Pemako – Vajrayogini’s Sacred Body

May 16, 2013 | Views: 4,788

(By Tsem Rinpoche)

Pemako is located in southeast Tibet. In Tibetan, the word “Pemako” means “Lotus Array” or “Lotus of Great Bliss”. It is a land that intrigues many Western explorers as it is thought to be the sacred land of nectar and bliss as described in Buddhist scriptures.

Pemako is thought to be one of the 16 earthly paradises, a promised land where humanity will survive in the event of worldwide famine or calamities. It was also referred to by Guru Rinpoche as the “supreme hidden land”. Guru Rinpoche had concealed 108 “beyuls” or “hidden valleys” in the Himalayas to be revealed at specific times during the degenerate age. Shambala is the greatest hidden valley, Pemako is another one of them. The Buddhist texts describe these hidden valleys as being reminiscent of paradise. They can only be reached with enormous hardship, and those who force their way through may encounter failure or even, death.

The landscape and geography of Pemako is shaped like that of Vajrayogini’s sacred body in a sleeping posture form.

  • Her head is Kangri Kangpo (White Snow Mountain)
  • Her two bosoms are Namche Barwa and Gyala Peri (both mountains)
  • The lower part of her body lies in Yang Sang (upper Siang region of Arunachal Pradesh)
  • Her sacred triangle is at the confluence of Siang and Yang Sang (rivers)
  • Her sacred vulva is at Kila Yangzom
  • Her navel is a small Nyingmapa monastery called Rinchenpung 

The lakes, rocks and forestry are often regarded as being especially sacred as it is the worldly abode of supernatural beings. Gathering of resources is allowed, but nothing in excess. The animals are protected as no killing is tolerated… because of this some endangered species have called this place their home, like the Himalayan Black Bear and the Musk Deer. The sacredness of beyul’s also discourages humans hurting other humans.

In the beginning of the 20th century, many natives of the Kham region made the long trek to Pemako seeking refuge. Between the 1990 to the early 2000’s, many expeditions were done by Westerners. These expeditions were mainly kayaking expeditions as the land was famous for whitewater kayaking.

I have added a lot of information below about Pemako. I have added it for educational purposes, and have added the links to the original source for those who wish to know more… I wish for everyone to be educated on beyul’s and Pemako. I especially hope for people to aspire to trek in Pemako.

Tsem Rinpoche

 


 

 

PEMAKO: highlight

[Extracted from: http://www.aborcountrytravels.com/lower-pemako-trek.html]

 

For nearly 2000 years the nation of an earthly paradise or Shangri-La hidden amoung the peaks of Asia has captivated the human imagination. Western explorers eombed the region in search of this land of bliss and nectar described in ancient Buddhist texts as the Pemako or the Lotus land.

According to Buddhist tradition Pemako is one of the 16th earthly paradise, a promised land free of worry, the ultimate hidden haven. The place is where, it is prophesied that the seed of humanity will thrive at the end of the world in famine and calamities.

In the beginning of the 20th century many Khampas from Tibet made a long, ardous trek to Pemako in quest of succour and refuge. They are one of the major inhabitants of the region, along with The Adis, The Mishmis who were the original inhabitants here. The region is a melting pot of different tribal cultures, where all the tribes exist in complete harmony amoung themselves and the nature. Walking through Pemako one can see Adi, Memba, Khampa and Mishmi villages with their distinctive culture, faith and lifestyle.

The Pemako is consecrated to female divinity of Dorje Phagmo and its sacred geography is mapped to the body of this sleeping goddess. Her head is the Kangri Kangpo, her two breasts is Namche Barwa and Gyala Peri respectively. The lower part of her body lies in Yangsang or the innermost Pemako which is the upper Siang region of Arunachal Pradesh. In the confluence of Siang (Tsangpo) and Yangsang is the sacred tringle Kila Yangzom the vulva of Goddess Dorje Phagmo. This the supreme of scared lands is now open to the world to discover and marvel.

Every year pilgrims traverse the area on Kora (circumbulation). Coverung the scared Devakota, the gathering place of Dakinis, The holy Titapori mountain, Penashree and Tiru Tala (Eko Dumbing for Adis). 

 


 


Photo Of The Day – Spine Of Vajra Yogini

[Extracted from: http://en.paperblog.com/photo-of-the-day-spine-of-vajra-yogini-303973/]

 

The Siang River, as it is called in Arunachal Pradesh, is one of the mightiest of rivers in Asia. Known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, Brahmaputra in India, and Jamuna in Bangladesh, the 2840 km long river travels for 1600km in high Tibet, before taking a mysterious U-turn where it forms the world’s deepest gorges, and entering Arunachal Pradesh in India. The most charming references for this water body can be found in Buddhism, where each and every element the river crosses through is regarded as extremely sacred and are an actual part of Vajra Yogini’s body, as the land of Pemako.

 


 

 

THE TIGERS of PEMAKO

[Source: http://2007.tibetmagazine.net/english/2007-1/8C78C751ADD8C4AA5461F2C13CF2578E.html]

 

 

 Namjagbarwa Mountain Summit. Photo by Lu Zhi

 

We struggle through deep snow toward a pass, the Doxiong La. On the other side in the remote forests of Pemako or Motuo are the last tigers in Tibet. Far below us, the Yarlung Tsangpo enters the deepest gorge in the world, rushing between Gyala Pelri and Namche Barwa, both peaks   over 7000m high, then turns east and finally south toward India. With me are three coworkers, Lu Zhi of Peking University, Zhang Endi of the Wildlife Conservation Society, and Zhang Hong of the Tibet Forestry Department, as well as eighteen porters to carry our one-month supply of food and equipment. Our task is to survey the wildlife in this isolated region guarded by rugged ranges on three sides and the Indian border on the fourth. It is mid-May 2000, and the mountain passes are open only from now to October.

We hurry on, away from the desolation of rock and snow, toward a basin with stands of fir and birch where we will camp. Two monal pheasants glide downslope and we record their presence in our notebooks. The region had been given protection as the Yarlung Tsangpo Great Canyon National Reserve, 9168 sq. km in size, the previous year. About 15,000 people, mostly Tibetan, Moinpa, and Lhopa live in scattered villages throughout the reserve. Many practice agriculture,  converting forest to field, and many hunt wildlife such as takin, goral, muskdeer, macaque monkeys, and black bear for meat, hides, and other products. We have come to assess the impact of such activities. 

 

 

Renchengpeng Monastery in Metdog. By Schaller

 

I am particularly interested in the status of tigers. Once half a century ago, tigers were so abundant in parts of China that they were exterminated as pests. Now this symbol of power and strength is on the verge of extinction in the country. Stragglers from Russia visit northeast China, though some may stay awhile, and a few tigers endure in the southeast. Does Pemako with its last Tibetan tigers have a viable breeding population? Tigers were widespread here as recently as 1980, we are told, but now they are rare. Yet villagers complain to the government that tigers kill their cattle and horses.

Tigers and other wildlife do, I hope, have a safe haven in Pemako because it is a sacred place. I can describe a landscape its mountains, forests, and wildlife. However, a place may have meaning beyond its reality in that people are aware of hidden and intangible forces that I cannot see. The Indian sage Padmasambhava visited Tibet in the eight century and established Buddhism by converting belligerent deities and demons into protectors of the new faith. During his wanderings he created hidden lands or beyul, sanctuaries of inner peace and outer tranquility, earthy paradises filled with mysterious power. He wrote guidebooks to these hidden lands and secreted them, knowing that those of faith would ultimately find them. Dechen Pemako, The Lotus of Great Bliss, is one such beyul, not identified until the 17th century. Is wildlife thriving in this land of peace and purity? 

 

 

 

Tropical warmth wraps itself around us as we descend.  Bamboo, wild bananas, and tree ferns crowd the path. Leeches, malarial mosquitoes, biting flies, and heavy downpours hide from me the spiritual aspects of this land. The Monpa and Lhopa practice slash-and-burn agriculture in which forest is cut down and burned and a crop planted for a year or two before the fields are abandoned.  More forest is then cut, often on steep slopes to cause erosion and landslides. The main crop on the slopes is maize, used to make an alcoholic drink, the ancient forests sacrificed for a beverage.  I wondered if the people could not instead have a sustainable income from the forest by collecting and selling edible mushrooms, medicinal plants, conifer seeds for making cooking oil, and other products. We see no wildlife other than fleeting flocks of babblers and warblers and an occasional cryptic thrush. Tigers? Yes, sometimes one wanders through, we are told at villages, but it does not remain.

We are not only in a sacred hidden land but also are moving through the body of the female deity Vajrayogini who envelops the region with her protective spirit. For example, the Yarlung Tsangpo is her central energy channel, Gyala Pelri symbolizes her head, Namche Barwa one of her breasts, and the small gompa Rinchenpung her navel, the center of bliss. As ecological pilgrims we too travel to Rinchenpung high in the hills, braving whatever adversity put in our paths by demons. Yet it is clear that Vajrayogini has not been able to instill a reverence and compassion for all living beings, the basic precept of Buddhism, in all those who make Pemako their home.

 


 

 

THE ANCIENTS
Shangri-La Found

[Extracted from: http://www.thelivingmoon.com/43ancients/02files/Shangri_La.html]
 

 

 

The following is an article that appeared in newspapers around the country, around January 8, 1999.  It was sent to us by a reader:

From The Chicago Tribune News Service

EXPLORERS FIND ELUSIVE SHANGRI-LA IN WORLD’S DEEPEST KNOWN GORGE

No record exists of people ever having seen the 100 foot-high waterfall and lush subtropical garden in the Tibetan Himalayas until now

WASHINGTON – Explorers finally have found Shangri-La.

It might not be quite the storied, verdant, Utopia Himalayan paradise of James Hilton’s 1933 novel “Lost Horizon” and subsequent movie of the same name. But it is verdant, it is a kind of paradise, and it is hidden deep within Tibet’s Himalayas in a monstrously steep gorge within a gorge. There is no record of any person having visited, or even seen, the area before. 

Tucked beneath a mountain spur at a sharp bend of the Tsangpo River Gorge, where the cliff sides are only 75 yards apart and cast perpetual shadows, the place failed to show up even on satellite surveillance photographs of the area.

“If there is a Shangri-La , this is it,” said Rebecca Martin, director of the National Geographic Society’s Expeditions Board, which sponsored the trek. “This is a pretty startling discovery, especially in a time when many people are saying, “What’s left to discover?”

Tentatively named by the explorers the Hidden Falls of the Tsangpo and located in a forbidding region called Pemako that Tibetans consider highly sacred, the elusive site was reached by American explorers Ian Baker, Ken Storm Jr. and Brian Harvey late last year, though the society did not make its confirmation of their success official until Thursday.

In addition to a spectacular 100-foot-high waterfall- long rumored but until now undocumented- they found a subtropical garden between a 23,000 foot and a 26,000 foot mountain, at the bottom of a 4,000 foot high cliff.

According to Martin, it’s the world’ deepest mountain gorge.

“It’s a place teeming with life.” Storm said in telephone interview from his office in the Minneapolis suburb of Burnsville. “It’s a terribly wild river, with many small waterfalls, heavy rapids and a tremendous current surging through. Yet there are all kinds of flora; subtropical pine, rhododendrons, craggy fir and hemlock and spruce on the hillsides. It’s lush. Just a tremendous wild garden landscape.”

The animals there include a rare, horned creature called the Takin, sacred to Tibetan Buddhists.

Difficult as the gorge was to reach, Storm said one of the hardest aspects of the expedition was leaving to return to civilization.

“The last we saw of it was looking down… with clouds sealing the gorge and side-stream waterfalls jetting out into the river,” he said. “it’s probably the most romantic landscape I’d ever seen.”

This was the seventh expedition that Baker, a Tibet scholar living in Katmandu, led into the Himalayas in search of the mythic falls.

In addition to Storm, a book and game dealer turned explorer, and Harvey, a National Geographic photographer, the team included another scholar, Hamid Sardar of Cambridge, Mass., two Tibetan hunters, a Sherpa guide and eight porters – though Baker, Storm and Harvey were the only ones to make the demanding descent to the gorge and falls. 

Among other things, their discovery proves that two great rivers of Asia – the Tsangpo, which runs completely across Tibet, and the mighty Brahmaputra, which runs through the Indian state of Assam and Bangladesh to the Bay of Bengal–are connected.

Reminiscent of the fabled “source of the Nile” that English explorers Richard Burton and John Spede raced each other to find in the middle of the 19th century–both making controversial claims to have found it first–the Tsangpo falls and gorge proved so far beyond explorers’ reach that they were declared nonexistant. 

The southern approach up the Brahmaputra posed the most obstacles.

“It’s tremendously difficult terrain of jungles and insects and tigers,” Storm said. “The lower gorge area was protected by Abhors and Mishmi, Burmese tribal groups. They protected that area pretty fiercely, and early British attempts to penetrate were frustrated.”

In 1911, two British explorers were able to locate all but 30 to 40 miles of the river connection. A local guide named Kintup was later hired to continue into the inner gorge and try to find the sacred place by traveling as a Buddhist pilgrim.

He claimed to have found a connection between the two rivers but said the only high waterfall was not on the Tsangpo but up a smaller tributary.

In 1924, British botanist Francis Kingdon-Ward advanced to a point that narrowed the unknown stretch of the river to three or four miles. He found a waterfall as well but measured it at only 30 feet. Finding further penetration impossible because of the steepness and narrowness of the gorge and bad weather, he turned back, declaring the long sought high falls nonexistent.

Although the Tsangpo River starts at 7,000 feet above sea level, it rapidly descends and cuts through the Tibet plateau by way of the only gap in the Himalayas open to the heavy weather of the Indian plains and wetlands below.

“The weather pours up from Assam, which is one of the wettest places on Earth, and you have notoriously terrible weather in there.” Storm said. “You can go weeks if not months with clouds and rains and snow at the higher elevation. You have a river literally eating its way through these mountains in this great gorge.”

Lasting 17 days, Baker’s expedition approached the Tsangpo from the north, following animal trails and the advice of their Tibetan hunters and descending some 4,000 feet. Using mountaineers’ ropes to get down the last 80 feet of the cliff, they found themselves at the “great falls,” which they measured with laser range finders – a Shangri-La just a quarter of a mile from where Kingdon-Ward turned back.

“It’s a powerful sight to experience,” said Storm, who said he plans to return. “it’s a rather humbling feeling just to have taken part.” – END

 

***

 

When Ian Baker finally found the legendary Hidden Falls at the bottom of the world’s deepest gorge, was he really on the verge of paradise? Or would he have to settle for fame and fortune?

The Washington Post – Washington, D.C. 
Author:  William McGowan 
Date:  Jun 6, 1999 

In January the National Geographic Society announced that (Ian) Baker had led an expedition into a remote mountainous area of southeastern Tibet called Pemako– “The Hidden Land of the Opening Lotus,” as it is known in Tibetan. There he had discovered a long-rumored but never before documented major waterfall on Tibet’s mighty Tsangpo River. Clawing their way down mist-cloaked, nearly sheer 4,000-foot cliffs into a rocky gorge-within-a-gorge so deep it remains in perpetual shadow and can’t even be seen on satellite surveillance photographs, Baker and another team member were able to reach and measure a waterfall approximately 108 feet high, naming it Hidden Falls.

“It’s not just a place to go take pictures,” Baker recalls the lama explaining. But once Baker conveyed his serious interest in the spirituality of the search, the lama told him to come back in the summer, and be prepared to spend a month alone in a cave. When Baker returned, the lama sent him off with two nomads who led him to a cave deep in a remote valley.

But he hadn’t abandoned his interest in the beyul tradition. The lama who’d sent him off to the cave told him beyuls were described in obscure, coded texts that dated from the 8th century. Eager to get his hands on some of them, Baker sought help from the Dalai Lama himself. In Dharmsala on academic business in 1987, he expressed his interest during an audience. Getting a “faraway” look in his eye, as Baker recalls it, the Dalai Lama directed a monk to help Baker locate a dusty tome from a high, dimly lit shelf in the Dharmsala library. This, like other similar texts, was, as Baker puts it, a kind of “Fodor’s Guide to the fourth dimension,” which advised pilgrims on how best to navigate landscapes that are invested with spiritual and mystical properties. Baker eventually expanded his collection of beyul texts to nine.

Space Imaging’s IKONOS Satellite Images Prove Crucial for Tsangpo River Expedition in Tibet – Kayak Expedition Team Conquers One of the Last Great Adventures on Earth

DENVER, May 23, 2002 – During a recent descent of Tibet’s Tsangpo River by kayak, satellite images from Space Imaging’s IKONOS satellite proved to be a crucial planning and mapping tool for the 87-man Outside Tsangpo Expedition Team. Sponsored by Outside Magazine and Chevrolet’s Chevy Avalanche, a team of the world’s best expeditionary kayakers joined forces to attempt the historic first descent of the Tsangpo Gorge. The Tsangpo River is the highest river and the deepest gorge in the world. The river is thought by many professional adventurers to contain the most feared whitewater on the planet.

Space Imaging’s IKONOS satellite took this 1-meter color image of Rainbow Falls and Hidden Falls along the Tsangpo River May 9, 2000. 

 

 

After a 1998 National Geographic Society-sponsored kayaking expedition of the Tsangpo River, Space Imaging took the world’s first commercial high-resolution satellite images of the remote Tibetan river. That expedition was called off before completion because of the tragic whitewater death of a kayaker.

Then, in the summer of 1999, Scott Lindgren, a 29-year old world-class kayaker and Emmy-award winning cameraman, started planning to take a team to descend the Tsangpo. He turned to Space Imaging for the IKONOS satellite images that were taken in May 2000.

“The satellite images were an absolute key to the success of the expedition,” said team leader Lindgren. “The images were like being in a helicopter above the water. They gave us a bird’s-eye view of the entire river before we ever left the U.S. Some areas of the Tsangpo Gorge have never been seen by man, that is until IKONOS took these amazing pictures.”

