You've got mail

Tsem Rinpoche reading cards and letters.

Did you know that every single offering, piece of mail, letter or gift that Rinpoche receives is personally attended to by Rinpoche and a group of students?

First, everything is offered up to the Three Jewels on Rinpoche’s personal altars. Later, Rinpoche opens every single message and then reads each one very carefully, before instructions and advice are issued on what to do next.

If request for prayers are made, then Rinpoche will make those prayers. If someone genuinely needs some help, Rinpoche will reach out to them. If Rinpoche gets a feeling that a person should connect with a Buddha, or some specific puja must be done, perhaps a gift might be sent or a message in response.

To Rinpoche, if people take the time to write and express their thoughts and feelings, that is something that should be appreciated and respected. And if people confide in Rinpoche, that information is always treated as sacred because it is not always easy for people to trust someone else enough to open up to them.

If the author writes about what they like and do not like, Rinpoche will remember for the future; if the author writes about family issues they are having, Rinpoche will remember for the future. If the author refers to relationship breakdowns they are facing, Rinpoche will remember for the future. For Rinpoche, who takes his bodhisattva vows very, very seriously, receiving a message from someone becomes an opportunity to learn something more about the author so that Rinpoche can see how he can help them.

So as busy as Rinpoche is, opening gifts and reading messages is something Rinpoche never neglects. In the past, some of the instructions Rinpoche has given after receiving a message include:

• Ordering pujas at the monastery for them,
• Arranging for weekly candle and incense offerings to be made for their success,
• Giving them advice on what retreats they can do, or what prayers they can recite,
• Taking a photograph of Rinpoche with the message or gift itself, and sending it to them

Rinpoche in Bodhgaya with his gurus His Eminence Kensur Rinpoche Jampa Yeshe (left) and His Eminence Denma Locho Rinpoche (centre)

This attitude of receiving offerings was taught to Rinpoche by His Eminence Denma Locho Rinpoche, who said that when a devotee makes an offering, the recipient should, amongst other things, rejoice in the person’s generosity. Making the offering took away from something else they could have spent their money or time on. Making the offering was therefore the giver’s practice of cutting their attachments to what they desire. With this in mind, it is the responsibility of the recipient to help the giver create as much merit as possible by offering it to the Three Jewels first. Denma Locho Rinpoche’s teaching was previously covered more extensively on Rinpoche’s blog here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=102121

So if you ever wondered whether your offering reached Rinpoche, now you can be assured that it did 🙂

Mail and offerings to H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche should be directed to:

H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche
c/o Kechara House
No. 7, Jalan PJU1/3G
Sunwaymas Commercial Centre,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor 47301
Malaysia

Life in Kechara: Behind The Scenes