When asked to describe himself, David Lai says he is just an ordinary guy who enjoys life but knows when to knuckle down and work when necessary. An outgoing Buddhist with a refreshingly modern take on life and spirituality, David says that since meeting H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, the way he relates to people now is strongly inspired by Rinpoche’s Dharma teachings. A former Sales Executive for Canon and Volvo, David is now a writer with Kechara Media & Publications.

How long have you been with Kechara? How were you introduced to Kechara?

As one of the pioneers of Kechara, I’ve been around since the beginning! Therefore I can’t really say there was one particular person or moment which introduced me to Kechara – it was H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche and some of Rinpoche’s senior students who helped to set up Kechara.

What attracted you to Kechara? When did you start Dharma, and why?

I would say that Kechara attracted me because I found it modern, fun, trendy, accepting and very sincere. I started Dharma after I listened to a few teachings given by Rinpoche – I found his talks to be very deep, philosophical, accepting and what he said made a lot of sense to me. His talks answered a lot of my questions and when I applied the teachings, I could see results happening in me.

Did you have any spiritual inclinations before you came to Kechara? What did you understand about spirituality? What questions did you have about your life?

I was a Catholic boy who faithfully went to church every Sunday. Although I didn’t doubt enough to ask many questions, I secretly wondered if God and his angels existed. As for my understanding of spirituality, I liked Jesus’ teachings about love and forgiveness in the New Testament, but it conflicted with the vengeful God of the Old Testament. I couldn’t reconcile the two and form an idea of spirituality.

What were your aspirations in life before meeting Rinpoche and coming to Kechara? And what are your aspirations now? Have they changed?

Honestly, I didn’t have any aspirations until I met Rinpoche. He told me to write and said that I would find success in that field. I didn’t really believe him until recently! Rinpoche’s teachings have really moved me and I look forward to bringing them to whatever I write in the future.

Speaking of the future, where do you see the future of Kechara? What kind of role do you see yourself playing in the manifestation of our future retreat centre, Kechara World Peace Centre (KWPC)?

In Kechara’s future, I see that KWPC will arise and it will be extremely beneficial for everyone who is involved, throughout the organisation. I hope to be a successful writer by then! By that, I mean I hope I will be someone who can share some Dharma with people. In the meantime, I will become more involved in my role at Kechara Media & Publications, to promote Rinpoche and his teachings on a global level.