Thekchen Choling
Encyclopedia
"Thekchen Choling" is also the name of the Dalai Lama
’s monastery in Dharamsala
(in the Kangra district of the state of Himachal Pradesh
, India).
Thekchen Choling is a registered Buddhist organisation in the Republic of Singapore
. The organisation was started in 2001 by Lama Thubten Namdrol Dorje and a group of his initial disciples. The organisation promotes non-sectarian Buddhism, emphasizing a strong foundation and understanding of Theravada
and Mahayana
teachings.
TCCL is committed to the Rime (non-sectarian) movement within Tibetan Buddhism though it is of the Gelug
trandition. The primary practices and teachings of this temple are from Guru Rinpoche lineage and Lama Tsongkapa lineage.
of Kopan Monastery
, with whom Lama Dorje studied in the late-1980s and early 1990s. Other famous teachers from this monastery include Lama Zopa and Lama Yeshe, who have written many influential books and founded many Buddhist centers.
Lama Dorje’s other root guru (primary teacher) is Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel
, known to his students as Khen Rinpoche. TCCL regularly hosts teachers from Kopan Monastery, Sera Jey Monastery, and several other Tibetan Buddhist teaching centers.
also entrusted him with the task of setting up a Tibetan temple with the mission to change the existing mindset that one needs to be a monk or nun to practice Buddhism. Heeding his gurus’ advice, Lama closed his restaurant business and in 2001, formally registered the temple ‘Thekchen Choling (Singapore)”, a name meaning “Mahayana Buddhist Temple,” bestowed by Geshe Lama Konchog.
As a lay lama, Lama Dorje’s personal life experiences allow him to relate to and offer practical advice to those who seek his counsel for problems they encounter in daily life. Behind Lama’s unassuming demeanour is a highly accomplished yogi who is well-versed with the three vehicles of Buddhism, namely the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. Lama Dorje is the author of the book Direct Expressions and is currently working on a book entitled Surviving Samsara.
The TCCL homepage describes Felix Lee’s initial meeting of his teachers in Nepal in this way:
In 1989, at the age of fifteen, a Buddhist master appeared in Lama’s dreams and instructed him to fulfill the vows of his previous life which was to teach those who did not have teachers. Following the instructions in his dreams, he was brought to Nepal by Venerable Sangye Khandro. Upon his arrival, Lama first met Lumbum Rinpoche and made light offerings at a temple. At the time, Rinpoche told him, “We have been waiting for you”. It was later revealed that the Buddhist master who had first appeared in Lama's dream was in fact the great Buddhist saint, Guru Rinpoche.
Buddha Rupas
Tibetan Buddhist mindfulness training practice include the devotional treatment of statues of the Buddha (and his various forms); these statues are known as Buddharūpa
(literally, 'Form of the Awakened One'), which is the Sanskrit
and Pali
term used in Buddhism
for statues or models of the Buddha
. Devotees treat the statues exactly as if they were the living bodies of fully realized Buddhas. TCCL contains several outstanding examples of Buddharupa in Thai, Chinese, and Nepali styles.
'Jowa Shakyamuni Buddha'
Modeled after the Shakyamuni Buddha in Tibet (Jokhang Monastery)
'Guru Rinpoche'
Larger than lifesize, this Guru Rinpoche statue is adorned with semi-precious stones and crystals. This figure represents the quintessential teacher (or guru), as Guru Rinpoche (or Padmasambhava) is said to have transmitted Tantric Buddhism to Tibet
in the 8th century.
'Mother Green Tara'
This inspiring life-sized Mother Green Tara rupa is adorned with semi precious stones and crystals. Tārā
is regarded as a Bodhisattva
of compassion and action. She is the female aspect of Avalokitesvara
(Chenrezig) and in some origin stories she comes from his tears.
'Mig Chenresig and Medicine Buddha'
Mig Chenresig’s main activity is healing the eyes and is a unique form of Chenresig. This rupa is the only emanation of Chenresig in Singapore and was specially commissioned in line with the temple’s aim to be a healing temple.
Medicine Buddha is an enlightened being who has unbiased compassion for all living beings. He protects living beings from physical and mental sickness and other dangers and obstacles, and helps them to eradicate the three poisons – attachment, hatred, and ignorance – which are the source of all sickness and danger. He is a Buddha Doctor. Medicine Buddha was also the main practice of Geshe Lama Konchog.
