A Visit to Kechara Paradise (Penang)
A week or so back, I finally visited Kechara Paradise Outlet in Pinang. I have not visited since it opened.
The outlet is absolutely beautifully done and kept immaculately clean…I like that alot. Thank you Patsy!!
So here I am in the outlet with Chia, Monlam, JJ and Patsy. Patsy is the head of dept for this outlet.
Tsem Rinpoche
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Thank you Patsy for having the vision to start KP Penang
It is so glorious to meet Dharma friends here in Penang even though we are just a very small group. With much blessing, hopefully we can move to a much bigger 1st floor. However, sponsors needed to make it happen…and it is coming in progressively. Lets together make the study group manifest into greater activities like Lamrin study etc. Thank you so much Patsy, without your kindness to start KP in Penang nothing more would have manifested. If we can house everything in this one building … may I pray for the smooth manifestation of Kechara in Penang to benefit many others. With Rinpoche guidance, I hope Penang can be like a leading example of our mother centre where more can come in full time to contribute in one way or other.
Patsy Gooi has been a long time and senior student of Tsem Rinpoche. Although she stays in Penang she travels down to Kuala Lumpur to fulfill to her Tsog puja or Guru puja commitments as a Tantrika. She does twice a month. She has also done 10 million protector mantra retreat. I remember Rinpoche gave a VAJRAPANI Initiation to a few of us students in her house which she has kindly consented. I believe because of her Protector retreat of 10 million mantras she is now able to open up Kechara Paradise in Penang and single handedly managed it. There are also Setrap pujas held in the outlet with Patsy leading.
Thank you Patsy for having the vision to start KP Penang. Penangites are a different breed but Patsy still endures on to make Penang a better place for its people. Thank you Rinpoche for giving Patsy the blessings to start KP Penang. Without it, KP Penang would not have flourish. Thank you Rinpoche for visiting KP Penang as Rinpoche is very loving and cares for his students very much and made a trip here.With Rinpoche’s presence here, KP Penang will surely grow bigger and benefit more people. KP Penang has allowed me to start my Dharma practice with the guidance from Patsy. Thank you so much.
i had always held Patsy in high esteem – whenever i need a boost and a SHINING EXAMPLE to show me GURU DEVOTION, i think of her; let’s VOTE HER IN AS “PEARL OF PENANG”!
I am glad that i walked in KP Penang last year Decenber,the first thing on my mind was it is a nice place to hang out ..and before i walk in i did call Patsy to asked about the actual location and she was so pleasant and soft speaking ,gave me the direction to the shop.
Patsy explained to me about tibetan buddhism,lama tsongkhapa and setrap ,she explained to me patiently and very details.
It was her friendly ,care and warm hearted feeling that she gave to walk in customers like me that draw back many of penangite to visit KP Penang again.
Patsy keep KP Penang very clean and make every visitor feel comfortable there.She spread Dharma and benefited many customers there.I am glad Rinpoche finally visited KP PENANG and like everything there ,thanks to Patsy for taking care KP Penag so well.
Although i am not there when KP Penang newly open ,but from what i heard from many Kecharian ,the effort you put in KP Penang and Dharma really inspired me.I am lucky i can be part of KP Penang and be a volunteer to helping there.This is what i can do to repay Rinpoche and your kindness for helping me a lot and guide me in my spiritual path.
Thank you all for your lovely comments. Doing dharma work is one of the ways that I can repay the kindness of my Guru who has guided me patiently throughout the last 15 years. I am so glad that I am sensible enough to leave the comfort zone that I used to have and now able to do some dharma work with the hope that it will benefit others.
Like what Ruby said, “Isn’t this just so beautiful to have sisters, children, cousins, nieces and nephews all in dharma? Not only that, all ONE GURU, ONE CENTRE. What more can any family ask for?? Yes, it sure is nice especially watching my two nieces grew up and now committed to dharma.
It is not my effort that KP Penang manifested. It is through the blessings of my kind Guru and the help from my dharma protector that KP Penang manifested. I hope and pray that it will benefit those who have the merits to visit this outlet.
