Tsem Tulku
Encyclopedia
Tsem Tulku Rinpoche (born October 24, 1965) is a tulku
, a reincarnate lama
of the Gelug
school of Tibetan Buddhism
, and the founder and spiritual guide of the Kechara House Buddhist Association in Malaysia.
's Shartse college and the Gyuto tantric college. His predecessors were Gedun Nyedrak, a Kham
pa who served as Ganden Shartse's 72nd abbot; and Kentrul Thubten Lamsang, from Drikung, who died in Phari during the 1950s. Since the former came from a family which owed ties of fealty to Tsem Monastery, which housed a tooth of Tsongkhapa as a holy relic (tsem being the honorific Tibetan word for "tooth"), the name "Tsem" came to be applied to the tulku lineage; hence Tsem Tulku's appellation. ("Rinpoche" is an honorific meaning "precious," which is customarily affixed to the names of lamas.)
Mongolian
woman whom Tsem Tulku describes as a "princess" (she was the grand-daughter of Prince Palta, a Xinjiang
government official during the Qing
and Nationalist
periods; and the daughter of Mingyur Wang, briefly a member of the ROC National Assembly
); and Lobsang Gyatso, a Tibetan from Ngawa with ties to the Tibetan exile government who, after fleeing to Taiwan, ran a school for Tibetan refugee children. According to Tsem Tulku's website,
The future Tsem Tulku spent his first seven years in Taipei, living under the care of a foster family. His Chinese (and presumably original) name was 葛宜山 (Gě Yíshān).
In 1972 his mother's family arranged for him to be adopted by a Kalmyk
family in Howell, New Jersey, where the U.S. government had resettled a number of Kalmyk refugees. His adoptive parents (whom he was led to believe were his birth parents) were Dana and Boris Bugayeff. Tsem Tulku remembers the couple as controlling and abusive, and reports that he attempted several times to commit suicide, and several times to run away from home.
Tsem Tulku recalls having been attracted to Buddhist deities from an early age. He drew amulet
s featuring them and at one point, imagined "a red lady" (Vajrayogini) with the power to "take us from this world fast!" Despite his adoptive family's disapproval of his involvement in religion, he gravitated towards Rashi Gempil Ling, a nearby Mongolian Buddhist temple where Khensur Lobsang Tarchin resided. He received his first tantric empowerments (into the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum
and the "Eight Verses of Mind Transformation") during a 1979 visit of the Dalai Lama.
In 1981, at the age of 16, he ran away from home for the final time after an argument with his father. His website reports:
In Los Angeles
, he worked several jobs (including McDonalds and Fotomat
); earned a GED
while attending Mark Keppel High School
in 1983; and lived in Thubten Dargye Ling, a Gelugpa dharma center. For six months he served as a personal assistant to visiting lama Zong Rinpoche, who became his Root Guru
. At this time he received the Yamantaka initiation, which he describes as "critical" for other teachings he would later receive. At the same time he attempted to find work as an actor. He was an extra in the 1983 Stephen King
/ John Carpenter
film Christine, and was apparently sought for a role in the 1986 Eddie Murphy
vehicle, Golden Child
.
Zong Rinpoche urged him to become a monk, come to India, and stay with him at Zong Ladrang (in Ganden Monastery). The future Tsem Tulku promised to do so. Although Zong Rinpoche died soon after, in 1984, he kept his promise, and in 1987 received monastic vows from the Dalai Lama. For the next nine years (1988–1997) he studied at Ganden Shartse (in Mundgod
, Karnataka
), under Kensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche and Lati Rinpoche
, while living in a small room in Zong Ladrang. Tsem Tulku remembers this as a time of poor health and financial hardship.
In 1992, on the instructions of his gurus, Tsem Tulku embarked upon a fund-raising tour to Malaysia. The trip was a success, and a number of Malaysian Chinese
Buddhists requested his return. Accordingly, Tsem Tulku Rinpoche left India and settled in Kuala Lumpur
.