Giant Mani Wheel
A prayer wheel, in Tibetan Buddhism, is a device that spins on an axis containing hundreds, thousands, or even millions of copies of a specific mantra. Instead saying one mantra at a time, a devotee who spins a prayer wheel believes himself to have said the mantra hundreds, thousands, or millions of times, depending on how many copies of the mantra are in the wheel.
Commonly, prayer wheels contains Chenresig’s mantras which devotees consider the turning of the wheel to be a manifestation of the Chenrezig’s holy speech. Chenrezig, of whom the Dalai Lama is considered by Tibetan Buddhists to be an incarnation, is the protector of Tibet and is also known as Avalokitesvara (Guenther). Through this practice, one is understood to develop purity of body, speech, and mind. Buddhist texts teach that spinning the Mani Wheel (or prayer wheel) is equivalent to having recited all the mantras inside the wheel (Ladner). Turning the Mani Wheel is thus considered extremely beneficial.
The Giant Mani wheel in Thekchen Choling (Singapore) was commissioned and installed in 2003. It stands 3m high, is 1.38m in diameter, and contains 213 million of Chenresig’s mantras.
Sacred Relics On Display
Kangyur
and Tengyur Text
Under the recommendation of Dagri Rinpoche, the whole collection of the Kangyur and Tengyur Text are now kept in TCCL. Also known as the Tibetan Buddhist Canon, this collection consists of loosely defined list of sacred texts recognised by various schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
The temple is focused on being known for healing and provides free traditional Chinese Medicine consulting service, acupuncture service and medicine two times a week in the temple. The temples social outreach program includes free medicine distribution, free meals and finance support, with emphasis for the poor and elderly.
The devotees also chant sutras in Mandarin wearing the traditional Chinese Hai-Ching and chant prayers in English and Tibetan while wearing the layman robes of white and maroon. This temple is unusual for its young group of devotees, most are below the age of thirty five with numerous professionals.
The temple has been granted permission by the Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to publish thirteen of his books in simplified Mandarin for free distribution.
Dharma Practices of Mahayana Tradition
Prayers are performed for fifteen days coinciding with the days of miracles
Qing Ming
Typically associated with remembrance of parents and ancestors, the temple provides prayers for the deceased
Vesak
The event marking Buddha’s conception, enlightenment and parinirvana is marked by the unveiling of a 42 feet (12.8 m) thangka of Shakyamuni Buddha and his disciples. Throughout the month, numerous activities are held including pujas, sutra recitations and animal liberations.
Ullambana
Prayers are held in the Chinese Mahayana tradition with the recitation of sutras associated with Buddha Ksitigarbha and various confession text.
Healing Festival
Combining prayers to Chenresig, Mig Chenresig and Medicine Buddha the main focus of this prayer event are prayers for good health and healing.
With the vision of “Connecting All with Divine Hearts”, Thekchen Choling hopes to complement the spiritual healing of the temple with a focus on giving aid to those in need.
Thekchen Choling Community Outreach offers the following community services:
Healing Services
TCCL is developing ways to provide effective health care to the needy. The healing services consist of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture and Reiki Healing sessions held weekly at the temple. Future plans include a western medical health clinic.
Education Services
TEACH&REACH is a free tuition programme to reach out to students from needy families in the Lavender and Jalan Basar neighborhoods. Besides tutoring, students are also brought out of the classroom for enrichment programmes, involving sports events, museum visits, and so forth.
Youth Development Services
The objective of Thekchen Choling Youth Development Services is to groom youths to be courageous, caring and socially responsible adults. Programmes are planned to help in the overall development of youths. These programmes include self-awareness and social skills and community outreach opportunities.
Elderly and Needy Support Services
Given the rising prices of food recently, TCCL hopes to lend a helping hand to the needy by distributing food rations to them. Project Maude is a ration distribution project held quarterly during Chinese New Year, Vesak Day, Mid Autumn Festival and Winter Solstice
. More than 1000 people are supported on each occasion.
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
’s monastery in Dharamsala
Dharamsala
Dharamshala or Dharamsala is a city in northern India. It was formerly known as Bhagsu; it is the winter seat of government of the state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of the Kangra district....
(in the Kangra district of the state of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, India).
Thekchen Choling is a registered Buddhist organisation in the Republic of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The organisation was started in 2001 by Lama Thubten Namdrol Dorje and a group of his initial disciples. The organisation promotes non-sectarian Buddhism, emphasizing a strong foundation and understanding of Theravada
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
and Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
teachings.