Showing rapids, steep canyon walls, trails and mountain passes, the set of 20 images, valued at more than $48,000, was loaded into the team’s laptop computers and viewed with ERDAS’ ViewFinder software. The very accurate, high-resolution images allowed the team, by using GPS coordinates, to navigate along specific sections of the river and know in advance what lay ahead. The team developed entry and exit waypoints that were then programmed into GPS receivers to keep the team on course. Large image-maps, overlaid with latitude and longitude grids, were also printed out and laminated, and were used daily by both on- and off-river teams.

“We spent days pouring over the satellite image-maps. They gave us a far stronger understanding of what we were to encounter than I ever expected. I can’t imagine doing another expedition of this magnitude without satellite imagery,” said Lindgren.

The entire expedition, which started on Jan. 21, 2002, took more than a month to complete. Not only did they complete the first descent of the Tsangpo Gorge, but they were also only the third Western expedition ever to traverse the Gorge, the first two being done on foot – Frank Kingdon Ward in 1924 and Ken Storm, Jr.’s team in 1998.

Lindgren and other team members filmed the historic trek for Outside Television Productions. The expedition TV special, “Into the Tsangpo Gorge,” will air on NBC Sports this Sunday, May 26, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Outside Magazine’s coverage of the expedition will be its cover story in the July issue and is currently featured on Outside Magazine’s Web site at www.outsidemag.com. Also, Lindgren is scheduled to be interviewed on NBC’s Today show on Friday, May 24. 

 


 

 

Beyul of the Himalaya

[Source: http://www.sacredland.org/beyul/]

Throughout the famed Himalayan mountains are large, hidden valleys known as beyul, places of peace and refuge revered by Tibetan Buddhists. These secret lands of legend have drawn Buddhist seekers for centuries, and one called Pemako is thought to have been the inspiration for Shangri-La, the mystical Himalayan utopia described in James Hilton’s 1933 novel “Lost Horizon.” Because of their remote and isolated location, and the respect with which they have been treated by the communities that reside in or near them, the beyul contain high levels of biodiversity in a setting of tremendous beauty. However, outside influences like globalization, nationalization, cultural assimilation and tourism have begun to erode the power of the traditional beyul concept in many places, while development encroaches on the physical landscape. If modern conservation and management efforts are to be successful, they must find ways to preserve and integrate longstanding traditional beliefs and practices. In his introduction to the Ian Baker book “Heart of the World,” the Dalai Lama writes, “From a Buddhist perspective, sacred environments such as Pemako are not places to escape the world, but to enter it more deeply.”

 

The Land and Its People

The beyul are large mountain valleys, sometimes encompassing hundreds of square kilometers, found in the Buddhist areas of the Himalaya in Nepal, Tibet, India and Bhutan. They originate from the beliefs of the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism, which has a rich tradition of respect for natural sites. According to ancient Buddhist texts, the beyul were preserves of Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, who introduced Buddhism to Tibet and founded the Nyingmapa tradition in the eighth century. Information on their locations was kept on scrolls hidden under rocks and inside caves, monasteries and stupa (shrines). Some beyul are now inhabited, others are occasionally visited by spiritual seekers and adventurers, and some are still unknown. The total number of beyul, discovered and not, is often said to be 108.

One of the most legendary beyul is Pemako (“the Secret Land Shaped Like a Lotus”), in southeastern Tibet, east of a dramatic Tsangpo River gorge known as the Great Bend, where the river curves sharply into the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The Tsangpo Gorge is three times deeper than the Grand Canyon, with enormous waterfalls in which the river drops more than 8,000 feet in a 150-mile stretch. These waterfalls, where several explorers have lost their lives, are said to be a gateway to a secret inner part of Beyul Pemako. The Tsangpo River connects Pemako to one of Tibet’s most sacred mountains, Mount Kailash, and the landscape of the Tsangpo-Pemako area is said to represent the body of the goddess Dorje Pagmo, with the river her spine and the surrounding peaks her breasts.

In Nepal and Tibet, around Mount Everest, are the Khenbalung, Khumbu, Rolwaling, Rongshar, Kyirong and Nubri sacred valleys. Khumbu was discovered by ancestors of the Sherpa people, who had left Tibet to escape religious persecution in the 15th and 16th centuries. They entered the valley to seek refuge and made a new homeland there. Buddhist monasteries and sacred mountains have brought many spiritual travelers to Khumbu, more accessible than the mysterious Pemako.

Many other beyul are known only to local people and they often transcend political boundaries. The exact geographical locations of beyul are often debated because their locations are also spiritual. A person might follow instructions from the ancient texts but still not be able to see or experience the beyul if not in the proper spiritual state.

Beyul are religious conceptions, but because of the reverence with which they are treated by local residents, hunting, fighting and disturbing the natural landscape are considered inappropriate behaviors and are avoided. As a result, beyul have become significant oases of biodiversity as well. They typically have plentiful water coming from the surrounding mountains, and their terrain is covered with forests, lakes, alpine meadows, and snow and ice fields. These valleys cover large areas and have vast elevation ranges. Their size and topographic variations provide a home for a diverse array of plants and animals; their isolation and inaccessibility generally means low levels of human disturbance.

Within the beyul, particular natural features such as lakes, rocks and patches of forest are often regarded as especially sacred because they are home to supernatural beings. Some gathering of plant resources, such as medicinal plants, firewood and timber, is allowed, but collectors make sure they have not harvested more than is needed. The animals in beyul are protected by the Buddhist taboo against killing. The residents of the Kharta and Rongshar areas in Tibet, for example, challenged British explorers who wanted to hunt when they arrived in 1921. Endangered species that live in beyul include the snow leopard, musk deer, red panda and Himalayan black bear.

The sacredness of the beyul also means that human conflicts are spiritually discouraged. In Beyul Dremoshung in the Indian state of Sikkim, two groups, the Lepchas and Bhutias, hold an annual festival that commemorates the signing of a peace treaty. The festival celebrates the deity of the beyul’s Mount Kangchendjunga, who is supposed to have witnessed the treaty signing.

 

Current Challenges and Preservation Efforts

Today, most beyul in the Himalaya are designated as some form of park or reserve by their respective governments. In the process, the centuries of protection the beyul concept has provided are being forgotten, and regulation and policing are taking precedence over communities’ faith-based conservation. Many beyul are no longer so isolated because of modern modes of transportation and communication. Education in outside languages often erodes local cultural values and traditional knowledge. When children adopt cultures that are alien to their own land, traditional concepts such as the beyul begin to lose their grip on people’s minds.

In the age of global economic systems, voluntary faith-based approaches may also not be adequate to ensure continued environmental protection, as development projects are authorized from outside the communities. Roads now run through Ronghsar and Kyirong and there are airfields near Khumbu and Khenbalung. Burning of forests, livestock overgrazing and soil erosion are becoming problems as community respect for the beyul declines. And since the higher-elevation and more isolated areas tend to be economically poorer, the money to be made from tourism and development is a powerful force. Adventure tourism like trekking is often unregulated, and increasing numbers of visitors are taking their toll on fragile areas. Recent migrants to the area often serve as commercial and trekking porters, and they do not share the religious and cultural traditions of long-term inhabitants.

Pemako is currently threatened by China’s plans to build a hydroelectric dam, twice as big as the controversial Three Gorges Dam, which would harness the power of the Tsangpo waterfalls to pump water to northeast China. The project would displace the traditional Tibetan villages above the gorge and impact millions of people downriver in India, who will be deprived of river water and the nutrients its flood levels bring into soil. The artificial lake created by the dam would also submerge untouched forests and wildlife.

Sagarmatha National Park, which encompasses Beyul Khumbu, near Mount Everest, was established in 1976 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage site three years later. It is the second most visited national park in Nepal’s Himalayan region; tourism increased from 3,600 tourists in 1979 to 21,570 in 2001. The Sherpa continue to live in the park and grow food through traditional methods. However, there are pressing concerns about the increased harvesting of fragile and slow-growing high-altitude vegetation such as shrub juniper and cushion plants, which the growing population uses for fuel. Tourism has brought them some financial benefits, but the growing numbers of people disturb fragile ecological zones, and tourism income is not equally distributed throughout the region.

For protected areas to be successful in the long term, park managers and government officials need to learn more about the spiritual underpinnings of the beyul concept in order to gain support from the local communities who are the real guardians of the hidden lands. Regulations should complement traditional use rules instead of override them. A full survey of beyul throughout the Himalayas needs to be conducted, alongside interviews with community spiritual leaders to document the principles by which they govern their beyul. Local schools should incorporate beyul traditions into their curriculum so adults can pass on indigenous knowledge and practices. Outside visitors and migrant workers should also be educated in the local culture and conservation ethics; their respect and interest will further encourage community members to preserve their heritage.

Some community groups and NGOs are currently working to strengthen local attachment to the beyul and educate communities about the value of ecotourism, which can provide income while also protecting the sacred valleys. The Mountain Institute’s Himalaya Program works with local communities in the eastern Himalayan valleys of Nepal and Tibet to preserve mountain cultures, improve mountain livelihoods and conserve ecosystems. Its Sacred Sites Trail Project has constructed a trail in Sagarmatha National Park to keep tourists away from fragile areas and direct them to lesser-known sacred sites and villages in the Khumbu region, thus spreading the economic benefits to isolated communities and lessening the impact on better-known places. The nonprofit Vision Builders runs the Lhundrüp Topgyé Ling School in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which serves local students and Tibetan refugees by teaching literacy, Buddhist principles and cultural traditions.

Protecting ecosystems across political boundaries is also vital for long-term conservation. Toward that end, the Mountain Institute has supported the governments of Nepal, India and the Tibet Autonomous Region in creating a network of transboundary protected areas including Sagarmatha National Park, Makalu-Barun National Park and Tibet’s Qomolangma Nature Preserve. These adjacent parks jointly protect nearly 40,000 square kilometers around Mount Everest in the heart of the Himalaya, including six beyul.

 

The Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon

 

The Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon is a deep and long canyon in China. The Yarlung Tsangpo River, usually just called “Zangbo” (also spelled “Tsangpo”, meaning “purifier”), originates from Mount Kailash and running east for about 1700 km drains a northern section of the Himalayas before its enters the gorge near Pe, Tibet. The canyon has a length of about 150 miles as the gorge bends around Mount Namcha Barwa (7756 m) and cuts its way through the eastern Himalayan range. Its waters drop from 3,000 m near Pe to about 300 m at the end of the gorge. After this passage the river enters Arunachal Pradesh, India, and eventually becomes the Brahmaputra.

The gorge has a unique ecosystem with species of animals and plants barely explored and affected by human influence. Its climate ranges from subtropical to arctic. The rare takin is one of the animals hunted by the local tribes.

Since the 1990’s the Yarlung Tsangpo River has been the destination of a number of teams that engage in exploration and whitewater kayaking. The river has been called the “Everest of Rivers” because of the extreme conditions of the river. The first attempt to run was made in 1993 by a Japanese group who lost one member on the river.

In October 1998, a kayaking expedition sponsored by the National Geographic Society attempted to navigate the Tsangpo Gorge. Troubled by unanticipated high water levels, the expedition ended in tragedy when expert kayaker Doug Gordon lost his life. The largest waterfall of the river, the “Hidden Falls” of the Tsangpo Gorge, was not reached by outside explorers until 1998, by a team consisting of Ken Storm, Hamid Sarder, Ian Baker and their Monpa guides. They estimated the height of the falls to be about 108 feet. The falls, which, along with the rest of the Pemako area, are considered a sacred site by Tibetan Buddhists, had been concealed until then from outsiders, including the Chinese authorities.

In January-February, 2002, an international group consisting of Scott Lindgren, Steve Fisher, Mike Abbott, Allan Ellard, Dustin Knapp, and Johnnie and Willie Kern, completed the first descent of the upper Tsangpo gorge section.

Its beauty, remoteness, and mystique make it one of the places thought to have inspired the notion of Shangri-La in James Hilton’s book Lost Horizon in 1933.

While the government of the PRC has declared the establishment of a “Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon National Reservation”, there have also been governmental plans and feasibility studies for a major dam to harness hydroelectric power and divert water to other areas in China. The size of the dam in the Tsongpo gorge would exceed that of Three Gorges Dam as it is anticipated that such a plant would generate 40,000 megawatts electricity, more than twice the output of Three Gorges. It has been estimated that construction may start in 2009. It is feared that there will be displacement of local populations, destruction of ecosystems, and an impact for downstream people in India and Bangladesh. The project is criticized by India because of its negative impact upon the residents downstream. Analysts think that the livelihood of up to 100 million people could be at stake and therefore voice fears that the completion of the water diversion component of the project could sparkle an Indian-Chinese water war if no proper management is taking place. However, another type of dam, the inflatable, is possible that would obviate any necessity for a huge concrete structure. R.B. Cathcart, in 1999, first suggested a fabric dam—inflatable with freshwater or air—could block the Yarlung Tsangpo Caynon upstream of Namcha Barwa. Water would then be conveyed via a hardrock tunnel to a point downstream from that mountain, affording the generation of tens of thousands of megawatts—power which would have to be distributed internationally and equitably through a Himalayan power grid.

 


 


Journey to the Hidden Land of Pemako

[Source: http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/08/journey-to-the-hidden-land-of-pemako/]

 

In one of the stamens of the flower of the world is Pemako in the shape of Vajra Yogini lying down. Outer, inner and secret levels correspond to the levels of the mind. In the secret chakra of Vajra Yogini there areflowers coming in winter also. If people die here, they do not take karmic rebirth; they go to the Pure Lands. I do not tell lies. It is like that.

Keep it in mind.

Guru Rinpoche from the Guidebook to Pemako

 

Pemako is the supreme hidden land, says Guru Rinpoche. Predicting the dark times when the elements will be so imbalanced that it affects meditators, he concealed 108 valleys in the Himalayas as terma or hidden treasure with guidebooks to be revealed at precisely the right time.

Pemako straddles south-east Tibet and extends into the most north-easterly corner of India. The word itself means ‘lotus display’ and is said to be the actual body of Vajra Yogini. From head to navel she is in Tibet; from the navel downwards she lives in India.

The name has resonated in my mind for many years. Stories of trees with edible bark and streams running with milky water, dogs who attain rainbow body by eating the grass, sacred treasure taken from a poisonous lake, magical herbs that induce siddhis and enable realization of emptiness, make it sound like a mythical lost paradise. But, the legend tells also of cannibalistic tribal people in loin cloths with blow darts who guard the hidden land from intruders, poisonous snakes, tigers, leeches and dense jungle.  All this makes Pemako intriguing, like a shape shifting dakini.

The renowned explorer-botanist Kingdon Ward, had a less exalted view of Pemako.

 

Not only is Pemako extraordinarily difficult to reach from any direction, it is still more difficult to penetrate and explore when reached. Surrounded on three sides by the gorges of the Tsangpo, the fourth is blocked by mighty ranges of snow mountains, whose passes are only open for a few months in the year. Beyond these immediate barriers to east, west and south are trackless forests inhabited by wild unfriendly tribes… Add to this… a climate which varies from the subtropical to the arctic, the only thing common to the whole region being perpetual rain, snakes and wild animals, giant stinging nettles and myriads of biting and blood sucking ticks, hornets, flies and leeches, and you have some idea of what the traveler has to contend with.

The Riddle of the Tsangpo Gorges, Kingdon Ward, 1926

 

Pemako was both heaven and hell. I had to experience it for myself to see my own mind, but how could I get there?

My first attempt was in 1994 when our group of three, led by the translator Gyurme Dorje,  got as far as the Guru Rinpoche cave of Thimpei directly below the Doshong-la pass where Kingdon-Ward had made his entry to Pemako in 1925.

It was full moon day as we were walking along the path to Thimpei. The dagger shaped mountain of Namchak Barwa erupted from its white shroud and instantly we saw a rainbow circling the sun.

Inside the cave a massive skylight shaped like a phurba or ritual dagger marked the place where Guru Rinpoche had subdued a demon by throwing his phurba at it. It hit the rock exposing Namcha Barwa, the phurba shaped mountain, at the point where the surging Tsangpo twists around the mountain in a hairpin bend, disappears into the gorge – three times the depth of the Grand Canyon – and after dropping 11,000 metres in an unexplored five mile stretch, emerges serenely into the Brahmaputra in Assam.

This was the heart of the mystery surrounding the inner hidden land. Was there a precipitous waterfall to account for that drop? In The Riddle of the Tsangpo Gorges, Kingdon-Ward described his failed attempt to discover the waterfall which supposedly hid the  doorway to the mystical inner level: the fabled Chhimed Yangsang Ney.

After crossing the Tsangpo, we camped on a grassy stretch of land. It was in the late afternoon as we were having tea that a village man appeared dressed in the local style. He told Gyurme Dorje, he had something for ‘the lady’. From inside his jacket he took out a dark object wrapped in a cloth and put it in my hand. It was a black oval stone with a prominent white eye marking its peaked surface and a clear line around the perimeter. ‘This is from my father’s treasure box. When he died he left it with me. I know it’s something special, but I don’t know what it is,’ he said.

As my hand clasped the pitch-black stone I could feel it pulsing as if it were alive. I knew immediately what it was but said nothing. I took out one hundred yuan, placed it in his hand, and said, ‘Please take it.’ He smiled, put it in his pocket and disappeared over a grassy slope.

It felt like a present from Guru Rinpoche. It seemed he was saying, you will get to Pemako. This stone is my promise to you. I wrapped the stone in a brocade bag and took it everywhere with me, like a talisman.

We never made it  into the hidden land on that trip.  An avalanche overtook our expedition to Milarepa’s famous tower – the last of the many impasses on that fateful trip. Only the stone, held, admired and blessed by all the high Lamas, was there to remind me of Guru Rinpoche’s promise as the years passed.

