Auspicious Mongolian Omen

Dear special friends,

We have another interesting short post for you. As you know we have Kechara in the city with its 13 departments. I was searching for something in a more green area. Through the help of various students and events, we came upon a piece of land. I went with a group of students to see the land for the first time and upon arrival we were amazed at the greenery. We did a short prayer to Dorje Shugden wondering if this land was right for us or not and immediately a very light rain fell for a few moments from a clear sky. Myself and the people with me were at peace and felt happy. We felt this land is for us and that for simple people like us, good omens would appear.

We obtained a loan, went through the sales papers and acquired the land. As we were going through this process, out of the blue, I received a postcard from a Mongolian monk whom I never met with gifts. I have never met this monk and yet he posted this postcard with gifts wishing me a Happy New Year! I was thinking, “Who is this person whom I’ve never met in Mongolia?” I am half Mongolian from my mother’s side. So I appreciated the gifts and snapped a picture of the card and forwarded the pictures to a few friends and students. Didn’t think anymore about it at all.  I liked the Dorje Shugden face peering from the sky though on the card. I thought that is auspicious.

Later I went to visit our then barren but green Kechara Forest Retreat (KFR) land to explore. We had not started building yet. As we were driving into our land on the road, one of my students Martin stopped the car and pointed at the scene. And then showed me the card he kept on his smartphone which I had sent. I was like, “Whaaaaaat???!!!” It was an exact scene of the postcard minus monk and World Peace Protector’s face. I just stood there for a moment thinking of the light rain that happened when we first arrived at the land and now this. This was really a clear omen that my Protector Dorje Shugden wants us to have this land and build something to benefit others. I had no more doubts at all. Not just me, but many people receive clear signs from Dorje Shugden. Some people may deduce it to a coincidence, and that is your choice, but when it happens enough times, I know it’s a sign. I have been seeing good omens and signs from Dorje Shugden over the last 30 years. I doubt my ability to interpret the omens as I am ordinary but when I consult with my teachers or eminent lamas, they confirm the same thing many of the times. Now the largest Dorje Shugden statue in the world sits upon this land. This reminds me of the card with Dorje Shugden’s huge blessed face peering at us from the sky!

Now three years down the road, we are finished with Phase 1 of Kechara Forest Retreat and beginning Phase 2.

I have always trusted this gentle, kind and wise protector Dorje Shugden for the past 30 years. He has been instrumental in many positive things and my works growing. The famous and great Lama Yeshe used to say that all his works have become successful and beneficial solely due to the assistance of his principal protector Dorje Shugden. Lama Yeshe was a devoted follower. I agree with Lama Yeshe.

Sincerely,

Tsem Rinpoche

This is the incredible postcard sent to me from Mongolia which uncannily resembles our new Kechara Forest Retreat prior to building.

This is the land which was Kechara Forest Retreat when we first purchased it. It is located in Bentong, Malaysia. It looks just like the postcard from Mongolia. In the open space of our land there is just this one single mango tree standing proud and strong. Now a 24ft (7.3m) Dorje Shugden statue sits on this land.

Although my abilities are limited, due to the blessings of my lama and Protector, beneficial works can happen. It can happen for you, your lives, your work and your centre too. All of us suffer so many obstacles and we need help. Trust Dorje Shugden. Dorje Shugden is forgiving. Even if you had negative thoughts and words against Him in the past, He is very forgiving and has no trace of anger as all those were eliminated aeons ago since He is fully enlightened. Trust your mind and your hopes in this great being who is no other than Manjushri. Bring Him into your lives and you will see things change. What does He want? Your temporary happiness and eventual liberation from samsara. Appeal to Him and trust Him all the way. You will never regret it.

I’ve always wanted a huge Dorje Shugden chapel with his huge image inside so many may benefit since decades ago. Now it’s come true.

This is the first time we laid eyes on the land that would later becoming Kechara Forest Retreat. It was on this clear day after prayers to Dorje Shugden He gave a clear sign.

Below are some comments and recollections by my students who accompanied myself there on the visit that day and experienced what I saw too.

Comment by PASTOR LOH SENG PIOW, Personal Attendant of H.E. Tsem Rinpoche

It was January 31st 2012, an afternoon with a lightly overcast sky, but nothing close to dark raining clouds, Tsem Rinpoche and a few of us were standing on the main road looking directly at what is to be the future KFR land, talking and discussing, in general the feeling is good. Rinpoche asked us to be quiet for a moment to feel the environment…besides a motorcycle passing by, it was quiet and peaceful, with a little rustling of the leaves due to light breeze, birds and insects sound, an instant connection with nature which is conducive for a retreat place. Then Rinpoche spoke something like “Dorje Shugden, if this is the right place, please show some sign…” After around 10 seconds, I felt very light raindrops from the sky, just a few sparse drops lasting around 5 seconds, and it stopped. The sign was obvious, although it was a sunless sky, usually the cirrus clouds would hardly drop a few raindrops, and at that precise moment just after Rinpoche made his prayer…

~ Pastor Loh Seng Piow

Comment by DATUK MAY PHNG, President of Kechara House

On that day, Rinpoche and a group of us went to view a few pieces of land identified by our search party led by Martin.