In 1999 he and a local sponsor, Dato' Eric Tan, opened "Kechara Paradise," a store (now a small chain) selling dharma items. ("Kechara" is the name of the Pure Land
of Vajrayogini.) Rinpoche would give teachings there, or in people's homes. By 2002 his disciples were meeting on rented premises ("Tara House" in Kelana Jaya
). In 2004 the first permanent dharma center, "Kechara House," opened. In 2006 Tsem Tulku created a "Liaisons Council" to head what was becoming a network of centers, shops, and activities, all with "Kechara" as part of their names. (See below for a description of these.)
. The Liaisons Council supervises thirteen departments, whose heads may or may not simultaneously serve as Liaisons.
As of 2010, some 95 people work for the organization in some capacity (often on a volunteer basis). The Kechara group seems to have several hundred active members, and a less-committed following of perhaps a thousand or so. Except for a few Westerners, nearly all participants are Malaysian Chinese
. (To proselytize Muslim Malays would be illegal under Malaysian law; see Religious freedom in Malaysia.)
pa order); propitiation of Setrap Chen (the dharma protector
associated with Ganden Shartse); and the highest yoga tantra of Vajrayogini (which he considers the most suitable highest yoga tantra for modern laypeople for its relative simplicity and erotic imagery, modern society being highly sexualized). He often recommends the study, recitation, and practice of Lojong
texts such as the "Eight Verses of Thought Transformation", the Wheel of Sharp Weapons, and Tsongkhapa's "Twenty-Seven Verses on Mind Training."
Tsem Tulku is a strong supporter of vegetarianism
and animal rescue
(or release). (He owns a number of pets, who are often mentioned on his blog.)
and Twitter
. His numerous You-Tube postings include, for example, his imitation of "a Baptist evangelist" (in which the expressions "Halle-Buddha-Jah" and "matchy-matchy-poo" come up) and a running commentary on the 1962 film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
. He reports a deep interest in UFO's and other "unsolved mysteries." Despite being a monk, he does not normally wear robes outside of religious settings (on the advice of his gurus).
He does not give any initiations, not even as blessings to normal laity.
Several books have been compiled from Tsem Tulku's teachings. These include Why I Make Myself Unhappy (Kechara, 2005), Faces of Enlightenment (Kechara, 2006), and Peace: A Compilation of Short Teachings (Kechara, 2009). If Not Now, When? (Kechara, 2008) is a coffee-table book of quotations.
A number of Tsem Tulku's dharma talks are available for sale as DVDs, or free through various forms of electronic media (see links elsewhere in this article).
Several of Tsem Tulku's disciples have published spiritual memoirs. These include Jamie Khoo's Call Me Paris (Kechara, 2010) and David Lai's There's No Way But Up (Kechara, 2010).
Tulku
In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his predecessor. In contrast to a tulku, all other sentient beings including other...
, a reincarnate lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
of the Gelug
Gelug
The Gelug or Gelug-pa , also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Je Tsongkhapa , a philosopher and Tibetan religious leader...
school of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
, and the founder and spiritual guide of the Kechara House Buddhist Association in Malaysia.
Tulku lineage
Tsem Tulku is the third in the line of tulkus associated with Ganden MonasteryGanden Monastery
Ganden Monastery or Ganden Namgyeling is one of the 'great three' Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, located at the top of Wangbur Mountain, Tagtse County, 36 kilometers ENE from the Potala Palace in Lhasa, at an altitude of 4,300m...
