Trip to Penang – April 1 - 5, 2008

During the first semester break of our Basic Foundation Course (BFC), I was very glad I had the opportunity to visit Penang - Choki Gyaltsen Centre (CGC). I took this great opportunity to fulfil their request to have teachings on various expects of Buddhadharma and I was also very happy and surprise that the number of attendance is three times more than my previous visit which was about a year ago. Many new comers were very interested especially to study the BFC. So I have initiated the study program base on the transcript that was accomplished by LDC. CGC president Daniel will lead the discussion for the coming 3 months and I will do a summary clarification on their doubts to prepare them for the exam. There are quite a large number of people interested in this program and some have started with the discussion and home study with the transcript. Those with queries or doubts may contact me via email or through my mobile for clarification.

It is one of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s (KLZR) holy wishes that I visit CGC since my arrival in LDC, Malaysia but due to many circumstances, I was unable to offer my service or be present there. But after the great blessings by KLZR and Khen Rinpoche (KR), the karma instantly ripen and also the program that LDC have organized allowed me to spare time for CGC without obstructing any LDC programs. I therefore feel satisfied and I hope and pray that I will be able to fulfil the wishes of KLZR and KR have for CGC and may I be able to offer the service without any further obstacles in future.

I felt so touched that the students there have shown great appreciation and much sincerity and even though they didn’t get to spend many days with me but whatever time spent together, we used for dharma talk, questions and answers sessions. Many expressed that the gathering we had as very enlightening moment.

Whatever merit accumulated by everyone is solely dedicated to the long and healthy life of our gurus and for all their holy wishes be fulfilled plus the well being and enlightenment path for all students, volunteers and benefactors of CGC.

I will visit CGC at least 3 times a year and they will study the same program and sit for the exam just like the LDC students. That way, they will also be provided the opportunity they deserve and at the end of this accomplishment of the BFC, everyone will receive great blessings from our most respected guru KLZR. Rejoice and rejoice!!

I also sincerely thank all the coordinators who put so much effort to make my stay there a most meaningful one.

These are some pictures taken by Bobby Yeoh.

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DHARMA READING Corner

The Thousand Buddha Relic Stupa

The worst day of my life was the day that I lost the precious Guru whose kindness is indefinite, more than the tree times’ Buddhas, the precious Dharma Father, Geshe Lama Konchog. I never want to be separated from him. I only want to please him and serve him in accordance with the Buddha wishes of all the Buddhas.In this book I have tried to share with you information about all the relics of body, speech and mind and all the holy objects that are housed in Geshe-la’s stupa. To read the detail contents of this wonderful book please click here to download. This downloading process will take a few minutes.

Blog Version
Copy by Candy Tan
Design by Elenie Tan
Photograph scanning by Belinda Chong

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Note to readers

Dear friends and readers,

I can see a lot of nice feedback and response on this blog and I hope that you enjoy viewing and reading all that’s been posted. Main purpose is to bring some virtuous thoughts and input into all readers and to share what I can offer. So I really hope you all like it. And most importantly I wish and pray that whoever read this blog,may it be able to bring them happiness in their mind and also in their life, create auspiciousness in whatever they do or lifestyle and most importantly inspire them to live a virtuous life. Whether one have the ability to benefit others in a big or small way, sincerely do the best to benefit others especially living oneself as a virtuous person. Embrace a life by being kind, compassionate, loving, respect, sincere, pure, ethical, be a good human being is the least you can contribute if you cannot help others. Live a life without harming any sentient being! With this way of life, may you enjoy good health, long life, prosperity and all the happiness in this life. This is the main purpose of sharing my blog with all.

