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NOMORE

CAVESApril 2011

• A spotlight on Kechara Animal Sanctuary • Recycle, Recycle, Recycle •

• The Grand Setrap and Dzambala Puja 2011 • Going vegetarian •

• Brazil, Tsongkhapa and the Dharmic pursuits of a 20-year-old •

• Award nominations for the world’s hippest blogging Lama •

for non-muslim

s only

Hello!Hello!

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Give a little of your heart to KASBe a part of this amazing work to make a huge difference in the lives of many, many more animals. KAS needs your help!

VOLUNTEER as a fosterer to house and care for dogs and cats on a temporary basis until we can find them permanent new homes.

DONATE to KAS to help with ongoing maintenance, vet, medical and food bills for the animals we rescue.

CONTRIBUTE to KAS’ new building either in kind or in sponsorship. Be a part of creating loving, safe homes for the animals.

Click to read KAS’ amazing animal stories and find out how you too can contribute to making a positive change: www.kechara.com/kas

SPOTLIG

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ON

Saving lives of beingswho cannot even say “thank you”

There was a time when Kechara’s Spiritual Guide H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche had such little money and food in the monastery that he was subsisting only on tsampa (barley flour) rolled with a little tea. Even then, the monks in the monastery remember that Rinpoche would share half of whatever little he had with the birds in the garden.

It is in this spirit that the Kechara Animal Sanctuary (KAS) was established in early 2011 – giving whatever we can to make another being’s life a little happier, even for just one day.

“It is a thankless job,” Rinpoche reminds the KAS committee members and volunteers. Indeed, the animals you rescue can never even say thank you; many people will probably not thank you either. But it is a necessary job, one that is especially close to Rinpoche’s heart because it is a perfect extension of all that we are taught in the Dharma – helping others, especially those who cannot help themselves.

KAS’ mission is two-fold: first, to provide a safe, loving haven for abandoned, abused or unwanted animals. Secondly, KAS aims to educate the public and future

generations on the importance

of caring for animals. Comprehensive facilities for both dog and man will be incorporated, to provide wonderful spaces for the animals as well as conducive, interactive learning environments for family, school or individual visits to the sanctuary.

The animals that find their way to animal shelters all have their own painful story, each one just as bad as the one before. Animal groups all over the country abound with stories of injured strays found on roadsides, abused animals, dogs and cats suffering from fatal, incurable diseases, and pets whose owners suddenly decide that they’re too much work and promptly abandon them… Those are just the ones that were rescued; let’s not forget all the countless others who never make it to any shelter, die in drains or are abused to death.

If there was greater education and awareness of what we really need to do to care for animals, and realising the huge physical and psychological damage that humans inflict upon animals by our negligence, the numbers of abandoned and abused animals would be much less. It is KAS’ hope to bring these statistics down and create a more animal-loving society, one that will genuinely care for its pets,

never throw them out to the streets or, even worse, eat them for dinner (!).

Committee members and volunteers in KAS are pet lovers themselves and have all have taken care of animals in their lives at some point. In recent animal rescues, they are the ones out on the streets at all hours of the night, carrying dying dogs to 24-hour clinics, ferrying accident-hit cats to the vet, chasing after dogs in pitch-dark kampongs to medicate them, exposing themselves to contagious infections and waking up at four-hour intervals throughout the night to feed newborn puppies. They are starting this new way of education right now by their own actions. Follow their stories and learn how much of a difference a single person can make to another life on the KAS website or Facebook.

Sounds thankless alright, but this is precisely why we need to do it: a real act of compassion is one that doesn’t expect anything in return. Sometimes, the animals you rescue may even die overnight, but that doesn’t stop you from trying any harder. In fact, that’s all the more reason we should do more, so that even the tiniest amount of time these animals stay with us is a loving and happy one. As Rinpoche has said, “If we can make an animal’s life happier for just one day, let’s do it.”

Inside This IssuePAGE 4, TEACHING: How much do you love your planet? Tsem Tulku Rinpoche gives you reasons for loving it even more.

GLORY BOARDno more caves is brought to you by the Kechara Buddhist organisation. For more information about Kechara, its departments and activities, please visit the websites below or contact Kechara House.

Spiritual GuideTsem Tulku Rinpoche

Blog blog.tsemtulku.comWebsite tsemtulku.comFacebook facebook.com/tsemtulkuTwitter twtiter.com/tsemtulkuYouTube YouTube.com/tsemtulku

Kechara House7, Jalan PJU 1/3G,SunwayMas Commercial Centre,47301 Petaling Jaya,Selangor, MALAYSIA

t: +603 7803 3908f: +603 7803 3108e: care@kechara.comw: www.kechara.com

Editor Jamie Khoo

Writers Sandy Clarke, Sharon Saw

Photography e-division, Kechara Animal Sanctuary, Kechara Care, Kechara InMotion, Tsem Ladrang

Designer Tac

Printed by Imminent Enterprise

I hope you’re loving the new look and direction of no more caves as much as I am! While this quarterly publication started off as an in-house newsletter, providing news, updates and inspirational stories for Kechara members and friends, things have undergone huge changes in the last few years. Now, news is available 24 hours a day online and updated by the day.

So nmc has now shed its newsletter skin and taken a new (environmentally friendly) coat that brings you not just the latest, biggest news of the organisation, but big juicy features about issues that are relevant to all of us, whether you’re already a part Kechara or have just met us.

In the spirit of revival and rejuvenation, we’re kicking off this new nmc with a focus on our planet – the environment, recycling and loving all the beings on it, whatever species. Spring clean your physical world and transform your inner world into lots of positivity. Recycle, recycle, recycle – throw out the old and draggy, bring in the new and clear, at all levels.