's Shartse college and the Gyuto tantric college. His predecessors were Gedun Nyedrak, a Kham
Kham
Kham , is a historical region covering a land area largely divided between present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region and Sichuan province, with smaller portions located within Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces of China. During the Republic of China's rule over mainland China , most of the region was...
pa who served as Ganden Shartse's 72nd abbot; and Kentrul Thubten Lamsang, from Drikung, who died in Phari during the 1950s. Since the former came from a family which owed ties of fealty to Tsem Monastery, which housed a tooth of Tsongkhapa as a holy relic (tsem being the honorific Tibetan word for "tooth"), the name "Tsem" came to be applied to the tulku lineage; hence Tsem Tulku's appellation. ("Rinpoche" is an honorific meaning "precious," which is customarily affixed to the names of lamas.)
Biography
Tsem Tulku was born in Taipei, Taiwan to Dewa Nimbo, an Old TorghutTorghut
The Torgut are one of the four major subgroups of the Four Oirats. The Torghut ruling dynasty traced its descent to the Kereit ruler Wang Khan's bodyguards....
Mongolian
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
woman whom Tsem Tulku describes as a "princess" (she was the grand-daughter of Prince Palta, a Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
government official during the Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
and Nationalist
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
periods; and the daughter of Mingyur Wang, briefly a member of the ROC National Assembly
National Assembly of the Republic of China
The National Assembly of the Republic of China refers to several parliamentary bodies that existed in the Republic of China. The National Assembly was originally founded in 1913 as the first legislature in Chinese history, but was disbanded less than a year later as President Yuan Shikai assumed...
); and Lobsang Gyatso, a Tibetan from Ngawa with ties to the Tibetan exile government who, after fleeing to Taiwan, ran a school for Tibetan refugee children. According to Tsem Tulku's website,
The future Tsem Tulku spent his first seven years in Taipei, living under the care of a foster family. His Chinese (and presumably original) name was 葛宜山 (Gě Yíshān).
- Note: Rinpoche gives his Mongolian name as Iska Minh, affecting the title of "prince." In the United States, he was known as Burcha Bugayeff, while his ordination name is Tenzin Sopa.
In 1972 his mother's family arranged for him to be adopted by a Kalmyk
Kalmyk
Kalmyk , "Kalmuck," "Kalmuk," or "Kalmyki"' may refer to:*Kalmyk people or Kalmyks , a group of western Mongolic people*Kalmyk language , the language of the Kalmyk people...
family in Howell, New Jersey, where the U.S. government had resettled a number of Kalmyk refugees. His adoptive parents (whom he was led to believe were his birth parents) were Dana and Boris Bugayeff. Tsem Tulku remembers the couple as controlling and abusive, and reports that he attempted several times to commit suicide, and several times to run away from home.
Tsem Tulku recalls having been attracted to Buddhist deities from an early age. He drew amulet
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
s featuring them and at one point, imagined "a red lady" (Vajrayogini) with the power to "take us from this world fast!" Despite his adoptive family's disapproval of his involvement in religion, he gravitated towards Rashi Gempil Ling, a nearby Mongolian Buddhist temple where Khensur Lobsang Tarchin resided. He received his first tantric empowerments (into the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum
Om mani padme hum
is the six syllabled mantra particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteshvara , the bodhisattva of compassion...
and the "Eight Verses of Mind Transformation") during a 1979 visit of the Dalai Lama.
In 1981, at the age of 16, he ran away from home for the final time after an argument with his father. His website reports:
In Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, he worked several jobs (including McDonalds and Fotomat
Fotomat
Fotomat was a once-widespread retail chain of photo development drive-thru kiosks located in shopping center parking lots. Fotomat Corporation was founded by Preston Fleet in San Diego, California, in the 1960s, , and became a public company in 1971 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1977...
