What would a temple be without pujas and prayers? One of the most rapidly growing divisions of Kechara House, the puja team recently opened the doors to its own premises – the Kechara House Shabten Khang (SK) literally translated as “Puja House”.
Our very own puja house, located on the floor in between the Kechara Media & Publications and Kechara InMotion offices in SunwayMas, follows the traditional establishment of Shabten Khangs by monasteries throughout Tibet and India. While there will always be regular pujas, prayer sessions and blessings conducted in the main Gompa (prayer hall) of a Dharma institution, Shabten Khangs are set up solely to accommodate special, sponsored puja requests from fellow Dharma friends and the public.
The creation of Kechara House’s Shabten Khang was inspired by our Spiritual Advisor H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, who advised his students a few months ago to develop the puja arm of the Kechara organisation. Alongside learning many sacred, authentic pujas directly from Gaden Shartse monks, we now also see physical growth with the SK. With this specially designated puja house in place, Kechara House is able to provide many more pujas all day, every day for people in need.
The new SK is well equipped with a large pantry for preparing tormas (traditional ritual cakes) and offering items, ample storage space, as well as a simple but stunning prayer hall where all pujas will be performed and dedicated to our kind sponsors.
Members of the Kechara House Puja Team (KHPT)
Pastors going over the prayer book before Lama Chopa Puja begins
At the opening, the Pastors and members of the Kechara House Puja Team (KHPT) performed a highly meritorious Lama Chopa puja, an offering to the entire lineage tree of all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Gurus and enlightened Beings. The opening day was celebrated over 50 Kechara members and friends who lent much support and love, and who even started putting in their orders for pujas!
Before the puja, KH President Datuk May Phng presented a speech, where she strongly encouraged the growth of pujas in Kechara and personally vouched for the tremendous benefit that pujas have brought to her own family. Liaison of Pujas, Jamie Khoo also spoke to thank the volunteers who had put much of their personal time into building the SK and learning the many pujas which we can now offer to the public.
A special mention must be given to KHPT member David Loh who took the sole responsibility and initiative to oversee the entire renovations and purchasing for the new SK. From contracts negotiation to picking out paint palettes and mopping the cement floor all by himself in the wee hours of the morning, David really put his heart and soul into making this a beautiful prayer hall. Thank you, David!
Big thanks also to the other members of the puja team who have been working hard to learn pujas, exactly as they were performed by monks in the three main monasteries, Gaden, Sera and Drepung. We are proud to say that Kechara offers the largest range of these authentic pujas in Malaysia (of the Tibetan Buddhist lineage), and they are all performed by our own qualified laypeople. As Rinpoche has often advised, we do not need to be ordained monks and nuns for these pujas to be effective – with the right motivation, visualizations and a sincere heart, anyone can bring powerful effects to others through performing pujas.
And now, let the pujas begin! Shabten Khang is now open for “business” and pujas are already being performed there for healing, protection, clearing of obstacles, success of worldly and Dharma works. For more information on the pujas offered by the KHPT or to place an order for your own puja, please contact KH Liaison Yap Yoke Fui at +60 3 7803 3908 or [email protected].