As always, no more caves is published for the modern spiritual seeker who is busy, stylish, and leads a very full life without much time to retreat away “into a cave”. Instead, we bring the “cave” to you, sharing multiple ways of bringing the spiritual path into your life, wherever you are or whatever you’re doing. After all, there’s always something we could be doing bigger, better and happier.

Give us your feedback: send us (organic) fruit baskets if you like the new edition or pelt us with (free range) eggs. Write us your letters (recycled paper, please) and feel free to tell us what you’d like to see in future issues. Happy reading! Love, Green, furry Jamie

Hello!Hello!

OPINION: Steaks are soooo last century. See why soy is soooo much more the rage.

EVENT: Ushering in the Year of the Rabbit with Kechara’s first grand puja festival in its new Gompa.

PROFILE: What were you doing when you were 20? Meet Thubten-la who decided to devote his life to others.

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The best way to love ourselves, according to the Buddha, is by loving others. We must take care of others, watch them, have their welfare in our minds, always be alert to their needs and help them to accomplish their goals.

When we focus less on our own needs and more on the needs of others, this will make us happy, especially when we start to see that we are making a difference to the lives of those around us. The powerful karma we create from selfless actions will push us to be happy, calm and forgiving, adding to the already-present happy aura we create around us.

In terms of karma and also in practical terms, developing selfless motivation benefits everyone. If we think about it, when we make others happy we feel fulfilled, useful and needed and we also tap into our true nature which is the light, clear, unobstructed mind. By tapping into our true nature through our selflessness, we can find ourselves with a wonderful by-product: true and lasting happiness.

Loving-Kindness Towards Ourselves

We need to make ourselves happier because we are important and we must love ourselves no matter how hard that might be sometimes. The best way to develop a sense of self-respect and love, and the most logical method to adopt from the beginning is to take care of others for their benefit. This is how we can become truly compassionate and more caring towards others and ourselves.

In developing a sustained selfless and compassionate attitude, it makes sense to begin practising positive qualities with the people around you. What can be better than to start with the people you work with five or six days a week for more than eight hours a day? Or your families, who you wake up to and go home to at the end of every day?

As we begin to develop our selfless and compassionate minds with those around us, we can begin to spread out our positive attitude to other people and work towards spreading our kindness to those people we don’t even know.

Welfare of All Beings

When we are working to share the attitude of selflessness and compassion, we should keep in mind that all beings – not just human beings – have the right to live peacefully and with happiness. Like human beings, we can be sure that animals can feel love, pain, sadness, fear, comfort and happiness.

What makes us kind humans is not how we take care of ourselves, but how we take care of others. What makes us good humans is not how we abuse animals, but how much we allow them to live and be happy freely.

When we exploit animals, it makes us harder, colder and crueller. If we can ignore and overlook the pain that animals so obviously experience when we hurt them, it means that we have become colder. The colder we are, the lonelier and more isolated we become. The more isolated we make ourselves, the more we begin to hurt the people we love around us and eventually ourselves.

The numbness we ’develop’ when we hurt animals and other beings makes us inhuman. How can anyone ignore the pain, strife, grief and fear in another living sentient being? How can anyone give

those feelings to another living creature and enjoy it? To enjoy that is to become inhuman and this only leads to increasing suffering and pain for us.

Why do things that are harmful when causing harm can never take away the anger you feel? It can never take away the lack of self-esteem you have and it can never give you a sense of power that is of

a true quality. If you want to develop a truly selfless and compassionate mind, then love others, love animals and love the environment. Do not hurt anyone or anything because by doing that, you

will never get rid of the pain you feel. You shouldn’t have any pain either. Cruel acts make you unwanted and hated, and people end up wanting to avoid you

altogether. You don’t deserve that, so don’t create the causes for it to happen. Heal yourself by healing others; this is the only long-term solution that works. Start

your healing by being genuinely kind to others. Everyone needs kindness, so start today and go all the way. Join or

start an animal shelter or a rescue centre. Help the homeless, create awareness for endangered species, and speak up for the abused.

Find a cause that benefits others and whatever you do, go all the way. If you do this, you will definitely see immediate benefits

that will only increase with time.

Stop a moment to think of your relationship with the world. Does the world revolve around you? Or does your life revolve around improving Planet Earth? H.E. TSEM TULKU RINPOCHE shares a few insights on how to make an earth-shattering difference to this star we call home.

A Teaching fromH.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche

What makes us kind humans is not

how we take care of ourselves, but how we

take care of others.

Heal yourself by healing others; this

is the only long-term solution that works.

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A NEW DIRECTION FOR

2011Following hot on the heels of the two previous years’ Grand Setrap and Dzambala pujas held at the Chinese Assembly Hall in town, it was decided that this year’s puja festival should be organised within our very own premises – the new Kechara House Gompa.

Kechara House took up almost the whole road in front of the Gompa for the weekend, setting up booths to feature the activities and work of all 13 departments. From pet adoptions at Kechara Animal Sanctuary to beautiful pendant displays at Kechara Discovery; from huge book sales at Kechara Media & Publications to free vegetarian meals at Kechara Oasis – there was something for everyone and a wonderful insight into the diversity of the Kechara organisation. Within the Gompa, dance performances and tsa-tsa painting by Manjushri Kids’ Class showcased the talents of the Dharma kids; Dzambala and Setrap pujas held in both Chinese and English gave everyone the opportunity to make prayers and offerings for the coming year.

More importantly, Kechara was able to reach out to many new people this year, especially the people of the neighbouring community of SunwayMas. And it doesn’t end here of course – the

most brilliant thing about holding a festival like this in our new Gompa is that the goodies continue throughout the year. Apart from our ongoing weekly pujas and activities, look out for upcoming Wesak Day, Kuan Yin and Lama Tsongkhapa Day celebrations, to name only a few!

For more information on Kechara House activities, please visit www.kechara.com, email care@kechara.com or call +603 7803 3908.

