I’M REQUESTING ORDINATION 1987
I was on Facebook the other day and noticed a sharing by Susie Gugajew-Carton. Thank you so much Susie! I didn’t pay much attention at first as the description of this video was very abbreviated so I didn’t understand at first. But there was nothing else on Facebook that caught my eye, so I thought just take a look at the video. To my surprise, the video clip had me meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1987!!! I didn’t even know such a video existed, but I am glad it does. It brought back so many holy and beautiful memories. What a nice surprise!!
The video was in Washington, New Jersey. Washington is in the North of New Jersey and it’s the tail end of the Appalachian Mountains. Beautiful place. The Mongolian Geshe Wangyal established a wonderful dharma centre on one of the mountains there and invited His Holiness to visit, give dharma talk and blessings. All the Kalmuck Mongols (1,000 approximately) rented buses from the tri-state area (New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia) to have audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I was living in Los Angeles (Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen’s dharma centre) at the time. I flew from Los Angeles to New Jersey to attend the teachings. After the teachings, we had the great fortune to go up and get blessing from His Holiness!!! Even writing about this now gives me goose bumps. Well when my turn came up, I directly requested His Holiness to please ordain me as a monk and wish to go to India permanently. His Holiness replied NO PROBLEM, COME TO INDIA AND HE WILL DO IT!!!! I was so excited, I held my tears and was blissed out…My uncles, cousins, step parents, family and many friends were there also. My step parents were not happy at all, but I had to do what my calling was. And I was going to do it no matter what obstacles.
I left for India in October 1987 and stayed in Delhi. I went to Dharamsala around late November and stayed at the Gaden Shartse Puja House for one month. I loved it. I did pujas with the monks, did my sadhana and waited for my ordination. Dharamsala is 12 hours bus ride from Delhi and is where His Holiness resides. In December 1987 I had the fortune with two other boys to spend three hours with His Holiness and senior sangha like His Eminence Denma Locho Rinpoche and received my ordination vows. His Holiness gave me my vows, cut my hair and touched my robes to bless it. Can you imagine. His Holiness did this for me!! I was so happy. I finally became a monk after years of wanting to be one since very young. I was 22 and just became ordained!!! It was a lifetime’s dream come true to be a monk and His Holiness, the highest of the high ordained me himself!!! I was given the ordination name Tenzin Zopa by His Holiness.
I offered my fruits and various other items to His Holiness then went outside after the ordination ceremony. None of my family, or friends or anyone from the USA was there to greet me. I had made one friend in Dharamsala. His name is Ven. Sharpa Tulku Rinpoche (translator). He alone stood outside the palace of the HH Dalai Lama with a khata to greet and congratulate me after the ceremony. He was the only person there for me. I realized my spiritual journey would not get support from anyone perhaps no one really understood it..I am sure my family had good reasons that they weren’t there..I do not mean to blame, it was just what happened…
I was so happy to be a monk, but realized I am alone. I appreciated Sharpa Rinpoche for being there so much. He was a good friend to me in those days. He explained to me so much of our Tibetan culture, the monasteries, people, etiquette and any questions I had so patiently. I had no one else in Dharamsala…I spent alot of time with him in Dharamsala before my ordination (Ven Sangtsang Rinpoche helped me to prepare my robes and offerings as Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen wrote him a letter to help me prior to ordination). Sharpa Rinpoche was very patient and spoke English so eloquently. Can you imagine travelling half way around the world to take the biggest step of your life and when you finish and come out, there was just one person there that you just became friends with? The other two monks who were ordained with me at the same time, had so many family and friends waiting for them with khatas, gifts and congratulations and were outside of the palace waiting…I saw them… It was lonely for me, but it’s ok…I accepted. I knew becoming a monk was the right thing. And I will never turn back.. I requested His Holiness and he ordained me and that is all that matters!! I was going to go all the way with my decision and I fought hard to get to Dharamsala. After Dharamsala I would have to go to Nepal then to Gaden!!!! Gaden!!! Gaden!!! Gaden!! Every bone in my body wanted to go to Gaden and live in the Monastery!!! Every fibre in me ached to go to Gaden!!!!