TCCL is committed to the Rime (non-sectarian) movement within Tibetan Buddhism though it is of the Gelug
Gelug
The Gelug or Gelug-pa , also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Je Tsongkhapa , a philosopher and Tibetan religious leader...
trandition. The primary practices and teachings of this temple are from Guru Rinpoche lineage and Lama Tsongkapa lineage.
History
The temple was started in accordance with the instructions of the late H.E. Geshe Lama KonchogGeshe Lama Konchog
Geshe Lama Konchog, born Lobsang Puntsog , was a renowned Tibetan Buddhist gelugpa lama, who had thousands of followers around the world. Konchog was recognized by the Dalai Lama to be a Great Mahasiddha, or realized guru....
of Kopan Monastery
Kopan Monastery
Kopan Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery near Boudhanath, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal. It belongs to the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition , an international network of Gelugpa dharma centers, and once served as its headquarters.The monastery was established...
, with whom Lama Dorje studied in the late-1980s and early 1990s. Other famous teachers from this monastery include Lama Zopa and Lama Yeshe, who have written many influential books and founded many Buddhist centers.
Lama Dorje’s other root guru (primary teacher) is Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel
Geshe Lhundrup Rigsel
Geshe Lhundrup Rigsel is abbot of Kopan Monastery in Nepal. He was born in Tibet in 1941, to a poor peasant family, and joined Sera Monastery while still a boy. In 1959 he fled from the Chinese invasion of Tibet and went to India.In Buxa, a refugee camp in Northern India, he met Lama Yeshe and...
, known to his students as Khen Rinpoche. TCCL regularly hosts teachers from Kopan Monastery, Sera Jey Monastery, and several other Tibetan Buddhist teaching centers.
Resident lama
Lama Thubten Namdrol Dorje, born Felix Lee, has been initiated as a Yogi. Lama was advised by his Gurus that he could benefit more people if he did not take monastic vows and remain a lay practitioner. Trained as a chef and owner of a popular restaurant, Lama was advised by his gurus in 1998 to give up the business and instead focus on spreading the Dharma. Geshe Lama KonchogGeshe Lama Konchog
Geshe Lama Konchog, born Lobsang Puntsog , was a renowned Tibetan Buddhist gelugpa lama, who had thousands of followers around the world. Konchog was recognized by the Dalai Lama to be a Great Mahasiddha, or realized guru....
also entrusted him with the task of setting up a Tibetan temple with the mission to change the existing mindset that one needs to be a monk or nun to practice Buddhism. Heeding his gurus’ advice, Lama closed his restaurant business and in 2001, formally registered the temple ‘Thekchen Choling (Singapore)”, a name meaning “Mahayana Buddhist Temple,” bestowed by Geshe Lama Konchog.
As a lay lama, Lama Dorje’s personal life experiences allow him to relate to and offer practical advice to those who seek his counsel for problems they encounter in daily life. Behind Lama’s unassuming demeanour is a highly accomplished yogi who is well-versed with the three vehicles of Buddhism, namely the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. Lama Dorje is the author of the book Direct Expressions and is currently working on a book entitled Surviving Samsara.
The TCCL homepage describes Felix Lee’s initial meeting of his teachers in Nepal in this way:
In 1989, at the age of fifteen, a Buddhist master appeared in Lama’s dreams and instructed him to fulfill the vows of his previous life which was to teach those who did not have teachers. Following the instructions in his dreams, he was brought to Nepal by Venerable Sangye Khandro. Upon his arrival, Lama first met Lumbum Rinpoche and made light offerings at a temple. At the time, Rinpoche told him, “We have been waiting for you”. It was later revealed that the Buddhist master who had first appeared in Lama's dream was in fact the great Buddhist saint, Guru Rinpoche.
Visiting lamas
Within Tibetan Buddhism, teachers study closely with more than one senior teacher. Lama Dorje’s primary teachers include:- H.H. the 14th Dalai LamaDalai LamaThe Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
- H.E. Dagri Dorje Chang (Dagri Rinpoche is the 5th reincarnation of Pagri Dorje Chang, one of the very great Geshes of Lhasa who was the teacher of many high lamas in Tibet.)
- H.E. Khen Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Delek of Gyumed Tantric College.
- H.E. Zopa Rinpoche
- H.E. Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel of Kopan MonasteryKopan MonasteryKopan Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery near Boudhanath, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal. It belongs to the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition , an international network of Gelugpa dharma centers, and once served as its headquarters.The monastery was established...