February saw the 3rd Annual Grand Setrap and Dzambala Puja, held this year in our own Gompa. Relive the spectacular weekend which brought much luck, prosperity, protection and wealth for the Year of the Rabbit.

Every candle offering sponsorship and dedication

was prominently displayed all around the Gompa,

and prayers dedicated to all these names.

Inviting the presence of H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, Spiritual Guide of Kechara, into the Gompa. This represents that our Lama and all his blessings are present with us throughout the event.

Reliving Tibet in Kechara Media & Publications’ booth where hundreds of books were on offer, spreading Dharma into the 10 directions!

Another of the most popular booths – the Kechara Animal Sanctuary ran a pet adoption drive and brought many of their cutest, cuddliest furry critters who were looking for homes.

Beautiful candles for wisdom, clarity and protection were lit throughout the two-day event, both in and outside the Gompa.

Oh, go on! You know you want to! One of the most happening, exciting booths, Kechara InMotion, provided a photo service, combining individuals’ photographs with any chosen image of a Buddha or thangka.

Oh, go on! You know you want to! One of the most happening, exciting booths, Kechara InMotion, provided a photo service, combining individuals’ photographs with any chosen image of a Buddha or thangka.

Explore the wonders of spirituality! Kechara Care and every Kechara

department were on hand to share information with newcomers about our

various Dharma activities and events.

Dzambala and Setrap pujas in English and Chinese were conducted throughout the two days, generating

powerful merit, protection and wealth energy for the new year.

Recycling Begins at Home

At Kechara, we always look for ways that we can reduce our waste and recycle our materials as well as our mental garbage. The team at Kechara Earth Project has been encouraging staff across all Kechara departments to recycle and has been making fantastic progress! A number of recycling bins have been put in place and the project team holds regular local recycling events where people can bring along their old newspapers, cans, plastic bottles, cardboard boxes and any other materials that can be recycled.

Kechara Animal Sanctuary also performs its own special form of “recycling”, rescuing stray animals and taking care of them until they are matched with a good home where they enjoy a newly revived lease of life.

In the spirit of appreciating our environment and the beings therein, Kechara Care and Kechara House also organise monthly animal liberations. Originally initiated by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche to teach his students to generate compassion towards all living beings, the monthly animal liberation event has evolved into a wonderful day out for parents and children who are able to participate in this meaningful activity of saving lives from the dinner plates of many households and restaurants.

Recycling Old Attitudes

Recycling doesn’t begin and end with plastic bottles and glass jars. Recycling is also about our transformation. When we look at how we react in particular situations and scenarios, we will no doubt see that there is tons of room for improvement! Our minds are cluttered with negative energies, emotions and attitudes that hold us back and restrict us in our search for lasting happiness. We need to start looking through our mental garbage and see what can be recycled.

From H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s own life, we can see that he was treated very badly while growing up and faced many hardships along the way to get to where he is now. Rinpoche could easily have become bitter, cynical and negative towards those who treated him unfairly, but instead, he used the difficulties he faced to drive him on to creating a positive outlook in life, resulting in the manifestation of the Kechara Buddhist organisation, which continues to help countless beings. All this originated from one being’s extraordinary, sincere compassion towards all beings.

When we are faced with hardship, difficult situations and difficult people, it is tempting to react negatively. However, we always have a choice: we can choose to work with our difficulties and recycle our negative emotions to produce positive results, or we can continue to pollute our minds with black, dirty energy that brings only suffering without benefit to ourselves and others.

Our external environment may be clean, but unless our internal environment is also light and clear, we only continue to create problems for ourselves and others. The next time you collect and clean out the jars and bottles in your home, keep it in mind to also collect and clean out all the mental junk that you have stored up. Remember that recycling materials helps to protect the physical environment while recycling your mind helps to protect your own immediate, personal environment. If we can find that invaluable balance between our outer and inner worlds, it’s a very big step to many levels of healing, peace and wonderful transformation.

Are you bringing new, enlightening change to the world? Or just adding more rubbish to

it? Rediscover these simple, effective ways of recycling on every level of your life and start

making a fresh, new difference.

Did you know that if you recycle your daily newspaper, you will have saved more than your own body weight in paper within a year? Or that by recycling just one aluminium can, enough energy is created to keep a television running for three years? The energy saved by recycling one glass bottle will power a computer for 25 minutes and for every ton of paper that’s recycled, a whole 17 trees are spared!

Recycling is something we are increasingly becoming aware of, but what exactly does it mean to “recycle”? When we think of recycling, we might think of clearing glass jars, tins, plastic bottles and other materials, and putting them in recycling bins. The materials are then taken away and reused, saving the time, energy and resources that would otherwise be used up in producing more containers and packaging from scratch. By this, we are helping to save the planet by reducing waste and carbon emissions that harm the environment.

On another level, “recycling” is also about how we transform from the inside out – digging up all our emotional baggage that we lug around like old, frayed newspapers and squashed cans, and shedding a different light on any situation. This way, we learn to emerge from negative, potentially damaging situations into something much more positive and beneficial for ourselves, those around us and eventually the rest of the world.

There are numerous benefits of recycling, some of which can be surprising. Recycling can help build communities and strengthen solidarity among people. We band together and build communities around many common causes and issues – recycling is one of them. By getting involved with a local group or creating your own recycling group, you can find yourself among many like-minded enthusiasts all working together for a great cause.

Recycling also helps to strengthen the economy and create jobs, promotes energy efficiency, works towards conserving limited resources, protects the environment and, did you know that by starting your own home recycling business, recycling can be financially rewarding too!