In 1996 I began to hear about the exploits of Ian Baker: Buddhist, scholar, adventurer, and mountaineer, with a Pemako obsession. Over dinner at the Vajra Hotel in Kathmandu he showed me some of his photos of the Tsangpo gorge. People were crossing ravines balancing on rusted cables! I felt utter dismay. ‘ This is Indiana Jones’, I said staring dismally at their prowess. ‘I can’t do this,’ I told him. ‘It gets worse’, he replied enthusiastically, taking out another photo of sheer rock face with a drop into endless space. ‘We had to climb that.’

In June 1996 I received a letter from Ian telling me of his hazardous explorations into the Tsangpo gorge.

this trip was arduous in the extreme involving hazardous stream crossings on rusted cables followed by two weeks of total wilderness in which we depended much on climbing ropes descending slick mosscovered cliffs and traversing across precipitous gorges. We stayed in caves which were filled with vipers until our fires drove them out and rain was almost perpetual. Nevertheless we reached our goal: the unknown reaches of the Tsangpo’s innermost gorges and discovered there a world of waterfalls and caves encrusted in crystal. This was a region prophesied by the terton Gampopa as containing magical plants that could enhance siddhis – the elusive tsa kuntuzangpo, but apart from strange varieties of psylocibin mushrooms, we found no specific plant that could be claimed to fit this category….

In 1999 Ian’s tenacious expeditions revealed at last the mysterious waterfall hidden in the Tsangpo Gorge and he rose to stardom as National Geographic explorer of the year. The Chinese retaliated by closing off Pemako to the foreign devil.

I tried every possible way to get a permit to Pemako from the Indian side. But NE Arunachal Pradesh where Pemko lay, was restricted: it was a military zone bordering China and a tribal area. For years the Indian Home Office said No, loud and clear, in spite of my entreaties that I was a Buddhist pilgrim and not a spy. I gave up.

In 2004 my karma with Pemako ripened. After the death of Shabdrung Rinpoche of Bhutan, whose companion I had been for five years, I met the manager of his travel company in Delhi. Like everyone on the Pemako trail, Basant was enthralled by the dakini. His eyes lit up when he talked about her; and even more astounding, he had explored ithe hidden land from the Arunachal side with the help of Ata, a native Pemako guide. The Indian Government now granted permits, he informed me.

My heart was beating wildly as I told him I had to go. In 2006 he arranged an itinerary to Devakota Mountain, the heart of the lotus flower, and in March 2007, we left Delhi – three women and a crew of fifteen. We were lured into the jungle by a description in Basant’s brochure from the Guru Rinpoche Guidebook to Pemako:

Devakotta mountain is the clear-light realm of dakinis and deities of the Mother Tantra, …It is the dwelling place of Chakrasamvara with his 725 accompanying deities….Those of fortune who merely come to this place will experience spontaneous realization. By practising meditation here one can in this lifetime attain perfect Buddhahood, or upon reaching the bardo state can attain the Sambhoghaya, the Enjoyment Body of complete enlightenment. For whoever makes one complete circumambulation of Devakotta Mountain the door to all lower rebirths will be closed.. A single outer circumambulation of this holy place will bring ten million siddhis while making thirteen circumambulations in one day will lead one direct to the transcendent state, beyond distinction of virtue and non-virtue. All explained herein is the infallible truth.

Devakota Mountain sounded worth a visit.

Four hours from Delhi we stepped off the plane in Assam, at Dibrugarh. The following day we crossed the Brahmaputra in yellow and red painted riverboats barely large enough to hold two land cruisers and thirty people. After three eight- hour days of twisting around mountains, we came to the end of the road.

On the full moon day we arrived at Tuting, a Tibetan village, where we abandoned our land cruisers for the trek into dense jungle. Ata, whom we had picked up en route, seemed a direct descendent of Guru Rinpoche with a quirky touch of the Wizard of Oz. The way his moustache curled upwards in a cheeky point, like the Guru and the frequent intensity of his wide-eyed gaze – were surely family traits.  Gold wellies, a rainbow umbrella and a long pointed walking stick  used to spear stray bits of litter, completed the ensemble.


Ekajati Mountain with cloud shaped dakini

 

He pointed to the first landmark: Ekajati Mountain. Mary, Margaret and I gazed mutely at the formation above it: a white cloud shaped like a dancing dakini.

A halo of rainbow lights encircling the full moon lit the pathway to a half hidden wooden hall where a Nyingma feast ritual was in full swing.

 

Full moon with rainbow in Pemako

 

Through the dimly lit room we could see women pouring liquid into cups and heaping steaming food onto plates. Like wanderers in a foreign land coming upon a fairy feast, we stood for a moment absorbed in the buzz of happiness. I was used to seeing monks in maroon robes performing these rituals, but here was a family. Men and women served and practised the rituals equally as lay practitioners. We were seated and served the feast offering: swollen succulent mushrooms like fairies’ bonnets, the juicy green tips of ferns, glasses of chang tasting of sweet nectar followed by whisky with a potent medicinal blessing, so strong you could smell the herbs. The smoke offering was made from local juniper and filled the air with a pungent aroma. It felt like the quintessence of all smells, tastes, sounds, shapes was here and we were absorbing them.

‘’Your arrival on this full moon night is auspicious’ said the Lama.

‘It’s taken me a long time to get here,’ I replied moving closer to show him my stone. I told him where I’d received it.

‘That is the most powerful cave of Guru Rinpoche’, he said. ‘Everything that comes from there is connected with him. This is a very special stone.’

Had he ever heard of a terton called Pegya Lingpa who took treasure from a poisonous lake? He nodded forcefully. ‘Of course, we all remember that,’ He retold the story. ‘On top of a mountain there was a lake surrounded by thick forests, where no one dared to go. Pegya Lingpa made some prayers; took off his clothes and ran up the mountain with all the people following him. After submerging in the lake, he appeared carrying a round, black fruit-like substance never seen in that area. The naga of the lake was very powerful and all the poison went into his body turning it black. He washed himself with milk and water and made an offering to the naga.’

I knew now why it had taken me so long to get to Pemako: my connection was with the Indian side.


First suspension bridge across the Siang

 

When the first suspension bridge came into view my body stiffened. Anchored to a massive boulder, it stretched hundreds of feet across a chasm. ‘There are five suspension bridges’, said Basant. ‘ This is the best – and longest, that we’ll have.The last one to Devakota,’ he shrugged his shoulders to dismiss concern, ‘we don’t know yet what condition that’s in.’

As we negotiated every footstep on the swaying bridge, the mind became one pointed and still. Distraction was dangerous. We walked for several hours on a narrow stone path balancing on logs over sudden steep drops until we came to a tribal village.

 

Ata with tribal leader

 

Inside the community hall, were the tribal elders in loin-cloths downing home-made brew with abandon. They sat us down and filled our glasses while Ata narrated the opening of Pemako.

It was predicted, that the reincarnation of Achar Saley (one of the twenty five disciples of Guru Rinpoche in the 8th century) would reveal the hidden land. Accordingly, Terton Ngang Gey came to Pemako one hundred and fifty years ago.  The tribesmen tried to halt his progress.  Now partly civilized by Christian missionaries, at that time they were wild naked cannibals killing randomly for food. Terton Ngang Gey got angry. As he shook his long hair, sparks of fire came out setting the houses alight until the whole village began to burn. Recognising his powers, the Tibetan settlers prostrated to him, with the Adis following their example. They agreed to let him enter  Pemako if he would stop the fire. Since that time the Adis have co-operated to help any Buddhist traveling in their area.

As we walked up and down following the trail into jungle where tree ferns towered to the height of cedars, we passed some of the other tribal inhabitants, the Mishmis. Their costumes resembled medieval doublets, with peaked hats, and they carried blow guns. In silent amazement we gazed in wonder like time travelers caught in a curved loop. Ata seized a banana leaf from a Mishmi unfurling it to reveal a cluster of frogs skewered up like a kebab.

‘They kill everything,’ he said sadly. His own white t-shirt was splattered with drops of blood from leeches, left to feed on his body. He could remember when the leeches were so numerous, blood from his body would flow like water.

In the Guru Rinpoche Guidebook which Ata read aloud every evening like a bedtime story, the topography of Pemako is described as many cows’ horns pointing steeply upwards. We sat down to rest before the 900 metre descent to our camp site at the Yangsang River trying to confirm the literal truth of the Guidebook: the birds sing dharma words and the water sounds like the chanting of mantra.

While we were listening carefully to distinguish the sound of a particular mantra, Ata burst into the Guru Rinpoche chant in tune with the birds. Our laughter hung in the air with birdsong blending with the sound of wind, water, birds, trees, insects.

Absorbed in this natural state of non-meditation. I started to chat with Guru Rinpoche, as if he were right there, complimenting him on Pemako. ‘So this is what you did. You made a place that shows the natural state, as it is. Now I understand.’

Halfway along the trail, we arrived at a stupa enclosing an impressive image of Guru Rinpoche’s face with bulging eyes staring into boundary-less space – and entered the inner hidden land.

Now we were inside a Buddhist world of prayer flags, moss covered stupas, technicolour boulders and the occasional Tibetan village of primitive wooden houses inhabited by meditators absorbed in contemplation – aided, it seemed, by very potent chang.

The jungle blend: chrome yellow and orange banana flowers, massive tree ferns, small ferns with curling spring green tips, mushrooms spiralling into umbrellas, grasses and plants that could colour the skin like rouge.

 

Tropical jungle undergrowth

 

Ata used his stick like a wand to douse the general area, then scratched into the ground and came up exultantly with an almond like nut. ‘This is very special. It’s called khandro drunbu. It’s the dakini’s protection.’ We all scratched into the ground near the spot Ata had located. Triumphant, we all found at least one. The dakinis were with us.

‘Some grass here is so powerful, said Ata, if you taste it you can fly. A goat ate so many different kinds of herbs, it went into meditation and when it died it produced ringsel.’

It is said five types of supreme magical herbs grow in Pemako making it an apothecary’s paradise of mind expanding, bliss bestowing elixirs.

From Khamtrul Rinpoche’s visionary Guidebook to Pemako:

The magical herb that increases happiness is white in color and tinged with red. Its flowering bud is five in number and smells akin to medicinal elephant bile. Its petals are small and shaped like the curled hand of a small infant baby.

The magical herb which actualizes immortality is a red lotus flower tinged with black. Smelling it, releases the scent of camphor, which is carried by the wind. Its eight petals are shaped like wings taking flight in the sky. Its leaves are orange in color and shaped like the webbed hands of a frog.

The magical herb which grants all supreme and mundane siddhis, is a golden flower tinged with red. Smelling it reveals an odor of nutmeg and the tips of its six petals are slightly curled. It has blue leaves which hang downwards like silk tassels.

The magical herb which empowers one to fly in the sky like the Dakini, Vajra Varahi, is a blossoming red flower like red coral that has been polished with oil. Smelling it reveals the aroma of aloe wood and the pungent taste of cumin. It has three petals and is shaped like a Garuda soaring in the heavens as its leaves are formed like a peacock with a breast of lapis lazuli.

The magical herb which is the summation of all intrinsic realization is a blue flower shaped like a bell. A single whiff will intoxicate the mind with its scent of white sandalwood, its petals are circular in circumference with its anthers shaped like bulbous and shiny seeds the shape of a Vajra. It has green leaves like the feathers on the crown of a light green rooster.

This describes the five types of supreme magical herbs as found in the Beyul Pema-kö. The definitive means for recognizing them is during the day they display a shower of rainbow light and at night, they burn like fire and jiggle and wiggle with dancing light. These herbs contain magical power, are sacred to this holy land and are extremely difficult to find.

On the morning of the third day we reached Devakota mountain, an island sitting in the bow of the Yangsang River which flowed anticlockwise around it, imitating on an outer level the visualization of a mantra circle in the secret place of Vajra Yogini. After a quick dip in the fast flowing cold waters, we had to cross the most challenging of suspension bridges.

 

Bridge to Devakota

 

Every step over the frail wooden slats had to be focused and fully present; a last triumphant step onto land at Devakota and we began the middle korra of the mountain. A treacherous path with sudden narrow passages opening into empty space, and massive tree roots lying in wait to sabotage careless steps, again composed the mind to meditative absorption.

In the second cave, more hidden from view, and narrower, Ata came back with some red earth which he daubed on our foreheads. ‘This is Yeshe Tsogyal’s cave’, he explained ‘and this is her cindura.’ We scrambled onwards and came to the third cave, a very open, spacious rock overhang, like a living room window with inviting views of the tree cliffs dropping towards the river. Ata introduced us to ‘the real Maratika’ where Guru Rinpoche and his consort Mandarava attained the siddhi of immortality.

 

Norma and Ata completing kora of Devakota

 

We sat and meditated, listening till all sounds blended with the nature of mind. Hours passed before we slowly came to our feet and walked the stone stairs to the top of Devakota. A clearing showed a modest stone temple – built by Terton Nang Gey then damaged in 1950 in a massive earthquake and rebuilt – a wooden shack for pilgrims’ retreats, another larger primitive wooden dwelling for guests and a jubilant band of proud cockerels who had been saved from the chop. A Lama with a white wispy beard and long gown, crinkled his face in ageless joy as he showed us to our beds in the guesthouse. He could have played the deathless Lama in Lost Horizon.

I walked to the temple to examine a pitch-black stone throne standing magnificently beside it. ‘This is the most important terma treasure of Pemako,’ said Ata. ‘It’s the stone throne of Guru Rinpoche. When Dudjom Rinpoche gave the Rinchen Terdzo here at the age of sixteen, not even he sat on the throne. Inside that throne there are more treasures than in the rest of the world.’

I circled the temple three times, magnetised by the throne.

‘The cockerels welcomed us in the dawn light with a boisterous cockadoodling, like an entire orchestra with percussion, wind instruments and lead singer belting his heart out. I meditated for an hour, then circled the temple, clutching my black stone in its red brocade bag. I found myself crawling involuntarily up the stairs and touching my small stone to the massive throne. It started to vibrate as though charging up, until my hand was tingling. A surge of gratitude filled my heart. ‘Thank you Guru Rinpoche for  bringing the stone back home’.

The secret place of Vajra Yogini was not revealed until the return journey. Before reaching Tutung, we walked steeply downhill off the path until eventually we came to a clearing in a thickly forested area. It was like cutting through a veil and entering another dimension. Prayer flags festooned a gigantic rock shaped like a stone-age bird with heavy wings folded by its side.

 

Garuda rock at the Vajrakilaya secret place of Vajra Yogini

 

Ata introduced us to the Garuda rock explaining that the Garuda was the protector of the deity Vajrakilaya who resided in the secret place of Vajra Yogini. It had weathered into the landscape like a prehistoric creature, covered in moss with knobbed bones beneath.

I asked Ata about the secret doorway to the inner hidden land that was supposed to lie behind the waterfalls in the depths of the Tsangpo Gorge. ‘This place here is called Chhimey Yangsam Chu’, said Ata emphatically. ‘This means the immortal most secret place of the dharma.’

The location of the secret gateway to Pemako, I concluded, could not be a fixed geographical point. It could only be known at a deeper level of mind. We saw its auspicious signs, tasted its plants, touched its soil, heard its sounds, smelled its fragrance and sat in stillness within its body.

Penetrate the depths of Pemako? One of our porters who used to be a hunter, told us a story. At Pema Shri he looked out over the valley and saw lots of small lights like a big village. The other hunters with him also saw the same phenomenon. Then, to their amazement, the lights disappeared. On many occasions, rainbows encircled him.

Pemako is a dakini manifesting appearance and emptiness to remind us of what reality truly is.

Weather Report: March 2007

No leeches, perpetual rain or mosquitoes

No stinging nettles, venomous bugs or poisonous snakes

Occasional scattered showers

With outbreaks of gentle sunshine throughout

Unusual rainbows at night circling the moon

And auspicious cloud formations 

Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:

If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team

27 Responses to Pemako – Vajrayogini’s Sacred Body

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  1. Samfoonheei on Jun 26, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    Throughout the famed Himalayan mountains are large, hidden valleys known as beyul, places of peace and refuge revered by Tibetan Buddhists. One of the most legendary beyul is Pemako …..the secret land which has a shaped like a Lotus, located in south eastern Tibet. These secret lands of legend have drawn Buddhist seekers for centuries. Pemako is thought to have been the inspiration natural features such as lakes, rocks and patches of forest are often regarded as sacred as they are home to supernatural beings. In ancient Buddhist scrolls of Guru Padmasambhava these hidden land are secret paradise in the heart and depth of the Himalayas. It’s a land of fascinating tribes and hauntingly beautiful forests of untouchable forests of bamboo, wildflowers and of natural beauty . It will take trekkers or pilgrims to remote mysterious spiritual centres and inspirational lakes. Interesting read that such a mystical hidden lands exist. Merely looking at those beautiful pictures of these hidden land is a blessing.
    Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this with many interesting mysteries of Pemako, which actually the sacred powerful divine body of Vajrayogin .

  2. Samfoonheei on Oct 31, 2019 at 12:26 pm

    Pemako is one of the hidden lands, or beyuls, blessed by the 8th century Buddhist master Padmasambhava as places of refuge. Ancient Tibetan texts describe it is the most extraordinary place of the world, the most sought-after, mysterious of all the hidden lands, shaped in the form of a lotus. Well, is considered the supreme hidden valley and the most sacred place blessed with holy virtues. Looking at those pictures tells all , how beautiful it is . With tropical jungle undergrowth, uncivilized surroundings, flowers of varies species, meditation caves and so forth. Each of it tell us story behind it. Interesting read .
    Thank you Rinpoche for sharing such a wonderful place hidden in the mountains.

  3. Pastor Niral Patel on Oct 28, 2018 at 1:38 am

    A sacred image of the rare form of Vajrayogini known as Ucheyma, the Buddha that shows us the path to eradicate the ego. For this and many other high-resolution images of the enlightened beings to download for free visit: https://bit.ly/2oxb4qU

    digitalucheyma-s

  4. Valentina Suhendra on Oct 26, 2018 at 11:49 am

    Ucheyma (Severed Headed Vajrayogini) (Main figure)

    (Top to bottom): H.H. the 7th Panchen Lama, Ucheyma (Severed Headed Vajrayogini), Vajra Varnani (green assistant), Vajra Vairocani (yellow assistant), Dorje Shugden and Citipati.