- Late Geshe Lama Konchong (now reincarnated as Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche)
- Geshe Khechog of Kopan Monastery
- Geshe Wangchen of Sera Monastery
Temple
Located at 2 Beatty Lane in Singapore, was registered in 2001 by Lama Thubten Namdrol Dorje as instructed by his late teacher H.E. Geshe Lama Konchog and given the same name, ‘Thekchen Choling (Singapore)’.Architectural history
The current address of Thekchen Choling used to be Ji Gong Temple. The temple building is a heritage site in Singapore. A statue of Ji Gong from the previous Ji Gong Temple is still being revered at the main hall of the temple for devotees to make offerings.Devotional objects
The field of Religious Studies involves the analysis of architecture and various material material objects, and TCCL has a number of outstanding devotional objects.Buddha Rupas
Tibetan Buddhist mindfulness training practice include the devotional treatment of statues of the Buddha (and his various forms); these statues are known as Buddharūpa
Buddharupa
Buddharūpa is the Sanskrit and Pali term used in Buddhism for statues or models of the Buddha.-Commonalities:...
(literally, 'Form of the Awakened One'), which is the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
term used in Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
for statues or models of the Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
. Devotees treat the statues exactly as if they were the living bodies of fully realized Buddhas. TCCL contains several outstanding examples of Buddharupa in Thai, Chinese, and Nepali styles.
'Jowa Shakyamuni Buddha'
Modeled after the Shakyamuni Buddha in Tibet (Jokhang Monastery)
'Guru Rinpoche'
Larger than lifesize, this Guru Rinpoche statue is adorned with semi-precious stones and crystals. This figure represents the quintessential teacher (or guru), as Guru Rinpoche (or Padmasambhava) is said to have transmitted Tantric Buddhism to Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
in the 8th century.
'Mother Green Tara'
This inspiring life-sized Mother Green Tara rupa is adorned with semi precious stones and crystals. Tārā
Tara
-Religions and deities:*Tara , is a tantric meditation deity in Tibetan Buddhism, actually the generic name for a set of similar bodhisattvas*In Hinduism:*Tara , a Mahavidya of Mahadevi, Kali or Parvati...
is regarded as a Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
of compassion and action. She is the female aspect of Avalokitesvara
Avalokitesvara
Avalokiteśvara is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism....
(Chenrezig) and in some origin stories she comes from his tears.
'Mig Chenresig and Medicine Buddha'
Mig Chenresig’s main activity is healing the eyes and is a unique form of Chenresig. This rupa is the only emanation of Chenresig in Singapore and was specially commissioned in line with the temple’s aim to be a healing temple.
Medicine Buddha is an enlightened being who has unbiased compassion for all living beings. He protects living beings from physical and mental sickness and other dangers and obstacles, and helps them to eradicate the three poisons – attachment, hatred, and ignorance – which are the source of all sickness and danger. He is a Buddha Doctor. Medicine Buddha was also the main practice of Geshe Lama Konchog.
Giant Mani Wheel
A prayer wheel, in Tibetan Buddhism, is a device that spins on an axis containing hundreds, thousands, or even millions of copies of a specific mantra. Instead saying one mantra at a time, a devotee who spins a prayer wheel believes himself to have said the mantra hundreds, thousands, or millions of times, depending on how many copies of the mantra are in the wheel.
Commonly, prayer wheels contains Chenresig’s mantras which devotees consider the turning of the wheel to be a manifestation of the Chenrezig’s holy speech. Chenrezig, of whom the Dalai Lama is considered by Tibetan Buddhists to be an incarnation, is the protector of Tibet and is also known as Avalokitesvara (Guenther). Through this practice, one is understood to develop purity of body, speech, and mind. Buddhist texts teach that spinning the Mani Wheel (or prayer wheel) is equivalent to having recited all the mantras inside the wheel (Ladner). Turning the Mani Wheel is thus considered extremely beneficial.
The Giant Mani wheel in Thekchen Choling (Singapore) was commissioned and installed in 2003. It stands 3m high, is 1.38m in diameter, and contains 213 million of Chenresig’s mantras.
Sacred Relics On Display
- Relics of Buddha Shakyamuni
- Relics of the Buddha’s closest disciples AnandaAnandaĀnanda was one of the principal disciples and a devout attendant of the Buddha. Amongst the Buddha's many disciples, Ānanda had the most retentive memory and most of the suttas in the Sutta Pitaka are attributed to his recollection of the Buddha's teachings during the First Buddhist Council...
, UpaliUpaliUpali was a monk, one of the ten chief disciples of the Buddha. Before joining the order, he worked as a barber. He asked the Buddha if a person of "low birth" such as he could join the order...