To make things real easy, we’ve compiled a short list of tips to start you off in the right direction towards creating a better environment:• Only buy things you really need. Most of what we throw away could be used again… or we didn’t really need it in the first place!• Repair, restore or adapt a product you already have. You may need professional help but it could still be cheaper than buying something

new.• Cut down on packaging. Buying fruit and vegetables loose could cut your waste drastically. Take a shopping bag with you and try not

to buy drinks in plastic bottles.• If you can, have a shower instead of a bath: this saves around 40 litres of water.• Lend your skills and passions to a worthy cause – “recycle” your strengths so others can also receive some benefit!• Think happy thoughts. It’s impossible to do anything destructive to the earth, animals or beings if you stay positive and peaceful.

Tips and Benefits of Recycling

Did you know?

At the very first animal liberation

activity led by Rinpoche, a rainbow was

seen above the park, an auspicious

sign that the local land deities were

pleased that a mind of compassion

was in the area.

09

Journey to Gaden

When Rinpoche arrived in India, he received his monk vows from H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama and spent the following nine years studying and serving his masters H.E. Kensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche and H.E. Lati Rinpoche at Gaden Shartse monastery.

Rinpoche endured much hardship in Gaden. He stayed in Zong Ladrang – the private residence of his Guru, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche – in a small room with a leaky roof. With little or no sponsorship, Rinpoche suffered from hunger and malnutrition, subsisting only on tsampa (barley flour) and tea.

Although he appealed to his family and his friends in L.A. for help, none was forthcoming until finally, an old Dharma friend from New Jersey – now a nun called Anila Thubten Chonyid – started to send USD50 a month to support him. It doesn’t seem like much but this was a huge amount at the time, and enabled Rinpoche to buy better food and repair the leaky roof.

Guru Devotion

Rinpoche’s previous lives’ devotion to his Gurus had led him, before the age of 20, to meet and receive teachings and initiations from the highest Gelugpa lineage masters

such as H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama.

In fact, Rinpoche’s devotion and tireless commitment to the Dharma has led him to receive teachings from many renowned Gurus throughout his spiritual education including H.E. Lama Zopa, H.E. Lati Rinpoche and H.E. Ling Rinpoche.

Rinpoche’s remarkable devotion to each and every one of his Gurus was well known throughout the monastic community. With his perfect command of English, he would often translate for his Gurus during teachings and initiations and would write hundreds of letters to his Gurus’ sponsors and students.

In particular, Rinpoche closely served H.E. Kensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche. As his Changtso (main assistant), Rinpoche attended to H.E. Kensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche in every detail, putting his master’s health and well-being before all else. Because Kensur Rinpoche had diabetes, Rinpoche would take extra special care to ensure that Kensur Rinpoche received all the right medication and a special diet to suit his health condition.

Rinpoche even took the extra pains to plant trees and flowers in the garden outside Kensur Rinpoche’s home - as an offering of a beautiful environment - conducive for his Guru’s physical relaxation and recovery. He also trained all the

younger monks of the household to serve Kensur Rinpoche well, both for the benefit of their own practice of Guru Devotion and for the well-being of his teacher. There was no detail that went unattended.

When they travelled to other parts of India for teachings, Rinpoche would see to every detail of the travel arrangements, ensuring that his old teacher had every possible comfort and that his health was well looked after throughout the journey. Every night, Rinpoche would sleep after his teacher slept and wake up every morning before his teacher woke up; often, he would forego his own comfort and personal needs to see to his teacher’s needs. Always, he served his teachers flawlessly, with the understanding that if his teachers were healthy and had all he needed, their teachings would be facilitated and many, many more people could benefit when they received Dharma.

This manifestation of such meticulous Guru Devotion earned him the deep respect of all. To this day, monks cite Rinpoche’s Guru devotion as exemplary, and a model for all practitioners – lay or ordained – to follow.

Follow the next step of H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s most unusual journey in this continuing series, as he makes that special trip from America to the monastery in India.

For a few months after the passing of H.H. Zong Rinpoche, Rinpoche remained in Los Angeles, working to pay off his debts and saving up for India.

Robert Stone – one of the centre’s main sponsors – was so impressed with his dedication that he finally offered to pay off Rinpoche’s debts in L.A. and sponsor the cost of his travel so that his ordination would not be delayed any further. Before leaving the U.S.A, Rinpoche returned home to New Jersey for the last time to say goodbye to his family.

With his grand master, H.E. Lati Rinpoche.

Rinpoche among other high Lamas and Tulkus of Gaden Shartse Monastery, including his teachers H.E. Lati Rinpoche and H.E. Kensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche (both centre).

In the heart of where he always longed to be: Rinpoche in Gaden (third from left), performing a puja.

With great devotion, Rinpoche offered Kensur Rinpoche a long-life puja in the mid 1990s.

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JOURNEYTO GADEN

Gen Thupten Tsultrin lit a spark in the hearts of every Kecharian late last year, when he came to stay in the centre for one and a half months. His maroon robes swishing past the Gompa, the big twinkle in his eye and his ever-readiness to share Dharma became a part of Kechara, something which we all looked forward to seeing each day as we came in to work, pujas or activities.

But how is it that such a young man from a very Catholic country right across the world came to become a Buddhist monk and end up in Malaysia? In an evening with some of Kechara’s younger members, the most inspiring 20-year-old Thupten-la shared his story and a journey that brought him from university to Tsongkhapa to Kechara.

To begin at the beginning, Thupten-la was born Catholic, but always liked studying all kinds of religion. It was a random book on religion, when he was only 16, that first brought him to Buddhism: “Once, I was reading an encyclopaedia on religion which had a chapter on Tibetan Buddhism. It focused

on Lama Tsongkhapa and mentioned his life. I remember there was a statement that said that among all the Lamas and lineages, the ‘Yellow Hat’ sect had preserved the authentic teachings of Lord Buddha.

“I was not Buddhist yet and I don’t know exactly why but the first time I heard Lama Tsongkhapa’s name I felt some kind of faith. So I thought ‘Someday, maybe, I’ll receive the teachings of the ‘Yellow hat.’”

