DATIN NG WEE CHIN's - Kechara
DATIN NG WEE CHIN's - Kechara DATIN NG WEE CHIN's - Kechara
H.E. TSEM TULKU RINPOCHE’S BIOGRAPHY The First Signs of a Special Being This third part of a continuing series about H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s life story explores the beginnings of Rinpoche’s profound and extraordinary connection with Dharma. Since his early childhood, H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s powerful imprints of a Tulku manifested in his natural devotion towards Buddhist Masters, deities and prayers, and his all-consuming longing to practise the Dharma. Often, he would sit on his bed in meditation posture, visualising himself as a high Lama giving teachings, composing sacred texts on long strips of paper, or drawing and painting various Buddha forms. These he passed out to other children and his cousins as blessings and protection. From a young age, Rinpoche was fascinated by the Buddhas Manjushri, Vajrayogini, Heruka, Palden Lhamo and Chenrezig, and was profoundly affected by the Eight Verses of Mind Transformation and Chenrezig’s prayer. An official school photo of Rinpoche at Land O’Pines elementary school. Rinpoche has always loved being in the hills and forests to meditate. ABOVE: Rinpoche with his cousins in New Jersey. RIGHT: Manjushri Buddha has always been among Rinpoche’s favourite Buddhas. 10
He also had an unusual attraction to H.H. the Dalai Lama and would spontaneously chant Om Mani Peme Hung and think of His Holiness as a Buddha without anyone telling him to do so. Rinpoche also used to pray to Manjushri to do better at school. Certainly none of his classmates prayed to a Buddha for their school work! There were other examples of Rinpoche’s unusual connection to the Dharma. As a child, he used to see a red lady in his imagination and would think, “This practice can take us from this world fast”. Many times, he would miss the school bus because he had spent the previous night secretly reading Dharma books under his blanket (so his mother wouldn’t catch him). Reluctant to walk to school in the rain, he would pray to Medicine Buddha, reciting Om Mani Peme Hung as he did not know any other mantras. The rain would stop, and only start again just as Rinpoche arrived at school! Once, he even dreamt that the Medicine Buddha appeared from the sky and stopped other children from teasing him! With such powerful imprints from previous lives, it is not surprising that Rinpoche would meet his first Guru, the highly realised Master of Vajrayogini practice and Abbot-Emeritus of Sera Monastery, H.E. Kensur Lobsang Tharchin, at Rashi Gempil Ling (RGL), a Mongolian temple just 10 minutes from his home in Howell, New Jersey. Sera Mey Kensur Lobsang Tharchin Rinpoche, the abbot of Rashi Gempil Ling and Rinpoche’s first Guru who gave him his first Dharma teachings. From that point onwards, Rinpoche would spend every free moment at RGL, helping out, mowing the lawn, washing the dishes and cleaning. He had a strong desire to work in the temple and serve his Guru. Attracted to the wrathful deities, he would spend hours in the gompa praying to Palden Lhamo. Of those years in RGL, Rinpoche says, “I would die to get teachings. I would tremble with excitement, anticipation and glee before teachings and initiations. I would sit there through the whole thing with my breath held. When it finished, I was depressed because I loved the Dharma and I didn’t know what was waiting for me at home.” Despite his parents’ opposition to his Dharma practice, Rinpoche would borrow Dharma books which he would read voraciously. He would also call up Michael Roach, another student of Kensur Rinpoche, and talk for hours to clarify Dharma questions. It was here in RGL that Rinpoche met H.H. the Dalai Lama for the first time, from whom he received the oral transmission of Om Mani Peme Hung and the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation. After many requests, Rinpoche also finally received his first initiation from Kensur Rinpoche; it was of the “red lady” of his dreams, Vajrayogini. “My first initiation – I was so excited for weeks. And also afterwards. Even now I’m excited when I talk about it! It’s like a tightness in my chest, that I can’t breathe,” Rinpoche shares now. However, in the midst of such excitement and joy, there was a certain sadness for Rinpoche for he could not share any of this with his family, who were completely unsupportive of his Dharma practice. He had to keep it all a secret, with devastating consequences – physical and emotional abuse, and being grounded – if found out. At one time, his mother even started spreading unfounded rumours among Mongolians about his Guru, Kensur Lobsang Tharchin Rinpoche. His foster parents were strictly opposed to his passion for Dharma and Rinpoche received the harshest physical and psychological punishment every time he was caught at the temple or reciting mantras in his room. Everything having to do with Dharma practice had to be a secret; Rinpoche had to hide his Manjushri statue in his bedside table and read Dharma books under the covers by torchlight; even mantras were recited secretly and quietly. He had to lie to his parents every time he went to see his Guru or to the temple, saying that he was meeting friends or cousins. His parents wanted him to study, attend college, start a family and just pray once in a while. But although he excelled in his studies, Rinpoche had a severe dislike of going to school, finding it a waste of time. He would constantly pray to do Dharma and to be a monk. The urge to look for a cave, meditate and do mantras was overpowering and consistent. In spite of the difficulties, Rinpoche never gave up. He reflects, “I got caught a few times and was severely beaten for it. But I kept lying for years. If I went to the temple and got beaten once, it was worth it. Lying is bad karma, but not getting Dharma is even more bad karma.” Things at home were never easy, but Rinpoche always found solace in the Dharma. 11
- Page 1 and 2: T h e Ke c h a r a i n - h o u s e
- Page 3 and 4: the start of a legacy The beginning
- Page 5 and 6: Liaison Datuk May Phng, representin
- Page 7 and 8: Over 800 guests attended KSK’s an
- Page 9: much as I have. When we learn the D
- Page 13 and 14: Following Kechara from Afar This is
- Page 15 and 16: follow the liaisons What they’re
H.E. TSEM TULKU RINPOCHE’S<br />
BIOGRAPHY The First Signs of a Special Being<br />
This third part of a continuing series about<br />
H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s life story explores<br />
the beginnings of Rinpoche’s profound and<br />
extraordinary connection with Dharma.<br />
Since his early childhood, H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s powerful imprints of a Tulku manifested<br />
in his natural devotion towards Buddhist Masters, deities and prayers, and his all-consuming<br />
longing to practise the Dharma.<br />
Often, he would sit on his bed in meditation posture, visualising himself as a high Lama<br />
giving teachings, composing sacred texts on long strips of paper, or drawing and painting<br />
various Buddha forms. These he passed out to other children and his cousins as blessings and<br />
protection.<br />
From a young age, Rinpoche was fascinated by the Buddhas Manjushri, Vajrayogini,<br />
Heruka, Palden Lhamo and Chenrezig, and was profoundly affected by the Eight Verses of<br />
Mind Transformation and Chenrezig’s prayer.<br />
An official school photo of Rinpoche at Land<br />
O’Pines elementary school.<br />
Rinpoche has always loved being in the hills<br />
and forests to meditate.<br />
ABOVE: Rinpoche with his cousins in New Jersey.<br />
RIGHT: Manjushri Buddha has always been<br />
among Rinpoche’s favourite Buddhas.<br />
10
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