In my bedroom
Dear blog friends,
For the longest time since I was a young child, I always visualized, imagined and wished I lived in a large cave in the mountains. This cave would be very spacious. At the entrance of the cave would be my kitchen with a wood burning stove or any stove. Then as you enter I would have my meditation cushion, tables, texts, mala and sadhana..when I am on the cushion I can see out of the cave perfectly into the clear horizons… Across from my meditation cushion would be a large altar with images of Buddhas and Vajra Yogini out of stone and painted. The altar will have large butterlamps in front that would be burning continuously for 24 hours daily. There would always be lots of incense billowing and floating in front of the Buddhas…There must be offerings for the Buddhas continuously in my cave.. Then towards the back of the cave would be my bed, storage area and maybe ‘pantry’ for stocks. When I step out of the cave it would be green with lots of trees, a stream or lake nearby. Also would see animals, birds and a huge clear blue sky. I’ve always wanted this. In the distance mountains..glorious big mountains housing special nature beings…
I use to go to the library to find books about living in the wilderness or read fictional stories of people who lived in the forest and mountains. I once read about a *boy in the mountains who hollowed out a huge tree and lived in a tree throughout the winter. It details how he had skin covering over the doorway to keep out the elements. Also bushes and plants were put in front of the opening into the tree to camouflage his tree home from the outside. He stored up a lot of food like seeds, etc during the summer. It described what types of food he found in the wild for storage for the winter.. The book details so much more about how he avoided the bears, weather conditions, trappers, etc. I loved the book. It mesmerized me for years….Wish I can find the book again. I can’t remember the name of the book..too bad for me… But would love to read this story again. Has anyone read it or know the name??
The point is I wanted to live in the forest, caves and mountains so badly that reading this book struck a deep chord within me. I wanted to do this before reading the book…I cannot explain where this strong latent urge comes from to be in the mountains.. But I would love to live in a cave in the mountains and do my practice/meditations. Years later, when I was in Gaden, I asked my spiritual authorities if I may enter into long term retreat in North India (mountainous area), but I was not given permission to leave the Monastery. So I stayed and worked for the Monastery and was sent to Malaysia.
Well I have never given up the hope to be in the mountains and forests one day..Yes Malaysia has mountains too…Until then I brought the trees/forests into my bedroom where I do my prayers, my blogging, discussions, offerings, writing, decisions, and advice of Kechara.
Paris, Jean Mei, Kb, Ram, William, Pastor Loh Seng Piow, Rajendra and Bryan help me to arrange my room to accommodate the new tree..thanks guys!! Maybe I get one more…let’s see… I had Bryan Ho who worked very hard to get the tree I liked. I ordered the tree through Bryan..He spent hours at the tree-makers to get it right together with the them. Bryan is a very helpful and wonderful young man. I like him alot…He brought me a tree last week, but the shape had to be changed…Bryan’s very patient. So today Bryan brought the right tree! Now I am in my forest..I play nature music and it seems really I am transported into the forests.
Thanks Bryan… and I share my room with you all my friends around the world… my imitation cave…
Tsem Rinpoche
My bedroom – 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Jamie Khoo a.k.a. Paris showing me some assignments
My bedroom – 1982 in Los Angeles, California, USA
My Studio apartment..Back in 1982 when I was 17 years old in Los Angeles, California on Sunset Blvd (West Hollywood). I was working at Fotomat and I supported myself living alone in the city. This is my shrine and to the right is my bed. I did my meditations, sadhanas and prayers here daily. I didn’t have statues much, but I loved my altar. The Buddha statue behind HH Dalai Lama’s picture I found at a second hand store for US$5.00!! I was so excited. It’s made of clay and I loved finding this Buddha in the middle of the city and so cheap and affordable to me at the time but worth a million dollars in my mind.
People have found the book and I have checked and it is the right one, it is “My Side of the Mountain” By Jean Craighead George. I am going to get it and re-read it again, I really enjoyed it as a child.
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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
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
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Tsem Rinpoche at Kechara Forest Retreat, Bentong, Malaysia
I was reading this post of March 2012, wherein Rinpoche had mentioned:
“Well I have never given up the hope to be in the mountains and forests one day..Yes Malaysia has mountains too…Until then I brought the trees/forests into my bedroom where I do my prayers, my blogging, discussions, offerings, writing, decisions, and advice of Kechara.”
This is May 2013 and Rinpoche has His Ladrang now (Enchanted Forest) at Kechara Forest Retreat (KFR).
Instead of a mountain cave, Rinpoche turned His Room into a little forest inside a big concrete cave. It is very cozy and cooling. Rinpoche is the only Lama that willing to traveled all the way from India and stay to teach Dharma here in Malaysia. We are very fortunate to have Rinpoche here to stay. It’s not easy for Rinpoche to teach the lay people dharma especially to Malaysian.
Thank you Rinpoche to show us your most private abode, yes it is really nice to be surrounded by nature and plants. Hope one day I can be in such surroundings too.
You must have been a wandering yogi like Milarepa in your past life hehe. I sometimes have urges to just leave my responsabilities and go into a retreat somewhere in the groves around here, but realistically I can’t. So I study dharma now until I get the call to leave for the woods.
Those vines are very beautiful. They grow very quickly and can enhance the “jungle” feel for your room. As long as you have a path for them to grow on, they will go on forever.
