Congratulations to Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche

When my Tsem Ladrang team received an invitation to the opening of Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche’s new centre, I was very very happy to hear this news. Whenever anyone is successful in establishing or propagating Lama Tsongkhapa’s tradition anywhere in the world, it is important for us to rejoice. It does not matter whether the founder has the same practices or not; what is important is that we rejoice in the growth of the Buddhadharma so that sentient beings may benefit from the wisdom of Shakyamuni’s teachings. So although I was not able to attend the opening myself, I wanted to send some of my close students there to represent me and show my support for Zawa Rinpoche’s works.

Zawa Rinpoche has visited Kechara many times in the past. During his visits here, he performed pujas to bless our land and also taught us some rituals which we were not familiar with before. Also some of my students have been in regular contact with Zawa Rinpoche. He has been very informative and helpful to them regarding the monastic system which my students who are not Tibetan are not familiar with.

The invitation was for the opening of Zawa Rinpoche’s new Buddhist temple known as Centre De Méditation Tsongkhapa (CMT, or Tsongkhapa Meditation Centre in English). Located in Ste-Sophie, Quebec (Canada), the centre sits on four acres of land which is forested and (I am told) very beautiful and serene. There is a main gompa (prayer hall), as you will see from the photos below, and also a small house for Zawa Rinpoche in the back. They have also built rooms for visiting sangha, have a well-stocked library and they will soon be doing renovations to convert their garage into a kitchen. In the future, Zawa Rinpoche would like to develop his land to include retreat huts.

Venerable Geshe Tsultrim Tenzin (formerly of Gaden Jangtse Monastery, now residing in Austria) makes a mandala offering to His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche

CMT is actually Zawa Rinpoche’s third centre, so to speak. His first centre was opened by the late Venerable Geshe Khenrab, and it was located in Montreal, Quebec (Canada) before a sister centre was opened in Moncton, New Brunswick (also in Canada). After Geshe-la passed away, Zawa Rinpoche became the organisation’s spiritual guide. However, my students tell me that the Montreal centre was not located in a very conducive area because it was on a main road with shops, restaurants and bars nearby. Hence Zawa Rinpoche looked around for a more suitable location. When he found some properties, he submitted them to His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche who advised him that this location in Sainte-Sophie would be very good.

There were many auspicious signs in the run-up to the opening ceremony. For four days, rainbows appeared above the centre, either as double rainbows or circular ones around the sun. At one point, when Zawa Rinpoche was installing a Dharma wheel on the roof of the gompa, five-colored lights shone from the Dharma wheel. These were invisible to the naked eye although they show clearly in the photograph. Zawa Rinpoche also told us that completely white flowers sprouted spontaneously on the land, and that these flowers were not native to the area. Closer to the date of the opening ceremony, two small ponies came onto their land. After Zawa Rinpoche fed them, they disappeared and never came back.

So there were all of these good signs surrounding the centre, which made my team excited about attending what is surely an auspicious occasion. The opening ceremony was also attended by many lamas around the world who were keen to show their support for Zawa Rinpoche’s works. Present was Venerable Trote Rinpoche from New York, Venerable Kalden Rinpoche from Brazil, Geshe Phende from Austria, Gen Youten from Canada, and Geshe Sopa, Geshe Cheme Tsering and Gen Jamyang Tashi from Vermont. Venerable Rabten Rinpoche was also scheduled to attend the celebrations, representing His Eminence Gonsar Rinpoche who was not able to attend himself.

Zawa Rinpoche had also invited his own teacher, Venerable Geshe Tsultrim Tenzin. There is an interesting but sad story about this senior, very learned and gentle monk. Geshe Tsultrim is a monk of Gaden Jangtse Monastery who had many students. For decades he taught tirelessly until the height of the ban. At this time, some of his ‘students’ came to attack Geshe-la’s simple home, throwing stones and rocks at it. The harassment escalated and became so bad that Geshe-la had to escape the monastery in the middle of the night. He left India and travelled with Switzerland where Venerable Gonsar Rinpoche gave him refuge. Later Geshe-la moved to Austria where he now lives. There are very few monks now of Geshe-la’s generation, scholarship and practice so my students were extremely fortunate to meet him and make a connection with this holy practitioner.

My team spent their first day at CMT getting to know the volunteers, as well as some of the guests who had arrived early. They also had a short audience with Geshe Tsultrim to present some offerings I wished to make to him. With Zawa Rinpoche helping to translate, my students requested for Geshe-la to live long and on my behalf, offered to him a statue of Amitayus. Then they explained to Geshe Tsultrim about the works I have been doing in Malaysia and the progress of Kechara and what we wish to accomplish. I am told that Geshe-la was very happy to hear all of this and accepted their request for him to pray that this manifests.

Geshe Tsultrim accepting my offering of an Amitayus statue

In the evening, Geshe Sopa-la of Trijang Buddhist Institute requested our people to join him and Zawa Rinpoche the next day in escorting His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche to the centre which my team were of course very honoured to accept. They came extra early the following day to make sure they would not be late.