    The central deity is known as Chinnamasta or Dorje Neljorma Ucheyma. Both Chinnamasta (Sanskrit) and Ucheyma (Tibetan) literally mean, ‘She Whose Head is Severed’. The meaning behind her form is to show practitioners that they need to completely remove the grasping and self-identification with the “I” or the ego. Generally, the identity of the self is strongly associated with our face more than any other part of our body. We usually recognise a person when we look at a person’s face. Hence, our self-identification or ego is strongly associated with our face. To show us that this self-identification needs to be overcome on the spiritual path to enlightenment, Vajrayogini uses her ritual chopper to decapitate herself. This is symbolic of her practice eradicating the ego.

    The Severed Headed Vajrayogini, as she is also known, removes all afflictive mental constructs by removing the root cause – the identification of the self, the ego. We are either attached to or averse to people and circumstances because we have an ego to please, gratify and protect. But in the grander scheme of things, this self-identification with the ‘I’ is illusory and does not really exist. Therefore, Vajrayogini reveals this ultimate truth through the dramatic decapitation of her head and at the same time is still able to live and function. She is able to live due to her direct perception of emptiness and egolessness.

    Contrary to what some people might think, the eradication of the self does not destroy individualism, our personality or make us into a mindless person. In fact, the eradication of the ego makes us become a vibrant and compassionate person, someone that has greater awareness of the suffering of others. In other words, we become much warmer, kinder, forgiving, tolerant, conscientious, generous, contemplative and we are become a joy to be with. The cutting of the ego or the ‘I’ brings us towards awakening our true self, the Buddha nature within.

    The Severed Headed Vajrayogini has two dakini attendants. From the trunk of her neck, there are three severed blood vessels spurting three jets of blood that flow into the mouths of her own decapitated head that she carries in her left hand and into the mouths of her two attendants. Tsem Rinpoche explained that the three jets of blood represent that her practice purifies the three psychic poisons of ignorance, hatred and desire. In turn, this leads to the attainment of the three bodies of a Buddha – the emanation body, the enjoyment body and the truth body. In other words, the severance of the ego via her tantric path leads to the purification of all delusions and ultimately, the attainment of Buddhahood itself.

    The 7th Panchen Lama, Palden Tenpai Nyima is featured floating above because of his compilation of sadhanas from the ancient Sadhanamala texts. This includes a particular sadhana or collection of prayers, visualisation and mantra focused on Ucheyma. Incidentally, Dorje Shugden in many of his previous lives was a lineage master of the Vajrayogini tantras as well. These previous lives include the likes of the Mahasiddha Naropa and Tsarchen Losel Gyatso. The Lord and Lady of the Charnel Ground, known as Citipati, are one of the main protectors of the Vajrayogini Tantra.

    Last of all, the ascetic meditator engaging in his devotional practices towards Ucheyma in the cemetery represents the ideal environment for tantric practice because such environments invoke deep renunciation towards worldly affairs and attachments. All Buddhist traditions advocate meditating on the bones of the deceased because it reminds us of our mortality and hence, we develop revulsion towards the transient nature of worldly or ordinary existence.

    More free downloads: https://bit.ly/2oxb4qU

    Read more about Vajrayogini: https://bit.ly/2iVLCuG

  5. Joy on Oct 26, 2018 at 5:59 am

    Ucheyma (Severed Headed Vajrayogini) (Main figure)

    (Top to bottom): Maitri Kacho (Flying Vajrayogini), Maitri Kacho (One-Leg Up Vajrayogini), Naro Kacho, Sukhasiddhi, Ucheyma (Severed Headed Vajrayogini), Vajra Varnani (green assistant), Vajra Vairocani (yellow assistant), Citipati, Vajravarahi and Dorje Shugden.

    The central deity is known as Severed Headed Vajrayogini, Chinnamasta or Dorje Neljorma Ucheyma. Both Chinnamasta (Sanskrit) and Ucheyma (Tibetan) literally mean, ‘She Whose Head is Severed’. The meaning behind her form is to show practitioners that they need to completely remove the grasping and self-identification with the “I” or the ego. Generally, the identity of the self is strongly associated with our face more than any other part of our body. We usually recognise a person when we look at a person’s face. Hence, our self-identification or ego is strongly associated with our face. To show us that this self-identification needs to be overcome on the spiritual path to enlightenment, Vajrayogini uses her ritual chopper to decapitate herself. This is symbolic of her practice eradicating the ego.

    The Severed Headed Vajrayogini removes all afflictive mental constructs by removing the root cause – the identification of the self, the ego. We are either attached to or averse to people and circumstances because we have an ego to please, gratify and protect. But in the grander scheme of things, this self-identification with the ‘I’ is illusory and does not really exist. Therefore, Vajrayogini reveals this ultimate truth through the dramatic decapitation of her head and at the same time is still able to live and function. She is able to live due to her direct perception of emptiness and egolessness.

    Contrary to what some people might think, the eradication of the self does not destroy individualism, our personality or make us into a mindless person. In fact, the eradication of the ego makes us become a vibrant and compassionate person, someone that has greater awareness of the suffering of others. In other words, we become much warmer, kinder, forgiving, tolerant, conscientious, generous, contemplative and we are become a joy to be with. The cutting of the ego or the ‘I’ brings us towards awakening our true self, the Buddha nature within.

    The Severed Headed Vajrayogini has two dakini attendants. From the trunk of her neck, there are three severed blood vessels spurting three jets of blood that flow into the mouths of her own decapitated head that she carries in her left hand and into the mouths of her two attendants. Tsem Rinpoche explained that the three jets of blood represent that her practice purifies the three psychic poisons of ignorance, hatred and desire. In turn, this leads to the attainment of the three bodies of a Buddha – the emanation body, the enjoyment body and the truth body. In other words, the severance of the ego via her tantric path leads to the purification of all delusions and ultimately, the attainment of Buddhahood itself.

    Severed Headed Vajrayogini is surrounded by some of her other forms, including Naro Kacho, two forms of Maitri Kacho, Sukhasiddhi and Vajravarahi. These forms of Vajrayogini are more commonly practised compared to Severed Headed Vajrayogini and are prevalent in most Tibetan Buddhist lineages. Though they may look different, all forms are indivisible from her true nature and all her practices can lead practitioners to enlightenment. Naro Kacho arose from a vision beheld by the Mahasiddha Naropa, Maitri Kacho from a vision beheld by Maitripa, and Indra Kacho from a vision beheld by Indrabodhi. The Lord and Lady of the Charnel Ground, known as Citipati, are one of the main protectors of the Vajrayogini Tantra.

    Last of all, Dorje Shugden is a protector with special affinity with Vajrayogini practitioners because he arose from an incarnation lineage that includes Naropa and Tsarchen Losel Gyatso who practised and proliferated her Tantra.

    More free downloads: https://bit.ly/2oxb4qU

    Read more about Vajrayogini: https://bit.ly/2iVLCuG

  6. Pastor Adeline on Oct 26, 2018 at 1:13 am

    Vajrayogini (Main figure)

    (Top to bottom): Naropa, Vajradharma, Hero Vajradharma, Naro Kacho, Maitri Kacho (Flying Vajrayogini), Dorje Shugden and Vajravarahi.

    Vajrayogini is a female tantric Buddha and she has many forms that are derived from various lineages. She mainly embodies the fully enlightened female (shakti) aspect of a Buddha. She belongs to the Mother Tantra classification, which refers to her practice concentrating on the wisdom aspect of the path to Buddhahood. She is also the principal dakini, the compassionate female guides and nurturers of tantric meditation who lead practitioners to enlightenment. In the thangka, the main figure in the middle is Naro Kechari as she arose from the pure vision of the Mahasiddha Naropa.

    In Anuttara (Highest) Yoga Tantra, principal dakinis normally appear in union with a male consort and this can be seen in the cases of deities such as Guhyasamaja, Hevajra, and Kalachakra. In the case of Vajrayogini, she is the principal female Buddha of the Chakrasamvara Tantra and therefore, she is normally in union with Heruka Chakrasamvara. Furthermore, Vajrayogini is also considered a Vajradakini, who are yidams or meditational deities in their own right. Their practices have evolved from the main practices of their consorts, simplifying the otherwise complicated original practice by reducing it to a single-deity meditation without sacrificing the main benefits and features of the original. Hence, Vajradakini practices such as Vajrayogini and Nairatmya are derived from the original Chakrasamvara Tantra and Hevajra Tantra respectively.

    In essence, Vajrayogini is known as “Sarvabuddha-dakini” or the Dakini Who is the Essence of all Buddhas. Her mantra is known as the King of All Mantras as it has the most powerful ability to bless us with spiritual attainments even without any visualisation or meditation. There are 11 Yogas in the generation stage of her practice and a few which have the power of transforming ordinary actions like sleeping, waking and ordinary daily tasks into a collection of merits. Ultimately, her Tantra offers salvation for ordinary practitioners at death with her special promise of guiding practitioners towards Kechara, or the Paradise of the Dakinis, in which we can continue deep practices to become a Buddha without fear, obstacles and interruptions.

    Within Vajrayogini practice, soliciting the blessings of the lama and the lineage master are of paramount importance in order for our practice to bear results. Hence, the lama is visualised as the red Vajradharma with arms crossed at the heart, holding the vajra and bell. The lineage masters are visualised as Hero Vajradharma, holding a damaru and skullcup while cradling a khatvanga. Aside from the main Naro Kechari form, Vajrayogini also appears in the form of Maitri Kechari, who is known as Flying Vajrayogini, and arose from the vision of Maitripa. Another common form is known as Indra Kechari, or Vajravarahi, who arose from the vision of Indrabodhi.

    Last of all, Dorje Shugden is a Dharma protector with a special affinity with Vajrayogini practitioners. This is because he himself arose from an incarnation lineage that includes the likes of Naropa, the progenitor of Naro Kechari practice, and Tsarchen Losel Gyatso who had practised and proliferated her Tantra and is listed as one the lineage masters invoked upon every day by Vajrayogini practitioners.

    More free downloads: https://bit.ly/2oxb4qU

    Read more about Vajrayogini: https://bit.ly/2iVLCuG

  7. Jacinta on Oct 8, 2018 at 3:46 pm

    As I was searching for “Kadroma Metsik Nakmo or Dakini Ucchusma who purifies and heals the body.” , this link popped up and I thought maybe I should read it. ( Rinpoche has shared this Dakini a few times and I thought perhaps Rinpoche wanna us to know more about this Dakini? Not much info for this Dakini though or maybe I haven’t tried harder. I hope Rinpoche will blog about this?)

    This article gave me a feeling of sacredness and mystical about Pemako. The last story led me into the mystical land with excitements and curiousity. The accounts about the magical flowers described in details by a Lama, the “legend “ narrated by the leader Atta, and etc really made me wanting to know and learn more. Something like Shambala and perhaps it’s Shambala? Also if you happened to watch “Moana”, an animation show~ it’s very much similar to it. Something so scared about it and we need to preserve it. Although we can put the blame on human’s greed for wanting to explore and exploit it by building a dam, shouldn’t we blame ourselves as well? Because , I’m sure after reading this I believe anyone of us would like to go there in person to have a look too! What a greed too. ?

    How I wish I can astral travel and hence won’t be disturbing the nature and at the same time can explore the place on my own! Alas, what a dream!

  8. Pastor Shin Tan on Oct 4, 2018 at 4:31 pm

    Original illustration and text posted by Eric D Hatchell as a reply to H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s facebook post on Vajrayogini here: http://bit.ly/VYogini0001

    The Dākiṇī with the Essence of all Buddhas, Vajrayoginī

    Her practice includes methods to end the otherwise repetitive states of Bardo and rebirth, by transforming the process into a journey, which may lead to full enlightenment. In preparation for which, Vajrayoginī further offers the omnipresent ability to reconstruct the nature of the most, mundane everyday experiences, such that they may reveal higher destinations, via the spiritual paths she may choose to reveal. [1] Vajrayoginī being defined as, “The Dākiṇī who is the Essence of all Buddhas”, [2] is amplified by scholar Miranda Shaw when she implied that this deity is no less than, the supreme nature of the very Tantric pantheon. No male Buddha, including her divine consort, Heruka-Cakrasaṃvara, further advances her in metaphysical implications. [3]

    Vajrayoginī’s sādhanā originates from India circa 10/12th C, [4] when summoned as Heruka-Cakrasaṃvara’s Yab-Yum consort [5], with later forms including Vajrayoginī as “Solitary Hero”, she may be visualized with the deep red complexion of a 16-year-old female, whose stance is nude amidst a blazing fire of pristine awareness and most exalted wisdom. Her head is adorned with a crown of five skulls and upon her forehead, the third eye of wisdom is set vertically (represented here by an auspicious jewel). She drapes a necklace of fifty dried human skulls and is depicted with her traditional vajra-handled knife in her right hand; with a blood filled kapala in her left, she drinks with upturned head while looking above, toward the pure realm of Khechara. This seemingly gruesome gesture is actually symbolic of her clear light in great joy, known as “mahasukha” (the great bliss), [6] [7] thus the blood she drinks may be offered to us all as if a fine wine.

    Resting on the left shoulder is a Katvanga staff as she stands tall with her two feet, trampling the bodies of red Kalaratri and black Bhairava (with heads bending backward), representing the embodiment of illusion and ego-awareness. The composition, all of which rests above a sun disc and multicolored lotus pedestal, she is rendered here after a thankga of Naropa Tradition (passed down from a special teaching of the Indian Mahasiddha Naropa). Vajrayoginī herself may be classified as the personification of “Wisdom” or “Mother” and her practice originates with the Chakrasamvara Cycle of Tantras, which is one of the five principal tantric practices of the Sakya School, although found in one form or another, she is included in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. [8]

    Vajrayoginī also appears in versions from the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, with one popular system having the practitioner visualize themselves as Vajrayoginī, as such, their guru taking the form of Milarepa. [9] Thus depicted above the central deity here we see Milarepa on our right, with his great Guru Marpa left (whose guru was Naropa himself, and other great Indian masters). [10]

    Vajrayoginī is a simplified, single most form of the female Buddha, who is otherwise a collection of alternate forms. From her sādhanās she is visualized in English terms as “Vajra Sow”, “Wrathful Lady”, “Fierce Black One”, and other such similar manifestations of female energy found in numerous iconographic renderings and traditions. Each feature of Vajrayoginī’s visualization conveys important spiritual concept. For example, her three eyes indicate her ability to see all (past, present and future); her red-colored body symbolizes the blazing of her ”inner fire”, and the curved knife she wields, demonstrates the power to sever the delusions and obstacles of her followers and of all living beings. [11]

    —–

    Wordmarque Design and Photography

    —–

    References:

    [1] Gyatso, Kelsang. Guide to Dakini Land: The Highest Yoga Tantra Practice of Buddha Vajrayogini. London: Tharpa, 1996, p.xii.

    [2] “The Berzin Archives.” Bonding Practices for Mother Tantra. Accessed February 18, 2016. http://www.berzinarchives.com/…/bonding_prac_mother_tantra_….

    [3] Shaw, Miranda Eberle. Buddhist Goddesses of India. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006, p. 8.

    [4] English, Elizabeth. Vajrayoginī: Her Visualizations, Rituals & Forms: A Study of the Cult of Vajrayoginī in India. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2002.

    [5] “Vajrasattva (Buddhist Deity) – White (with Consort).” Vajrasattva (Buddhist Deity). Accessed February 18, 2016. http://www.himalayanart.org/items/77598.

    [6] Gyatso, Kelsang. Guide to Dakini Land: The Highest Yoga Tantra Practice of Buddha Vajrayogini. London: Tharpa, 1996 p. 123-127.

    [7] Glenn H. Mullin

    [8] “Item: Vajrayogini (Buddhist Deity) – (Naropa Tradition).” Vajrayogini (Buddhist Deity). Accessed February 18, 2016. http://www.himalayanart.org/items/290.

    [9] English, Elizabeth. Vajrayoginī: Her Visualizations, Rituals & Forms: A Study of the Cult of Vajrayoginī in India. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2002, p. xxiii.

    [10] Drinking the Mountain Stream: Songs of Tibet’s Beloved Saint, Milarepa … by Mi-la-ras-pa, Rinpoche Lama Kunga, Brian Cutillo, p.305.

    [11] Gyatso, Kelsang. Guide to Dakini Land: The Highest Yoga Tantra Practice of Buddha Vajrayogini. London: Tharpa, 1996, p.123-127.

    VY

  9. Pastor Shin Tan on Jul 25, 2018 at 2:40 am

    The current form of Naro Kacho Vajra Yogini appeared to the Indian Mahasiddha Naropa after he meditated intensely on her practice inside a cave. He beheld her glorious form in a vision. This unique form became known as Naropa’s Vajra Yogini or Naro Kacho, as it had never existed before. Later, in Tibet, His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche also had visions of Vajra Yogini. His vision differed slightly from the vision of her that Naropa beheld. In the original Naro Kacho form, Vajra Yogini looks towards her pure land named Kechara. However in Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s vision, she looked straight at him, symbolic of the deity empowering him to bestow her practice to many people in order to benefit them. The practice of Vajra Yogini belongs to the Highest Yoga Tantra classification that leads to tremendous inner transformation and can even grant enlightenment within just one lifetime.

