Lama Yeshe the Great Mahasiddha
Lama Yeshe was so unconvential, different and not the normal conservative Tibetan Lama. He appealed to thousands because of his open minded, accepting, unstuffy attitude and genuine human care to his students. I like this picture so much as it exemplifies the wonderful warm methods that Lama Yeshe always did for the sake of his students. He would just get close to them on their level according to their culture. He really wanted to understand them. His get-close-to-your-student-in-their-activities kind of thinking brought so many to the sacred dharma…. I Love and respect you so much Lama, Sincerely, Tsem Tulku
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"It's difficult to characterize such a multilayered and unique personality like Lama Yeshe, but, knowing him for 9 years I will try to find a few keywords: a pioneering bridge-builder between East and West, unorthodox maverick, Buddhist hippie, thought provoking, sharp thinker and analyst, intuitive, creative, unpredictable, controverse, spontanious, individualist, vajra-pride (spiritual pride), stylish, open-minded, quick, 
soft but strict, heart-centered, rethoric talent, humorous, quick-witted, friend of good food, complex, natural sense for beauty, bright intelligence, satirical, comprehensive magic recources, human, powerful, mischievous, dramatic, entertaining, radiating, charming, organizing talent, self-confident, adventurous, eccentric, boyish, ready to help, generous, good listener, reading people's mind, occasionally moody, honest, unconvential. To his closer students and monks he could be rigorous and demanding. But this was common use and part of a more intensive monastic Buddhist education. By his heart he always stayed a caring and loving teacher and friend. In Buddhist tantric terms a unique mixture of Manjushri, Vajrapani, Chenrezig, Green Tara and Heruka… "
– With kind regards from Ireland, Champa Legshe (Hans Taeger)
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Dear friends,
Read this wonderful description of the legendary Lama Yeshe according to his student Champa Legshe. To me it is such a wonderfully apt description of this great Mahasiddha of the Gaden Tradition. I love the description and wanted to share with you. Do read through it and let me know what you think please by posting on the comments.
Lama Yeshe was one of my heroes when I was growing up. I wanted to be a combination of him and HH the Dalai Lama when I grew up I use to think as a young child. I love Lama Yeshe, his unconventional style, his warmth, his attainments, his love and his humanity. What an attained being Lama Yeshe is.
Tsem Tulku
to read alittle more click here: http://www.iol.ie/~taeger/bio/yeshe.htm
Thank you for this precious blog!
Dear Mima,
You are very welcome. It does take up alot of time but I think it can enrich lives. So I keep it up.
Much care,
Tsem Tulku
I am so grateful to have the chance in this life to be in contact with you and your amazing students via the internet! WIth an open heart and endless gratitude!
Oh, I am so grateful to have the chance in this life time to be in contact with you and your amazing teams of students via cyberspace on the internet
With an open heart and endless gratitude and joy!
My students, friends and volunteers work very hard. Hard is an understatement. They are so dedicated, loyal and committed that it is amazing.
Some of them, I have to force them to go to sleep many times.
I love them and appreciate my people in Kechara very very very very much.
Many years ago, I prayed to Setrap to send more people to help me as I was alone…it came true. I know more are coming..many more.
I wish you the best Mima,
Tsem Tulku
Thank you Rinpoche I love this post, love the additional info website yet another great post…about Lama Yeshe the description encapsulates everything that I love about him, his methods and other decriptions I had read about Lama Yeshe from other students. It reminds me of a teaching given by you about what a teacher must do to bring Dharma to students. Wow how lucky we are to make a connection to Gaden’s Mahisiddha’s and teachers through you Rinpoche. Thank you again!
Yes Rinpoche , Lord Setrap is indeed real and very powerful. No doubt about Him ! Because of You its even sooooo.. much stronger now my faith.
Reading through the article about lama yeshe led me to recall content from a sutra regarding chenrezig. In this sutra is revealed that chenrezig will take the necessary forms to deliver beings according to their capability.
I have watched a video of lama yeshe teaching mediation and one point that he immediate point out at the beginning of the video; he said that people now are very samsaric in whatever they do, even mediation is forced (samsaric). This pointed out the defect of our practice and I just think is good to share.
Thank you Rinpoche fr sharing. That reminds me that i have a book on Lama Yeshe’s reincarnation to a spanish boy that i have to finish reading.
