Fulfillment in my garden
The garden in my current place
It is such a joy and pleasure to watch birds, squirrels and other animals eating the food I place out in the garden or on the veranda. For the first few weeks, they just observed us and the food. They didn’t come immediately. Gradually when I put small bits of food in an open visible place over a few weeks, they slowly gain the courage and trust to come to explore and eat a little bit. They need to know they can escape if there is harm, so I place the food in an open area. Humans have been so harmful to animals and it’s imprinted in them that we will hurt them as we have been doing. For them to come nearby and eat what you have offered, is a feeling of accomplishment for me because animals are forgiving. They can slowly trust again. It is so satisfying to see them eating the fruits, natural breads, seeds, grains and items I place for them. As the weeks roll by, my patience is rewarded, when I place the food out, they come nearby much quicker to eat. I enjoy seeing this very much. I really enjoy seeing animals safe, full and happy.
I’ve always been a big fan of feeding animals. I feel for them if they are hungry especially in the winters or in the heat of a blazing summer. When I was growing up, we had a double glass sliding door to the backyard and I found it amazing that I was inside a warm, cosy room sitting on a carpet and right outside the glass door a few inches away was snow a foot high or so. The barrier between myself and the winter was just half an inch thick. It was surreal to me as it was two different worlds within my immediate sight. It was cold and snowing outside and I can see the black birds in the bare naked trees huddling against the cold occasionally crying out. It pained me to see the animals in the cold. My mother would put food out for them under the tree about 40 feet away. I could see that perfectly from my warm indoor through the glass doors. She said, they needed food to generate the energy to keep warm so we should help them. My mother told me they were cold and hungry and it would be good to feed them. It was as simple as that. Her words made a deep impression on me. I liked what she said and I had it in me naturally to do the same.
Slowly the squirrels and birds would watch us carefully and then cautiously come onto the snow laden ground below the tree to eat. After a few days of this, the squirrels would gingerly run onto the snow to the food from their hiding places and the blackbirds would descend from the trees almost immediately when the food was placed as trust was built. Seeing them eating against the dramatic white backdrop of snow was immensely satisfying. I felt for that day, they would not be hungry. Perhaps they would be warmer. I eagerly wanted to feed them daily. I was happy to do so.
My family house’s backyard in Howell, New Jersey, USA. You can see the glass doors where I use to look out of and there is the large tree around 50 feet away. We’d place the food for the birds under this large tree.
My house’s backyard in New Jersey, USA
I always felt greatly satisfied to feed animals. Since then, I’ve always fed animals when I was in the US, in the monastery in India and now in Malaysia. Now, I am very fortunate to have a garden outside my room with plants, trees, shrubs with many birds and squirrels. I have large windows to see them clearly. I have bird feeders and I also place food throughout the garden and on the veranda for them. I see the little birds granting me their trust daily now and come out to eat the food I have offered. It feels so calming to be able to be of benefit to another being. It is a joy I embrace very much. It is nice to know you can relieve some suffering. Always be kind to animals and never harm them.
As I type this, I see the little birds eating the food I placed on my veranda outside my large window just a while ago. To my satisfaction, the birds came pretty fast to eat this time.
Tsem Rinpoche
The garden in my current place where I leave food in the garden and on veranda for animals in Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia
The garden in my current place
For more interesting information:
- Rinpoche saving doggy at 3am on the highway | 凌晨3点的任务
- Rinpoche feeding stray dogs | 仁波切喂食流浪狗
- Would you have noticed them in 3 seconds?
- Tsem Rinpoche cares for animals
- Rinpoche saving lives in hospitals | 仁波切在医院济生
- What did Tsem Rinpoche do in New York City’s cold winter night?
- Kindness and coffee for a fundraiser
- Rinpoche and Bangladeshi workers
- What Tsem Rinpoche did in L.A…
- Homelessness in Malaysia
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1984 Los Angeles-Left to right: Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, monk assistant to Zong Rinpoche and the 18-year-old Tsem Rinpoche prior to ordination. Read more- https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/me
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A poem inspired by seeing a picture of my teacher, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche…
In the sport of correct views,
all that is correct is just a view,
without permanence or substance.
As long as we hold onto views,
our sufferings are gathered
to be experienced without end.
Without the strong methods of emptiness
and compassion, bereft of merit,
we sink deeper without respite.