    PabongkaRinpocheVY

  10. Pastor Shin Tan on Jul 22, 2018 at 11:47 pm

    Video of Tsem Rinpoche’s shrine taken July 16, 2018. Very beautiful, well done and meticulous.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPAfpMoN2bA

  11. Pastor Shin Tan on Jul 21, 2018 at 4:55 pm

    Video of Tsem Rinpoche’s shrine taken July 16, 2018.
    Very beautiful, well done and meticulous.

    https://video.tsemtulku.com/chat-videos/chat-1531752637.mp4


  12. Joy Kam on Jul 7, 2018 at 3:02 pm

    Vajra Yogini has many different forms and in each of these forms, the positioning of her sacred body, the various implements she holds and the expressions on her face have profound meaning into various aspects of enlightenment. The implements she holds, the expressions on her face, and her body symbolise specific aspects of enlightenment that suit people during a particular time and place according to their karma. So, therefore, Vajra Yogini’s pose, forms and emanations change over time in order to suit different karmically-connected practitioners. It will keep changing because enlightenment is fluid, compassionate and skilful. To gaze upon Vajra Yogini is to look at a complete ‘roadmap’ to enlightenment as every aspect of her body is a manifestation of enlightenment. Therefore to have her form, picture, painting or statue is very blessed. We should make offerings to her daily diligently.

    After the great Mahasiddha Naropa had served his guru the Mahasiddha Tilopa for 12 years, Tilopa conferred the Vajra Varahi (another form of Vajra Yogini) initiation with full instructions unto Naropa. Then, Naropa diligently meditated on Vajra Varahi and had a vision of her, and when she appeared to him directly, she appeared in the form of Vajra Yogini. Normally, when he engaged in the Vajra Yogini (Vajravarahi) practice, she was in the form of facing him directly, holding a skull cup and a curved flaying knife in front of her heart. One leg was up and one leg was down as in a dancing pose. That was the form of Vajra Yogini that he had meditated on to gain the highest attainments.

    After he had meditated on Vajra Varahi and gained visions of her, she appeared to him in a different form, with her face looking up at Kechara Paradise instead of facing him directly. Her left hand holding the skullcup was thrust in the air and her right hand holding the curved flaying knife, also known as a cemetery knife was facing down at sentient beings or samsara to help beings cut their bonds to suffering. Her left leg was bent, and her right extended while standing in a pose of looking towards Kechara Paradise like she is about to take off there. This form signifies she will take you there and out of suffering. That form of Vajra Yogini became special and that was called Naro Kacho or the Vajra Yogini of Naropa. This Naropa’s Vajra Yogini was initiated to the Nepalese Pamtingpa brothers and they meditated diligently and this tradition of Naropa’s Vajra Yogini just became prevalent and took off from there. Naropa started initiating his other disciples as well into this special form of Vajra Yogini and she became known as Naropa’s Vajra Yogini till this day and it is considered a highly blessed lineage. That is the lineage we have now and most prevalent.

    She is looking up because this Naropa’s Vajra Yogini is indicating she will lead her practitioners to her Kechara Paradise within one lifetime if you are diligent in her practice. Realizing enlightenment is harder for people in today’s world and needs more time during Kaliyuga degenerate period, she leads you to her paradise where you can practice undisturbed to Buddha-hood.

    In this brilliant artwork, what you see is the Mahasiddha Naropa having a direct vision of Vajra Yogini. It’s the first time she has appeared to Naropa in this form. This form is associated with Naropa. Prior to Naropa, this form of Vajra Yogini did not exist. She in this vision is initiating him into this form (Naro Kacho) of herself indicating this form will be most efficacious now according to our karmic period. In the background, you will see a cave with a light in it because when Naropa used to meditate in that cave, it is said that from his body would emit a light and people could see it from afar. You can also see animals surrounding Vajra Yogini, they can feel her compassion and her great blessings and they are at peace around her.

    Vajra Yogini brings peace, love, compassion, wisdom and freedom to everyone who practices her incredibly powerful tantra. Therefore, this artwork is a very beautiful representation of the time when Naropa had a vision of Vajra Yogini in this form for the first time and it is now known as Naropa’s Vajra Yogini. This artwork was offered to me as a gift from a very talented artist. I deeply appreciate this piece of visual spirituality very much.

    Tsem Rinpoche

    To download for your shrine, please click here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=62528

  13. Valentina Suhendra on May 4, 2017 at 8:42 am

    From Tsem Rinpoche: Every person who has Maha-anuttaratantra empowerments (Eg. Heruka, Guhyasamaja, Yamantaka, Vajra Yogini, Chittamani-Tara, Kalacakra, Hevajra, Gyalwa Gyatso Chenresig, etc) should keep a copy of this on their shrine or prayer book. These are all the ritual items tantric practitioner must keep by commitment. If it is in picture form, it is alright also.

    To post

  14. Edwin Tan on Jun 17, 2013 at 6:53 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Pemako really sounds like a paradise out of this world. the recount of the place by one of the explorers was so detailed.

    I really want to go there this lifetime if I can, and wouldn’t mind dying there.

    Thank you.

  15. Joy on Jun 2, 2013 at 2:55 am

    What an amazingly mystical land this is… Pemako sounds like Kechara Paradise on earth. If we have the merits we’d be able to see it and go to it…. we’d be so blessed! Imagine entering Vajrayogini’s in the shape of her body and I suppose if you have the third eye, you’d be able to see and perceive the fairies, deities, and whatever mystical magical creature there might be there!

    I am most glad to hear that this is one land that forbids people to hunt for animals and there should be no killing of humans too. From here I can sense it’s sacredness. Wow this is definitely a pilgrimage spot I would wish to go too one fine day if I have the merits! x

  16. Cliff on May 29, 2013 at 12:35 am

    This is amazing! I had such a good time reading the adventure stories and facts about Pemako. It sounds like such a mystical place where it chooses the person who is allowed to enter to visit such a magical place. Reading the articles makes me feel like I really want to go visit and explore this exquisite land. It seems so dangerous yet so beautiful, it sounds so incredible to be trekking far into the gorge to finally come to a holy place. I really enjoyed reading the “Journey into the hidden land of pemako”, the words described so beautifully, the experience gain from his exploration is just magnificent. It sounds so amazing that such a place even exist on this planet, untouched by civilization with many mysteries yet to be discovered, it all just sounds so adventurous! The threat of the dams to be build I really do hope it doest proceed, such an amazing place threatened by the existence of modernisation is truly sad. The amount of hardship people have gone through to protect it and preserve it is just not fair. I really wish I could go there to visit and explore. Thank you for sharing this article Rinpoche, I truly enjoyed reading it.

  17. Sharon Saw on May 28, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    Wow. What a magical land… i love the beautiful descriptions of this mythical land… i would aspire to go there though the mentions of leeches and insects are a bit scary! but what is scarier is that if the dam gets built, so much land, ecosystem, and spiritual wealth will be lost. And it will be irreplaceable. Human beings are really our own worst enemy. I do hope i can at least visit the fringes of Pemako one day.

  18. Sofi on May 23, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    Pemako sounds so fascinating with its mystical and hidden treasures, ie. medicinal plants n flowers, sacred places, caves n especially Guru Rinpoche’s throne which still resonate with power/energy. So plush with natural beauty. Even the journey itself is a prilgrimage of strong faith, patience, endurance, walking meditation, etc.. I certainly hope that the Chinese Government will decide against the destruction of this sacred place with their plans to build the hydro-electric dam. May more Buddhist of faith have the chance to make this journey without the destruction by human ‘modernization’.
    Thank you Rinpoche for this knowledge of the existence hidden lands, and making Shambala/pure lands more of a reality that’s within reach for of pure faith n practise.

  19. Lim Han Nee on May 20, 2013 at 12:01 am

    Thank you, Rinpoche , for this enthralling article on Pemako, this sacred beyul, created by Guru Rinpoche, this paradise on earth so rare and ethereal and mystical, but nonetheless real.

    I am fascinated with every detail about Pemako, which actually holds the sacred body of Vajrayogini in a sleeping posture. Pemako, according to Buddhist tradition, is one of 16 earthly paradises, “the ultimate hidden valley where it is prophesied that the seed of humanity will thrive at the end of the world in famine and calamities”.

    Guru Rinpoche’s account in ‘Guide to Pemako’, holds such unbelievably lovely words of description of Pemako.
    “In one of the stamens of the flower of the world is Pemako in the shape of Vajrayogini lying down. Outer, inner and secret levels correspond to the levels of the mind. In the secret chakra of Vajrayogini , there are flowers coming in winter also. If people die here, they do not take karmic rebirth; they go to the Pure-lands….”.

    Then there is this profoundly beautiful statement, coming at the end, about it.
    “Pemako is a dakini manifesting appearance and emptiness to remind us of what reality truly is”.

    It will be a devastating loss, a crashing of the most fascinating dream that is Pamako, if the Chinese Government carries through its decision to build a hydroelectric dam over Pemako. May this not happen.

  20. Patsy on May 19, 2013 at 4:24 pm

    Pemako, a holy paradise that is so mystical and surreal. The people living there are so blessed as according to Guru Rinpoche from the Guidebook to Pemako “If people die here, they do not take karmic
    rebirth; they go to the Pure Lands.” I hope the Government of PRC will not take any drastic steps for the sake of development to establish a “Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon National Reservation”, as it will destroy this holy place.

  21. beatrix ooi on May 19, 2013 at 12:08 am

    Pemako really sounds like a place filled with harmony and peace, the people who live there must be very blessed. Through the pictures above, Pemako really looks like a paradise, a place full of water, mountains, rocks, greens etc. It’s just simply wonderful!
    Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.

  22. David Lai on May 18, 2013 at 7:00 pm

    Wow! This is wonderful article on Pemako. It sounds like a magical and wonderful place of Vajrayogini. I have only seen images of a reclining Pemako Vajrayogini on the net. This is the first time, I have actually seen an article on the real physical paradise on earth associated with Vajrayogini. I have never heard nor read about Beyuls although I know very well of the legend of Shambala.

    I love such mystical stories and I was combing through the article and came across a few regarding beyuls, certain sacred mountains and a stone throne of Guru Rinpoche. My attempt at reading this article is mainly thwarted by the seemingly endless quest to travel to Pemako but hardly any actual descriptions except for a few. Anyway, this serves to increase my curiosity. I am going to look for more information when I freer and perhaps blog about it too! Interesting stuff. Love any legend, stories and traditions associated with Vajrayogini.

  23. benji on May 18, 2013 at 6:46 am

    It was so uplifting to re-,ad about Pemako- i wonder if there is any blessing in that. Thank you Rinpoche !

  24. Jean Ai on May 17, 2013 at 4:14 pm

    Pemako sounds mystical, magical and a total paradise. Ever since Rinpoche first described to us what Shambhala looks like, I’ve always held this image in my mind of cool, pleasant place with steep, craggy gorges and trees hanging over a lush green valley where the sun always shines, and the sky is always blue…and Pemako also looks totally like that!

    Of all the articles to read here, the saddest one was the paragraph about Pemako’s current existence being threatened by encroaching modernisation, that people forget the signficance of the beyuls and protecting them. We always think that we are making improvements to our lives by building this, that and the other but what I have come to realise since moving to Kechara Forest Retreat is that you can’t beat nature. Nature has its way of protecting itself and making sure it is safe, and when greed and a lack of awareness disturbs that balance, that’s when trouble arises. So you have to live with it and work with it because whatever you give to nature, it’ll give back to you manifold.

    So I hope the Himalayan governments remember that money is never worth it, and that chasing for it always brings problems. Capitalising on Pemako’s strategic location will bring temporary financial gain, but ultimately you never know what kind of effects destroying it will have in the long term.

  25. Tsewang Dorjee on May 17, 2013 at 1:34 pm

    Dear Rempoche,
    Tashi Delek
    Your blog is informative and contained wonderful history about Pemakoe.I will be your blog regular reader.

    With regards
    Pekoe Tsewang

  26. Thierry on May 17, 2013 at 1:13 am

    If you have liked this article and got inspired, I invite you to also read this article:
    http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/tea-offering-to-vajrayogini-for-the-1st-time.html

    It contains a short and easy prayer of offering tea to Vajrayogini.
    Easy to carry with you and easy to do.
    Hey! there is nothing to loose and everything to gain!

    Vajrayogini is reaching a hand to us, right here right now, if you’d like to grab Her Holy hand, it’s now.

    Thank you so much Rinpoche for making this possible!

  27. Jay Jae on May 17, 2013 at 12:42 am

    Reading this article helps me gain so much faith in the Buddhas and especially in the Tantras of Buddha Heruka Vajrayogini. From the recounts, you could read that every nook and corner is imbued with the blessings of Vajrayogini and for the person who visits, it is not an ordinary visit but a pilgrimage to a sacred site of Kechara itself!

    Anything to do with the sight, sound, touch and smell is an experience one will not find elsewhere as it is infused with the blessings of Vajrayogini.

    I wanna go there sooon!

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SUNDAY

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Avoid the use of language or attitudes which may be offensive to others. If someone is disrespectful to you, ignore them instead of arguing with them.

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KECHARA FOREST RETREAT PROGRESS UPDATES

Here is the latest news and pictorial updates, as it happens, of our upcoming forest retreat project.

The Kechara Forest Retreat is a unique holistic retreat centre focused on the total wellness of body, mind and spirit. This is a place where families and individuals will find peace, nourishment and inspiration in a natural forest environment. At Kechara Forest Retreat, we are committed to give back to society through instilling the next generation with universal positive values such as kindness and compassion.

For more information, please read here (english), here (chinese), or the official site: retreat.kechara.com.

Noticeboard

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  • Brent
    Tuesday, Mar 26. 2024 04:47 PM
    Living with my wife, whose world is meticulously painted with the hues of OCD, is a journey that intertwines the essence of love with the complexities of the human mind. Her relentless pursuit of cleanliness and order, transforming even the most negligible corner into a testament of organization, often dances on the fine line between admiration and frustration. The sight of her steering clear from trash bins as if they were labyrinths of chaos, serves as a poignant reminder of the battles she fights within. Yet, it’s through these very battles that I’ve learned the profound language of patience and the unspoken strength of support. Therapy, in its gentle embrace, has been a beacon of light for her, guiding her through the stormy seas of OCD. It has not only offered her solace but has also unveiled the strength of her spirit, teaching us both the beauty of resilience. As she journeys through the pathways of healing, I stand by her, a testament to the power of love and the enduring promise of hope. Together, we navigate the complexities of her world, discovering that within the challenges lie opportunities for growth, understanding, and an unbreakable bond. https://www.mindfullyaliveonline.com/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/
  • Samfoonheei
    Friday, Mar 15. 2024 07:31 PM
    Venerable Ajahn Chah was a Thai Buddhist teacher of the Buddhadhamma and a founder of two major monasteries in the Thai Forest Tradition. Well respected and loved as a man of great wisdom, he was also instrumental in establishing Theravada Buddhism in the West. Interesting life story, how he chose to leave the settled monastic life and became a wandering ascetic. Walking across Thailand, lived in forests, caves and cremation grounds while learning from the meditation monks of the Forest of various monasteries. He wandered through the countryside in quest of quiet and secluded places for developing meditation. He even lived in tiger and cobra infested jungles, using reflections on death to penetrate to the true meaning of life. After years of wandering, Venerable Ajahn Chah established a monastery where he taught simple, practice-based form of meditation, and attracted a numerous of students including western foreigners. He was one of the greatest Dhamma teachers of the modern era. His wise teachings have continued to guide thousands of people along the path of Dharma. Venerable Ajahn Chah’s teachings of the Thai Forest Tradition gradually spread across all over the world. Several of Ajahn Chah’s Western students have since established monasteries throughout the world. Just in Thailand itself, there are more than 300 branch monasteries in Ajahn Chah’s tradition. Ven erable Ajahn Chah used his ill health as a teaching point, emphasizing that it was a living example of the impermanence of all things and reminded people to endeavour to find a true refuge within themselves. The legacy of Venerable Ajahn Chah’s teachings and legacy continues into the modern age.
    Thank you Rinpoche for this great sharing.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/venerable-ajahn-chah-the-forest-monk.html
  • Samfoonheei
    Friday, Mar 15. 2024 07:30 PM
    Wonderful blog written on the practice of Kalarupa for us to understand better. As an emanation of Manjushri, Kalarupa’s practice helps us to destroy ignorance and to develop wisdom overcoming our anger and suffering . Awesome Kalarupa manifested in multiple forms to help sentient beings who personifies enlightenment by the conquest of anger. Kalarupa also regard as one of the three main Dharma protectors of the Gelugpa is extremely fierce and ugly, and tames all kinds of spiritual ugliness. The fierceness of his iconography teaches us to remind ourselves that all the causes and effects of anger arising from ignorance are dreadful and distorted.
    Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Antionette for this detailed sharing,

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/kalarupa.html
  • Samfoonheei
    Friday, Mar 15. 2024 07:27 PM
    Nepal is a very spiritual country, having a huge Dorje Shugden mural in Kathmandu, is indeed a big achievement for Kechara. Located on Charkhal Road in Dilli Bazaar, the mural can be found midway between our two Dorje Shugden chapels which are in Putalisadak and Chabahil. It is also very close to one of Kathmandu’s largest shopping malls. Many locals , tourist will be able to connect them to a powerful deity that is so closely associated with their culture. Well the mural not only beautiful but also full of symbolism and everyone merely by seeing it is blessed. Thanks to those talented artists and generous sponsors making it a success.
    Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/travel/spectacular-dorje-shugden-mural-in-kathmandu-nepal.html
  • Samfoonheei
    Friday, Mar 15. 2024 07:24 PM
    All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. Letting go helps us to live in a more peaceful state of mind and helps restore our balance. A reminder for us all to go of attachment and meditating on impermanence and emptiness. We are to relinquish the domination of our ego and its habits to transform ourselves. A great reminder not to waste our previous life.
    Quoted Ceasing to do evil, Cultivating the good, Purifying the heart .
    Thank you Rinpoche for sharing such a meaningful teachings with folded hands.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/pointing-the-staff-at-the-old-man.html
  • james belich
    Friday, Mar 8. 2024 09:43 PM
    Winning the lottery was part of my dreams, I tried so hard to win big but all to no avail, until I came across Dr Lucas online who made my dreams come through and made me win 10 million dollars. I was a logistics manager who lives in Lancaster, S.C. and works about an hour’s drive away, in Charlotte, N.C., I stopped at a store to buy a scratch-off lottery ticket during my lunch break, because Dr Lucas gave me all the assurance that the numbers are not going to fail after I did all he asked me to do. Dr lucas is a powerful Dr that is on a mission to eradicate poverty from people’s lives and i have confirmed that by winning $10 million with the numbers he provided for me, it is my promise to tell the world about my experience with Dr Lucas and that’s what I’m doing now, you can win the lottery fast with the help of Dr Lucas he is tested and trusted Email: Drlucasspelltemple@gmail. com or WhatsApp +234 904 794 3567 he will help you.
  • james belich
    Friday, Mar 8. 2024 09:42 PM
    Winning the lottery was part of my dreams, I tried so hard to win big but all to no avail, until I came across Dr Lucas online who made my dreams come through and made me win 10 million dollars. I was a logistics manager who lives in Lancaster, S.C. and works about an hour’s drive away, in Charlotte, N.C., I stopped at a store to buy a scratch-off lottery ticket during my lunch break, because Dr Lucas gave me all the assurance that the numbers are not going to fail after I did all he asked me to do. Dr lucas is a powerful Dr that is on a mission to eradicate poverty from people’s lives and i have confirmed that by winning $10 million with the numbers he provided for me, it is my promise to tell the world about my experience with Dr Lucas and that’s what I’m doing now, you can win the lottery fast with the help of Dr Lucas he is tested and trusted Email: Drlucasspelltemple@gmail.com or WhatsApp +234 904 794 3567 he will help you.
  • lee
    Thursday, Mar 7. 2024 07:06 PM
    We are members of the Buddhist Temple in Taman Desa Jaya, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur and we have been issued membership by the president (DATUK YIP KUM FOOK), we are very sad because we are the foundation of this Temple

    Now we can know who is always messing with people, and he always cheats money and women, he even uses Buddhism to find money.