Finding His Feet

Thupten-la Googled the ‘Yellow Hat’ teachings, which was when he first stumbled upon H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche and Kechara’s website, five years ago. The first day he found the website, he downloaded a simple MP3 audio teaching on Lama Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga, where Tsem Rinpoche gives a clear commentary of this practice and explains the benefits. From there, he started reciting Migtsema diligently. When he was 17, he met someone on the Internet who was also a Buddhist and eventually introduced him to the centre which

he now lives in. After a long search for Gelug centres and Lamas in his country, he finally went to visit this centre and met his root Guru.

On that same day, Thupten-la attended a Lama Chopa puja that was being held at the centre and asked his teacher more questions. He then started participating in the activities regularly, and eventually requested his Guru for refuge.

Taking Robes

When Thupten-la started university and began attending activities at the centre, he didn’t quite know what he wanted out of life yet. It was only when he started practising Dharma more seriously that he found new goals in life. He decided he wanted to pursue something different, and more beneficial so he quit university and joined the centre to work full-time. He also moved into the centre and has been living there since.

Another very special book would soon point Thupten-la to the next most significant step in his life. He explains that when he was about 20, “I was reading Pabongka Rinpoche’s Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. In it, he mentions the benefits of taking monk vows in the degenerate ages and explains that young people interested in the Dharma should take vows, go to the monastery and learn all the Buddhist sciences. So I made up my mind like this!

“I went to my teacher and told him, ‘I know what I want to do! I wanted to become a monk!’ I imagined that he would be really happy and support me.

“Instead, he replied, ‘You need to know very well what you want!’ Then, he ‘tested’ me for about a year – it was very intense training! My Lama would create all kinds of situations so that I would develop the awareness that I should have as a monk. A few months later, my Lama arranged everything for my ordination.

“As a Westerner, the ‘Guru’ is very unusual. I didn’t have any expectations as it was very unknown to me. Usually, what I liked was that the teachings are very logical and you don’t need to have full blind faith to understand the teachings, follow and get results,” he shared.

His own clear example shows us that Guru devotion is not a blind practice. It is one that is actually very logical, very open. Ultimately, he explains, it is about developing great awareness so that we can be alert to the needs of others. “Holding the vows (of a monk) and not breaking them is the easy part. What I really had to be trained on was how to hold proper awareness – the robes I wear, the way I walk, how I talk to people, pay attention to my Lama and whether he needs something; how I can serve him and how I can serve others.”

The Kechara Connection

As the Kechara website was Thupten-la’s initial connection with Dharma, he first wrote an email to Tsem Rinpoche in 2006 expressing his interest in practising Dharma but that he did not have a Lama or a centre.

Tsem Rinpoche replied by sending him a lot of gifts to support his spiritual practice and writing a letter back with advice for his practice. “He gave some practices to do; also, if I faced obstacles, he said I should rely on Setrap. I tried to do this and a very short time later, I met my root Guru. I really feel very indebted because I really

feel this advice, when I followed it, I could really find a Lama who I had been longing for.”

Fast forward five years – one evening, in the centre’s kitchen, his teacher turned to Thupten-la and told him that he had a connection with Tsem Rinpoche and that it would be good for him to go to Malaysia.

“I asked, ‘But how?!’” Thupten-la laughs. “In a logical sense, sometimes we cannot accept immediately what the Guru says because we cannot see it from the logical point of view or we only see it from the point of view of our conventional logic. Actually, it still comes from logic, but it is the logic that comes from spiritual attainments and clairvoyance.”

Thupten-la wrote an email in September, started corresponding with Beng Kooi and eventually, by December, arrived in Malaysia.

While here, Thupten-la participated in the various activities of Kechara, spending most of his time at the Gompa making offerings and cleaning, assisting in activities at Kechara Care and contributing to projects with the e-division.

He shares that the experiences he most appreciated were the huge similarities between Kechara and his own centre in Brazil, and in the essence of both his own Guru and Tsem Rinpoche.

“I had an audience with Tsem Rinpoche and felt all the time that I was talking to my Guru himself. Sometimes I would mention the advice of my teacher back home and people here would say that Tsem Rinpoche would give the same advice. The stories are quite similar even though outwardly, you have very different circumstances than what we have in Brazil. That’s the beauty of Dharma – how it is very flexible and really can be practised by everyone.”

13

At a fish-feeding and animal liberation outing with Kechara Care.gave an inspiring sharing about Guru devotion to all Kechara members.

What were your aspirations when you were 20? Meet Thupten Tsultrin, who decided to

devote his life to others.

“I told my Lama, ‘I know what I want to do! I wanted to become a monk!’”

15

Awakenings

Thupten-la’s faith and devotion to his Lama and the path is unmistakable, an example we should each aspire towards. It is rare that a person can meet the teachings at such a young age and develop such consistent, committed and heart-felt devotion to carrying and practising the teachings for the rest of his life. Now, Thupten-la strives single-mindedly to serve his teacher and his centre as best as he can, and to prepare to go to Gaden Shartse Monastery eventually to further his monastic studies.

Thupten-la understands that perhaps not everyone can feel that same calling to take on robes. But he also feels that there is a way for everyone to embrace the teachings. For a start, the awareness we develop from the practices is a highly beneficial tool that brings immense and immediate benefit to ourselves.

As a parting word of advice to other spiritual aspirants, he shares, “People have very different callings, Dharma has different callings as well. I think there’s always a chance for everyone to practise Dharma in their own way. Dharma is for everyone – this I’m quite sure. Usually if people choose not to practise, it’s because they haven’t considered well or contemplated all the extents of Dharma. There’s always personal benefit and benefit to others.

“If people have some kind of connection, they should find a mentor, a spiritual guide, someone to look up to. Learn more, read the biographies of great masters and rejoice in their deeds. I think it’s always important to rejoice in others’ deeds – it creates seeds so we can attain these sorts of qualities we admire in other teachers,” he concludes.

