(By Tsem Rinpoche) This is a powerful energy and spiritual vortex as well as a incredibly rich cultural locale. The exquisite Nagadeepa Purana Raja Maha Vihara (Sinhalese: නාගදීප පුරාණ විහාරය, Tamil: நயினாதீவு நாக விகாரை) is considered one of the sixteen most sacred places of worship by Buddhists in Sri Lanka. It is one of...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Travel | 7 Comments »
自1992年,我抵达马来西亚至今的25年来,我一直非常欣赏这个多元文化的美丽国家。由于因为每个马来西亚紧密生活在一起,频密地接触彼此的文化,因此马来西亚人在一段谈话当中穿插三至四种语言是家常便饭。
Posted in Malaysia, 中文 | No Comments »
Since I first started coming to Malaysia in 1992 which was 25 years ago, one aspect of this beautiful country which I have always appreciated is its multi-cultural nature. In fact it’s not uncommon to hear three, sometimes even four languages often being spoken in one conversation because everyone has grown up together and...
Posted in Malaysia | 4 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey (1921 – 1995) was a great Buddhist master who founded Dhargyey Buddhist Centre in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1984. During his lifetime, Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey had invited his close students and high incarnate lamas, Venerable Jampa Thupten Rinpoche (Thupten Rinpoche) (1941 – 2011) and Venerable Lhagon Rinpoche (Lhagon...
Posted in Audio Teachings, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Downloads, Great Lamas & Masters, Videos | 3 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Adeline Woon) Myanmar, previously known as Burma, is a new and developing tourist destination in Southeast Asia, known for its rich culture and natural attractions. It is an exotic and fascinating destination in Asia that offers numerous archaeological sites, pagodas and temples, rivers and natural lakes, sites of natural...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Travel | 11 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends, I wanted to share some of my interactions with one of the greatest scholars, teachers, abbot emeritus, and masters of the Gelugpa tradition of our time – the great Mongolian Abbot Emeritus of Drepung Gomang Monastery, who was renowned for his scholarly knowledge and his pure monkhood within Gaden,...
Posted in Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Great Lamas & Masters | 12 Comments »
As a Buddhist, it has been on my mind whether it is appropriate to celebrate birthdays. The reason is, in understanding that Life is Suffering and that the very nature of being born is to begin the vicious cycle of death and rebirth, why do we celebrate our birthdays? Another thought that has been on...
Posted in Guest Contributors | 12 Comments »
马来西亚是一个美丽的多元民族和文化的民主国家。不同种族,宗教和文化的人民和谐共处正是马来西亚独特之处。在马来西亚多姿多彩的节庆活动中,农历新年是最受欢迎的节庆之一。
Posted in China 中国, Malaysia, 中文 | No Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Brief Garden is a hidden paradise in Kalawila Village, located approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) from the resort town of Bentota in Sri Lanka. The garden and the house on the estate was the residence of the famous architect and landscape designer, Bevis William Frederick Bawa (Bevis Bawa) (1909 – 1992)....
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Asia, Travel | 10 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Chengdu is the capital of China’s Sichuan province which is located in the southwestern part of China. This beautiful city has a rich culture and history that dates back to as far as the 4th century BCE when it used to serve as the capital for the Shu Kingdom (one of...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, China, China 中国, Travel | 14 Comments »
Malaysia is a beautiful and democratic country that truly embraces its diverse multiracial and multicultural society. Its uniqueness lies in the harmonious coexistence of different races, religions and cultures that Malaysia is known all over the world for. Of the many colourful celebrations in Malaysia, Chinese New Year is one of the most popular....
Posted in Malaysia | 5 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Dear friends around the world, I had a friend that lived down the street from where I lived in Howell, New Jersey, USA, and she had a pretty big library of spiritual books, especially books on Buddhism. Back in the 70’s many of the local libraries did not carry many books...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Books & Poetry, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Downloads, Explorers, Travel | 33 Comments »
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 »
Dear friends around the world, I believe in alternative diets that give us the nutrients our bodies need while allowing us to live a healthier and cruelty-free lifestyle. It is a false belief that we can’t get enough protein and other nutrients from a plant-based diet. Some world-renowned athletes are vegetarians, even the Roman...
Posted in Animals, Vegetarianism & Environment | 23 Comments »
Who would have thought that a keris could hold so much power? During my trip to Yogyakarta, I came to understand that a keris is a very common choice of heirloom. It is an article handed down from one generation to the next amongst Javanese royalty, political leaders and also members of the general...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Guest Contributors | 14 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Joy Kam) Gal Vihara, also known as Gal Viharaya, means stone or rock temple in Sinhalese. It is a Buddhist temple situated in the second largest ancient city of Sri Lanka, in the Northern Central Province of Polonnaruwa. The Buddha images at Gal Vihara are known to be very sacred...
Posted in Art, Architecture & Culture, Guest Contributors, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 13 Comments »
Dear friends around the world, I have always respected great spiritual masters like Mother Teresa and Saint Francis of Assisi, who went out of their way to reach out to those who need help, regardless of religious and racial differences. A religion is a pillar that supports and fuels our mental, emotional and spiritual...
Posted in Current Affairs & News | 15 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) Sri Lanka is a beautiful country where the majority (70%) of the population are Buddhists of Theravadan tradition. However, Sri Lankan Buddhism is unique because, in addition to focusing on the practice of attaining self-liberation through one’s own effort, they adopt the practice of Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara. Within the Sri...
Posted in Asia, Downloads, Travel | 10 Comments »
(By Tsem Rinpoche) SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2011 MES AYNAK, Afghanistan — It was another day on the rocky hillside, as archaeologists and laborers dug out statues of Buddha and excavated a sprawling 2,600-year-old Buddhist monastery. A Chinese woman in slacks, carrying an umbrella against the Afghan sun, politely inquired about their progress. She had...
Posted in Asia, Buddhas, Dharma & Practice, Travel | 16 Comments »
Dear friends, As a huge fan of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I strongly believe in the effectiveness of its treatments, for example, acupuncture, cupping, gua sha and more. I have met quite a few TCM doctors who specialise in acupuncture and I must say that the treatments have personally helped me quite a lot....
Posted in Current Affairs & News, Inspiration & Worthy Words | 13 Comments »