    Also, need to be careful with his brother-in-law (Simon Low Kok Meng) because he is a spy (CID) for DATUK YIP KUM FOOK and we will write some letters to AGONG SULTAN IBRAHIM IBN ALMARHUM SULTAN ISKANDAR as soon as possible.

    From Jesmond Yap, Kepong Baru…Kuala Lumpur
  • Phoenix the Shaman Elder
    Thursday, Mar 7. 2024 01:40 AM
    The matriarchal cultures of the grandmothers have specific symbolism of animism shamanism, such as the horse, especially the blue horse, and the deer. These are two main symbols of a shaman woman and you can find them in many cultural folk lore, especially the Russian, Slavic, Siberian, Nordic, Finland, and Norway. It’s nice to see the Matriarchal Shaman Animism diety represented in Chinese.
  • Samfoonheei
    Monday, Mar 4. 2024 06:59 PM
    An inspiring act of a selfless Lama feeding strays whether its night or day. Truly an example for us all to feed those lonely strays . Yes I do agree compassion starts with feeding strays. Reading this blog again to refresh myself to do more. Strays animals generally lead a life of poor welfare on the street. Feeding strays is a compassionate act.
    Thank you Rinpoche and Anila for this sharing.


    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/one-minute-story/rinpoche-through-my-eyes-compassion-starts-with-feeding-strays
  • Samfoonheei
    Monday, Mar 4. 2024 06:56 PM
    nteresting revisit this blog again as truly inspiring reading over and over again . There’s so many inspiring nuns and female practitioner coming from different back ground, leading a more spiritual life. They are practitioners dedicated their life to religious observance and their path is illuminated by the light of compassion. Going against all odds to become one. Their devotion radiates like a thousand stars in the night sky. Here at Kechara Forest Retreat, Bentong Pahang we too have inspiring practitioners .
    Thank you Rinpoche for this great sharing.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/inspiring-nuns-and-female-practitioners.html
  • Samfoonheei
    Monday, Mar 4. 2024 06:55 PM
    H E Tsem Rinpoche’s Sungbum project aim to preserve the teachings and practices that have been passed from teacher to disciple in an unbroken line beginning with Lama Tsongkhapa himself . History has taught us the importance of preserving Buddha’s stainless teachings. Its important to preserve and safeguard the Buddhist tradition for future generations.
    Tsem Rinpoche is a clear and effective teacher where his stories and teachings are endlessly entertaining and inspiring. The preservation is very much needed. We are so fortunate given a chance to be involved in such a meritorious project .
    Thank you.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/current-affairs/the-tsem-rinpoche-sungbum-project.html
  • Samfoonheei
    Monday, Mar 4. 2024 06:55 PM
    Demons are disembodied spirits, supernatural being or spirit and unseen beings. We know they do exist and I believe they do. They have no physical form to them whatsoever. Demons do definitely exist. They are intelligent beings who are evil malicious spirits and are all dangerous entities. Valak is not to be summoned capriciously by anyone as they are dangerous beings when we invoke them having to face a heavy consequence. There are spiritual practices that we can ask for help a ritual of the wrathful Manjushri in the form of Trakze. Having a doing the practice daily without fail, consistently, as this Trakze practice has been proven to be efficacious to break the hold the Valak and other spirits. All thanks to our Guru bringing this practice to Kechara Forest Retreat, Bentong Malaysia.
    Thank you Rinpoche for this wonderful sharing for us to understand better.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/science-mysteries/valak-the-conjuring-2-demon.html
  • Samfoonheei
    Monday, Mar 4. 2024 06:53 PM
    Wow ,reading all these powerful quotes had me realised much better of giving even I have little. May H E Tsem Rinpoche’s sincere advice to reach the far shore of liberation to everyone reading this blog. The most truly generous people are those who give silently without asking any in return. There is no exercise better than reaching and lifting people up. A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. Well creating and lighting for others we naturally light our own way. Helping others especially those unfortunate ones, make us feel more positive about our own circumstances.
    Thank you Rinpoche for sharing all these powerful quotes.

    https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/the-power-of-giving-18-quotes-from-tsem-rinpoche.html
  • Aarati Bhatt
    Wednesday, Feb 28. 2024 12:47 AM
    I have tried mine and my friend’s horoscope and it results same in both of our case, and not just that I have tried this on various friends and this horoscope is showing same for maximum date of birth, I think this is a bug.

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Concept: Tsem Rinpoche
Technical: Lew Kwan Leng, Justin Ripley, Yong Swee Keong
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I must thank my dharma blog team who are great assets to me, Kechara and growth of dharma in this wonderful region. I am honoured and thrilled to work with them. I really am. Maybe I don't say it enough to them, but I am saying it now. I APPRECIATE THESE GUYS VERY MUCH!

Tsem Rinpoche

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The Unknown

The Known and unknown are both feared,
Known is being comfortable and stagnant,
The unknown may be growth and opportunities,
One shall never know if one fears the unknown more than the known.
Who says the unknown would be worse than the known?
But then again, the unknown is sometimes worse than the known. In the end nothing is known unless we endeavour,
So go pursue all the way with the unknown,
because all unknown with familiarity becomes the known.
~Tsem Rinpoche

Photos On The Go

Click on the images to view the bigger version. And scroll down and click on "View All Photos" to view more images.
According to legend, Shambhala is a place where wisdom and love reign, and there is no crime. Doesn\'t this sound like the kind of place all of us would love to live in? https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=204874
4 years ago
According to legend, Shambhala is a place where wisdom and love reign, and there is no crime. Doesn't this sound like the kind of place all of us would love to live in? https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=204874
108 candles and sang (incense) offered at our Wish-Fulfilling Grotto, invoking Dorje Shugden\'s blessings for friends, sponsors and supporters, wonderful!
4 years ago
108 candles and sang (incense) offered at our Wish-Fulfilling Grotto, invoking Dorje Shugden's blessings for friends, sponsors and supporters, wonderful!
Dharmapalas are not exclusive to Tibetan culture and their practice is widespread throughout the Buddhist world - https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=193645
4 years ago
Dharmapalas are not exclusive to Tibetan culture and their practice is widespread throughout the Buddhist world - https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=193645
One of our adorable Kechara Forest Retreat\'s doggies, Tara, happy and safe, and enjoying herself in front of Wisdom Hall which has been decorated for Chinese New Year
4 years ago
One of our adorable Kechara Forest Retreat's doggies, Tara, happy and safe, and enjoying herself in front of Wisdom Hall which has been decorated for Chinese New Year
Fragrant organic Thai basil harvested from our very own Kechara Forest Retreat farm!
4 years ago
Fragrant organic Thai basil harvested from our very own Kechara Forest Retreat farm!
On behalf of our Puja House team, Pastor Tat Ming receives food and drinks from Rinpoche. Rinpoche wanted to make sure the hardworking Puja House team are always taken care of.
4 years ago
On behalf of our Puja House team, Pastor Tat Ming receives food and drinks from Rinpoche. Rinpoche wanted to make sure the hardworking Puja House team are always taken care of.
By the time I heard about Luang Phor Thong, he was already very old, in his late 80s. When I heard about him, I immediately wanted to go and pay my respects to him. - http://bit.ly/LuangPhorThong
4 years ago
By the time I heard about Luang Phor Thong, he was already very old, in his late 80s. When I heard about him, I immediately wanted to go and pay my respects to him. - http://bit.ly/LuangPhorThong
It\'s very nice to see volunteers helping maintain holy sites in Kechara Forest Retreat, it\'s very good for them. Cleaning Buddha statues is a very powerful and effective way of purifying body karma.
4 years ago
It's very nice to see volunteers helping maintain holy sites in Kechara Forest Retreat, it's very good for them. Cleaning Buddha statues is a very powerful and effective way of purifying body karma.
Kechara Forest Retreat is preparing for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations. This is our holy Vajra Yogini stupa which is now surrounded by beautiful lanterns organised by our students.
4 years ago
Kechara Forest Retreat is preparing for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations. This is our holy Vajra Yogini stupa which is now surrounded by beautiful lanterns organised by our students.
One of the most recent harvests from our Kechara Forest Retreat land. It was grown free of chemicals and pesticides, wonderful!
4 years ago
One of the most recent harvests from our Kechara Forest Retreat land. It was grown free of chemicals and pesticides, wonderful!
Third picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Height: 33ft (10m)
5 years ago
Third picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal. Height: 33ft (10m)
Second picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Height: 33ft (10m)
5 years ago
Second picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal. Height: 33ft (10m)
First picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Height: 33ft (10m)
5 years ago
First picture-Standing Manjushri Statue at Chowar, Kirtipur, Nepal. Height: 33ft (10m)
The first title published by Kechara Comics is Karuna Finds A Way. It tells the tale of high-school sweethearts Karuna and Adam who had what some would call the dream life. Everything was going great for them until one day when reality came knocking on their door. Caught in a surprise swindle, this loving family who never harmed anyone found themselves out of luck and down on their fortune. Determined to save her family, Karuna goes all out to find a solution. See what she does- https://bit.ly/2LSKuWo
5 years ago
The first title published by Kechara Comics is Karuna Finds A Way. It tells the tale of high-school sweethearts Karuna and Adam who had what some would call the dream life. Everything was going great for them until one day when reality came knocking on their door. Caught in a surprise swindle, this loving family who never harmed anyone found themselves out of luck and down on their fortune. Determined to save her family, Karuna goes all out to find a solution. See what she does- https://bit.ly/2LSKuWo
Very powerful story! Tibetan Resistance group Chushi Gangdruk reveals how Dalai Lama escaped in 1959- https://bit.ly/2S9VMGX
5 years ago
Very powerful story! Tibetan Resistance group Chushi Gangdruk reveals how Dalai Lama escaped in 1959- https://bit.ly/2S9VMGX
At Kechara Forest Retreat land we have nice fresh spinach growing free of chemicals and pesticides. Yes!
5 years ago
At Kechara Forest Retreat land we have nice fresh spinach growing free of chemicals and pesticides. Yes!
See beautiful pictures of Manjushri Guest House here- https://bit.ly/2WGo0ti
5 years ago
See beautiful pictures of Manjushri Guest House here- https://bit.ly/2WGo0ti
Beginner’s Introduction to Dorje Shugden~Very good overview https://bit.ly/2QQNfYv
5 years ago
Beginner’s Introduction to Dorje Shugden~Very good overview https://bit.ly/2QQNfYv
Fresh eggplants grown on Kechara Forest Retreat\'s land here in Malaysia
5 years ago
Fresh eggplants grown on Kechara Forest Retreat's land here in Malaysia
Most Venerable Uppalavanna – The Chief Female Disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni - She exhibited many supernatural abilities gained from meditation and proved to the world females and males are equal in spirituality- https://bit.ly/31d9Rat
5 years ago
Most Venerable Uppalavanna – The Chief Female Disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni - She exhibited many supernatural abilities gained from meditation and proved to the world females and males are equal in spirituality- https://bit.ly/31d9Rat
Thailand’s ‘Renegade’ Yet Powerful Buddhist Nuns~ https://bit.ly/2Z1C02m
5 years ago
Thailand’s ‘Renegade’ Yet Powerful Buddhist Nuns~ https://bit.ly/2Z1C02m
Mahapajapati Gotami – the first Buddhist nun ordained by Lord Buddha- https://bit.ly/2IjD8ru
5 years ago
Mahapajapati Gotami – the first Buddhist nun ordained by Lord Buddha- https://bit.ly/2IjD8ru
The Largest Buddha Shakyamuni in Russia | 俄罗斯最大的释迦牟尼佛画像- https://bit.ly/2Wpclni
5 years ago
The Largest Buddha Shakyamuni in Russia | 俄罗斯最大的释迦牟尼佛画像- https://bit.ly/2Wpclni
Sacred Vajra Yogini
5 years ago
Sacred Vajra Yogini
Dorje Shugden works & archives - a labour of commitment - https://bit.ly/30Tp2p8
5 years ago
Dorje Shugden works & archives - a labour of commitment - https://bit.ly/30Tp2p8
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha.
5 years ago
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha.
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha. She was his step-mother and aunt. Buddha\'s mother had passed away at his birth so he was raised by Gotami.
5 years ago
Mahapajapati Gotami, who was the first nun ordained by Lord Buddha. She was his step-mother and aunt. Buddha's mother had passed away at his birth so he was raised by Gotami.
Another nun disciple of Lord Buddha\'s. She had achieved great spiritual abilities and high attainments. She would be a proper object of refuge. This image of the eminent bhikkhuni (nun) disciple of the Buddha, Uppalavanna Theri.
5 years ago
Another nun disciple of Lord Buddha's. She had achieved great spiritual abilities and high attainments. She would be a proper object of refuge. This image of the eminent bhikkhuni (nun) disciple of the Buddha, Uppalavanna Theri.
Wandering Ascetic Painting by Nirdesha Munasinghe
5 years ago
Wandering Ascetic Painting by Nirdesha Munasinghe
High Sri Lankan monks visit Kechara to bless our land, temple, Buddha and Dorje Shugden images. They were very kind-see pictures- https://bit.ly/2HQie2M
5 years ago
High Sri Lankan monks visit Kechara to bless our land, temple, Buddha and Dorje Shugden images. They were very kind-see pictures- https://bit.ly/2HQie2M
This is pretty amazing!

First Sri Lankan Buddhist temple opened in Dubai!!!
5 years ago
This is pretty amazing! First Sri Lankan Buddhist temple opened in Dubai!!!
My Dharma boy (left) and Oser girl loves to laze around on the veranda in the mornings. They enjoy all the trees, grass and relaxing under the hot sun. Sunbathing is a favorite daily activity. I care about these two doggies of mine very much and I enjoy seeing them happy. They are with me always. Tsem Rinpoche

Always be kind to animals and eat vegetarian- https://bit.ly/2Psp8h2
5 years ago
My Dharma boy (left) and Oser girl loves to laze around on the veranda in the mornings. They enjoy all the trees, grass and relaxing under the hot sun. Sunbathing is a favorite daily activity. I care about these two doggies of mine very much and I enjoy seeing them happy. They are with me always. Tsem Rinpoche Always be kind to animals and eat vegetarian- https://bit.ly/2Psp8h2
After you left me Mumu, I was alone. I have no family or kin. You were my family. I can\'t stop thinking of you and I can\'t forget you. My bond and connection with you is so strong. I wish you were by my side. Tsem Rinpoche
5 years ago
After you left me Mumu, I was alone. I have no family or kin. You were my family. I can't stop thinking of you and I can't forget you. My bond and connection with you is so strong. I wish you were by my side. Tsem Rinpoche
This story is a life-changer. Learn about the incredible Forest Man of India | 印度“森林之子”- https://bit.ly/2Eh4vRS
5 years ago
This story is a life-changer. Learn about the incredible Forest Man of India | 印度“森林之子”- https://bit.ly/2Eh4vRS
Part 2-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
5 years ago
Part 2-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
Part 1-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
5 years ago
Part 1-Beautiful billboard in Malaysia of a powerful Tibetan hero whose life serves as a great inspiration- https://bit.ly/2UltNE4
The great Protector Manjushri Dorje Shugden depicted in the beautiful Mongolian style. To download a high resolution file: https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz
5 years ago
The great Protector Manjushri Dorje Shugden depicted in the beautiful Mongolian style. To download a high resolution file: https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz
The Mystical land of Shambhala is finally ready for everyone to feast their eyes and be blessed. A beautiful post with information, art work, history, spirituality and a beautiful book composed by His Holiness the 6th Panchen Rinpoche. ~ https://bit.ly/309MHBi
5 years ago
The Mystical land of Shambhala is finally ready for everyone to feast their eyes and be blessed. A beautiful post with information, art work, history, spirituality and a beautiful book composed by His Holiness the 6th Panchen Rinpoche. ~ https://bit.ly/309MHBi
Beautiful pictures of the huge Buddha in Longkou Nanshan- https://bit.ly/2LsBxVb
5 years ago
Beautiful pictures of the huge Buddha in Longkou Nanshan- https://bit.ly/2LsBxVb
The reason-Very interesting thought- https://bit.ly/2V7VT5r
5 years ago
The reason-Very interesting thought- https://bit.ly/2V7VT5r
NEW Bigfoot cafe in Malaysia! Food is delicious!- https://bit.ly/2VxdGau
5 years ago
NEW Bigfoot cafe in Malaysia! Food is delicious!- https://bit.ly/2VxdGau
DON\'T MISS THIS!~How brave Bonnie survived by living with a herd of deer~ https://bit.ly/2Lre2eY
5 years ago
DON'T MISS THIS!~How brave Bonnie survived by living with a herd of deer~ https://bit.ly/2Lre2eY
Global Superpower China Will Cut Meat Consumption by 50%! Very interesting, find out more- https://bit.ly/2V1sJFh
5 years ago
Global Superpower China Will Cut Meat Consumption by 50%! Very interesting, find out more- https://bit.ly/2V1sJFh
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You can download this beautiful Egyptian style Dorje Shugden Free- https://bit.ly/2Nt3FHz
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Beautiful high file for print of Lord Manjushri. May you be blessed- https://bit.ly/2V8mwZe
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Manjusri Kumara (bodhisattva of wisdom), India, Pala dynesty, 9th century, stone, Honolulu Academy of Arts
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ASK A PASTOR


Ask the Pastors

A section for you to clarify your Dharma questions with Kechara’s esteemed pastors.