); earned a GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
while attending Mark Keppel High School
Mark Keppel High School
Mark Keppel High School is a four-year California Distinguished School located in the city of Alhambra, California in the Alhambra Unified School District. The school is on the southern edge of Alhambra, adjacent to the City of Monterey Park, and borders the Interstate 10 Freeway...
in 1983; and lived in Thubten Dargye Ling, a Gelugpa dharma center. For six months he served as a personal assistant to visiting lama Zong Rinpoche, who became his Root Guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
. At this time he received the Yamantaka initiation, which he describes as "critical" for other teachings he would later receive. At the same time he attempted to find work as an actor. He was an extra in the 1983 Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
/ John Carpenter
John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor. Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction.- Early life :Carpenter was born...
film Christine, and was apparently sought for a role in the 1986 Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
vehicle, Golden Child
Golden Child
Golden Child may refer to:* Golden Child, a 1997 song by DJ Sammy* The Golden Child, 1986 movie starring Eddie Murphy* Golden Child, 1998 play by David Henry Hwang...
.
Zong Rinpoche urged him to become a monk, come to India, and stay with him at Zong Ladrang (in Ganden Monastery). The future Tsem Tulku promised to do so. Although Zong Rinpoche died soon after, in 1984, he kept his promise, and in 1987 received monastic vows from the Dalai Lama. For the next nine years (1988–1997) he studied at Ganden Shartse (in Mundgod
Mundgod
Mundgod is a panchayat town in Uttara Kannada district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It lies en route to Hubli from Sirsi. It is a Main road town.-Tourist attractions of Mundgod region:* Tibetan colony Mundgod...
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
), under Kensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche and Lati Rinpoche
Lati Rinpoche
Kyabje Lati Rinpoche Born in the Kham region of Eastern Tibet in 1922, Lati Rinpoche was identified as the reincarnation of a great practitioner by Gongkar Rinpoche and entered monastic life at the age of 10....
, while living in a small room in Zong Ladrang. Tsem Tulku remembers this as a time of poor health and financial hardship.
In 1992, on the instructions of his gurus, Tsem Tulku embarked upon a fund-raising tour to Malaysia. The trip was a success, and a number of Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin. Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries. Within Malaysia, they are usually simply referred to as "Chinese" in all languages. The term Chinese Malaysian is also sometimes used to refer to...
Buddhists requested his return. Accordingly, Tsem Tulku Rinpoche left India and settled in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
.
In 1999 he and a local sponsor, Dato' Eric Tan, opened "Kechara Paradise," a store (now a small chain) selling dharma items. ("Kechara" is the name of the Pure Land
Pure land
A pure land, in Mahayana Buddhism, is the celestial realm or pure abode of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The various traditions that focus on Pure Lands have been given the nomenclature Pure Land Buddhism. Pure lands are also evident in the literature and traditions of Taoism and Bön.The notion of 'pure...
of Vajrayogini.) Rinpoche would give teachings there, or in people's homes. By 2002 his disciples were meeting on rented premises ("Tara House" in Kelana Jaya
Kelana Jaya
Kelana Jaya is a suburb of Petaling Jaya city, in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Kelana Centre Point is a popular shopping mall in this township...
). In 2004 the first permanent dharma center, "Kechara House," opened. In 2006 Tsem Tulku created a "Liaisons Council" to head what was becoming a network of centers, shops, and activities, all with "Kechara" as part of their names. (See below for a description of these.)
Kechara House Buddhist Association
Kechara House Buddhist Association (KHBA), formally registered in 2001, is led by a "Liaisons Council" consisting of (presently) 21 Liaisons, 6 of whom double as the KHBA's Board of Directors. New Liaisons are voted in by existing Liaisons. The structure was apparently modeled after that of Ganden MonasteryGanden Monastery
Ganden Monastery or Ganden Namgyeling is one of the 'great three' Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, located at the top of Wangbur Mountain, Tagtse County, 36 kilometers ENE from the Potala Palace in Lhasa, at an altitude of 4,300m...
. The Liaisons Council supervises thirteen departments, whose heads may or may not simultaneously serve as Liaisons.
As of 2010, some 95 people work for the organization in some capacity (often on a volunteer basis). The Kechara group seems to have several hundred active members, and a less-committed following of perhaps a thousand or so. Except for a few Westerners, nearly all participants are Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin. Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries. Within Malaysia, they are usually simply referred to as "Chinese" in all languages. The term Chinese Malaysian is also sometimes used to refer to...