Tsem Rinpoche
Here’s a spectacular video taken by someone and posted on facebook of one of the MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS IN MY LIFE…when I requested and was accepted to become a monk.
I am requesting His Holiness to ordain me here in Washington, New Jersey (1987)…My uncle Giga looks on from behind.
His Holiness accepts and says COME TO INDIA!!!!! I almost collapsed with happiness and fulfillment.
I am 22 years old here and meeting a living Buddha who holds my unworthy hands…..
(In the background is a large man in a grey jacket, white shirt and black pants looking at us-that’s my Uncle Giga) (Thank you whoever you are who took this video…it means so much to me and means so much to so many people in Kechara)
Dear Rinpoche,
I wanted to share my Happiness with you! I am going to see His Holiness next weekend, here in Southern California at a public talk he is giving sponsored by Thubten Dhargye Ling, the dharma center in Long Beach where you practiced!
Coincidentally, it will also be my birthday — and what a wonderful, blessed way to celebrate in the presence of His Holiness! I am writing this because it was through your dharma teachings — whatever ounce this restless mind of mine might’ve understood and can hear clearly to practice — that I can deeply and fully appreciate the opportunity to see His Holiness next week. Thank you for all the ways you show, express and embody your gratitude to your Teachers. This is something of the Practice I know I have learned directly from you. So, next Sunday, in the crowd of thousands at the Long Beach Convention Center, wherever I may be, I’ll be sure to offer a smiling moment of thanks to you dear Rinpoche, for helping to me understand, appreciate and cherish this chance to see His Holiness!
As I read your post here about the initial difficulties of taking the step to ordain, I want to let you know in my small way, I have definitely benefited from the fruits of your practice.
Thank you, thank you, thank you…for other things I do not yet have the language to write about clearly, but am grateful for because of your teachings.
_/|\_
Sincerely,
Jnaseh
Finally we get to see THE MOMENT….. I am so happy to be able to watch this. Really really super happy !
Beautiful. I’ve been gibing it a lot of thought about getting ordained. =)
But first I must finish university. I have promised my parents I’ll give them that. And they deserve much more.
How amazing it is to be able to see such a defining moment.
It is my wish also to be ordained, how amazing it would be if I too could ask His Holiness to ordain me.
Thank you so much for sharing this.
Dearest Rinpoche thank you very much for sharing this precious moments with us. It must be a great moment. It refreshes my memory when you cut Anila’s hair. I wish I can be ordained one day too. In order for me to get to that stage I must now be commited to my preliminaries. Thank you for the great reminder. Thank you Rinpoche.
It’s so wonderful to have one’s very special moments in life captured and yet we didn’t even know about it until much later. Now, to see this for ourselves, it is so surreal.
H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche has always displayed such great reverence towards all Rinpoche’s Gurus. Every time Rinpoche speaks of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Rinpoche would fold his hands and place them at his forehead. Rinpoche does the same whenever we make our dedication prayers to His Holiness’s Long Life.
This is really such a gem of a find. Thank you for sharing this, Rinpoche. Now, we can all witness the great moment and celebrate with Rinpoche. Although Rinpoche had no one then, by Rinpoche’s side, Rinpoche has many friends and students now who are so touched by Rinpoche’s teachings. Many friends and students around the world celebrate this beautiful moment with Rinpoche over and over again because Rinpoche has benefited so many of us.
Thank you deeply.
Seeing events in real life will be more exciting then only reading or talking. You can see Rinpoche’s Ordination in real life on videos. We are very lucky that someone had video taped Rinpoche’s Ordination event and put on facebook. Rinpoche was only 22 years old when he went for Dalal Lama’s teachings in New Jersey. At that time he was living in a centre in Los Angeles. He had flown all the way from L.A to New Jersey to attend Dalai Lama’s teachings. After Dalai Lama’s teaching everyone was allowed to get blessings from Dalai Lama. During the blessing Rinpoche took the opportunity to request Ordination from His Holiness to which Dalai Lama agreed and ask Rinpoche to go to India. Rinpoche went to stay in Ganden Monastery for a month while waiting for his Ordination. He went to Dharamsala to get Ordination with two other monks. After the Ordination Rinpoche had no one to rejoice and congratulate him besides his new found friend Sharpa Rinpoche. While the two other new ordained monks had relatives and friends to share their joy.Even though he has no one to share his joy he was still very happy that his wish to become a monk had been fulfilled. After Dharamsala he went to Nepal then to Ganden Monastery where he stayed on permanently.