Indeed Lama Yeshe was a man, teacher, father and mother to many of those during His time. Lama provided a lot of emotional, financial and especially spiritual support for the people then. He became an ‘eye opener’ for many who felt that spiritualism can only be one conventional way. He opened the doors for more people to engage in Dharma in the way that they find most comfortable with.
Tsem Rinpoche held Lama Yeshe high in Rinpoche’s accord. In many talks and Dharma sharing, Rinpoche would tell us stories of Lama Yeshe. It inspires us towards Dharma and helps us cultivate a habit of thinking about our Lama’s Qualities all the time. Which is our practice now for VY in the future.
Thank you Rinpoche, for providing all that we need here.
much love,
JJ
Thank you Rinpoche and I feel affection for this post about Lama Yeshe.
In Sept 2008, while I was in Dharamsala, I went to pay my respect to Lama Yeshe in Vajrasattva Gompa at Tushita Centre after reading a book on his teaching. While leaving the Gompa, I slipped and fell on my back and I was in pain for 2 weeks. Some friends told me that my Karma had ripened and it was purification. I was quite irritated with their uncaring comments. However, now looking back, it was a precious blessing from the Lama as I started to get in touch with Rinopche’s teachings after returning from India in Dec 08! I am so thankful to have the chance in this life to be in contact with the holy lineage and teachings.
Dear Shawn Tay,
What a powerful and intimate incident. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, a blessing is when we meet a holy being, a blessed statue, stupa, relic, thangka, or have a mala of a blessed person placed on our head, or a puja done for us, MASSIVE AND WONDERFUL PURIFICATION CAN HAPPEN IN THAT WAY. When we suffer the incident of that previously latent karma, then that karma opens. We go through the effects immediately and it will not become BIGGER later and bring more disasterous results. People may think, don’t want it to open, but it has to open, the longer we wait, the bigger it becomes. So if we have it now, at least we are in a ‘controlled’ environment where we can go through the karma with no long term effects.
Better this way. So don’t be afraid. Karma is karma and we created the karma so we have to purify the karma by experiencing it, or by purification practices or both.
The blessing allows it to open immediately and we suffer no long term effects.
I am glad to hear this from you.
Tsem Tulku
Thank you for sharing this post on Lama Yeshe. Rinpoche’s qualities are so similar to Lama Yeshe’s! It’s almost like reading a description of Rinpoche! It is all these skilful qualities that make Lama Yeshe and Rinpoche’s teachings so appealing to many.
May Rinpoche and all great Lamas live long and continue to turn the wheel of Dharma to benefit many!
Rinpoche, can Palden Lhamo be an Yidam and at the same time a Dharmapala?
can someone get a initiation on Palden Lhamo and practise only Her as Yidam and Protector?
all the best
Reading you response to me made me cry at first. A deep place in me is being woken up by your teaching and I am very happy deep inside. So much generosity and love are manifesting trough you and towards us. Since yesterday I place Setrap Mantra om maha yaktcha Tsa Soha in front of my computer.I would like to began a discipline to use this mantra daily. How many would you recommend daily and for how long?
Dear Rinpoche,
Your explanation above on purification by contact is so true. Especially when one is open (e.g. by faith) to the holy person/object.
For me, every time after meeting the hugging saint AMMA, something significant that rocks my world would happen… yet there is the protection and guiding grace to go through that crisis.
Its like going near a powerful magnetic force where one cannot help but be purified. Its painful, its overwhelming, i hope i really have the wisdom to emerge healthy & good!
I am thankful for Rinpoche & also Lama Yeshe’s precious teachings & I am glad to be taking baby steps in Vajrayana… Your Grace, please guide me to correct practice
Salutations,
YL
Thank you so much for your communication with me. I do not want take anymore of your precious time. I am very honored.
With joy and happiness to learn the teaching from you!
The quirky, wise, compassionate, spontaneous, never-ending love of the lamas!
How rare it is to come across beings like this who will do anything and everything to connect to their students, be it by jokes, wrath, gifts, jokes, hugs, karaoke… you name it!
When I read this description of Lama Yeshe, it felt like I was reading something about my own Guru – every word rang true and right through to my heart. The deep love that this student has for Lama Yeshe is clear too, in the way that he writes so affectionately and with so much insight into his Lama’s many facets.