To arise from this samsara is but
a dreamscape on the deluded mind.
Therefore seek the guru, who confers the yidam,
hold your vows and fixate on liberation
free of new creations. Free of new experiences as
there are none.
~ Tsem Rinpoche
Composed in Tsem Ladrang, Kuala Lumpur on July 7, 2014
A poem by Tsem Rinpoche
Nice short video of a new LED signage reminding us of who we can go to for blessings in case of need: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBwrkaKUoH0
I was walking past a second hand shop on Western Ave selling old things. They had a Japanese-style clay Buddha which was beige in colour on the floor, holding the door open. I thought the shopkeeper would collect a lot of negative karma without knowing if he kept such a holy item on the floor as a doorstop. So I went in to talk to him, but he didn’t look like he wanted to talk or that he even cared. So I asked him the price and he said US$5. I purchased it so he did not collect more negative karma. I was 17 years old and that was in 1982.
I escorted my new Buddha home and washed it lightly and wiped it. I placed it on my altar and was happy with the Buddha. I would do my meditations, prayers, sadhanas, mantras and prostrations in front of this shrine daily. When I left for India in 1987, I could not bring this Buddha along and gave it to a friend. It was a nice size and I made offerings to this Buddha for many years in Los Angeles. In front of the Buddha I placed His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s photo. I remember I was so relieved that the price was affordable. But US$5 that time was still expensive for me but worth it I thought. But I was happy to have brought the Buddha home. Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
Listening to the chanting of sacred words, melodies, mantras, sutras and prayers has a very powerful healing effect on our outer and inner environments. It clears the chakras, spiritual toxins, the paths where our ‘chi’ travels within our bodies for health as well as for clearing the mind. It is soothing and relaxing but at the same time invigorates us with positive energy. The sacred sounds invite positive beings to inhabit our environment, expels negative beings and brings the sound of growth to the land, animals, water and plants. Sacred chants bless all living beings on our land as well as inanimate objects. Do download and play while in traffic to relax, when you are about to sleep, during meditation, during stress or just anytime. Great to play for animals and children. Share with friends the blessing of a full Dorje Shugden puja performed at Kechara Forest Retreat by our puja department for the benefit of others. Tsem Rinpoche
Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbzgskLKxT8&t=5821s
Tsem Rinpoche at Kechara Forest Retreat, Bentong, Malaysia
One of the best things we can do for others is to provide those hungry with food. Not having food makes people feel like they lack something, and missing something and for them to feel hopeless and not cared for must rank as one of the worst feelings in the world.
Always good to feed the hungry, human and animals. I have learnt to feed animals from Tsem Rinpoche, one of the best lessons ever.
Thank you Pastor and Rinpoche for sharing the kindness and compassion among all living beings.
It is the ethic that we should embrace in our daily life.
🙏🙏🙏🙏
This is such a warm article to read on. It shows very little things our parents doing have great impact on us as a child, and we learn through their actions, where in this article tells about showing kindness to others, helping the needy, empathise for them, including animals. Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Seng Piow for sharing this post.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the way of helping the animals in a very constructive method, which can help to prolong the life of the animals as no living being wants to stay in hunger. When I first learnt from Rinpoche to keep some dog food in the car, I have started to do the same thing and keep a pack of dog food in my car so that we can easily feed the stray dogs whenever we have the opportunity to feed them at the road side or somewhere unexpected.
When we feed the animals, all the problems in our mind will be gone during that moment because our human problems are much smaller compared with the problems faced by the animals every day including feeling hunger at most of the time, being exposed to the extreme weather and unprotected living outside with other predators. After all, we might not know if the animals around us or we have encountered before, could be our past life parents, family members, loved ones or friends due to the law of cause and effect, and reincarnations. Hence, we should also try to bless the animals by reciting the mantras and blow onto the food before feeding them so that Dharma seeds can be planted in their minds and enable them to meet with Dharma and practise the Dharma when these animals gain the opportunity to take higher rebirths. As what I have learnt from the Lamrim, it is very precious for us to gain human life and thus, we should not waste our human life and try our level best to benefit others, especially those who are less fortunate such as the animals, homeless people and people who are sick or ill.
May all the animals receive the blessings from Medicine Buddha and gain higher rebirths to learn and practise Dharma towards the liberation from samsara.
Humbly with folded hands,
kin hoe
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the kindness of mother who inspired Rinpoche so deeply.