The last piece of land to view was along Jalan Chamang, Bentong. We stood on the outside of the land and everyone of us liked it.

Then Rinpoche asked for a sign from our Protector. Without overhead clouds nor lightning and thunder, large drops of rain fell on precisely where we’re standing and then there was no more rain.

That was the sign from our Protector.

~ Datuk May Phng

Comment by DATO’ RUBY KHONG

One day Rinpoche called a few of his students to a meeting and said to us that we should have a retreat centre so that we don’t have trouble with neighbours who often complain about too many cars parked in the neighbourhood. It must not be more than an hour’s drive away from KL because if too far, the city folks will be more tired by the time they come back to the city than when they started off. Rinpoche assigned a few students to recce suitable land and then propose to us.

After a few weeks, three pieces of land were identified. A day was picked and we went in two cars. Among those were Datuk May, Pastor Henry, Irene, Martin and Li Kheng. The first piece was near Genting Sempah which we all thought would be a good idea. Unfortunately, we could hear clearly the sound of the traffic from the highway. Second piece was also unsuitable because the agent had misinformed us that there was a stream running through the land but it turned out that the stream bordered the land.

We were disappointed and one of the students said we should just cancel going to the third piece because it is further and would need to go through Bentong town which usually has heavy traffic. However, Pastor Henry and I decided that we should just go since we have already gone that far. Everyone was tired as it was a hot day.

When we arrived at the third piece of land along Jalan Chamang, everyone came down and stood outside because it had fence around it. Rinpoche walked straight to me, was in a jovial mood and asked if I like this land. I said, “I love it” to which Rinpoche replied, “I love it too.” We saw acres of flat land and a hill lock and it would be easier to build than the others that we saw which had more challenging terrain. The rest of the entourage liked what they saw too except for one or two.

Rinpoche asked everyone to keep quiet and concentrate and just soak in the environment and see how we feel. Then Rinpoche looked up and said, “If this is the right piece of land for us to build what we intended to, show us a sign.” We all stood quietly and focused. I think in less than one and the half minutes, it drizzled. It was a sunny day and the drizzle was just above and around us, and nowhere else. Everyone felt it. I mean it was not an imagination. The Rinpoche looked up to the sky again, pressed his palms together and said, “Thank You.”

A few weeks later, the Mongolian postcard arrived.

~ Dato’ Ruby Khong

HOW KFR LAND WAS FOUND: Comment by PASTOR HENRY OOI

After another piece of land met with some obstacles and we didn’t build there, Rinpoche asked a few people to scout around neighbouring lands even as far as until Bentong. One of them was Martin who contacted some real estate agents and I went with him to view a few pieces of land. One of them was KFR land. The real estate agent and his wife showed us the land from the main road of Jalan Chamang because the gate to the land was padlocked.

Rinpoche wanted to visit some of the lands we saw and together with a few Kecharians we viewed two other pieces of land before KFR. It was a sunny evening, around 5++PM when we arrived at Jalan Chamang. As the gate was still padlocked Rinpoche walked up and down the road fronting KFR land. Rinpoche asked our opinion and the general consensus was that this land is suitable because it’s just at the road giving easy accessibility into the land; available power and water source, and terrains not steep compared to Genting Sempah. The only setback was that there was no signal for mobile phone.

After the general consensus Rinpoche looked up and said (not verbatim), “My lord, if this is the land for us to build our retreat centre, please show us a sign.” Rinpoche asked us to be quiet because we were talking among ourselves. A few minutes passed and then we felt a very light shower of rain on us but only around the area where we stood. Tiny drops of rain fell on my glasses and as I looked up I could see the sky was clear with no clouds. Rinpoche said, “Thank you, my Lord.” Then Rinpoche spoke to us, “Our protector has given us the sign. We should buy the land.” The rest was history.

~ Pastor Henry Ooi

Comment by IRENE LIM

As we turned into Chamang, Rinpoche said, “This remind us of the road in Mungod going into Gaden Monastery, isn’t it? This is so fun, it has been a long since we rode together like this.” And I nodded in agreement and said, “Yes Rinpoche.” The next thing I knew the rain slowed down and disappeared as we approached the land. When Pastor Seng Piow drew the car to a halt, the rain had stopped. Then Rinpoche turned around to me again and said, “Irene, didn’t I tell you the rain will stop?” I was in awe and speechless. We went down to the roadside by the land to view the land. By which time, Datuk May, Pastor Henry and Martin Chow (he was the one who found the land and led us there) had also arrived to join us in the viewing. As we stood at the roadside discussing the land, Rinpoche announced loudly, “If this is the right place for us, show us signs.” There was a complete silence amongst us and we waited. There came a drizzle around us, although the rain had completely stopped when our car had pulled to the roadside and we alighted. We all stood in silence for awhile to affirm ourselves that what we had seen, our eyes were not playing tricks with us. We knew Rinpoche was happy with the find and the gods had shown us the sign. Thereafter, we immediately sign up the purchase of the land that to become Kechara Forest Retreat now.