Wow, Penang has a Kechara Paradise outlet too. The first little flag outside of KL, and I hope the first of many. Kechara Paradise is not only an outlet, it is also, and most importantly, a gateway to spirituality, a place where one gets an opportunity to engage in spiritual practice, to become a better person and be of benefit to others. So, this is not for Kechara to have a network of shops (or at least it is not only that), it is for Kechara House to create many gateways to the Buddhadharma.
I rejoyce for Patsy who has opened this outlet in Penang, she is bebenfiting many and is creating causes for her to meet the Dharma again, very nice!
Patsy is a lovely housewife who had single handedly setup Kechara Paradise Penang, our 5th outlet up north. She had done a really good & wonderful job in setting up the outlet and looking after it.
Since its opening, Patsy had managed to nurture a group of members and friends who come to the outlet to do puja every week and their size had grown that Patsy had set up a small chapel on the first floor for the puja sessions.
Patsy is also very caring towards the friends and members to visit Kechara Paradise Penang and always has close follow-up with them, building a long lasting friendly. Patsy is really getting out of her comfort zone as a housewife and going all out to benefit others!
Congratulations Patsy!!!!!
Patsy, I am very happy that you find something you like doing in Dharma, like running this 5th Kechara Paradise outlet in Penang for our organization and at the same time you can be close to your family in Penang. That is really wonderful! Like Ruby said, it is not easy for you as you are up there all by yourself but you still make all of us proud here. Not just you single handedly raise the funds required for the renovation of the shop, you manage it most of the time by yourself. You will be instrumental in spreading the Dharma to the Penangnites, already you have started the weekly Setrap puja in the shop and gathering volunteers to help you to distribute food to the homeless in Penang. I pray that many more will be benefited from the Dharma due to your sincere and selfless effort.
I have yet to visit Kechara Paradise, but I have seen many pictures of it. I especially adore the statues of the great Lama Tsongkhapa and his two Heart-Disciples. They are really stunning. I would have to start saving some money now to buy them!
Patsy has done a great job in promoting Dharma in Penang. There are many activities going in Kechara Paradise Penang from time to time. And all these arises from Patsy’s deep faith and trust in Rinpoche. Look at what has manifested from that!
What makes it even more beautiful, is that all of Patsy’s sisters are also heavily involved in Kechara. Her most famous sister being Ruby Khong, President of KSK. It is so amazing that all the sisters have come into their own with holding the Guru and Dharma in their hearts.
It’s inspiring to see all of them together, each specialised in different things in Kechara and yet united in benefiting others. What could be more fulfilling than that!
I was so happy when I heard Rinpoche went to Penang and visited KP Penang as I know it will mean so much to Patsy who has single handedly fundraised, setup the premises and have been nurturing a group over there. The store is so beautiful, located at the heart of George Town, Penang.
Patsy is such a straightforward person and you’ll find her with a smile always…the worry free look but is a woman of substance! Patsy has a supportive whom she loves dearly. Who says we must give up our families to be engaging in spiritual activities. These older students are exemplary in showing us what we can be if we were to stick around, practice what Rinpoche teaches..
I like Kechara Paradise in Penang. It stands out nicely in the row of historic shop lots attracting customers to enter. The surroundings are nice and clean. The layout of the products are very nicely organized. The shopkeeper, Aunty Patsy, is a very kind and informative woman. What else can a person ask for in a Dharma Store? This is one of the most perfect shops I have seen in Penang. I really liked it the last time I visited it. Aunty Patsy works very hard for the Dharma. I have heard that she raised most of the money to manifest this Dharma Shop herself! I wish her a long and joyful life!
If Rinpoche says it is immaculately clean, then it must be super duper clean because Rinpoche’s standard of cleanliness is beyond one’s comprehension. I am very proud of you sis, for taking the initiative to fundraise and set up this beautiful store. Another outlet to bring the dharma to the Penangnites. It was not easy as the rest of us are in KL and unable to provide you with much support. You did it single handedly and you did great! Isn’t this just so beautiful to have sisters, children, cousins, nieces and nephews all in dharma? Not only that, all ONE GURU, ONE CENTRE. What more can any family ask for??
Terima Kasih Rinpoche!
Commenting on Jean Mei’s comments on Penangites, I have had a share before of this kind of mentality when I was in Penang way back in the early nineties for a while. There is a kind of a ‘decaying’ flavour or energy in the temples and indeed, although they had great and energetic and charismatic pioneers in the past, however the present situation is somewhat lacklustre.