I loved this so much I just had to blog about it too (http://jamiekhoo.typepad.com/jamiekhoo/2010/06/the-incredible-lightness-of-being.html ) where I’ve shared another really lovely excerpt from writer Kimberly Snow and some personal excerpts from my book “Call Me Paris” about our very own Tsem Rinpoche. (this is not meant to be about me but about our own Lama, and the many dynamic, shape-shifting, versatile moods and faces he adopts for our sake).
I was very young when this Lama passed away, he was a legendary figure in terms of his work in reaching out to many westerners who were predominantly involved in the hippie culture back then. Lama Yeshe was one of those very skillful lamas who worked on you at your level. This reminds me about one of His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s earlier talks in which he mentioned strongly about the need to protect people’s minds, and to calm people’s minds so you can share the dharma with them.
Lama Yeshe like all compassionate lamas worked with people at that person’s level and he also took consideration of your background which influenced a big part of your personality and your mental make up. To have skill will make our sharing of the dharma that much more effective, so I better train myself to be more aware and conscientious about people’s needs and mental dispositions.
I’d just like to comment on an extract of the post with reference to a comment made by Sharon:
), thought provoking (when Tsem Tulku speaks and whenever he gives a talk he speaks in such a manner that it makes us really think; whether by asking rhetorical questions or by talking about matters that some people find it uncomfortable to touch upon e.g. the process of death) , sharp thinker and analyst (his many years of debate has kept him on his toes!), intuitive (even a woman’s intuition can’t compare to his!! 
), creative (almost all of the ideas which has made Kechara House into what it is today has been from his own thoughts and ideas), unpredictable (e.g. at times when he’s giving a talk…he suddenly tickles you!! During a talk he’d suddenly start a quiz..or he might break out into a song!), controverse (he’s not your typical bald Lama..just take a look at his modeling picture on the Home page! 
), spontaneous (falls under unpredictability, he would regularly give out pendants and other gifts to people e.g.), individualist (know anyone else like him? He lineage, background, abuse etc makes him not your typical Joe. Everyone is different, but Tsem Rinpoches’ story of what he was like before and after becoming a Rinpoche is unique and captivating), vajra-pride (spiritual pride; Tsem Rinpoche is very proud to be from the lineage that he is in, this rubs off onto his students. Not only about the lineage but to being comfortable with taking on a more spiritual approach in life), stylish (even Karl Lagerfield would be pleased! 
) open-minded (Tsem Tulku has experienced a lot more than most of us has at his age, from being so experienced I feel that it has given him the open-mindedness that people of today welcome with open arms), quick (his speed of thought, speech and results produced in anything that he does, doesn’t shadow ones abilities but shows that being lazy, slow and sluggish leads nowhere), soft but strict (Tsem Tulku can be perceived as being demanding but his students have all seen the soft-side which allows us to understand that the “demanding-ness” all comes from the heart with the motivation to better ourselves), heart-centered (where else would pure motivation come from), rhetoric talent, humorous (watch any one of his YouTube videos and I guarantee that you will laugh!! 
), quick-witted (with humour 
), friend of good food (he knows his food! Mushroom soup with cheese on crackers…mmmm), complex (what we don’t understand makes even what Tsem Rinpoche perceives as simple to be complex), natural sense for beauty (like how Tsem Rinpoche displays in his ‘Tweety gets a Friend?’ post, he has a sense of care and puts in so much thought into the welfare of other beings), bright intelligence (bright, quick, vast, boundless, enlightening, unparalleled intelligence), satirical (witty!), comprehensive magic recources (i don’t understand what this means, sorry 
), human (Tsem Rinpoche always says that he is just like any of us but because he has put in the effort to study and learn the Dharma all the way he has the knowledge to share with us. This is one of the ways that he reminds us that he cuts and bleeds just like any of us and that we all have the ability to reach enlightenment- of which most of us perceive him to already have), powerful (from his clean samaya, keeping of his vow and bright intelligence nothing but the power of the speech and mind can come from that), mischievous (…hahaha very mischievous, Tsem Rinpoche uploaded the ‘chia dancing in the car’ video!!!! 