Hope to see you in the woods somewhere sometime hehe
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing this with us. It’s sacred place where Dharma starts to spread.
When I see this, it looks similar to Buddha Sakyamuni under the Bodhi Tree.
It’s is a rare opportunity to see Rinpoche’s bedroom. We are truly lucky!
The tree really compliments the space and it looks very cozy… Hope it’s better now now for Rinpoche. Thank you for the hard work that the team have done…
Wow!The team has turned Rinpoche’s bedroom into a forest now, how sweet and thoughtful of them, does Rinpoche need another tree?
Yes, in fact I need one more tree slightly smaller than the one I have. Gonna get Bryan to order for me. TR
Dear Rinpoche please let me pay for this tree Bryan is going get for your bedroom with gratitude adeline.
Rinpoche’s self created “cave in the forest” bedroom looks cozy and it is a very modern “cave”. The tree is beautiful, thanks to the creative touch from Bryan and team and an additional one (if space permits) will be ideal.
May Rinpoche’s dream of living in the lush green mountains with waterfalls and streams manifest soon in the retreat center.
Dear Rinpoche
How cute the pictures are! The tree, you and the Mac. The tree looks like a bodhi tree. It looks so homey or should I say it looks so “cave-y”. Rejoice!
Dear Rinpoche, your description of your dream cave and surroundings is beautiful. I am imagining it now… I love looking at natural scenery and be surrounded by vast beautiful natural landscape… Thank you Rinpoche for your supreme compassion and guru devotion, to put aside your longing to do your own retreats in the mountains and instead come to Malaysia to teach us Dharma in a concrete jungle. Your room looks very nice and cheery with the tree and Buddhas.
By being conscious of our thoughts and beliefs, avoiding the negative and pursuing the positive, our visualised thought it seems, can be made to become a reality. Because, the thoughts we most often think about create the circumstances and events of our life, we tend to work very hard towards them to create successes, so as to be able to benefit not only ourselves but many others. I believe what is described in this blog about our Rinpoche’s dreamed-cave home seems to look like “KWPC” in its actual reality materialising amongst the forested mountains of Genting Highlands of Malaysia very soon. May blessings be granted for all hindrances and obstacles be fully pacified.
Dear Rinpoche, Would you kindly allow me the pleasure of getting this book for you?
Dear Rinpoche,
I wish to get You a real tree in your work place! Then, there is still a PC beside or under the tree. Hehehe, very nice. 🙂
Hi Rinpoche,
Hope this semi cave setting with gorgeous altar and cool MAC desktop will help to curb the longing for outdoor living for a while at least. Thanks to all the kind ppl involve to make it possible.
Have a good rest always.
Rgds,
Andrew Chiam
A bedroom with trees and a beautiful shrine is calming to sleep in and work.A very calming effect.Thank you Rinpoche for sharing,rest well.
> Dear Rinpoche,
>
> I just read your latest blog about your room. What you have now is not the magnificent mountain cave retreat but one that has been lovingly arranged by Paris, Jean Mei, Kb, Ram, William, Sp, Rajendra and Bryan Ho. I rejoice that there are students who have made it their mission to serve their Guru in all ways possible so that he can benefit more people. An undeserving student says thank you for making the decision to live and teach in Malaysia. I and many others have and continue to benefit from your teachings and guidance.
>
> I have just ordered a trilogy of the book, My Side of the Mountain from Amazon and respectfully and humbly offer it to your Eminence. I will send it to you as soon as it is delivered.
>
> Your errant and mostly erratic student
>
> Yee Ling
I must say, what a splendid beautiful tree! hehe Bryan did a good job creating the tree and the team sure had fun pushing the giant tree up the stairs and into the bedroom. I’m really happy that Rinpoche is happy, and may it create the causes for Rinpoche to have exactly the place he has always envisaged in a cave in the mountains.
The tree really compliments the space of the bedroom, and adds a natural touch that softens and humanises it. Lovely 🙂 Very peaceful.
Thank you Rinpoche for showing us your “headquarters”. It is very sacred to me, because this is where all the “crazy” and brilliant ideas are created.
I like the deco and settings very much!
I googled & found a similar book to your description.
the books called My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George . A quick check on wikpedia will let you know one way or the other.
I always have in mind what H.E.Tsemtulku once told me that ‘confort zones’
do hinder the truth. It shines like a precious statement to me still. Mountains are the most beautiful thing in my judgement, they duplicate or triplicate ‘the area’ just by going up (and right, and left…), but this moment of my life in this parts of Bahia State, Brazil, is near the sea, away from mountains that do exist but are scarce in this ancient land (geologically ancient.) Gangcheanettes tryied to criticize me (as usual) saying Its ‘naga land’ because of the amount of water, mangroves, rivers…they had or affected some panic ‘of nagas’ I always found ‘artificial’ and excessive. One of the 35 confession Buddhas has the title King of Nagas, and Nagarjuna was the beginning of all written buddhist scriptures so far as I was told of. Never had panic of snakes, serpents, water spirits, and living near the bushes as I do, seldom do I meet any cobra, almost never. These (my late) years were of appreciating the simple and most fundamental things ‘of life’, – clean water, shelter from rain,
and ‘cold’, fire for food, silence for sleeping.
Dear Rinpoche, could the book be “My Side of the Mountain” by Jean Craighead George?