Kechara Discovery, Kechara Saraswati Arts & Kechara Blooms.  They work under the direction of Liaison Paul Yap, who is one of the pioneers to work full time for Kechara when we first started. The staff worked very hard and recently I gave them some gifts...

In early 90s, I shared a room with a monk in a house in Gadoh. At night, I would do my studies or do my readings usually while sitting on the bed and leaning my back against the window...

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 what...

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...

The original teachings of the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation originated from Buddha Shakyamuni. Buddha Shakyamuni gave teachings on great compassion which were passed down to the great panditas Arya Asanga and Nagarjuna...

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 spectacular wonders there...

December 1, 2007 Although the Dalai Lama has been exiled from his fellow Tibetans since 1959, he remains their religious leader. The official Web site of “The Office of His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama,” is definitely worth a good look. For at least 25 years, he has leant his image to a variety...

You know, it’s strange, I’ve been saying this most of my life… and the good thing is, it’s applicable in whatever situation and to whatever background we come from religious or not. But I am so glad Steve Jobs says the same thing… he has wisdom. In the end, it is what we have done...

How much you suffer is how selfish you are. ~Tsem Rinpoche How much you transform for the better is how much you realize you are dependent on all those around you.~ Tsem Rinpoche Changing is not hard, you just have to amend your perspective.~Tsem Rinpoche How much you can endure is up to your compassion. ~Tsem Rinpoche...

24 September 2011 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...

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 effect on how...

I once received an unusual request whilst I was in Seremban giving lectures, talks and sharing with my friends - a nun wanted to see me! During her visit, she told me that in her residence, she was not able to sleep and every single night, something in her room would open the door...

Our very own Dato’ Ruby Khong, President of Kechara Soup Kitchen, was nominated for the Prime Minister’s Award for Woman Social Activist! Not expecting to win anything… she came out as the Top 5...

In a typical Thai Buddhist family, every male aged 20 and above is expected to be ordained as a monk for a period of time. It can be from 7 days up to a lifetime. Traditionally, when asking how long one has been a monk for, the Thai people would ask, “How many phansa?”...

While I was in Bangkok  on the train you can obeserve this. In every major city you have subways, LRT, intercity trains for public transport. You have special signs suggesting to give seats to pregnant women and the elderly. In Bangkok you have the same but also signages to please offer seats to monks if it...