, Shariputra and Mahamaudgalyayana - Hair of the 13th Dalai Lama
- Relics of the 3rd and 16th KarmapaKarmapaThe Karmapa is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa , itself one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism....
- Relics of the great Tibetan saint Geshe Lama KonchogGeshe Lama KonchogGeshe Lama Konchog, born Lobsang Puntsog , was a renowned Tibetan Buddhist gelugpa lama, who had thousands of followers around the world. Konchog was recognized by the Dalai Lama to be a Great Mahasiddha, or realized guru....
- Relics from numerous other Buddhist masters
Kangyur
Kangyur
The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined list of sacred texts recognized by various schools of Tibetan Buddhism, made up of the Kangyur or Kanjur and the Tengyur or Tanjur .-The Tibetan Buddhist Canon:In addition to earlier foundational Buddhist texts from early Buddhist schools, mostly...
and Tengyur Text
Under the recommendation of Dagri Rinpoche, the whole collection of the Kangyur and Tengyur Text are now kept in TCCL. Also known as the Tibetan Buddhist Canon, this collection consists of loosely defined list of sacred texts recognised by various schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
Practices and events
The temple has weekly teachings in English and Mandarin, chanting and prayers sessions. It is the first Tibetan Buddhist temple in Singapore to be open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. The main hall is available to all who seek a place of quiet, for prayers, for meditation at any time of the day.The temple is focused on being known for healing and provides free traditional Chinese Medicine consulting service, acupuncture service and medicine two times a week in the temple. The temples social outreach program includes free medicine distribution, free meals and finance support, with emphasis for the poor and elderly.
The devotees also chant sutras in Mandarin wearing the traditional Chinese Hai-Ching and chant prayers in English and Tibetan while wearing the layman robes of white and maroon. This temple is unusual for its young group of devotees, most are below the age of thirty five with numerous professionals.
The temple has been granted permission by the Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to publish thirteen of his books in simplified Mandarin for free distribution.
Regular scheduled practices
Dharma Education Teachings- English “Awaken your Heart” (series)
- Chinese “Path to Happiness” (series)
- Beginner's Course to Tibetan Buddhism (Adults)
Dharma Practices of Mahayana Tradition
- Food offerings
- Sutra Recitation (Chinese)
- Confession to 88 Buddhas
- Amitabha Buddha Sutra Recitation
- Pujas and Sutra Recitation (Tibetan & English)
- Guru Puja & Green Tara Puja
- Medicine Buddha Puja
- Dharma Protector Puja (Palden Lhamo)
- Tara and Chenresig Group practices
Events
Lunar New YearPrayers are performed for fifteen days coinciding with the days of miracles
Qing Ming
Typically associated with remembrance of parents and ancestors, the temple provides prayers for the deceased
Vesak
The event marking Buddha’s conception, enlightenment and parinirvana is marked by the unveiling of a 42 feet (12.8 m) thangka of Shakyamuni Buddha and his disciples. Throughout the month, numerous activities are held including pujas, sutra recitations and animal liberations.
Ullambana
Prayers are held in the Chinese Mahayana tradition with the recitation of sutras associated with Buddha Ksitigarbha and various confession text.
Healing Festival
Combining prayers to Chenresig, Mig Chenresig and Medicine Buddha the main focus of this prayer event are prayers for good health and healing.
Community outreach
With the vision of “Connecting All with Divine Hearts”, Thekchen Choling hopes to complement the spiritual healing of the temple with a focus on giving aid to those in need.
Thekchen Choling Community Outreach offers the following community services:
Healing Services
TCCL is developing ways to provide effective health care to the needy. The healing services consist of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture and Reiki Healing sessions held weekly at the temple. Future plans include a western medical health clinic.
Education Services
TEACH&REACH is a free tuition programme to reach out to students from needy families in the Lavender and Jalan Basar neighborhoods. Besides tutoring, students are also brought out of the classroom for enrichment programmes, involving sports events, museum visits, and so forth.
Youth Development Services
The objective of Thekchen Choling Youth Development Services is to groom youths to be courageous, caring and socially responsible adults. Programmes are planned to help in the overall development of youths. These programmes include self-awareness and social skills and community outreach opportunities.
Elderly and Needy Support Services
Given the rising prices of food recently, TCCL hopes to lend a helping hand to the needy by distributing food rations to them. Project Maude is a ration distribution project held quarterly during Chinese New Year, Vesak Day, Mid Autumn Festival and Winter Solstice
Winter solstice
Winter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...
. More than 1000 people are supported on each occasion.