In keeping with Tibetan Buddhist tradition, please follow these guidelines for etiquette and respect when entering a holy place. The same guidelines should be followed in the presence of our Spiritual Guide, H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, or any Sangha in Kechara House.
If you are unsure of what to do, please refer to senior KECHARA members or any of our Liaisons, who will guide you.
The basic idea is to create awareness of our body, speech and mind, by practising courtesy and respect to Dharma objects, the Sangha and to our Dharma members and friends.
The Audience Room
A. Visitors may enter to view accompanied by a staff or volunteer member of Kechara House.
B. Place where Rinpoche prepares before and rests after a Dharma talk.
C. Place where Rinpoche holds audiences to give blessing, spiritual and religious advice and to do divination.
D. Before entering, visitors should be briefed first the protocol regardless whether Rinpoche is present or not.
E. With a good motivation, visitors should make three prostrations to Rinpoche’s throne and then proceed to make offerings like khata, flower, fruit, body/speech/mind, ang-pow etc to the throne.
F. The khata is to be placed across the throne’s small table in front of the throne. Other offerings may be placed on the small table or on the floor in front of the throne.
G. Visitors are then briefed of the importance of the audience room, images of Buddhas on the altar, stand alone and wall hung.
H. Rinpoche’s robes may be viewed but not touched.
I. Please speak in an audible tone but restrain from making jokes and laughing.
J. Before leaving, visitors do not make any prostrations to the throne. Tibetan tradition believes that by doing so, one may not meet the Lama again.
K. The staff or volunteer member should ensure that the lights and air conditioner are turned off upon leaving, and the room door is closed after.
Audiences with Rinpoche
A. Visitors may offer the khata to Rinpoche to receive His blessing. Other offerings may not be handed to the Rinpoche but be placed on the small table, in front of the throne or handed to the attendant(s).
B. Visitors should state clearly the intent of their visit and only take their seats on the floor cushions or chairs when Rinpoche gestures.
C. Visitors are reminded to be polite and direct with their visit, bearing in mind that there are others waiting in line to seek audience with Rinpoche.
D. Before leaving, do not make prostrations to Rinpoche but may bid farewell and leave quietly, if possible with their backs away from Rinpoche.
Dress Code
Please dress appropriately and with sensitivity befitting a house of worship.
In The Prayer Hall
Please take off your shoes before entering the prayer hall (Gompa) and place them at the shoes racks provided.
On entering the Gompa, we usually make three prostrations in half or full length format, or show a suitable form of respect to the Buddhas and our Rinpoche or Spiritual Guide (visualized on the throne).
For those wishing to participate, the format of prostration is as follows:
1. With palms together, place the hands at the top of the head. Recite “Namo Guru Beh”.
2. Place the hands at the forehead and recite “Namo Buddha Ya”.
3. Place the hands at the throat, and recite “Namo Dharma Ya”.
4. Place the hands at the heart and recite “Namo Sangha Ya”.
5. Kneel on hands and knees, touching forehead to ground very briefly and rising quickly.
6. Perform the entire act three (3) times altogether.
Rinpoche’s Entrance To The Gompa
Stand, with folded hands, and bow slightly when Rinpoche or the Spiritual Guide enters the Gompa. Remain standing while he prostrates to the Buddhas and his own Teachers (visualized on the throne).
At the point when Rinpoche is seated, it is customary for all students to perform three (3) formal prostrations as a sign of respect to the Guru and to the holy teachings that will be conveyed in the session. Other non-members may join in or stand quietly.
1. Then take your seat and settle down quietly. At this time, ensure that your mobile phone is either set to “Silent” mode or switch off the handset. If you have an extremely urgent call, please leave the Gompa as quietly as possible to minimize disruption to the session. However, it is advised to not take any calls out of consideration to others.
2. We must always remain quiet throughout the session when the Spiritual Guide is giving his teaching unless you are requested to speak.
General Etiquette
Other than the usual respectful behavior, such as sitting quietly and alert during the teaching, there are some guidelines of etiquette specific to Eastern traditions and following the Tibetan Buddhism practice.