This is such a Precious video clip. Thank you for sharing it Rinpoche.
Dear rinpoche,
“Can you imagine travelling half way around the world to take the biggest step of your life and when you finish and come out, there was just one person there that you just became friends with? The other two monks who were ordained with me at the same time, had so many family and friends waiting for them with khatas, gifts and congratulations and were outside of the palace waiting…I saw them… It was lonely for me, but it’s ok…I accepted. I knew becoming a monk was the right thing. And I will never turn back.”
After reading the paragraph above, it really touched my heart. If not because of your determination and wish to benefit others, it is not easy for a lay person to make such a decision. Somemore you are just 22 yrs old at that time. Therefore, no matter how others criticise you or label you as “unconventional” guru, i still respect you from the dept of my heart. You went through so much hardship just to become a monk with the aim to benefit sentient beings. We are very fortunate to be part of your mandala to spread your teachings.
Hi Dr Lim,
Yes,I remembered Rinpoche once saying the measure of how worthy of respect a person is by how much the person was willing to ‘ sacrifice’ worldly pleasures and endure hardships for others. If we reflect sincerely, we will have to come to the conclusion that such a person is not ordinary and there is a huge gap between us and them when it comes to going all the way to benefit others.
This video just proves that Rinpoche practices what he preaches and a perfectly suitable object of our Refuge.
This is such a rare and precious footage of Tsem Rinpoche embarking onto fullfilling his promise to his root Guru, Kaybje Zong Rinpoche to become ordained as a monk when he was in Los Angeles.
In the Monastery, the late Lati Rinpoche has requested Rinpoche to come to Malaysia to teach the Dharma, though it was not Rinpoche’s wishes as Rinpoche would really loved to do retreats in the Monastery, but due to the unwavering Guru devotion Rinpoche has for the late Lati Rinpoche, he came to a foreign land where basically he had to endure much hardship and start from zero.
Here in Malaysia, we are indeed so fortunate to have H.E. Tsem Rinpoche with us, working with Rinpoche to spread Dharma to all corners of the world is a journey not to be missed.
I agree with what Lim said above, I don’t care what others may say to criticise Rinpoche, just take a look at this footage and see the determination the young Rinpoche has at such young tender age of 22. What were we doing at this age??? Most of us would probably be partying, clubbing, shopping or engaging in some sorts of silly samsara activities.
Indeed Rinpoche is an “Unconventional” lama, who has brought an unconventional student like me to Dharma. Without Rinpoche’s brilliant, witty and unconventional methods, I wouldn’t be anywhere near the Dharma and have since received so many great teachings that have changed my life.
With much gratitude and respect always,
Margaret
Dear Rinpoche,
Like Lim YL above, I find that the most poignant moment in your sharing of the above post re your ordination by HH the Dalai Lama, was that moment when you came out to find that there was no family member or old friend waiting to share that great moment with you. Only a new,but warm and caring, friend.
But then, despite this moment of ‘aloneness’, you held on to your determination to stay the course so as to benefit others and to fulfill your promise to your Root Guru, Zong Rinpoche.
Teaching the Dharma and benefiting others – that’s what Rinpoche has never stopped doing since then.
I find this post very inspirational.As I look around me and find that my close ones and my close friends (from my world before Dharma) seem to find me different and even weird ( in my all-consuming endeavor to drink as deeply as I can from Dharma and from keeping close to my Lama and his precious teachings), I actually do not find this ‘aloneness’ frightening or daunting.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for not being disheartened by your aloneness, in that defining moment of your life. Because of your determination to benefit all and your unexcelled Guru Devotion, we, in Malaysia, have benefited by your coming here to give us the precious teachings and practices of the Gelugpa and Ganden lineage.We are deeply grateful to you our most precious Spiritual Guide.
There are three people who have replied saying they wish to be ordained. I’m sure there are others although they have not mentioned it. This video of Rinpoche requesting for ordination from His Holiness has inspired others to follow in his footsteps.