Just post your name and your question below and one of our pastors will provide you with an answer.

Scroll down and click on "View All Questions" to view archived questions.

  • March 29, 2024 09:59
    Anonymous asked: 1: how can cleaning be turned into meditation? 2: in Chinese tradition, when someone passes away, there are these blankets with like Buddhas' names on it, Buddhist symbols, etc. What happens when they are cremated, what should we do so it isn't disrespectful to burn the cover/blanket? Thank you ♡
    pastor answered: Dear Anonymous, Thank you for your questions. In regards to your first question, here is a part of Tsem Rinpoche's teaching (https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/how-to-purify-your-karma-in-kechara-forest-retreat.html): "As I have shared before, during the Buddha’s time, he had a student who was not very intelligent, an old monk. And when this old monk memorised the first word, when he got to the second word, he forgot the first word. When he went back to the first word, he forgot the second word. And he’d yo-yo back and forth like that. And he was very frustrated so he asked the Buddha what he could do because he was having such a hard time memorising and understanding the Dharma due to his very, very, very, poor memory. And so the Buddha said, “Visualise a temple, the shoes of the monks, the floor, the surrounding area, the garden, the trees and all that as your mind. And all the leaves that have fallen as your karma, and your kleshas, your obstructions, your obstacles. Think of all the dirt, think of all the dust, as your kleshas and your obstructions and your negative karma, and every day clean it. And recite this DÜ PUNG DRI MA PUNG, DÜ PUNG DRI MA PUNG, DÜ PUNG DRI MA PUNG. Remove my defilements, remove its leftovers. Remove my defilements, remove the leftovers, the stains.. So, to recite that every day carefully and to visualise it carefully and do that.” So when you are cleaning, you visualise that you are cleaning the defilements from your mind, you can recite "DÜ PUNG DRI MA PUNG, DÜ PUNG DRI MA PUNG, DÜ PUNG DRI MA PUNG." or "Remove my defilements, remove its leftovers." Or you can recite mantras of purification such as Vajrasattva. In regards to your second question: from the Tibetan Buddhist viewpoints you would not burn mantras or images of or associated with the Three Jewels. However, the specific mantras on the blanket, may be for this specific purpose. We wouldn't be able to give you a definitive answers as we would need to know the specific mantras, prayers, images on the blanket. Hope this helps. Thank you.
  • March 28, 2024 05:40
    Jason asked: Continuing from the previous answer, how do we liberate ourselves from samsara if it’s impossible to not create further karma while existing in samsara? If we create karma just be existing, that means that we will keep reincarnating over and over again so it seems like we’re stuck in the cycle
    pastor answered: Dear Jason, You've asked a very interesting follow-up question. Generally speaking, yes if you are in samsara, then you are always creating more karma. That's why the goal of Buddhists is to be liberated from samsara. The Buddha and other enlightened beings achieved this and the practice of Dharma itself is geared towards achieving this. I'll try to explain it here, hopefully I can do so in such a short space. So, normally there is no way out of samsara, but when you practice the Dharma there is. Remember in my previous reply to you, I mentioned that there are differing levels of severity of karma? Some are heavier, some lighter, etc. When practising the Dharma, you reduce the amount of karma that you produce. When you have less effects of karma, due to less negative karma itself, you can focus more on the spiritual practices that lead to liberation. I'll take the examples of the Refuge vows. There are 10 of them, split into three categories related to the body, speech and mind. First is the body, which includes to abstain form killing, as killing creates negative karma. The in the speech section, it includes to abstain from lying. This is harder to do. What is easier - to abstain from killing another human being, or lying to another person. The easier one is not to kill. Hence, you train yourself in this manner, working from those actions that are easiest to avoid, working up to those that are harder. For example in the mind section, one of the vows is not to covet something that another person has. But this is harder to do than either not lying or not killing. In other words, in our spiritual practice, we reduce the karma that we create though the actions of our body, speech and mind. Since we have less karma, we suffer less. And then finally, we are get to really subtle levels of karma, which are like residue in our mindstreams. But it's still there. In order to get out of samsara, you need to realise what we call emptiness (which is way to complicated to talk about here). In other words, the very path of the Dharma is to reduce the karma we create, starting with the easiest and working up to the hardest, which is where it becomes the easiest to understand emptiness. This who journey is a process, that's why teachings such as the Lamrim are indesipensible as it shows us the actual way to practice. Normally, we are stuck in Samsara. But when we practice the Dharma and ultimately realise emptiness (there are many, many steps in between) we are able to get out of samsara completely. This may sound confusing, which is why in Buddhism study, understand and practice is very important. We have Dharma classes available, where you can learn and find out more: https://www.kechara.com/learn/dharma-classes/ I hope this helps.
  • March 27, 2024 06:10
    Jason asked: People-especially family put certain expectations on us and when we refuse, it causes them a lot of stress and anger and we make them suffer…. my family wants me to marry and have kids but I don’t want to be tied down to Samsara any further and just explaining that I want to shave my head drives my mom crazy and she starts speaking to me in a very loud and forceful manner saying that she doesn’t care what I have to say and that she knows better than me so she will do whatever it takes make me have a family even if she ends up becoming a villain in my eyes because it’s for my own good so that I won’t be alone and lonely when I’m old. When we say no to people, especially to people who care about us and want the best for us, do we accumulate negative karma from causing them emotional turmoil and pain
    pastor answered: Dear Jason, Thank you for your question. In essence, any action that causes another person harm or suffering whether physical or emotional generates negative karma. But karma is complicated and not as simple as we usually think about it. There are differences in level of severity of karma created, some can be very light and some can be heavy. These are due to the variables when creating karma, such as motivation, the actions, your feelings after it, etc. This can all be found in teachings that talk about karma, especially the Lamrim teachings. In Buddhism we teach that we need to avoid the creation of negative karma for sure. But simply by being stuck in samsara, there is actually no way out of creating karma. That is why Buddhists seek to be free from samsara altogether. Only when we are free from samsara, are we free from the creation of karma. In relation to your situation, if you are young and rely on your parents, for now you should try not to do things that are create division or disharmony within the family environment. That itself if the practice of the Dharma. Then later, when you are independent you can make more of an informed choice about what you want to do. Even in your current situation, you can practice the Dharma, it is not necessary to become a monk or nun to progress on your spiritual path. Dharma can be practiced in any environment, and actually practising towards our family is the best. When we transform our minds and our behvariours and they see just how beneficial this transformation is, this is the best way to show them that Dharma is good. This was a piece of advice that Tsem Rinpoche used to tell people in family situations all the time. I hope this helps you.
  • March 26, 2024 02:28
    Rojal Poudel asked: How can I meet my guru? Does one need a guru for initiation for tantra and other stuff on the path to enlightenment? Does one need a guru to attain enlightenment?
    pastor answered: Dear Rojal, Thank you for your question. In regards to meeting your guru, there are many different ways. These days you can meet your guru online as well. For example, many people did not meet Tsem Rinpoche personally, but they consider him to be there guru. You may find this article interesting: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/the-guru-protocol-a-guide-to-knowing-who-your-guru-is.html In regards to tantra, yes, one definitely needs a qualified guru to bestow initiation and teach us the path of practice once you have initiation. In regards to our tradition, it is also considered necessary to have a guru to attain full enlightenment. Hope this helps. The article lined above will definitely help to answer some of your questions on a deeper level. Thank you.
  • March 25, 2024 10:35
    Rojal Poudel asked: How can you deepen your spiritual progress while sleeping? I heard some people can go to pure lands and get teachings directly from Buddha’s, Bodhisattva’s, and Dharma Protecters. Are these possible from Lucid Dreaming and Astral Projection?
    pastor answered: Dear Rojal, Thank you for your questions. It's always nice to see you here wanting to learn more. Yes it is definitely possible to deepen your practice in your sleep. This is done during practice of Highest Yoga Tantra, after receiving initiation and progressed along generation stage practice. This would obviously include everything before receiving such iniation such as having a basis and grounding in the Three Principle Aspects of the Path and the Lamrim teachings. In this practice you are able to use sleep to engage in meditation. This would need you to be able to lucid dream before hand. The ability to lucid dream itself can be developed a number of ways, but the most common is single-pointed mediation concentration during waking life. This is also known as Shamatha meditation. But in this case, the object of your meditation should be a mental one, rather than a physical one. The best would be a visualisation of the Buddha. All of this is outlined in the Lamrim teachings in the section on developing concentration. In terms of Astral Travel, yes it is definitely possible, and again there are different methods to go about this. Again this should be done only after having received the appropriate intiations and teachings from your guru. However, there are quite a few dangers involved with this. As Tsem Rinpoche mentioned before, the two main ones is that your consciousness is not able to return to your body and two that a spirit can take possession of your body if your protection is not strong and you have not invoked a Dharma protector to help with protection aspects. Another thing about astral travel, is that even if learn how to do it, it is not necessary that you can actually visit pure lands or receive teachings, etc. This is because, to do this, would require a lot of merit. So there are many things and practices to develop merit before you should engage in it. Often times, people who claim that they have received teachings or visited purelands, actually haven't though they may think that they did. It could simply be a projection of one's mind and in some serious cases perhaps even due to spirits mascarading. If you would like to learn lucid dreaming, please look into the teachings of single-pointed concentration normally. The ability of lucid dreaming comes naturally for those who progress in their shamatha meditation. As for astral travel practices, I would advise not to engage in such practices unless you receive the appropriate initiations, teachings from and under the strict supervision of a qualified guru. Hope this helps.
  • March 24, 2024 01:17
    Dirji asked: How can I see my kaytsa
    pastor answered: Dear Dirji, We are sorry, but we do not understand your question. Perhaps because you asked using the english phoenetics of the word. If possible, please post again using either the English translation of the word or using the Tibetan script, so that we can help you properly. Thank you.
  • March 23, 2024 12:11
    Marc asked: What is the direct translation of Tsem Rinpoche’s name mantra? Thank you 🙏🏽
    pastor answered: Dear Marc, Thank you for your question. You can find a translation of the meaning of Tsem Rinpoche's name mantra on Kechara's Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=683136630510067. Hope this helps. Thank you.
  • March 22, 2024 20:27
    Rojal Poudel asked: I am about to leave everything behind. I am tired of this life where I do the same thing everyday. I see everything but dharma as an illusion. I want to attain some sort of realization so that I can benefit other sentient beings. I am very inspired by the story of Milarepa, who gave up everything to learn dharma. Even the Buddha gave up comfort and luxury in search for this supreme truth. I also want to follow the Please tell me what I should do.
    pastor answered: Dear Rojal, We can understand that you feel this way, and seeing the illusion of life should definitely motivate us to want to achieve something more spiritual. In the past when people asked Tsem Rinpoche the same question, he used to tell people a couple of things: > The first is that there are two methods to deal with our spiritual path. The first is to physically renounce everything and go into the wilderness, like Buddha Shakyamuni and Milarepa did. To cut yourself from everyone and everything and meditate continuously for years until you achieve realisation. But this is very hard to do in our day and age. We still need to have contact with people, there are the necessities of life to think about. Rinpoche said we need to think about things from a practice angle also. It takes a very great level of practitioner with an immense store of merit to be able to do this successfully. > The second method is to keep living within our a community and use them as a support for the transformation of the mind and spiritual progress. For example, that it why we have monasteries and nunneries, or Dharma centres and organisations to help with spiritual practice. This method is more measured, but you can still gain the same results. This is the more practical method. Especially according to the Mahayana path of practice, Bodhisattvas need to practice certain qualities in our minds and we progress towards enlightenment. Such qualities include the Six Perfections, but if we are not around others, how do we practice them? In order to practice generosity, we need others to be generous towards. In order to practice patience, we need others to be patient towards. In order to practice morality and ethics, we need to be in situations to be able to practice our vows. Enlightened beings like Buddha and Milarepa were able to do all of this in their minds during meditation but as mentioned before they were already high level pracitioners with immense merit. For example, Buddha Shakyamuni had three countless aeons of consistent practice life time after life time until his achieved enlightenment. > Another thing that Rinpoche shared, that while understanding the drawbacks of life and the benefits of becoming enlightened, a lot of the time what happens these days is that it is mixed up with emotion due to the challenges of life. People are looking for an escape, but not an escape from samsara into enlightenment, but simple an escape from their current problems. The need for escape, known as renunciation in Buddhism, is not to simply escape samsara, but developed in a certain way through contemplation and meditation. When we have such feelings, we should analyse them to see if they are in accord with the teachings and the methods of developing true renunciation. Many people also have a unrealistic way of thinking about physical renunciation and the spiritual path in general. Most people think it is easy, but it is not, is difficult because we need to deal with our minds, our emotions, our traumas, etc, from countless lives. If we don't have a firm foundation in Dharma practice and transformation before we attempt something like Buddha Shakyamuni or Milarepa, we will give up after a while because we find it too hard. And perhaps give up spiritual practice because the path did not actually match our expectations. So the key is to be as realistic as possible about our spiritual path. So our advice, rather than give up everything, as you may have family or other responsibilities, is to use your current situation to transform your mind, to practice the teachings right now in life, so that you can start progressing along the spiritual life. The best way to do this is to practice the Lamrim teachings, which give you a firm roadmap of how and what to practice in a sequential manner. Giving up everything is not necessary to make real progress on the spiritual path, as outlined in the Lamrim, but sustained and consistent practice is the key. Then use the situations in your life to actualise that transformation. We hope this helps.
  • March 21, 2024 00:44
    Jason asked: I listened to Tsem Rinpoche’s dharma talk and was inspired to be patient and kind towards other. For a while I felt like my mind had transformed and I started being more proactive in helping others and making sure to complete my responsibilities as perfectly as I can to not burden others and taking the initiative to help people that I see are struggling with their work but recently I have been feeling like I’m actually harming others instead of helping them by being kind because I feel like I’m enabling their bad behavior and rude attitude, especially one person in particular that I have to work with. No matter how much I help and show kindness, they don’t seem to change…and now I feel like a pushover for smiling and helping them even though they don’t show any appreciation or respect for it and instead take advantage of me and push even more of their responsibilities on me. I’ve been having thoughts that my kindness and patience has just become a cover for fear of confrontation now. What should I do? I feel like I’m gonna lose control and lash out even though I try to focus my mind on how the people around me must be struggling
    pastor answered: Dear Jason, Thank you for your question. We are very happy to hear that Tsem Rinpoche's Dharma talks have inspired you, especially to practice patience and kindness towards others. Please do keep it up, the benefits of both qualities are immense and are central to spiritual transformation. We should always try our best to practice both patience and kindness, but sometimes practising it in the way we think may not be the best option. For example, in the case that you mentioned, it is not having the right effect on your own mind and also you are enabling your co-worker to exhibit negative behaviours as well. In this case, actually practising kindness would not be to become a pushover, taking more responsibilities, etc. This isn't beneficial for your or the co-worker. So here, practising kindness would actually be not to allow the person to do such things, but it should be practised with patience and not out of emotion. So you would do this in a very skilfful manner. The best would be to have a talk with your co-worker in a very calm manner and explain how you are feeling and how they are making you feel in the work environment, and try to sort out the situation before it progresses. Especially since you are having such thoughts of anger and the posibility of lashing out. Practicing kindness and patience is not at all become a push over or allowing others to skip out on their responsibilities, etc. We really hope this helps. Thank you.
  • March 20, 2024 14:49
    Sok asked: Hello respected pastors. Is Kusha grass same as Durva grass? How to obtain kusha grass?
    pastor answered: Dear Sok, Kusha grass and Durva grass are two different types of grass, they are not the same. Kusha grass is also known as halfa grass, big cordgrass, or salt reed-grass. Its scientific name is Desmostachya Bipinnata. In shape, each blade of grass is long and straight. Durva grass is also known as bermuda grass. Its scientific name is Cynodon Dactylon. In shape, each blade looks segmented and has smaller leaves sprouting from it. You can google the scientific name to see the difference between the two. Generally, they can be bought at Indian religious stores if there are any nearby where you live. Alternatively, if you live in Asia, you can buy a traditional grass broom, which you can substitue for the Kusha grass. It is a close relative of Kusha grass and the lamas have said that it can be used as substitue if you cannot find the actual grass. I hope this helps. Thank you.
  • March 19, 2024 20:56
    Bhavisha asked: How to know wheather specific LOCAL deity is enlighten or not?
    pastor answered: Dear Bhavisha, Local deities are not enlightened. They are sentient beings who look after or take care of a specific area. There are different names for these types of beings, such as local deities, Land God, Landowner deities, etc. They belong to the God Realm, but as other beings in the god realm, they are not enlightened. Hope this helps.
  • March 18, 2024 09:57
    Rojal Poudel asked: What comes after attaining samatha or calm abiding meditation?
    pastor answered: Dear Rojal, Nice to see you back here! Shamatha is a tool, basically through this meditation you develop single pointed concentration. But after developing that, you use it to engage in Vipashyana meditation, otherwise known as Special Insight. Different traditions have different version of Special Insight. In our tradition, we use this type of meditation to analyse what we call "emptiness." The teachings on the emptiness are the actual teaching that leads to enlightenment. All other teachings or practices help to prepare your mind to be able to do this. Shamatha comes in, because the topic of emptiness is so deep, that we need single-pointed concentration to analyse it. If we don't have this type of concentration, we will not be able to understand emptiness. Hence, shamatha and vipashyana meditation are used in tandem to achieve enlightenment. This may seem a little abstract. The Lamrim teachings go into this in a lot of detail. They can be found in the chapters dealing with the Concentration and Wisdom as part of the Six Perfections in the Great Scope sections of the Lamrim. Hope this helps. Thank you.
  • March 17, 2024 23:16
    Jonathan Tan asked: Hi Dear Pastor, I am curious if H.E 25th Tsem Rinpoche had any heart disciples (son/daughter) Is there a difference between heart and root disciples?
    pastor answered: Dear Jonathan, Thank you for your question. There is no one heart disciple of Tsem Rinpoche. This usually refers to specific person who carries on the teachings and practices of a particular teacher. Tsem Rinpoche wanted something different for Kechara, hence we carry on his teachings and practices as a group, rather than one specific person. Rinpoche trained his students, who are either Sangha, Pastors or senior students in various ways of continuing his teachings, especially through the work that they do. In this way, we continue Rinpoche's teachings as a group rather than any one heart disciple. Hope that this helps. Thank you.
  • March 16, 2024 01:18
    Sirius asked: Hi dear pastors, I'd like to get recomendations on how to improve my actual sadhana. My morning starts by taking refuge and making offerings to the three jewls, followed by Lama Tsongkhapa's Guru Yoga. After this I usually study Lam Rim, and other Dharma Texts. During the afternoon I meditate for a about an hour or so, and somedays I do the Dorje Shugden sadhana given by Rinpoche. Finally at night I finish my day by doing Vajrasattva meditation and confession to the 35 Buddhas. What else can I do to improve my sadhana? What practices would you recomend me to do? Do you have recomendations on texts I could read? I would like to add that I live in Argentina, and I do not have any buddhist temple near sadly, so I cannot go there to practice, learm or collab. I would appreciate advice on this. Thank you in advance.
    pastor answered: Dear Sirius, Thank you for your question. In terms of practice, you are doing a lot. We are very happy to read that you are doing all these beneficial practices. They will be very beneficial for you. What you are doing is very good already, the only thing that I would say is to make the Dorje Shugden sadhana consistent as well as the others. If you are doing the short Diamond Path sadhana, it includes the Vajrasatta meditations, so you don't have to do it separately. We just have some points to help you improve your practice: > First is whenever you do any of the practices, is it vital to make sure you take refuge, generate bodhicitta and practice the four immeasurables before each session. And then at the end of the session, make sure to dedicate. This seals the merit generated from your practice. This is very important as if we don't have the correct motivation at the beginning and dedicate it at the end, since the merit is not sealed, the positive potential is destroyed when we have disturbing emotions, especially anger. > The second is to be consistent in your practices and do them daily. If you cannot be consistent with the practices you are doing at the moment, then reduce what you are doing to make it simple, for example just the Diamond Path (which includes Tsongkhapa's Guru Yoga anyway). Then once you are consistent daily, later you can slow add in other practices and become consistent with them. > The third is to keep revising the teachings on these practices, understand the motivation, deepen your visualisations, etc. > In regards to your meditation, if you are doing breathing or concentration meditation, again, revise the teachings again and again to make your practice stronger and understand where you are on your meditational path. > You can also spend some time every day, maybe five or ten minutes contemplating the Lamrim teachings step by step. This itself is extremely transformational and will propel you along the spiritual path. In regards to what else to study or read, here is a very good article: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/books-that-are-a-must-read.html If you consider Tsem Rinpoche to be your spiritual teacher, there are thousands of hours of teachings on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoTg0Wc5q3Gnz8ej3ETCdMQ You can watch and re-watch them to deepen your understanding and practice. I hope all of this helps.
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CHAT PICTURES