And I apologize that I was unable to reply to all individually and to those who have send question to my gmail and thru the blog due to my extremely tight schedule. My answer for all is to live a virtuous life and everything you wish for will come through. This will not only bring peace within you but for every single being in the world. I would also like to show my sincere appreciation and countless thanks to the administrative team who help to actualize and create this blog namely Candy, William and Elenie and others who have provided all the beautiful pictures, suggestions and put in willingly immense effort, whole heartedly and sincerely. In fact whatever benefits we are getting it is due to their kindness which I truly appreciate. May every one of us be blessed with a meaningful life.

Phone call to Phuntsok Rinpoche (March 2008)

About one week ago, I called Phuntsok Rinpoche and somehow he was the one pick up the phone. Naturally he asked who I was and my reply to him was “I am your great uncle”. Then I continued to ask him “Do you remember I have plans to test you on some of the prayers I requested you to memorize? I will test you when I see you next time”. Phuntsok Rinpoche then replied “I will do the test now but do you remember what you promise to give me if I pass the test? You promise to give me a toy car.” “Toy car? I thought you were joking” was what I said to him.

He then started reciting for approximately ten minutes all the prayers that I requested him to memorize. It was very shocking and wonderful, at the same time delighting moment for me that he has put so much effort to memorize these prayers. He is doing very well in his studies and so from this year onwards, he will do extensive studies and language memorization. He has also grown up to 5 years old and he is in good health and very happy in monastery that he do not wish to leave the monastery boundary. This is indeed very good and wonderful for him and for all of us too.

To read more about Phuntsok Rinpoche click here

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Plan for year 2008

Now that all the visitors have left LDC, it’s back to our routine schedule. Just like 2007, we are doing the Basic Foundation Course and Mind Training teaching like medication on Lam Rim and we also have teachings held at some Chinese and Buddhist Temples. But it will be great that we organise by semesters and in between each semester there is a 2 weeks break, during which I will be visiting Penang to Choki Gyaltsen Centre to teach followed by some appointments and consultations, visiting member’s houses, sick people...etc.

Time flies without us realizing it as I enter my second year in LDC and I can tell everyone is very happy and doing their best with many changes in people in particularly in their dharma practice. It’s extremely encouraging to see more people coming to the centre and there are many signs that dharma studies is getting into their mind

With the advice of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Dari Rinpoche, it’s necessary for Jangsem Ling to do a very special incense puja composed by guru Padmasambhava as with all the sanghas and some members. We then visited Jangsem Ling together with all the sanghas and some members from LDC and we had a wonderful puja performed with over 60 members participating from Triang town. I also understand that over 1000 visited Jangsem Ling during the Chinese New Year period.

Ven Sonam is working single handily and very hard on the overall administration of Jangsem Ling. The gompa was really magnificent with so many lights and offerings around the altar. The energy there is also very good. The whole centre including the surrounding is so clean, well kept and spacious and I am sure it’s all due to the 20 to 30 local devoted volunteers who are ever ready to assist in anything. These local who visited Jangsem Ling treats this place like their second home, they clean the kitchen, make water bowl offerings, handle the office administration, reception, landscaping, guide and public relation as well. I was shocked and I think it is something that everyone of us should know. All Ven Sonam need to do is say the word and everything is done automatically. It’s a great team. People there love the pujas and blessings. Many of them strongly requested me to visit them, so whenever I get the opportunity I will do so.

I think it’s somehow inspiring from every aspect all our members and students want to please our guru. Kasih Hospice volunteers are doing great and I also got a chance to visit some of Kasih’s patients whom are mostly dying from cancer. It’s heart touching and at the same time, they have put so much effort to attending classes to learn dharma and are applying Buddha dharma way to liberate sick and dying people. And this is very rejoicing. I am sure everything that’s happening in Malaysia in the different centres will definitely please our guru, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Khen Rinpoche and whoever that has affection for us.