But let’s face it, never mind their laidback whatever, they have seen the growth and birth of some of the most beautiful temples and institutions in this region and given their earlier and initial (and until today, one can still see pockets of struggling and deprived people, both on the Mainland & Island sides) background of great poverty, I rejoice that they can still give something, even if it’s just RM5 to the Triple Gem, thus planting Dharmic causes to break the vicious cycle that they are in.
I still recall the days when I was in Form 5 back in 1991 and visited Kek Lok Si and until today, they are still collecting donations via roof tiles with one’s name/intention written on it. Shows that they are still doing expansions huh.
Hence, we have Patsy’s sterling efforts in setting up and pioneering with her team for Rinpoche’s and Kechara’s indomitable vision and mission to these people there as a message for them that perhaps it’s time for a new perspective, outlook and breakthrough. That this dreary and cyclic bad energy belongs to the past and stays there! Look at Penang Bridge for the past few years, the whole bridge can get itself congested all the way and both sides!
We can do it and the fact that Patsy has done it, Penang has room for us! Sadhu!
Great work Patsy! She is all alone up there in Penang for so many years and I often see her come down to KL once every two weeks for Lama Chopa Tsok. She is Rinpoche’s longtime student and before KP Penang, she had engaged in millions of mantras retreat on her own. She inspires people to engage in spiritual retreats.
That was already amazing and probably bestowed her with tremendous merits that gave her the financial freedom to start up Kechara Paradise Penang. So, it was through her sincerity that won the day and there must be something about her family too. Patsy’s sister is Ruby Khong, who heads KSK and her cousin is Henry Ooi, the head of Kechara Paradise. They must be one very spiritual family to be so involved in the Dharma!
I agree with Jean Mei on this, i am very proud of Patsy who single handedly raised funds for this outlet to manifest and benefit people in the nothern region. Without Kechara Paradise Penang, it would not have gotten KSK (Kechara Soup Kitchen) to start in Penang as well. Volunteers like Jess and others will not be able to get connected with Rinpoche and Kechara.
I have not got my chance to go and visit KP Penang as yet but base on the photos that i saw, it is very nice.
Patsy is just another example of many of Rinpoche’s capable students who have done it all the way in Dharma. Thank you very much for all of your effort, Patsy!
Kechara Paradise Penang is the 5th dharma outlet and is housed in a 3-storey shop lot along Chulia Street, close to the Goddess of Mercy Temple. Set up and run single-handedly by Patsy, it is now the meeting place for a group of friends who gather there weekly after business hours for puja to our dharama protector, Lord Setrap. It is also a tourist area, as the Little India is just across the road and daily many tourists arrive by the bus loads. Many a time Patsy has told of tourists walking into the outlet out of curiosity. May these people by blessed by the Buddhas inside and may they bring some dharma to their home country.
AUNTY PATSYYYY!!! I’m proud of my aunt coz I don’t think it’s that easy to spread Dharma over in Penang. Everyone is laidback and to them they have all been brought up to treat Buddhism as just ‘go to temple, pray, burn joss sticks, pray, give 5 ringgit into a box, pray’. There aren’t that many Kechara-ians who are still in Penang to give that support that many of us here in KL take for granted.
With reference to the comment that I made on the Huge Kuan Yin statue at Kek Lok Si (Penang, http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/2010/06/a-visit-tp-kek-lok-si-kuan-yin-penang.html#comment-6a01310f7b9b6a970c0133f20a0557970b) post I am glad that there is a Kechara outlet in Penang! 🙂 I feel like the people in Penang deserve it and with Aunty Patsy there in the store she would help to inspire many into learning the dharma, instead of just burn incense and wish.
Penangites are very different: they’re kind, generous and VERY, VERY unselfish people. A simple example is that hawker stall owners in Penang refused to increase their food prices when the price of bean sprouts went up because they felt that it was unfair for the local consumers!
I’m proud to be from Penang :)May the Dharma spread to benefit and help Penangite families and the many tourists that travel to that beautiful island!
Patsy and I don’t meet often but whenever she is in KL, we do talk. She is very down to earth, friendly and humble. I am sure she will inspire Penangites with her beautiful outlet.
Congratulation Patsy for creating this beautiful,immaculate outlet.