), dramatic (not so the diva lah! but still dramatic 
), entertaining (a Tsem Tulku dharma talk is never a boring, monotonous one! Although it’s VERY unfair for us to expect to be entertained, Tsem Rinpoche is kind enough to be so, so that we are able to stay alert and receive the knowledge), radiating (metaphorically he radiates confidence and wisdom, physically i remember seeing a photo when i was about 13 where there was a beam of light radiating from his head projecting forward) , charming (there are a few people who have admitted that if he was a monk he would be quite the catch!!! Such is the way silly people like us may think *naughty naughty!*), organizing talent (boundless talent, just look at Kechara. the results speak for itself), self-confident (but always humble and very respectful), adventurous (Tsem Rinpoche is the modern day lama, he ALWAYS tries new things, is not afraid to learn and to push and always better himself) , eccentric (if i had to pick three words to describe Tsem Rinpoche it would be ‘knowledgeable’ ‘attained’ and ‘eccentric’), boyish (this one perhaps..take off the list lah! 
), ready to help (he’s sentient beings 24/7 go-to for help.honestly. he helps financially, psychologically, emotionally and most of all spiritually. A proving example, look at this website. How many people has he helped via his words), generous (continuing from ‘ready to help’, he’s generous enough to take the time and reply some people’s answers on this blog. There aren’t that many lamas, or maybe not at all, who’s as connected to other people through the internet as him. In the past people would have to walk for miles and wait for hours to be able to be in the presence just to ask one question to a Rinpoche. Now? All you have to do is type! We shouldn’t, however, be complacent into thinking that he’s always there to ask frivilous questions), good listener (he has listened to thousands of hours to people with problems, I doubt that a lot of us would put up with it. Honestly!) , reading people’s mind (Tsem Rinpoche would never reveal to us any sort of “magical” or “psychic” powers, but we as students have seen him displaying such abilities), occasionally moody (moody with purpose. Not just a silly b*tch-fit!), honest (perhaps sometimes…brutally honest? Hahaha jk), unconvential (he is the perfect lama for these degenerate times where we lazy folks are appealed to someone whom we can relate with. He should never have to adapt to us but which one of us would give up our “lifestyles”, shave our heads and sit on a cushion for hours on end? The different and the current appeals to us, both of which would be considered ‘unconventional’ because it doesn’t fall into what we expect a high lama such as him to be like.)
Such unconventional things appeal and stick in our minds quicker (with all respect to Trijang Rinpoche, of course). Just like Lama Yeshe a lot of people upon sight of Rinpoche ask ‘Why is he so goodlooking?’ or ‘Why is he wearing this and that?’. Thought-provoking, intriguing and unconventional. If it leads people to learn the Dharma, why not?
I agree with Sharon’s comment when she says that the description on Lama Yeshe sounds a lot like Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. *extracted* a pioneering bridge-builder between East and West (Tsem Tulku Rinpoche uses his upbringing in America, combined with Dharma knowledge from Gaden in India to help better relate to Malaysians and those in the world today. By being able to relate better, he makes his students and followers more inclined and inspired to learn and practice Dharma), unorthodox maverick (Tsem Rinpoche encourages people to think for themselves and not just blindly follow, to understand Dharma teachings from a more logical perspective), Buddhist hippie (hehe I would consider Tsem Rinpoche to be more of a Buddhist modernist!
The descriptions mentioned above that relates to Lama Yeshe, which I have then added my personal comments to, is not meant to shadow over Lama Yeshe but to show that all the great Mahasiddhas seem to show the same qualities. Right from the great 84 Mahasiddhas, Tsem Tulku Rinpoche illustrates how you can be attained, continue the unbroken Gelugpa lineage of 600 years whilst staying current.
I asked one of my friends whether she has read the post on Trijang Rinpoche and she said ‘oh the guy who was topless by the sea?’
Great Mahasiddhas.
When I was reading the many descriptions of Lama Yeshe by his student, I thought of Buddha’s 84,000 teachings! They were created/written to suit different recipients so that the teaching is effective. Because each and everyone of us are different, the same teaching method cannot be applied for all. Therefore, being a Great Mahasiddha, Lama Yeshe applies different methods for different type of audience, they had to be close to them to understand what they think and what makes they tick! so that he can touch their heart with dharma. How Compassionate!
Our Guru has the same compassion for all his students, he jokes, tease, make fun, scold, ‘punish’ whenever he sees fit. His teachings are always funfilled yet carries profound meaning. check out this cool teaching http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gusmXY0DeGo
Many great Masters have returned to us with the clear motivation to impart the most precious Dharma teaching to us. In their effort to get through to us, who are so deep in our samsaric habituations, these Masters have to adopt all sorts of methods including getting into swimming trunks by the beach. How kind they are! Realizing their sincerity to come down to our level, may we have the merit and wisdom to join them and go up some levels through implementation and conscious effort to uphold the teachings they blessed us with.