Becoming Malaysian… at one of KL’s most iconic Buddhist sites, Thien Hou Temple.

“You don’t need to have a full blind faith to understand the teachings, follow and get results.”

“People have very different callings, Dharma has different callings as well. I think there’s always a chance for everyone to practise Dharma in their own way.”

The DharmaPrincess

I know you don’t want to, or you think it’s gross, or you’re scared – but if there’s one thing you should do this year, it’s to watch those videos on how animals are butchered for your dinner plates. Contrary to popular belief, those images of happy cows and smiling chickens in restaurant logos are not real! Watch what really goes on in a slaughterhouse, then think about what you’re really eating. Are those few moments of appeasing your taste buds really worth all that suffering that an animal has to go through, sometimes enduring a whole lifetime of it?

Don’t give me those lame excuses about not being able to bear watching the videos. It doesn’t make sense that you don’t want to watch the videos, but are quite happy to eat the product of those videos – that fried chicken, steak or juicy lamb chop.

This was what changed my mind. After seeing the reality of the videos, it became very clear to me that that piece of meat on my plate was no longer a meal. Actually, it would mean eating the energies of pain, suffering and fear. And that doesn’t sound very tasty at all!

There’s a special post about this on Rinpoche’s blog. Challenge yourself and your practice of kindness by reading the post and watching the videos. It could just be the best thing you do for the planet this year: visit blog.tsemtulku.com and search “very special offer”.

Tenzin Khenchen

Let me point out a few things about vegetarianism. The first thing is that manypeople think that vegetarian food does not taste as good as meat. Well, it tastes better than meat. If they do not believe me, I would recommend them to go to Kechara Oasis vegetarian restaurant.

Second, some people think it is unhealthy to stop eating meat. People say that vegetarians do not receive enough protein or vitamins from vegetarian food. I think that it is wrong. Mushrooms and tofu both have a sufficient amount of protein.

Third, many people think that you are odd when you are vegetarian. Well, it turns out that you are not. Many superstars like Albert Einstein, Bill Clinton and Ellen Degeneres are vegetarians too.

Animal farms create a large amount of suffering. If you are vegetarians, you are also practising compassion. When less animals suffer, the Dharma will go into your mind smoother than normal.

The person who inspired me to become vegetarian was H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. In his blog, he has frequently reminded us to become vegetarian. For example, Rinpoche once said: “If you have no money to support animal shelters, why do you have enough money to buy meat?”

The conclusion is that if you want to stay healthy, happy and holy, STOP EATING MEAT!

Tenzin Khenchen is Kechara’s youngest full-time vegetarian at only 13 years old. Follow his blog on tenzinkhenchen.blogspot.com

You will hear (about) Phng Li Kim before you see her – not just because she speaks in an extremely loud and colourful way, but because of the huge impact she has made in Dharma since joining Kechara two years ago.

Two of the four shoplots of our enormous new temple is thanks to Li Kim’s sponsorship, which was an offering to the organisation as a birthday “gift” to Rinpoche. Even though she had joined Kechara for barely a few months, she understood the immediate need for expansion and did not hesitate to step forward and offer all she could towards the new building.

Li Kim follows fast and close in the footsteps of her equally inspiring and dynamic mother, Kechara House President and Head of the Liaisons Council, Datuk May Phng. Both mother and daughter lead us clearly by example, showing that it’s not about how much you have, but how much of your efforts and your care you put into supporting the Dharma.

As the CEO of Kechara Media & Publications, a member of the Board of Directors and Liaison, Li Kim takes her responsibilities and contribution to the Dharma very seriously. On top of being a sponsor of KMP herself, she has also helped our little publishing house go the greater distance – under her leadership, KMP has produced many new titles, “grown up” into its new premises (the previous KH1) and started regional distribution of their books.

“Personally, I don’t even like reading! If there was an audio book, I would choose it without thinking. Now, I’m heading KMP – a publishing house!! Doesn’t karma have a sense of humour? I love what I’m doing. I am proud to say that Dharma is my career”, she shares.

Li Kim is also a strong supporter of many other departments’ work – she can be seen in every major activity of Kechara, as emcee, as one of the organising committee or even just as the problem solver, the one who everyone goes to when things go awry.

She has a huge capacity to love the people she comes across and bring out the best in them. In her passion to help every person “win” in whatever they are doing, she has become a role model for many people in Kechara. By her own compassionate example, she inspires people to do more, give more, love more.

A centre grows not only because someone donates money towards it, but more importantly, because the people in it are getting better and better,

Ngawang

From a Dharmic perspective, eating meat is not conducive for our practice of developing Bodhicitta, great compassion. It does not make sense to study and meditate on the profound topics of loving kindness but eat something that is a product of killing, one of the main harmful bodily actions we vow to refrain from. If we are praying for the liberation and Enlightenment of all beings but we are simultaneously eating them, it is contradictory to our practice and our prayers have no meaning.

Making the choice to go vegetarianism is linked very closely to the contemplation on one of Buddha’s most fundamental teachings – the truth of suffering. We meditate upon the suffering an animal is subjected to and develop a strong aversion to this and to the fact that we are responsible for contributing to this continued suffering.

We can think: “Would I eat my child? My mother? My friend? My pet dog or cat?” If our answer is no, then we need to think why we would not eat these beings but are happy to eat others? We are trying to develop a mind that views all beings as equal, with the same potential for suffering as well as for Enlightenment.

Whatever we wish for or would not wish for our nearest and dearest should eventually be extended to every single sentient being without exception, shouldn’t it? We can start this now by considering the animals we eat and make a strong determination to start viewing them as equal to us – with the same potentialities, feelings, pain and happiness – not for how they will fill our bellies.

