"Thekchen Choling is more than just the physical temple. It is an open and inclusive community of people coming together for the Dharma."
-Sangyum Namdrol Lhamo-
VISION & MISSION OF
THEKCHEN CHOLING
Our Vision
"Connecting All with Divine Hearts"
The vision of our temple is a special wish for all students and devotees to cultivate the divine heart of Lord Buddha. This means to practise and put into action the Buddhadharma with an open heart so as to become fully enlightened for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Our Mission
"Empowering All to have Meaningful Lives"
As aspiring Bodhisattvas, we strive to reach out and empower everyone with love, compassion and wisdom, which are the essence of Buddha’s teachings. Therefore, our activities include:
1. Spreading the Buddha’s teachings and preserving rich Buddhist tradition, such as its culture and architecture;
2. Engaging in the spiritual development of our students and devotees and fostering harmony with other religions and faiths;
3. Creating social impact by providing care and support to the needy regardless of race, language or religion.
MOTTO
情 。 礼。 義。
Endearment. Respect. Service
12 CORE VALUES
孝 Filiality - 孝顺
悌 Harmony -悌敬
忠 Loyalty – 尽忠
信 Trust – 信用
礼 Respect – 礼节
义 Service – 仁义
廉 Nobility – 廉洁
耻 Dignity – 廉耻
情 Endearment – 情义
质 Quality – 品德
靈 Divinity –靈性
系 Connectivity – 心系
Significance of Thekchen Choling Logo
What is the meaning of our Logo?
Our logo is an ornate golden-framed sacred mirror with a pinnacle formed by a white crescent moon, a flaming red sun and an orange flame of fire. Light rays radiate from the mirror as it stands on a full moon disc atop a blue lotus flower. Wrapped with a golden flowing khata, the mirror is protected by a pair of dragons and surrounded by the seven gems of a Chakravartin, which are in turn framed by nine precious jewels.
Sacred Mirror
The Sacred Mirror represents consciousness and the element of space. Clear, pure and bright, the mirror reflects all phenomena objectively without bias, thereby reminding us to practice objectivity and to rise above our judgmental minds. On a more subtle level, it reflects the Buddha’s core teaching of emptiness – that nothing exists on its own side without a dependent arising cause.
Pinnacle of the mirror
The pinnacle of the mirror, formed by the white crescent moon, flaming red sun and an orange flame of fire, represents the completion stage of Vajrayana practice.
Light Rays
The light rays radiating from the Sacred Mirror represent the flourishing of the Buddha’s teachings, fanning out to the furthest reaches of the universe.
Full Moon Disc
The moon disc represents Bodhicitta, the aspiration to become a Buddha to benefit all sentient beings.
Blue Lotus
Divinely fragrant, blue lotuses bloomed only in the Buddha’s time. By incorporating it into the temple’s logo, it is symbolic of the ever-present Buddha in Thekchen Choling. Moreover, a lotus flower represents purity, perfection, compassion and renunciation, similar to how the beautiful lotus remains untainted even though it had arisen out from the muddy waters.
Nine Precious Jewels
These nine precious jewels represent the Guru, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, yidam or mind-seal deity, Dharma protector, the sky, earth, and the human realm.
Two Dragons
The two dragons represent continuity and harmony and create the cause for the temple to enjoy the strong support of members and benefactors for Dharma to flourish.
Golden Khata
The flowing golden khata represents the auspicious increase of all Dharma activities.
The Seven Gems of the Chakravartin or a Wheel-Turning King
1. The precious horse represented by a unicorn’s horn
2. The precious elephant represented by its tusks
3. The precious queen represented by round golden earrings
4. The precious minister represented by square golden earrings
5. The precious general represented by a pair of crossed swords
6. The precious jewel represented by the triple-eyed gem
7. The precious Dharma wheel represented by a branch of coral