The controversial ways Great Lamas like Lama Yeshe and Tsem Rinpoche is in itself a kind method for us to overcome our fixed beliefs about how things should be. Developing the habit to have no limitations from expectations through the wisdom of our kind Gurus does not only create openness in us but also set the foundation for higher practice. How very skillful and long-sighted the kind Gurus are!
Wow! I love the description given of Lama Yeshe is just so amazingly apt for such a Mahasiddha as Lama Yeshe. What I really like about it is that he is so multifaceted that so many descriptive words could be used upon a single man. I find a lot of the words are what I would describe Rinpoche too. Hence, I would attempt to describe Rinpoche in my own words here.
I am blessed to have met Rinpoche about 6-7 years ago in the most unconventional ways – at the gym. He was good-looking, intelligent, sharp witted and was so sensitive of other people’s thoughts that he leads many to think him clairvoyant although he denies it and wouldn’t allow anybody to call him that. He is extremely humourous, often conjuring funny made-up conversations, fun and games and often mixing the profound and the profane to shake up our stuffy self-imposed sensibilities.
I always found it amazing that Rinpoche could have everybody’s concern his topmost priority. He could be planning the Dharma future for over 20 student’s (my estimation) simultaneously. He could be screaming at one student to make him learn a very special sacred lesson and he could simultaneously be planning the personal life of another with lots of love and humour via a text message. This is not to mention the many students that are close to him or within the vicinity.
To me, Rinpoche is a mix of Manjushri with his erudite, down-to-earth and insightful teachings and Heruka when he engages with his students according to the Heruka’s moods of wrathful, peaceful, increasing and pacifying actions to develop his students to be leaders, inspiring practitioners and teachers. Then when any of us step out of line or our egos decide to take over, Rinpoche assumes the ferocious Vajrabhairava, to totally subdue our minds into submission to the Dharma
Tsem Rinpoche of course, is the Lama of this new millenium – teaching and touching thousands via the Internet, facebook, Youtube and blog with his invaluable teachings.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this blog about Lama Yeshe. How kind and compassionate a guru can be. A guru will do whatever it takes even to ruin His reputation if there’s a chance for Him to wake up his student. There’s no other reason for them to be here other than spreading dharma. Lama Yeshe and Tsem Tulku Rinpoche both are extraordinary being who can manifest into many type of personality in order to attract, tempt and hook in His students’ minds to do dharma. Look at all of us. Non of us is normal. Our guru has to blog, modeling, facebook, tweet, jokes, scream, tease, being gentle, even has to put on weight for of dharma
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for further explanation regarding Shawn’s experience which all of us experienced. I suppose many may have feel how insensitive and uncaring Buddhist can be to make such heartless, uncaring statement as “karma has ripened” to people who are in distress. People likes to hear words along the lines that it’s not their fault..it’s the universe to be blamed for every misfortune… It is hard for people to accept the fact that we ourselves are the creator of all our experiences.
I appreciate Rinpoche’s blogpost reply very much as Rinpoche say the truth of the matter in such a skillful way that I am sure many will find this truth easier to accept.
love
susan
All the methods of imparting the dharma are cleverly weaved in the way Lama Yeshe and our Rinpoche teach. Both of them are different yet similar in so many aspects. All of Rinpoche’s students can look forward to an evening of serious dharma teaching ingeniously interweaved with jokes, good clean fun amidst some scolding – all to benefit us students in a way that we are receptive. We laugh, we cry, we have our prima donna moments – we are urged and egged on to be “ourselves”, to “come out”. How kind and patient of our Lama to use different methods to reach out to us. Even the gifts we received from Rinpoche reflect our personalities very aptly.
I agree that Tsem Rinpoche is like Lama Yeshe in many ways, especially in the way he skillfully teaches his students. Like Lama Yeshe, Rinpoche is also a bridge between the East and the West. I enjoyed reading Hans Taeger’s description of Lama Yeshe, his own spiritual experiences and the discoveries he made. What an interesting life. I think that if I had met a lama in the 1970s when I was a student, I might have had a very different life. In December 1975, I bought the books “The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation” and the Tibetan Book of the Dead” by W.Y. Evans-Wentz. But there were no lamas in Malaysia at the time. So, imagine my happiness when I finally meet a lama and can understand at last those 2 books that I bought 35 years ago.