A. Avoid stretching your legs towards Rinpoche or altar, as pointing the soles of one’s feet is considered disrespectful.
B. Do not place spiritual texts on the floor or rug. They may be placed on top of a folder pack, pillow, handbag, etc. which is on the floor.
C. When moving about, try not to step directly over such texts or over other people’s cushions.
D. Do not interrupt during the formal teachings by Rinpoche, but reserve your questions for later, when Rinpoche indicates it is appropriate.
E. If you wish to seek blessings or personal audience with Rinpoche, it is customary to contact one of the liaisons to arrange for his audience and not to approach Rinpoche directly.
F. Do not approach Rinpoche during break time. Please make your request with any of the Liaisons if you wish to seek audience with Rinpoche.
G. At the end of each teaching session, if any guests or dharma members wish to request blessings from Rinpoche or to seek a personal audience, you may do so by contacting any liaisons directly to arrange this. At the time of meeting Rinpoche, you make your personal offerings. Monetary offerings should be inserted into an envelope / ang pow and placed on the Rinpoche’s throne. It is customary, following the Tibetan practice, to offer a khata with your gift. Please bring a khata or one can be purchased at the retail corner.
H. Should you have any personal questions / queries written to Rinpoche directly, you may pass your correspondences / envelopes to any of Rinpoche’s liaisons.
I. If you need to leave early during the teaching, please do so quietly and inconspicuously as possible, standing and putting your folded hands position, bowing slightly and then exiting the room.
J. Do not bring or place drinks / foods into the Gompa during prayer or dharma talk’s sessions. If you need to consume, kindly proceed to the pantry area. In addition, only vegetarian food is allowed into the centre.
K. In the event that you would like to inform the members about other centers or lamas, please get approvals from Kechara House’s President or Vice President BEFORE disseminating any information.
L. Please do not take prayer books or prayer sheets out of the Gompa as they are the property of Kechara House. Kechara House has produced a prayer book called ‘Essence of Bliss’ (General prayers) and ‘Shartse’s Jewel’ (Setrap Puja) both of which are available at KH and all our outlets.
M. If you are new to KH and would like to receive regular updates, please sign up with one of our Kechara Care Team members or fill in a form with your details.
N. If you have any comments or suggestions for improving KH and its services, please contact Kechara Care Team.
Addressing the Guru
Our Lama or Spiritual Guide is His Eminence (H.E.), Tsem Tulku Rinpoche (pronounce T-SEM TUL-ku RIN-po-che). During the face-to-face discourse, as when raising questions during a teaching, address him as “Rinpoche”, as a term of respect for highly attained Gurus, who are incarnate Lamas.
It is customary to always address the Spiritual Guide with honorific titles, such as “Tsem Rinpoche”, “Tsem Tulku Rinpoche”, or “Rinpoche”. The term “Tulku” refers to an incarnate lama, but is not used in conversational address for the lama.
When Food / Meals are served:
During a break time when meals are served, Rinpoche and visiting teachers, ordained Sanghas (monks and nuns) and other special guests are normally served first. After that we can help ourselves to the food.
It is customary to wait until the Sangha members and honored guests have eaten and prayers are made before we eat. Please take your meals appropriately, then sit down quietly so that Rinpoche does not have to wait too long for us before he begins the teachings again.
When The Spiritual Guide Exits The Gompa:
As Rinpoche stands to leave, we must quickly stand and bow slightly with folded hands, until Rinpoche is out of the room. No one should approach Rinpoche directly or move towards his throne while he is making his way to his private room.
At the end of the last session of a teaching or a puja, it is very auspicious to offer a mandala offering of thanks to Rinpoche, presented by the President of Kechara House with the umze / lead chanter singing the mandala offering prayer and also leading the rest of the attendees to do the same.
Do not prostrate to Rinpoche when leaving his presence.
End Of A Session
It is extremely meritorious if all visitors and members can help clear the Gompa room together with the staff/volunteers to maintain cleanliness/orderliness before leaving the Gompa such as:
A. Clear Offerings
B. Wash and put away utensils and cups
C. Put away cushions, prayer books and chairs
D. Ensure general cleanliness and tidiness of the center