His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche arrived and was escorted in the traditional manner, with a golden parasol, incense and flowers scattered at his feet. Outside of the gompa, His Holiness recited prayers and cut the ribbon sealing the doors. Then His Holiness entered the gompa to perform a consecration ritual with the other Sangha.

After a short break, His Holiness proceeded to give a short commentary and oral transmission of the Gaden Lhagyama. His Holiness explained that he had received this teaching from His Eminence Kensur Lati Rinpoche and it was according to the Segyud tradition. The teaching was translated by the Venerable Geshe Cheme Tsering, who is an excellent scholar and has been translating for His Holiness for many years. His Holiness also explained the motivation with which one should receive Dharma teachings. I am told that the teaching was very well-received and that His Holiness’s style of transmitting the Dharma is very similar to that of his predecessor.

His Holiness ended the afternoon with a gift to Zawa Rinpoche of an antique and very beautiful Namgyalma thangka. After that, everyone had the opportunity to make offerings and receive blessings from His Holiness, who left soon after. Again Kechara students had the merits to escort His Holiness back to the hotel which was very nice for them.

Over the next few days, my team had audiences with Venerable Rabten Rinpoche, Venerable Kalden Rinpoche and Venerable Trote Rinpoche to update them on our works and make a connection with them. I am told that the lamas were very happy to see our works and offered their prayers and support for our continuous growth. I thank them very much for this. My students also spent time getting to know our Dorje Shugden brothers and sisters, many of whom they have connected with on Facebook but never actually met before.

When I was Zawa Rinpoche’s age, I also had my own Dharma centre so I know from experience it is not easy to open a Dharma centre especially in an area where people may not be so familiar with Buddhism. Therefore I would like to offer Venerable Zawa Rinpoche my heartiest congratulations on the opening of the Tsongkhapa Meditation Centre which I know was not easy to do. I wish him every success and offer him my prayers that all of his works come to fruition.

Please scroll down to enjoy more photos below, and rejoice in the proliferation of Lama Tsongkhapa’s tradition in the west.

Tsem Rinpoche

For more information about Centre De Méditation Tsongkhapa (or Tsongkhapa Meditation Centre in English), please go to their website: French / English

There were many auspicious signs around the centre in the days leading up to the opening

There were rainbows around the sun

These rainbows appeared even when there was no rain

Some horses wandered onto the land. After Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche fed them, they left and were not seen again

As Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche installed the Dharma wheel on the roof of the gompa, five-coloured lights could be seen streaming down. These are only visible in the photograph, and not to the naked eye

When our group arrived, they bought a lot of drinks and snacks for the guests who would be attending the opening ceremony. They offered this to the Tsongkhapa Meditation Centre

Geshe Tsultrim Tenzin, an old and senior monk from Gaden Jangtse who is very gentle, learned and kind. 

With Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche’s help, my team were able to explain to Geshe-la some of the works we have been doing in recent times. Here, Geshe-la watches a video of His Eminence then 7th Panglung Kuten in trance

Beng Kooi presented on my behalf some offerings to the Tsongkhapa Meditation Centre, which Mireille Goetghebeur (their President) receives on the centre’s behalf

The Tsongkhapa Meditation Centre in Ste-Sophie, Quebec (Canada). This is the main entrance to the gompa

The monks draw auspicious lotuses on the ground using flour

Inside, the gompa was readied before the doors were sealed with five-coloured ribbons. The next time anyone would enter these doors is after His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche cut the ribbons

Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche and Geshe Tenzin Phende proceed to seal the doors to the gompa

Venerable Rabten Rinpoche arriving at the Tsongkhapa Meditation Centre

Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche offers a khata to His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche, and requests him to come to open and bless the Tsongkhapa Meditation Centre

As is tradition, the Sangha line the road to welcome His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche

His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche has arrived. Each Sangha member take it in turns to offer a khata to Trijang Rinpoche

After His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche recited prayers, cut the ribbon and entered the gompa, the rest of the guests followed suit

His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche recites prayers to consecrate the centre. From today onwards, the centre can start to run their activities and invite teachers and students to teach and study Buddhist philosophy

The consecration prayers were followed by a short break, before His Holiness returned to the gompa to give a short commentary and oral transmission on Gaden Lhagyama

Venerable Rabten Rinpoche offering mendel tensum to Kyabje Rinpoche

Kyabje Rinpoche and Venerable Rabten Rinpoche share a very close relationship

Making a mandala offering to request for the teachings. From left to right are Venerable Geshe Tsultrim Tenzin (Austria), Venerable Kalden Rinpoche (Brazil), Venerable Rabten Rinpoche (Switzerland) and Venerable Trote Rinpoche (New York)

The umze was Geshe Tenzin Phende (Austria)

I was told that His Holiness’s teachings were very well-received which does not surprise me considering he is one with Heruka and the attainments of his previous life

His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche offers a thangka to Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche in celebration of the centre’s opening

The antique Namgyalma thangka from His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche, with his signature on the bottom right of the thangka

Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche in front of the antique Namgyalma thangka gifted by His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche

The antique Namgyalma thangka gifted by His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche to Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche was also signed by His Holiness

Guests of the event were fortunate to receive blessings from His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche who is one with Heruka