There was some discussion in the earlier posts regarding Shawn Tay’s fall and Rinpoche’s explanation of such experiences as a result of a blessing. This reminded me of a similar experience I had in China in November 2008. My hosts from the Hebei Normal University took me to the Bai Lin Chan Monastery nearby in Shijiazhuang province. There was a big festival and the temple complex was very crowded. While circumambulating the pagoda, I slipped and fell but I was not hurt. The Chinese believe that small accidents or misfortunes are good signs because they prevent bigger ones from happening. I remember I was praying for Rinpoche and KH. Of course, my fall could simply be due to my being careless and distracted at the time.
Terima Kasih Rinpoche!
Yes I used to read some stuff on Lama Yeshe and agree that his methods are ‘unconventional’ to the untrained eye and ears.
I recall reading in the Lotus Sutra and how the Buddha calls Himself as the ‘Father of All Beings’ and how even His manifestation of birth, enlightenment and parinirvana were all provisional as a skillful means to deliver us and His countless other ways to reach out to us, it humbles me that the Buddha, Lama Yeshe and Rinpoche should even deign to come to our level for our sake out of pure love and compassion to deliver us out of this burning triple worlds.
Boundless love and compassion knows no barriers nor end…sadhu!
Lama Yeshe is an intelligent and adaptable lama who lives in the world of his students so that his students can relate better to his teachings. Lama Yeshe used 84,000 skillful means, may they be music, hippie, humor or fun to relate and weave dharma into the lives of his students to benefit them.
Tsem Rinpoche is in many, many ways very similar to Lama Yeshe, in that he also carefully uses skillful means to ensure his students learned the dharma with the most effective method. This shows that our Guru cares and is concern of the wellbeing of his students. One of the many ways to gain knowledge is reading all of Tsem Rinpoche’s blog posts and for us to response back to share our dharma experience.
I had never met Lama Yeshe. My interest in Tibetan Buddhism started after reading one of his books Introduction to Tantra. It was written so clearly that one cannot help being ‘illuminated ‘ by it. I will buy his books wherever I find them in bookshelves.
The short description of Lama Yeshe is poignant because my interest in him was mainly his books , but the profile of him here brings to mind ,the profile of Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, my Guru and Spiritual Guide.
What is not mentioned is whether Lama Yeshe would be like Rinpoche ,just as comfortable as a cyber Lama as he is in Kechara Paradise or Tushita Pureland or anywhere for that matter.
I am very sure if Lama Yeshe is still living today, he will be carrying a lap top ! All Mahasiddhas are one after all.
Dear Rinpoche,
your kind elucidation of what karmic purification is really does help in taking the pain. From here i realize i will need to train my mind to not balk at small misadventures and small scale suffering as i have a bad habit at looking at things negatively. I would have to keep reminding myself whenever something bad happens that it could be even worse, but thanks to Rinpoche’s blessing, it is manifested now instead of before it gets a lot worse.
If I had not met Rinpoche, i would be naively hiding and avoiding my negative karma, thinking that this way it will not ripen and in the end suffer a great deal more. After reading this teaching, i feel more ready and less shaken by incidents that ‘upset’ my mind. And even if i do ‘fall’, i will pick myself up as i know it is not permanent but temporary.
Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa, Tsem Rinpoche and other high reincarnate lamas all have wisdom and compassion plus realizing emptiness. Highly attained lamas display crazy wisdom, some vajra anger, some ‘attachment’ yet not attached.
I am sure all the good qualities of Lama Yeshe described here are as close as can be to describe him.
Tsem Rinpoche is also very similar. The difference is modernization with the advent of mobile phones, SMS, MMS, computers, internet, face book, blog, tweet, email…..These are some of the tools that Tsem Rinpoche uses to teach dharma which I think Lama Yeshe would happily use too if these had been available during his era.
Each month, Tsem Rinpoche sends out thousands of SMS and MMS! And that is just using mobile phone.
sorry it’s so long!