This year (2008) from 22^nd to 24^th August, LDC is organizing a short pilgrimage to Borobudur, Indonesia where Lama Atisha met his guru Lama Tserlingpa and received teaching on bodhicitta. The response is overwhelming and I have requested those going to memorise Refuge and Bodhicitta prayers and dedication prayers and certain mantras like Mari Tsemam Mantra “ Om Mari Tsemam Soha”. These practices will be done during our extensive circumambulation of stupa, medication, extensive light offerings, extensive incense offerings and extensive guru puja/tsog offering. Since it’s a very powerful holy place which can bring so much blessing to our mind and to cultivate bodhicitta, we are going to concentrate on bodhicitta prayers and practices. And since the sun rise view from the stupa is beautiful, I suggested we do the practice Mari Tsemam. Mari Tsenam is the protection goddess who resides in the centre of the sun and this goddess has a very powerful protection against enemies, robbery, kidnapping, car accident, when travelling, animal harm such as snake, tiger or mosquito (dengue), falling of cliff, poison, black magic, charm, curse, harm from human and invisible being, and natural disaster like flood, earthquake, fire and wind. We are going to do meditation at sunrise and on Mari Tsenam. We are also going to do the practise of Vajra and fire protection and visit holy places. It s only a 3 days visit but it’s going to be very meaningful and meritorious.

We also have plans to go Bodhgaya from 8^th to 16^th November 2008. This time we thought to start the pilgrimage retreats in front of Bodhgaya Stupa to pledge and start the accumulation of 110,000 long prostration, 220,000 Refuge and Bodhicitta prayer and 110,000 (7 heaps) Mandala Offering. We will do the retreat there and then complete the balance of the commitment that you pledged everyday or within one month, years or life time.

Other preliminary practices we are planning for the coming years will be Vajrasattva, tsa-tsa making, Lama Tsongkapa Guru Yoga, Samayavajra, Vajra Dakha Fire Puja, water bowl offering , etc. Hopefully within these few years, we can complete the preliminary practices and those who have karma to do the three years long retreat.

LDC year end Kopan trip is from 13-23 Dec, 2008. The annual pilgrimage to Nepal teachings will include the annual long life pujas of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and visit to important holy sites. Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche has also agreed to give Vajrasattva Initiation (commitment of retreat of 28 mantras daily for life), Tara Initiation (possibly 21 Tara) and Chenrezig Initiation.

This is my tentative plan for year 2008. I also have plans to visit Australia and America in the near future.

Geshe Lobsang Sherab Visits Malaysia

The year 2008 continue to be happening! It was indeed a surprise for Geshe Lobsang Sherab to visit Malaysia through a private invitation for a holiday. I found out about his visit just one or two days before his arrival. I felt very happy that he is in Malaysia as he was the former resident teacher in LDC and I thought it would be a great opportunity to have a reunion among his students and friends and to remember his kindness of his one year service and teaching in LDC and representing our holy guru Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

On the first day of Geshe Sherab’s visit, we did an extensive guru puja especially dedicated to repay his kindness for all that he has done in that one year in LDC. Geshe Sherab participated happily in the puja.

As the present resident teachers in LDC now, it’s my responsibility to remember the kindness of all the past teachers who have thought in LDC as well as the past members who have served the centre. We therefore decided to have a reunion and welcoming dinner for Geshe Sherab together with all exco, old and new members. Geshe-la was very pleased and so was everyone. He also made connection with new students and members here. At the same time there were 2 other sanghas from Sera who’s visiting Malaysia and we also extended our invitation to them. We were friends from Sera and we had some great moments, chatting and recalling our past in the Monastery.

It was very unfortunately that I was so busy with the Losar and Chinese New Year schedule that I didn’t manage to spend much time with Geshe-la but I am certain he enjoyed himself to the fullest with his fun packed activities of visiting friend’s houses performing house blessing and pujas and holiday around the island of the east coast of Malaysia.

Geshe-la has now left for Singapore for about five days then will head back to Kopan Monastery. We all wish and pray for Geshe-la’s good health, long life and may he come back again and again to Malaysia.

Here are some pictures taken during Geshe Sherab’s visit.