~ Irene Lim

Comment by MARTIN CHOW

I remember clearly the day Tsem Rinpoche first saw the Chamang land on which Kechara Forest Retreat is built on today.

A few weeks before that, instructions were given to search for a suitable piece of land to build a retreat centre and one of the criteria was that it had to be sufficiently flat and also within 30 minutes drive from the Kechara World Peace Centre site at Genting Sempah.

Finally, a short list of 4 potential sites was made and we and the senior liaisons at the time invited Rinpoche to visit the short-listed sites. On the day of the visit, the Chamang land was the last on the list of sites to see. Just before that we had visited another piece on land in Bentong near the Petronas patrol kiosk. Right after that visit and just as Rinpoche got into the car to drive up to Chamang, it poured the kind of rain that you don’t want to be caught in. I could not even see the hood of the car with the wipers going at full speed.

The question was raise whether we should just abandon the visit but Rinpoche wanted to see it anyway. I was wondering how Rinpoche would be able to see the Chamang land in that kind of storm.

About 100 metres from what is now the main entrance to KFR, the rain suddenly stopped. I remember that it did not dissipate into a drizzle but rather it just miraculously stopped. Irene Lim who was in the car with Rinpoche would tell me later that Rinpoche had said to her that the rain would stop, and it did just that.

Rinpoche got out of the car and with the rest of us looked at the land but we could only see from outside the gate as we did not have the key to enter. I remember Rinpoche remarking that the land looked very good. After a while Rinpoche made a prayer to our Protector, Dorje Shugden and asked that if this was where Dorje Shugden wanted Rinpoche to build a retreat centre from where the lineage would spread worldwide, then for the Protector to give Rinpoche a sign. Remember that the rain had stopped and in fact the place was quite dry. But as soon as Rinpoche made that request to Dorje Shugden, a single drop of rain fell on Rinpoche’s head. Just that single drop and with that Rinpoche said that the Protector had given his sign that Chamang was to be where KFR should be built.

Months after that as KFR was being built, Dorje Shugden would manifest many signs and miracles.

~ Martin Chow

First visit to KFR Land in 2012: Comment by PHNG LI KHENG

It was Chinese New Year and I was back in Malaysia for the holiday season with my family. One of the highlights of my trips back to Malaysia included spending time with Tsem Rinpoche and fellow Kecharians.

The Chinese New Year of 2012 was especially memorable because it was the year we found the perfect piece of land to build a retreat that will be a haven for spiritual seekers.

On the 8th day of Chinese New Year, Martin, a fellow Kecharian who was assigned the honor to find suitable land to build our first retreat center organized for Rinpoche to view two pieces of properties. The “entourage” who accompanied Rinpoche for this occasion was Datuk May, Dato Ruby, Pastor Henry, Pastor Seng Piow and Irene as well as Martin.

We arrived at the first location and looked around; opinions were shared. Then, the sky started looking gloomy, prompting us to get into the car and head to the second location – Jalan Chamang, Bentong.

As we drove into Bentong town, with the bus station on our left, it started to pour heavily all of a sudden. I remember thinking to myself: “Oh oh, it would be impossible to see the land with this weather!” However, the 2 vehicles continued to drive through Bentong town. Just as we made the left turn onto Jalan Chamang, the rain slowed…and by the time we reached the land, it stopped completely! I understand that heavy rain passes fast… but 5 minutes is really quite exceptional. I remember thinking to myself: This must be Rinpoche “at work” because I hear of stories where highly attained Dharma masters have the ability to control the weather.

Anyway, we all got out of the car, and as we can see in the photos, we did not need to use an umbrella. The group looked at the land and the map, we were saying that the flat land in front combined with the hills at the back of the land would be perfect for the retreat space. As the group seemed to like the land, Rinpoche asked us to be silent. As the natural sounds of nature surround us, Rinpoche requested for the Protector to give us a sign if this was a suitable place for our work to flourish and benefit many. A few seconds after Rinpoche ended his “conversation”, I felt a few sprinkle of rain drop on my face. Awed, everyone looked at each other after experiencing the miracle. After those few sprinkles of raindrop, it did not drizzle or rain again. Therefore, it was truly a positive sign in respond to Rinpoche’s request.

We hung around a little longer before heading back to Kuala Lumpur.

As we drove back, I felt very privileged to have witnessed the kindness of our Guru and Protector in guiding us to do benevolent work. It is this brief moment of affirmation that maintained my faith in the work we do in Kechara Forest Retreat regardless of the challenges and obstacles.

Today, phase 1 of Kechara Forest Retreat is completed and we have welcomed family and close friends to enjoy this sanctuary of peace and happiness. It never fails to fill me with joy when I see how people heal and simply find joy by soaking up the blessed energies of the retreat. I look forward to the completion of Kechara Forest Retreat so that we will be able to welcome more guests.

Grateful and humbled,
Li Kheng

~ Phng Li Kheng