We are indeed fortunate to have H.E Tsem Tulku Rinpoche with us right here in Malaysia. although im am only 3 month old in Kechara, but am fortunate to have met Rinpoche, and the encounter with Rinpoche was definitely a true eye opener to me, as Rinpoche teaching is very close to our daily life and the way Rinpoche teach although is unconventional, but because of H.E compassion, we able to absorb and practice what Rinpoche share with us.
The video here very clearly show to all of us the strong determination of Rinpoche wanting to be ordained as a Monk, to help other sentient and benefit others. Like what Margaret said, what would most youngster at the age of 22 will do, beside staying at home, it will be going out for clubbing, partying and indulge in the samsaric life, which has no benefit but more harm.
Although Rinpoche maybe an “Unconventional” Lama to some, but i find the unconventional-nes of Rinpoche has benefited so many lives, human and other sentient beings, what inspired me the most is Rinpoche vision for the manifestation of Kechara World Peace Centre which is truly a magnificent project which would benefit many people, beside KWPC, there is also animal sanctuary and Menara Kechara, which all of this together with the current 13 department of Kechara is a prove of Rinpoche great compassion to bring Dharma in different “unconventional” way to suit different “unconventional” people, so many could benefit from the practice of Dharma.
We are truly grateful for having Rinpoche with us to guide us in the practice of Dharma to benefit many more sentient beings.
It is a great privilege to witness the seed marking the beginning of Rinpoche’s journey into monk-hood which empowered Rinpoche to benefit so many through the Dharma.
Looking back after 24 years of Dharma work Rinpoche has achieved for the benefit of millions of sentient beings, i am saddened but “understand” the difficulty and alone-ness Rinpoche had to endure. Throughout history, exceptional individuals who had big dreams and the destiny to make a significant difference were always alone because others did not see what these individuals saw.
I thank Rinpoche deeply for Rinpoche’s compassion to go through so much suffering for the benefit of others. I thank Rinpoche for all the sacrifices Rinpoche had to make to benefit others. I pray that Rinpoche’s students will have the merit to learn from our Guru and make choices to challenge ourselves so benefits others.
This video is a true unearthed gem.
Rinpoche’s drive and determination was already as strong as we can see today. Nothing could be more important than getting ordination, nothing.
All of us that wish to reflect on the hardship of our own lives, on our obstacles, on our depressions, on our family problems, on our financial problems, etc… should learn more about Rinpoche’s biography to find the inspiration and to understand that the way forward is not to focus on our problems but to focus on other people’s potential to solve their problems TOTALLY.
By becoming part of the solution for others, our problems dissipate, or at least the way we see them changes and we do not suffer from them anymore, we are emancipated from them.
There is a good old saying that goes:
ARE YOU PART OF THE PROBLEM OR PART OF THE SOLUTION?
By requesting for ordination, Rinpoche wanted to be part of the solution, it was so clear in his mind at a young age already.
Why does it take most of us 20, 40 or 60 years (or more) to realize that?
We should all pray that if we have not managed to free ourselves from suffering this lifetime, we get the courage and the determination in our next life time and seek for ordination sincerely and with resilience, at a YOUNG AGE, so we do not waste any more time…
WOW!!! Reading about and seeing your experience, I’m completely over joyed and happy for you and all of your fortunate students. As one who that same desire burns deeply in I can really really truly appreciate the greatness of this ,most beautiful and monumental event. Thank you so kindly for sharing it and for the great positive force that you and generating in our existence.
Thank you Rinpoche for being so selfless, regardless of the objection from the family, Rinpoche has never given up the wish wanting to be a monk to benefit people. If Rinpoche did not become a monk, we will not be able to receive so much precious teachings from Rinpoche and be benefited.
My dearest Lama
Your decision to take ordination changes the course of my life and thousands perhaps millions of others.
Much love and care
Valentina
REJOICE REJOICE REJOICE REJOICE REJOICE REJOICE REJOICE REJOICE!!!!
I want to become a monk just like H.H Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and you!!!
Thank you so much to the person who took this video and post it on facebook.THANK YOU AGAIN! It is so rare and precious moment captured on video.
With this ordination,we have Rinpoche here with us in Malaysia.We are so fortunate.May Rinpoche be in excellent health always and be with us for a long,long time.