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Phng Li Kim’s contribution to Dharma has caused jaws to drop, not just for the physical sponsorship she has given but for showing us how every little ounce of care and effort can entirely change lives.

All of us at Kechara wish to extend our sincerest thanks, appreciation and gratitude to our generous sponsors, volunteers and friends (too many to name and some who wish to remain anonymous) who have consistently given us their contributions of time, effort, donations and other kindness. Every contribution helps to sustain Kechara’s many Dharma works and activities, and enables us to grow constantly, to reach more beings. May the merits accumulated by all bring much happiness, peace and wisdom to every sentient being and create the causes for Dharma to flourish everywhere!

and bringing change to their world. This positive encouragement, leadership and nurture that Li Kim brings to everyone to help them achieve their highest potential is the strongest kind of contribution there could be in Dharma.

Li Kim, for all her bling and flair, is also very humble about her contribution. Very few people will know how much she has actually given to the Dharma in sponsorship – this is simply not important to her. The Dharma, her devotion to her Guru H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, her mother Datuk May Phng, the teachings and her Dharma family are all she needs to drive her.

Now, her three beautiful sons, Julien, Lucas and Jason, are also a part of Kechara, as regular students of Manjushri Kids’ Classes and who join our centre’s events. Actually, much of her Dharma work and offerings are dedicated to her family and especially her sons. As she so eloquently concludes, “As a mother, the best love I can give my children is not an inheritance, not a Harvard education, but the Dharma.”

This new feature of no more caves features different columnists sharing their views on some rather contentious issues.This issue: why soy is the new steak.

FROM THELAMA’S CUSHION

LIAISONS’ CORNER

Shopping for a good causeKechara has been offering a smorgasbord of fascinating items at the Amcorp Mall flea market over the weekends to raise funds. Items are donated for re-sale by the enthusiastic team of young Kechara volunteers. There are beautiful Dharma items as well as household stuff, books, CDs, etc. It’s a great way to reach out to a new crowd and share what Kechara is all about. Come by and volunteer, or simply pick up a bargain! Contact David Lai on 012 3232 732 to donate clean, good quality and saleable items, all for a good cause!

All-year Setrap Retreat 2011As advised by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, Kechara House is organising an Obstacle-Removing Setrap Retreat for 2011. This is a very powerful practice for us to clear personal obstacles and invite great blessings, prosperity and protection for our loved ones. The retreat is aimed at achieving 200,000 serkyem offerings to Setrap, 200,000 recitations of Setrap’s kawang and 2 million Setrap mantras. These will be divided over four sessions: 1st session: 7th to 13th March, 2nd session: 6th to 12th June, 3rd session: 27th June to 3rd July, 4th session: 1st to 7th August. For more details, please see kechara.com/house

A dollar a mantraSponsorship of the Dharma in its many different forms is supremely beneficial for the sponsor. By always finding interesting, convenient ways for people to contribute, Kechara House is now offering the opportunity to sponsor mantras in the beautiful statues on our main altar. At only one ringgit a mantra, anyone can make a donation, dedicated to themselves or their loved ones, living and deceased. Visit kechara.com/house or vajrasecrets.com for more information.

We Can Change the NorthKechara Soup Kitchen’s (KSK) song, We Can Change, was launched in Penang recently. We Can Change is one of the many songs in popular artist Janice Jzelynn’s new album, and features many celebrity singers who support KSK’s cause such as Fang Chyi Chang (also the Art Director of Kechara Media & Publications), Ash Nair, Anrie, Tony Leo, Peter Ong, Ddie, Siva Chandran, Stefanie Chua, James, and Ling. Watch the video at kechara.com/ksk

Kechara Sunday TalksWe’ve got a new exciting line-up of talks on Sunday afternoons at Kechara House. Every Sunday at 2pm sees a sharing on various topics which are specially tailored for those new to Dharma and the spiritually curious. Everyone is welcome so bring your friends and family. Parents can also enrol their children at the Manjushri Kids Classes while they attend the Sunday talks, so everyone gets the chance to learn. Visit kechara.com/house for details

Tsongkhapa as you’ve never seen himThe Je Tsongkhapa coffee-table book authored by Gisbert Roth was published by Kechara Media & Publications (KMP) and is a completely novel presentation of the life story of this Buddhist saint and scholar. Stunning visuals accompany the story, including profound quotes by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. Available at all Kechara Paradise outlets and leading bookstores. Visit kechara.com/kmp for more!

Moving on upWith the Chinese New Year, there were many offices moving around SunwayMas. Congratulations to Kechara InMotion for moving into its new premises above the old KH1, which has since become the new premises for Kechara Media & Publications. Kechara Discovery has also moved into the premises which was previously KH2. Come visit all of us, we have tea!

Bringing Paradise to 1UtamaFor 22 days before the Chinese New Year, Kechara Paradise 1Utama held a roadshow in the mall to spread awareness to more people. Situated just below the GSC cinemas, the exhibition was well located to attract attention. Many curious onlookers came to browse, shop and a few even came to Kechara House to attend our Sunday Talks. This is one of many initiatives to bring spirituality to others in the most unlikely places, so look out for us at the next roadshow!

Flower powerThere’s a new division of Kechara Saraswati Arts to make flower offerings and presents all the more beautiful and attractive. Look out for Kechara Flowers and Gifts in SunwayMas and start smelling the roses! Congratulations to Liaison Paul Yap for spearheading this new division which makes it so much more convenient for all of us to offer gifts and flowers.

Care for a buffet?Every Monday, on a fortnightly basis, Kechara Care is hosting a vegetarian buffet from 6:30pm to 8pm. Come and see us for a variety of dishes! RM10 will get you a drink AND all-you-can-eat home-cooked food by our very own Kechara members. Bring your little ones too because they will get the same for just RM5 if they are below eight years old!