. (To proselytize Muslim Malays would be illegal under Malaysian law; see Religious freedom in Malaysia.)
Spiritual practice
Tsem Tulku particularly emphasizes the practices of guru devotion to Tsongkhapa (traditionally credited with having founded the GelugGelug
The Gelug or Gelug-pa , also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Je Tsongkhapa , a philosopher and Tibetan religious leader...
pa order); propitiation of Setrap Chen (the dharma protector
Dharmapala
In Vajrayana Buddhism, a dharmapāla is a type of wrathful deity. The name means "Dharma-defender" in Sanskrit, and the dharmapālas are also known as the Defenders of the Law , or the Protectors of the Law, in English....
associated with Ganden Shartse); and the highest yoga tantra of Vajrayogini (which he considers the most suitable highest yoga tantra for modern laypeople for its relative simplicity and erotic imagery, modern society being highly sexualized). He often recommends the study, recitation, and practice of Lojong
Lojong
Lojong is a mind training practice in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition based on a set of aphorisms formulated in Tibet in the 12th century by Geshe Chekhawa...
texts such as the "Eight Verses of Thought Transformation", the Wheel of Sharp Weapons, and Tsongkhapa's "Twenty-Seven Verses on Mind Training."
Tsem Tulku is a strong supporter of vegetarianism
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
and animal rescue
Animal rescue
Animal rescue can refer to:* Animal Rescue TV series* Animal sanctuary* Animal welfare* Rescue groups for pets* Pet Rescue * RSPCA Animal Rescue TV series* Wildlife rescue* Wildlife rehabilitation...
(or release). (He owns a number of pets, who are often mentioned on his blog.)
Teaching style
Tsem Tulku's personal style is difficult to describe objectively, yet is crucial to any understanding of his influence. He cuts a flamboyant figure, calling himself "the Neon Lama." He is an active blogger and user of FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
. His numerous You-Tube postings include, for example, his imitation of "a Baptist evangelist" (in which the expressions "Halle-Buddha-Jah" and "matchy-matchy-poo" come up) and a running commentary on the 1962 film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film)
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 American psychological thriller film produced and directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The screenplay by Lukas Heller is based on the novel of the same name by Henry Farrell...
. He reports a deep interest in UFO's and other "unsolved mysteries." Despite being a monk, he does not normally wear robes outside of religious settings (on the advice of his gurus).
He does not give any initiations, not even as blessings to normal laity.
Writings
Tsem Tulku is the author of Gurus for Hire: Enlightenment for Sale (Kuala Lumpur: Kechara, 2007), which combines autobiography with spiritual commentary. It discusses "the precarious, often tricky Guru-disciple relationship" and "all the political games that are played behind closed temple doors." He also wrote Compassion Conquers All: Teachings on the Eight Verses of Mind Transformation (Kechara, 2007), a textual commentary.Several books have been compiled from Tsem Tulku's teachings. These include Why I Make Myself Unhappy (Kechara, 2005), Faces of Enlightenment (Kechara, 2006), and Peace: A Compilation of Short Teachings (Kechara, 2009). If Not Now, When? (Kechara, 2008) is a coffee-table book of quotations.
A number of Tsem Tulku's dharma talks are available for sale as DVDs, or free through various forms of electronic media (see links elsewhere in this article).
Several of Tsem Tulku's disciples have published spiritual memoirs. These include Jamie Khoo's Call Me Paris (Kechara, 2010) and David Lai's There's No Way But Up (Kechara, 2010).
External links
- Tsem Tulku official website - includes link to blog
- Kechara House website
- Lama’s brand new approach - article in The Star newspaper
- Finding his own peace - article in The Star newspaper
- Painted with a prayer Buddhist Channel interview with Tsem Tulku about thangka paintings
- Look at bigger picture to tackle homelessness, says Rosmah - article in Bernama