In 1642, a reincarnation of one of Buddha Shakyamuni’s disciples was born the son of a very poor herdsman in Mongolia. Gifted and recognized as a “khuvilgaan” or tulku at the young age of three, Luvsanperenlei would breeze through his local monastic education and later moved to Lhasa, Tibet to attend Drepung Monastery where...
Posted in Great Lamas & Masters | 28 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline) Poetry has always been held in high regard in Chinese culture and poems has been one of the most common art form that Chinese literati had sought as a means of influencing the thinking of the people over the ages. It is through poetry and beautiful verbal expressions of art that Chinese scholars and intellectuals have traditionally provided insights into issues that mattered to the psyche of the Chinese society and shaped the mentality of the people. The high point in Chinese poetry took place in the Tang d...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Books & Poetry, Celebrities & People, China 中国, Explorers | 6 Comments »
(译文请往下阅读) Who are the Kalmyks? Prior to the 15th Century and a long time ago, there were many west Mongolian tribes who referred to themselves by their respective tribal names. Spread throughout this region are countless archeological sites with petroglyphs, cave paintings, standing stone monuments and ancient forts that date back as far as 10,000 years. By the 15th Century, four major West Mongolian tribes had formed an alliance, adopting “Dörben Oirat” as their collective name. However, this alliance subsequently dissolved and the...
Posted in Family, Guest Contributors, Me, 中文 | 23 Comments »
For many, the idea of being poked by numerous needles is hardly appealing even if it is beneficial. In fact, it is downright terrifying for those with belonephobia i.e. an abnormal fear of sharply pointed objects, especially needles. However, imagined fears rarely present the real picture and the only antidote to those fears is...
Posted in Current Affairs & News, Guest Contributors | 26 Comments »
Sejarah Kaum China merupakan kumpulan etnik kedua terbesar di Malaysia selepas kaum Melayu. Masyarakat Malaysia yang berketurunan Cina terdiri daripada beberapa sub-etnik, seperti Cina Min, Cina Yue, Cina Hakka, Cina Wu dan Cina Utara. Penempatan pertama yang dibuka di Malaysia ditubuhkan pada abad ke-15 apabila Puteri China, Hang Li Po telah dikahwinkan dengan...
Posted in Bahasa Melayu, Malaysia | No Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline) Introduction The Buddhist monk Bodhidharma (5th – 6th century, Simple Chinese: 菩提达摩 or 菩提達磨) was a student of Prajnatara of India, the 27th patriarch in a transmission of Buddhist teachings. As such he is considered to be the 28th patriarch in an uninterrupted lineage of great masters that extends back all the way to Buddha Shakyamuni himself. Since Bodhidharma is credited with transmitting these teachings in China, he is regarded as the first Chinese patriarch of what would become Chan Buddhism. Bodh...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, China 中国, Explorers, Great Lamas & Masters | 11 Comments »
Dear friends, I have been a fan of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), especially acupuncture, for quite some time now. During my time in Malaysia, I have met a few TCM doctors specializing in acupuncture who have been very helpful and skilled in treating various ailments, from swellings to joint pains, muscular aches, headaches, migraines,...
Posted in Science & Mysteries | 17 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Jean Ai) At the very beginning of 2017, I had the opportunity to give a talk in Wisdom Hall, Kechara Forest Retreat. It covered the topic of practising Dharma at our upcoming reunion dinners. On the eve of Chinese New Year, it is a Chinese tradition for the extended family to...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Guest Contributors | 13 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Early Years Bill Porter was born on 3 October 1943 in Los Angeles, California. His father, William A. Porter, was a convicted bank robber who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Michigan in the 1920s. During this unfavourable time, William’s sisters Pearlie and Pauline moved to Michigan to be...
Posted in Books & Poetry, Celebrities & People, China, China 中国, Explorers | 39 Comments »
I have always admired Chenrezig (Tibetan) or Guan Yin in all her manifestations in Buddhism because of what she represents. When I was younger, I meditated a lot on compassion and recited a lot of mantras, and I can say that Chenrezig is one of the few Buddhas that I always prayed to and...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Malaysia, Travel | 36 Comments »
(Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, I recently came across this article and thought it was interesting, so I wanted to share it with all of you. The article reports on the new Tibetan Buddhist Institute in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. The recently established centre offers an extensive education programme...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Current Affairs & News | 19 Comments »
Yul Brynner was an actor most famous for his portrayal of King Mongkut in Rodger and Hammerstein’s musical, ‘The King and I’. Writing this article brought back many fond memories of my childhood. When I was a child, my parents let me watch the old 1956 version of ‘The King And I’ and I...
Posted in Celebrities & People, Film, TV & Music, Guest Contributors | 13 Comments »
Dear friends around the world, I have lived in Malaysia for a large part of my life and it is a beautiful country. The people of Malaysia are gentle, kind and harmonious in general and I have deep appreciation for their sincerity and generosity which has helped not just myself but also my monastery...
Posted in Current Affairs & News, Malaysia | 24 Comments »
Dear friends, This news is indeed interesting because China is the world’s largest economy officially now and the U.S. is second according to this report. The PPP measure of output makes India the third largest economy, followed by Japan in fourth and Germany in fifth. Russia, Brazil, France, Indonesia and the UK make up...
Posted in Current Affairs & News | 23 Comments »
Mount Wutai, better known as Wutaishan or Five Peaked Mountain, is a sacred Buddhist mountain located in Shanxi Province, China. Mount Wutai is identified by its five flat-topped peaks which are strongly believed to be the earthly abodes of Lord Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. Each peak is inhabited by a different form of Manjushri. On the south peak resides the white form of Manjushri called Jvanasattva(智慧文殊菩萨). On the peak itself, there is a temple called Puji Temple (普济寺) where they house the Jvanasattva statue. On the West Peak there is Fa...
Posted in China, China 中国, Guest Contributors, Students & Friends, Travel | 38 Comments »
I have always been interested in ancient civilisations such as China, Egypt and Mesopotamia as they reflect the sophistication and advancements of the people at that time. Although people of that era did not have the modern facilities and education that we enjoy today, what’s incredible is that much of what we know today...
Posted in China 中国, Current Affairs & News, Science and Technology | 49 Comments »
Dear friends around the world, I have an interesting blog post here for you. Have you ever read a book and felt incredibly connected to its content and message? Not all of us may have had this strong experience however, unless we have a very strong imprint of the particular topic perhaps from another...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Explorers | 7 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends, Before Tibetan Buddhism became very big in the West, there were many great explorers, scholars and spiritualists who connected to Tibet. They were fascinated by the Eastern religions and stories about mystical powers and lamas, and travelled there to explore these stories for themselves. Some travelled there and became...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Celebrities & People, Explorers, Great Lamas & Masters, Guest Contributors, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 17 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, When I first learned about the Goddess Gemu and the Mosuo culture, the whole history and background of these peoples was very fascinating to me. Of particular interest was how the practice of the Goddess Gemu survived the transition from the traditional Daba faith, which is...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, China, China 中国, Travel | 31 Comments »
Stephon Marbury: The NBA player who embraced China By Heather Chen BBC News It’s almost official: American basketball legend Stephon Marbury looks set to get a Chinese green card on Christmas Day. Already one of China’s most popular athletes, the former NBA superstar from New York, is believed to be the first foreign celebrity...
Posted in Current Affairs & News | 11 Comments »