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• Please join us in congratulating ANDREW BOON of Tsem Ladrang, CHUA SIONG WOAN of Kechara Soup Kitchen and NICHOLAS YU of Kechara Care who have been appointed as Apprentices to the Liaisons Council!

• January saw the conclusion of the first Liaisons Council Incentive Programme for full-time staff at Kechara. May Woo of Kechara Paradise bagged first place for her outstanding performance and chose a three-foot Green Tara statue as her reward. First Runner-Up was Chua Siong Woan of Kechara Soup Kitchen and Second Runner-Up Angie Ng of Kechara Oasis. Congratulations to these three stars! Look out for the announcement of the next set of winners soon.

• H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s blog has been nominated for the 2011 Bloggers’ Choice Awards for Best Religion Blog, Best Charity Blog and Best Animal Blog! Make your voice heard by voting for Rinpoche at bloggerschoiceawards.com. Rinpoche’s twitter feed was also nominated under the prestigious Shorty Awards for the category of #Buddhism.

• Two of Rinpoche’s Indonesian students, Betsy Ciaptura and Valentina Suhendra offered a Tsongkhapa website to Rinpoche in Indonesian. See the wonderful results of their effort and dedication on www.lamatsongkhapa.com

• During the auspicious occasion of Chinese New Year, Rinpoche and his students bought 33 Tilapia fishes, 3 cat fishes, 1 patin fish, 25 eels and 30 frogs which were destined to end up as dinner at a seafood restaurant. Not only were these animals saved from certain death and set free at Kepong Metropolitan Park but Rinpoche’s compassion made a strong impact on the owners of the restaurant too. See blog.tsemtulku.com for a very touching account of this animal liberation.

• Rinpoche’s compassion knows no bounds. In a drive to entice people to be vegetarian and raise awareness of animal cruelty issues, Rinpoche initiated a reward programme where people would receive a Dharma gift if they committed to being vegetarian for a week as well as watch and comment on animal cruelty videos. Only Rinpoche would “bribe” us to be better. Join the programme and rediscover your huge capacity for compassion on blog.tsemtulku.com

NEW NEWSGo vintage! Go pretty! Go wild! Indulge that impulse shopping bug, get clever and find yourself some pretty special buys at the Kechara flea market, every weekend at Amcorp Mall. All funds raised are donated to Kechara’s Dharma activities.

Kechara Soup Kitchen extends its reach to Indonesia, where almost 300 packets of food are being distributed to Jakarta’s homeless every week. Find out more about their amazing work on kechara.com/ksk

A new oasis is opening in the city as Kechara Oasis plans the opening of its second branch in Viva Mall, Cheras in the middle of this year.

Monday 8pm Setrap Puja

Tuesday 8pm Setrap Puja (Chinese) 8pm Simplified Lamrim Class (by modules, Chinese)

Wednesday 8pm Menlha (Medicine Buddha) Puja 8pm Dzambala Buddha (Chinese)

Thursday 8pm Dzambala Puja

Friday 8pm Lamrim Class (for registered participants only) 8pm Chinese Manjushri Class

Sunday 11am Simplified Lamrim Class (for registered participants only) 2pm Manjushri Kids’ Class 2pm Kechara Sunday Talks 5pm Drolchok (Tara) Puja

Kechara offers, a wide variety of ways for YOU to get involved, learn, practise, meet new people and have fun at the same time!

For more information on Dharma classes, email us at education@kechara.comFor more information on pujas, contact the KH Administrator on +60 3 7803 3908or care@kechara.com

Get Artistic at Kechara Saraswati ArtsThere are many opportunities to volunteer at KSA to learn sacred, ancient Himalayan arts. Let out your creative side by learning how to paint Buddha statues, sew thangkas, bead pearl offerings and roll mantras. KSA also offers a wide variety of art classes for adults and children such as jewellery-making, clay-painting and flower arrangement.

Visit kechara.com/ksa for more information or visit their studio in SunwayMas.

Love your Planet withthe Kechara Earth ProjectBe a part of keeping our earth green and clean by contributing to Kechara’s recycling initiative. The Kechara Earth Project gather

on the second Sunday every month, 9am – 12pm, to collect all recyclables so start saving your plastic bottles, newspapers and cans and do your bit for Mother Earth! They also do collections on Thursdays 10am – 8pm.

For more information, please callLew on +60 12 316 3737 orWai Meng on +60 12 215 0968.

Free Lives on Animal Liberation DaysKechara Care organise Animal Liberation Days on the first Sunday every month which is open to all members, their families and friends. Hundreds of kilos of fish, turtles and birds are bought and released at large parks around the city. A great activity for families and especially for young children.

For more information orto join the next session,contact Nicholas Yu on +60 16 209 0541

Give Back to Society with Kechara Soup KitchenGo out on the streets with KSK to distribute food to the homeless every Saturday on their midnight rounds. New volunteers must attend an orientation session which begins 8pm every Saturday at their headquarters on Jalan Barat in town. This is followed by packing the food and going on distribution rounds.

To join KSK or for more informationon volunteering with KSK,visit kechara.com/ksk orcontact Justin Cheah on +60 12 203 2135

Hug a Pet with KASLove furballs but can’t keep pets permanently? Perhaps you’d like to volunteer as a fosterer, to help us house and care for animals temporarily until we can find them permanent, loving homes. This would make a huge difference to saving lives off the street.Contact kas@kechara.com or+60 14 227 0585 for details.

Love News? Get More with KNN!Stay in touch with all that Kechara has to offer and all the latest news by subscribing to our online newsletter, brought to you by the Kechara News Network (KNN). Write to care@kechara.com with a request to be added to the Kechara mailing list. Or, if you’re even hungrier for more, visit kechara.com or Rinpoche’s blog at blog.tsemtulku.com as often as you like for new news round the clock.

Kechara House Weekly Schedule (All pujas are in English unless otherwise stated)