I have never met Lama Yeshe but I remember reading about him in a book entitled “Reincarnation” by his student Vicki Mackenzie many moons ago way before I met Tsem Rinpoche and Kechara. It brought back many memories of how the teachings of Lama Yeshe elucidated by Vicki Mackenzie had some deep impact on me at that time. Exactly what I can’t recall but I remember reading certain parts of that book over and over again because it affected me so deeply. It was like my bible for a while. On hind sight, that was one of my earlier exposure to Tibetan Buddhism that eventually led me to Tsem Rinpoche and Kechara. I may not have met Lama Yeshe but his enlightened actions conveyed by his students have played a part in leading me to my spiritual path. Strangely enough, Tsem Rinpoche, my guru whom I eventually meet has so many similarity to Lama Yeshe. Talk about one’s affinity manifesting in various forms.
Lama Yeshe’s work and teachings are so inspiring to me as well. If you watch on Youtube, he doesn’t just use words to teach. It’s almost as if he uses his words, his mannerisms, his hands and even his eyes in order to teach the Dharma to many types of people.
It’s good to read a description of a true master as written by a student who sees the guru’s wisdom and compassion on a regular basis. Great lamas like Lama Yeshe definitely have the power to manifest the qualities of Buddhas, without a doubt.
All the words used to describe Lama Yeshe perfectly describe Tsem Rinpoche as well. It is a characteristic of great mahasiddhas and teachers that they will adapt to the needs of their students, bringing the dharma to them in ways that they are able to understand and accept.
I first met Rinpoche through the book club that was a regular programme at Kechara House back in 2007. The book we were reading was Dragon Thunder and it featured the biography of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche as told by his wife Diana Mukpo.
His WIFE? I was new to Tibetan Buddhism then and the things I read in the book shocked and surprised me to the core. Fortunately I was intrigued enough to want to learn more and the more I heard and understood about the deeds of these skillful masters, the more I realised that we should not judge any of their actions, but look instead at their results and their students.
Lama Yeshe and Chogyam Trungpa were a great teacher, as is Tsem Rinpoche. May more mahasattvas like them emanate in our world. Buddha knows we need them badly.
If it was not for Rinpoche’s witty, humorous, unconventional, thought provoking Dharma talk that I attended for the first time in 2001, I wouldn’t be here commenting on his blog now. Yes, talk about bringing their level down to ours in order to bring Dharma to the absolute bunch of hopeless nerds. I believe all great lamas who come back to turn the wheel of Dharma now and in future will use whatever means it takes to get their message across to their students.
I have never met lama Yeshe, but heard that he would sit on the beach and spend an afternoon talking Dharma to someone casually, laughing and having a great time together. Someone may ask, shouldn’t a lama be sitting on a high throne to give Dharma talk? That is exactly what I love about Tsem Rinpoche and also Lama Yeshe, their UNCONVENTIONAL ATTIDUDES, GET –CLOSE- TO –THE- STUDENTS- IN- THEIR- ACTIVITIES mentalities, brought more happiness to many of us who may not have a chance to hear about Dharma at all.
May all these great mahasiddas live long and continuously turn the wheel of Dharma.
Although I have never met Lama Yeshe, when I read about him, I feel Lama Yeshe had similarities with our Rinpoche . He is unconventional, flamboyance, amusing, hilarious, modern, entertaining, caring, loving, compassionate, generous, with humanity, skillful and effective in bringing many westerners to Dharma. It clearly shows his enlightened mind will go to any length and process to benefit others.
What we see of FPMT today was mainly the work of Lama Yeshe and later carry on by Lama Zopa. I understand that during the days of Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa was a quiet lama until Lama Yeshe passed away.
Dear Rinpoche,
After reading this article on Lama Yeshe, I thought Hey! Rinpoche is our Lama Yeshe! Everything single thing described in Lama Yeshe’s character is exactly like our Rinpoche hehe. Yes Rinpoche have always always used unconventional methods to reach out to us, to wake us up and to kick us to Enlightenment if need be!
Like back in those days in the old Ladrang, impermanence was taught via changing the look of a room, sometimes rooms in Rinpoche’s house in the middle of the night! It drove our neighbors crazy and by the time the sunrise, we’ve got a whole new look and style in the house. Then next week it was change again cos Rinpoche was bored. Of course Rinpoche was not bored, we all knew by the 3rd time moving things around/painting/rewiring that it is a lesson on non attachment and impermanence on so many levels and for each individual it was different! So don’t resist la, just surrender. It was crazy but at the end of each successful move, we learnt something precious. And the more we let go of our concept of how things should and shouldn’t be, life becomes easier. Thank you Rinpoche – our Lama Yeshe
Reading through Hans Taeger descriptions of Lama Yeshe is just like characterizing our own Tsem Rinpoche. It is a fact that highly attained beings can choose where to incarnate and His environment to benefit sentient beings.