Rinpoche taught us to always be kind to others especially animals. With the practice of compassion and empathy, we should imagine ourselves in the places of others, feel the pain of others and from there we make changes and become better. This article also reminds me of having pets around the house many years ago living with my dearly beloved grand parents and uncle. Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Seng Piow for this very pleasant sharing.🙏🌈☘️😍
It is always been Rinpoche’s 2nd nature when comes to take care of animals. Caring for animals is being compassion to sentient beings. Feeding animals is to give comfort to animals. All these help us to create a mindset to always be mindful, to give and to care for others.
There is saying that birds are part of nature and feeding nature is nothing but feeding ourselves. All of us are so caught in our busy lives that we forget we are part of nature too. Being in balance with nature is an integral part of being spiritually and emotionally balanced. When we spend time feeling the connection it rejuvenates our spirit and relaxes our mind and body. When we connects with nature world by watching, feeding birds we can it rejuvenates our spirit and relaxes our mind and body. I loved watching bird too. It’s a beautiful moment when we see the happiness of the birds, enjoying the food . Rinpoche always taught us to be kind to animals and never harm them. Rinpoche have been feeding even those days in US, in the monastery in India and now in Malaysia. How beautiful it is.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Loh Seng Piow for this sharing.
I can imagine how fulfilling it is to watch the little animals come and eat the food laid out for them. Feeding is such a simple but beautiful gesture of showing kindness towards animals that come across our path. People go to parks and instinctively feed fishes in ponds, etc. Thank you for showing us the inherent nature we possess but not consciously aware.
Respectfully Tsem Rinpoche,
I do question, (and this may be an issue of semantics) but you describe where you feed the birds as “my place” it is not your place or is it? Perhaps, is it the birds’ place? Who are we to be in possession of a location. It is transient, we cannot grasp onto a site. Your lineage and your cohort also may practice at that place where you feed the birds.
Erich Fromm, a sociologist of the mid-century, somewhat from the US has much to expound about our use of language ( i.e.; “the mother’s baby” and the love relationship dialectic.) discussion.
Thank You, for your beautiful description of your mother’s love and your love of animals and making an offering of feeding them. You feed the world this way.
Thank You,
Ana Bron
Rinpoche always walk the talk. Rinpoche’s compassion towards animals have been consistent. I personally witnessed how Rinpoche care for the animals
and Rinpoche act very spontaneously to help the animals whenever Rinpoche encountered. Rinpoche always think thoroughly on how to help the animals to make sure they are ok.
It’s an eye opening to me as I’m not an animal lover but looking at how Rinpoche treat the helpless animals it motivate me to extend my hand in any way I can. After all animals is also living beings that live together with us on this planet but they are less fortunate as unable to express their feeling like us but if we can share our care and love to them it would definitely help them.
Thank you very much Rinpoche for always showing us the happier way to live our life is to benefit others.
Rinpoche is so caring and insightful that:
“Humans have been so harmful to animals and it’s imprinted in them that we will hurt them as we have been doing. ”
Rinpoche taught us to always be kind to others especially animals. With the practice of compassion and empathy, we should imagine ourselves in the places of others, feel the pain of others and from there we make changes and become better. When we contemplate impermanence deeply, compassion and Bodhicitta mind will arise and it may lead us to attain enlightenment.
Thank you Rinpoche for this wonderful sharing.
It is very nice and touching to read Rinpoche’s compassion towards animal; especially when Rinpoche recounted how, the younger him, felt surreal when he was sitting in a cozy and warm room while the animals just few feet away were exposed to snow or extreme temperatures. What moves me is that this sight of heaven and hell triggered Rinpoche’s feeling of empathy for them, where normal people (like me) would have missed it altogether. And one thing leads to another, it is now Rinpoche’s mission to feed the animals especially when they are hungry or exposed in the wild. Thank you for this sharing.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the kindness of mother who inspired Rinpoche so deeply. I’m not an animal person may be due to my upbringing, but in my few short years with Rinpoche, I too grew to like animals.
These days I have circumambulate the stupa daily when I’m in Kechara Forest Retreat, and if I walk slowly without much sound, I’m able to catch a glimpse of beautiful golden colour lizards around the stupa. I’m glad these animals are blessed by Buddha too.
Thank you Rinpoche for teaching us to practice kindness through animals. 🙏🙏