Rejoice to the volunteers (also kind sponsors) who cleaned the Gyenze Chapel and made abundant offerings to Gyenze. ~ Alice
2 days ago
Rejoice to the volunteers (also kind sponsors) who cleaned the Gyenze Chapel and made abundant offerings to Gyenze. ~ Alice
Offered beautiful flowers abundantly to Gyenze. ~ Alice
2 days ago
Offered beautiful flowers abundantly to Gyenze. ~ Alice
Offered beautiful flowers abundantly to Gyenze. ~ Alice
2 days ago
Offered beautiful flowers abundantly to Gyenze. ~ Alice
Our weekly Dorje Shugden Puja @ 23/3/2024 . William, as the umze is seen here burning incense powder as we are about to recite the Sangsol Prayer to Dorje Shugden composed by Ganden Serkong. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
4 days ago
Our weekly Dorje Shugden Puja @ 23/3/2024 . William, as the umze is seen here burning incense powder as we are about to recite the Sangsol Prayer to Dorje Shugden composed by Ganden Serkong. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
And here's Mr Wong of KSK Ipoh who dropped by to pray and offered some donation to the Chapel. Kechara Penang Study Group. Pic by Siew Hong & uploaded by Jacinta.
2 weeks ago
And here's Mr Wong of KSK Ipoh who dropped by to pray and offered some donation to the Chapel. Kechara Penang Study Group. Pic by Siew Hong & uploaded by Jacinta.
Today's puja (16/3/2024) ended around 420pm, Jacinta was the umze of the day. Pic by Siew Hong. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
2 weeks ago
Today's puja (16/3/2024) ended around 420pm, Jacinta was the umze of the day. Pic by Siew Hong. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
Group photo taken after the last session, sealed with King of Prayers. Come and join us next time! Sayonara - 9-10th March 2024 - Kechara Penang DS Retreat by Jacinta.
2 weeks ago
Group photo taken after the last session, sealed with King of Prayers. Come and join us next time! Sayonara - 9-10th March 2024 - Kechara Penang DS Retreat by Jacinta.
Abundance altar! Fruits, flowers, Mee Koo (traditional Penang buns), Bee Hoon, sourdoughs and snacks are some of the offerings to Rinpoche, Buddhas & Bodhisattvas. Kechara Penang Dorje Shugden Retreat 9-10th March, 2024 by Jacinta.
2 weeks ago
Abundance altar! Fruits, flowers, Mee Koo (traditional Penang buns), Bee Hoon, sourdoughs and snacks are some of the offerings to Rinpoche, Buddhas & Bodhisattvas. Kechara Penang Dorje Shugden Retreat 9-10th March, 2024 by Jacinta.
Siew Hong, one of retreatants and an active member of Kechara Penang group proudly presented her torma to be used during the Kalarupa puja. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 weeks ago
Siew Hong, one of retreatants and an active member of Kechara Penang group proudly presented her torma to be used during the Kalarupa puja. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Torma making was taught by Pastor Seng Piow and held one day before the retreat. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 weeks ago
Torma making was taught by Pastor Seng Piow and held one day before the retreat. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Penang Dorje Shugden Retreat cum Puja, 9-10th March 2024 led by Pastor Seng Piow with 12 retreatants. Uploaded by Jacinta
2 weeks ago
Penang Dorje Shugden Retreat cum Puja, 9-10th March 2024 led by Pastor Seng Piow with 12 retreatants. Uploaded by Jacinta
The celebration ended with a Dorje Shugden puja, dedicated to all the sponsors, our loved ones and as well as for the happiness & good health for all sentient beings. May Rinpoche return swiftly too and taking this opportunity wishing all Happy Chinese New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai from all of us, Kechara Penang Study Group. Uploaded by Jacinta.
2 months ago
The celebration ended with a Dorje Shugden puja, dedicated to all the sponsors, our loved ones and as well as for the happiness & good health for all sentient beings. May Rinpoche return swiftly too and taking this opportunity wishing all Happy Chinese New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai from all of us, Kechara Penang Study Group. Uploaded by Jacinta.
Seen here, Pastor Seng Piow set off firecrackers - welcoming of the upcoming year with enthusiasm and positive energy. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 months ago
Seen here, Pastor Seng Piow set off firecrackers - welcoming of the upcoming year with enthusiasm and positive energy. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
In this pic, Pastor Seng Piow is sharing Dharma with newbies ~ Sharyn's friends. It's always good to make light offerings at the beginning of new year. By making light offerings, you are able to dispel the darkness of ignorance and achieve wisdom. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
2 months ago
In this pic, Pastor Seng Piow is sharing Dharma with newbies ~ Sharyn's friends. It's always good to make light offerings at the beginning of new year. By making light offerings, you are able to dispel the darkness of ignorance and achieve wisdom. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
One the day of Losar (new lunar year), it is always beneficial for Buddhist practitioners to get together in making abundant offerings to Buddhas on the altar to usher in goodness, prosperity and well-being of our loved ones. It's more auspicious this year as Losar and the Chinese New Year begin on the same date, 10th Feb, 2024. Back in Penang, our Kechara members came together to decorate the altar with abundance offerings for Dorje Shugden puja @3pm. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
2 months ago
One the day of Losar (new lunar year), it is always beneficial for Buddhist practitioners to get together in making abundant offerings to Buddhas on the altar to usher in goodness, prosperity and well-being of our loved ones. It's more auspicious this year as Losar and the Chinese New Year begin on the same date, 10th Feb, 2024. Back in Penang, our Kechara members came together to decorate the altar with abundance offerings for Dorje Shugden puja @3pm. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
Mr. Dared Lim was offering water bowls on behalf of Kechara Ipoh Study Group. (Kin Hoe)
2 months ago
Mr. Dared Lim was offering water bowls on behalf of Kechara Ipoh Study Group. (Kin Hoe)
Jun from Ipoh was offering mandarin oranges to Mother Tara and The Three Jewels. (Kin Hoe)
2 months ago
Jun from Ipoh was offering mandarin oranges to Mother Tara and The Three Jewels. (Kin Hoe)
Prior to our puja in Ipoh, Mr. & Mrs. Cheah Fook Wan were preparing for the offerings to the Buddhas. (Kin Hoe)
2 months ago
Prior to our puja in Ipoh, Mr. & Mrs. Cheah Fook Wan were preparing for the offerings to the Buddhas. (Kin Hoe)
On Sunday afternoon, Kechara Ipoh Study Group has carried out Mother Tara prayer recitations in Ipoh. (Kin Hoe)
2 months ago
On Sunday afternoon, Kechara Ipoh Study Group has carried out Mother Tara prayer recitations in Ipoh. (Kin Hoe)
Some of the best shots taken during Thaipusam in Penang. Swee Bee, Huey, Tang KS, Nathan, Choong SH and Jacinta volunteered. Wai Meng came all the way from KL to help out. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 months ago
Some of the best shots taken during Thaipusam in Penang. Swee Bee, Huey, Tang KS, Nathan, Choong SH and Jacinta volunteered. Wai Meng came all the way from KL to help out. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Simple yet powerful ally ~ Bhagawan Dorje Shuden. Kechara Penang Study Group consists of Chien Seong, Hue, Choong SH, Tang KS, Swee Bee and Jacinta. Wai Meng came all the way from KL to help out. Uploaded by Jacinta.
2 months ago
Simple yet powerful ally ~ Bhagawan Dorje Shuden. Kechara Penang Study Group consists of Chien Seong, Hue, Choong SH, Tang KS, Swee Bee and Jacinta. Wai Meng came all the way from KL to help out. Uploaded by Jacinta.
Thaipusam in Penang. Some of the best shots. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
2 months ago
Thaipusam in Penang. Some of the best shots. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
Nothing beats having a sacred audience with our lineage lamas. It's not selfie or wefie, but we have the best 'groufie'!!! 20th Jan 2024, Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
2 months ago
Nothing beats having a sacred audience with our lineage lamas. It's not selfie or wefie, but we have the best 'groufie'!!! 20th Jan 2024, Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
Welcoming our lineage Gurus to our Penang Chapel today! Pastor Seng Piow explained the significance of having Guru Tree and introduced to us our lineage lamas, Buddhas, deities, protectors and etc.
2 months ago
Welcoming our lineage Gurus to our Penang Chapel today! Pastor Seng Piow explained the significance of having Guru Tree and introduced to us our lineage lamas, Buddhas, deities, protectors and etc.
Umze for the day was Siew Hong. She's just been with us for slightly more than a year now but she's proven her capability in leading the puja. Our Penang group members are so proud of her and her commitment in attending the weekly puja. Despite being eloquence and smart, she has beautiful chant as well. When she leads, make sure you are there to hear her chant for yourself! Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
3 months ago
Umze for the day was Siew Hong. She's just been with us for slightly more than a year now but she's proven her capability in leading the puja. Our Penang group members are so proud of her and her commitment in attending the weekly puja. Despite being eloquence and smart, she has beautiful chant as well. When she leads, make sure you are there to hear her chant for yourself! Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
Umze for the day was Siew Hong. She's just been with us for slightly more than a year now but she's proven her capability in leading the puja. Our Penang group members are so proud of her and her commitment in attending the weekly puja. Despite being eloquence and smart, she has beautiful chant as well. When she leads, make sure you are there to hear her chant for yourself! Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
3 months ago
Umze for the day was Siew Hong. She's just been with us for slightly more than a year now but she's proven her capability in leading the puja. Our Penang group members are so proud of her and her commitment in attending the weekly puja. Despite being eloquence and smart, she has beautiful chant as well. When she leads, make sure you are there to hear her chant for yourself! Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
Tara Recitation is on now at KISG - Wai Meng
3 months ago
Tara Recitation is on now at KISG - Wai Meng
Photo from Wan Wai Meng
3 months ago
Photo from Wan Wai Meng
A sea of yellow ~usually in Tibetan Buddhism yellow represents growth. We prayed that our Penang group will grow in terms of people, wealth and attainments too. _/\_ Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
3 months ago
A sea of yellow ~usually in Tibetan Buddhism yellow represents growth. We prayed that our Penang group will grow in terms of people, wealth and attainments too. _/_ Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
After Dorje Shugden puja @3pm, we had Rinpoche's Swift Return puja too. We laughed as Sis Swee Bee was commenting that Tang should smile ~ here's the reason why we laughed.  Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta Goh
3 months ago
After Dorje Shugden puja @3pm, we had Rinpoche's Swift Return puja too. We laughed as Sis Swee Bee was commenting that Tang should smile ~ here's the reason why we laughed. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta Goh
3 months ago
Today's (9/12/2023)Dorje Shugden puja led by Gordon. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
3 months ago
Today's (9/12/2023)Dorje Shugden puja led by Gordon. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
4 months ago
4 months ago
Dharma sharing by Hue before we proceeded with DS puja & Rinpoche Swift Return puja. Hue is one of the long time Kechara Penang members and he comes to puja regularly. He shared that he truly believes that Dorje Shugden and Rinpoche always there guiding him. He shared how sometimes DS will give him hints to avert troubles ahead or to alert him when he 'misbehaved'. Hope many will come to know more about this powerful Dharma Protector, Dorje Shugden aka DS. Having Dorje Shugden is like having a powerful ally that will protect us day and night. Just trust Him and have faith. Kechara Penang Study Group, 25/11/2023 by Jacinta.
4 months ago
Dharma sharing by Hue before we proceeded with DS puja & Rinpoche Swift Return puja. Hue is one of the long time Kechara Penang members and he comes to puja regularly. He shared that he truly believes that Dorje Shugden and Rinpoche always there guiding him. He shared how sometimes DS will give him hints to avert troubles ahead or to alert him when he 'misbehaved'. Hope many will come to know more about this powerful Dharma Protector, Dorje Shugden aka DS. Having Dorje Shugden is like having a powerful ally that will protect us day and night. Just trust Him and have faith. Kechara Penang Study Group, 25/11/2023 by Jacinta.
Kechara Penang Study Group had our weekly DS puja , led by our beloved sis Swee Bee and serkym by Mr. Lee. After that, we completed Swift Return puja also. 18th Nov 2023. By Jacinta
4 months ago
Kechara Penang Study Group had our weekly DS puja , led by our beloved sis Swee Bee and serkym by Mr. Lee. After that, we completed Swift Return puja also. 18th Nov 2023. By Jacinta
#Back2back 11th Nov 2023 Dorje Shugden puja & Rinpoche's Swift Return puja @Penang Chapel, 49 Jalan Seang Tek, Georgetown, Pulau Pinang. Every Saturday @3pm/5pm. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
5 months ago
#Back2back 11th Nov 2023 Dorje Shugden puja & Rinpoche's Swift Return puja @Penang Chapel, 49 Jalan Seang Tek, Georgetown, Pulau Pinang. Every Saturday @3pm/5pm. Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
Pic: Rinpoche Swift Return puja ~ 21/10/23 Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
5 months ago
Pic: Rinpoche Swift Return puja ~ 21/10/23 Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta.
#Backtoback A few months back, Kechara Penang Study Group started to have two pujas consecutively on Saturday. Dorje Shugden puja @3pm and thereafter Rinpoche Swift Return puja. This can only be achieved due to the committed members from Penang. A big round of applause...... Pic : DS puja on 21/10/2023 Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
5 months ago
#Backtoback A few months back, Kechara Penang Study Group started to have two pujas consecutively on Saturday. Dorje Shugden puja @3pm and thereafter Rinpoche Swift Return puja. This can only be achieved due to the committed members from Penang. A big round of applause...... Pic : DS puja on 21/10/2023 Kechara Penang Study Group by Jacinta
More pictures of the day! Kechara Penang Chapel & public blessings 3rd Oct 2023 by Jacinta.
6 months ago
More pictures of the day! Kechara Penang Chapel & public blessings 3rd Oct 2023 by Jacinta.
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Dorje Shugden
Click to watch my talk about Dorje Shugden....