Just like Lama Yeshe, Tsem Rinpoche also uses skillful means to attract students to dharma. During Rinpoche’s younger days, Rinpoche used to do cat walk modeling as Rinpoche has the look and the height of a model, join students for coffee session, movies, karaoke etc. By doing this, Rinpoche is slowing transforming the students’ perception of learning dharma could be fun!
Rinpoche will always joke with everyone at the same time interspersing dharma talk for everyone’s benefit.
We are truly blessed to be near a highly attained lama who always has the welfare of the students in His mind and is always on the look out for us the ‘lost souls’!!
Thank you Rinpoche for being here in Malaysia and creating various opportunities for everyone to get involve in dharma activities. May Rinpoche always be in good and stable health, may KWPC manifest soon to benefit many!!!
All the words used to describe Lama Yeshe perfectly describe Tsem Rinpoche. Tsem Rinpoche is our Lama Yeshe, he uses unconventional teachings and methods to his all students, sometimes PEACEFUL way of approach and sometime WRAFTFUL means in order to make the students transform, as long as benefits his student, he will do what ever it takes and will not give up anyone.
What Tsem Rinpoche described about Lama Yeshe perfectly describe Tsem Rinpoche.
To me, Rinpoche is different and not a conservative lama too. Rinpoches types of modern teachings appeals to eastern and western people worldwide, Tsem Rinpoche ‘s blog is one of the very good example.
Tsem Rinpoche has all the good qualities of a great master like Lama Yeshe
In Guru-students relationship, Rinpoche understands and cares every single students he encountered, Tsem Rinpoche truly a Great Mahasiddha.
Dear Rinpoche,
Don’t ever ask me to describe you. I will look like I’ve committed plagiarism.
This just proves to me that if we focus on the qualities we want to achieve, we can achieve that. Be it through our yidam, guru or herosssss. This post is such a clear and concise way of explaining this because of the obvious resemblance between Rinpoche and your hero.
I find this concept of Mahasiddhas seriously intriguing and an eye-opener. Many people who don’t understand this will think this is some twisted Buddhist practice! It gives me a sense of relief that a spiritual person does not have to be all so holy smoly to bring dharma to others. Why? Cos I can still be who I am but by being more conscious about my actions, I can also bring dharma to others the way they can connect to.
Thank you Rinpoche for posting Lama Yeshe’s biography on your blog. Your method of teaching your students are exactly like Lama Yeshe. The year I met Lama Zopa was the year Lama Yeshe passed away. Lama Zopa had instructed FMPT to send me newsletter re Lama Yeshe’s teachings. I seem to have a a very close affinity and liking for these two Lamas. And I also like to read their teachings. Although Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa have different personalities their teachings are identical. I have not met Lama Yeshe. But I love reading the newsletter from FPMT. After Lama Yeshe passed away I did not receive any more newsletter. How am I going to get continued teachings of Lama Yeshe. Then I got the answer. Our Tsem Rinpoche is an almost close version of Lama Yeshe. I fully agree with all the comments posted about Lama Yeshe and Tsem Rinpoche having same personalities and using them to teach Dharma.
Reading Champa Legshe describtion of Lama Yeshe is like reading an article that could be used in describing our guru Tsem Rinpoche. Whatever unconventional style, his warmth, his attainment, his love and his humanity are same like those we had the good fortune to experience from our guru Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. It could be that like whatChampa Legshe said, “This was a common use and part of a more intensive monastic Buddhist education.” Like Lama Yeshe, our guru is also a very caring, loving teacher and friend. Similarly to the same method used by Lama Yeshe in his “get-close-to-your-student” method which attracted many to the Sacred Dharma, Tsem Rinpoche has in the same way used such method to attract same to the Dharma.
This may sound surfacing, and I don’t know if you understand my point of view… but to me since today Lama Yeshe and Vadjra Yoghini and “me” seem to be one.
Nevertheless, the point is: I am a committed Hippie, too!