His Holiness greets Ann Ogburn, a devoted student of His Eminence Domo Geshe Rinpoche

After the event, my students had audiences with the lamas in attendance, including Venerable Rabten Rinpoche. During the audience, they explained to Rinpoche the works that Kechara and myself have been doing here in Malaysia, and requested for his support and prayers which he said we have

Our Kechara team also met with many of our Tibetan friends to update them on our activities in Malaysia. Here, a group of Tibetans living in Toronto, Canada watch the video of His Eminence the 7th Panglung Kuten taking trance in Wisdom Hall, Kechara Forest Retreat (http://retreat.kechara.com)

Beng Kooi and Karen explained to Venerable Trote Rinpoche some of the beautiful pendants and tsa tsas that our departments make. For more information, please visit http://www.vajrasecrets.com

On the second day of the opening ceremony weekend, Canadian First Nation natives were invited to perform their own religious ceremony to bless the environment. Their ceremony was followed by Tibetan Buddhist chanting from the monks who were present

Tsering Lhamo, Secretary of the Canadian Gelugpa Society (Kalsang Mejung Phuntsok), makes a speech on behalf of her organisation

Mireille Goetghebeur, President of the Tsongkhapa Meditation Centre, presents a token of appreciation for the deputy mayor and local community leaders who attended the opening ceremony

Geshe Tsultrim Tenzin offers a khata to each guest

Our Kechara team also met many Tibetans who are prominent members of the Dorje Shugden movement. Here, Su Ming stands behind Geshe Phende, next to Dorjee who is Chatreng Yeshe’s son. Chatreng Yeshe (right, seated) is a former President of the Delhi Dorje Shugden Society

Beng Kooi with Geshe Phende, who now lives in Austria in Tashi Rabten Monastery, where His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche lived for many years

Beng Kooi with Geshe Cheme Tsering (centre) and Geshe Tsultrim Tenzin (right). Geshe Tsultrim, formerly of Gaden Jangtse Monastery, had to escape India in the middle of the night after his house was stoned by his ‘students’ because he practices Dorje Shugden

Beng Kooi with Chatreng Yeshe, a former President of the Delhi Dorje Shugden Society

Su Ming of Kechara with Chatreng Yeshe (who is sometimes known as Gen Yeshe). Due to Gen Yeshe’s devotion to the Dorje Shugden movement, and his many years of brave hard work to lift the ban, the Tibetans have a lot of respect for this older gentleman

Pastor Jean Ai with Gen Lobsang Youten. You may have seen Gen Youten assisting His Eminence the 7th Panglung Kuten when he took trance of Dorje Shugden during the opening of Serpom Monastery

Pastor Jean Ai with Gen Jamyang Tashi, who served the previous Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and continues to serve his reincarnation today

Pastor Jean Ai with Geshe Cheme Tsering who is an excellent translator. Geshe Cheme resides in Vermont in Trijang Buddhist Institue, where he translates the teachings of His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche

Kechara Pastor Jean Ai with Geshe Lobsang Sopa, who I used to see in Gaden Shartse all the time many years ago. Geshe Sopa is a very familiar face to my generation of monks who would often see Geshe-la out in the hot Indian sun overseeing contractors and construction works. Geshe Sopa-la is very devoted to His Holiness Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche and Dorje Shugden

Kechara Pastor Jean Ai with her friend Namden

Pastor Jean Ai with her Tibetan friend Sonam

Beng Kooi presented some gifts to Gen Youten

Su Ming with Mayum Kusho-la, a very venerable wonderful senior lady of Tibet

Beng Kooi and Su Ming with Kalden Rinpoche who travelled from Brazil to attend the opening

Kechara member Karen with Lobsang Tashi, who is Zawa Rinpoche’s assistant

Lobsang Choejor travelled from Toronto, Canada with one of my assistants Beng Kooi

Tenzin Rabjor (left) and Lobsang Rongpa (right) with Beng Kooi

Our Kechara members Su Ming, Pastor Jean Ai, Beng Kooi and Karen with Trote Rinpoche

Su Ming with Tenzin Kelsang who is the Vice President of the Canadian Gelugpa Society

Our Kechara team joined everyone at the football match and took some photos with their new friends afterwards

Beng Kooi with Ani Thupten who I am told is a very devoted student of Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche

The day after the opening, Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche took our Kechara members to visit a local Vietnamese temple. Here they are with Geshe Cheme

These are my Kechara people taking a group photo with Chatreng Yeshe, Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche and Geshe Phende

Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche with the Dorje Shugden statue I offered to their centre

The opening of Kyabje Zawa Rinpoche’s event

Or view the video on the server at: The Opening event

I had the great merits to receive a message from Geshe Tsultrim Tenzin, who is an old and senior monk and very learned and kind

Or view the video on the server at: Geshe Tsultrim Tenzin's message

I also received messages from Chatreng Yeshe, which I am very honoured to receive. Chatreng Yeshe risked his life for many years to courageously stand up against the ban on Dorje Shugden.

Or view the video on the server at: Chatreng Yeshe's message - Part 1

Or view the video on the server at: Chatreng Yeshe's message - Part 2