Back in 1979, Peter Kedge, after working as first director of the Central Office, moved to Hong Kong. His motive was to start a business which would help the growth of the FPMT. He went alone to start this work in what must be regarded as one of the most competitive business environments in the world. Today Peter directs a successful materials storage and handling company employing 12 staff and an installation team of 20.

This has enabled Peter to help many different parts of the FPMT over the years: Mount Everest Centre, Manjushri Institute, Wisdom Publications, Central Office, Cham Tse Ling as well as the Offices of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

On behalf of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche as well as all Dharma students, thank you to Peter, Nicole, Steven, Kathy, Mr. Ma, Bernard Tang, the whole lineage of directors and teachers and all those who have helped in the growth of the center there in Hong Kong. Finally a warm welcome to the two new co-directors, Clement Ngai and Lai Biu, wishing them all success in their new role.

Here follows the story of the growth of what is now called Cham Tse Ling:

Cham Tse Ling began in 1982 as an informal medita­tion group, stimulated by a visit of Lama Yeshe. In those days we were known as the “Hong Kong Dharma Group.” This “rather descriptive but not-so-inspiring” name came to us through the post . . . Quite frankly we were not calling ourselves anything in those days until we started receiving newsletters from the Central Office addressed to the Hong Kong Dharma Group. Looking back now, it almost seems as if there were some kind of conspiracy to encourage us to become “some­thing”! In fact, it did inspire us.

From a small unpretentious gathering of Lama Yeshe’s students, the group gathered momentum and soon there were 10 to 15 people meeting once or twice a week in the Kedge’s living-room. Then, most students were non-Chinese. Several Western Sangha members came to teach us three months at a time. We also started inviting Tibetan Lamas at the suggestion of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. We have been blessed by the presence of Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Osel, Geshe Sopa, Geshe Kunchog, Lama Lhundrup, Lati Rinpoche and Ganden Tri Rinpoche. Initially attracted by the Tibetan lamas, the Chinese students began to outnumber the non-Chinese, and so all teachings were translated from English to Cantonese by our chief trans­lator (and at times lecturer) Mr. Ma, a mammoth task which he carried out single-handedly for a long time. Mr. Ma is currently translating the Lama Chöpa puja into Chinese.

We registered the group as an “association” enabling us to advertise and have members. When asked to give the center a Dharma name, Lama Zopa Rinpoche suggested asking His Holiness the Dalai Lama. So another name came through the post! Cham Tse Ling. This time we felt truly “baptised” and “belonging.”

More Sangha have come and stayed for longer periods: Lama Zopa Rinpoche has visited the center three times (should we say already! or only! . . .) giving incredible teachings, initiations and lots of blessed energy and encouragements.

The center is now run by a committee elected by the members and by two co-directors appointed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The present co-directors are Lai Biu and Clement Ngai. We have a tireless team of four transla­tors who take turns translating into Cantonese the Dharma talks and meditations as well as written mate­rial such as Lama Zopa’s teachings, our newsletter, etc. We have a well attended program five nights a week.

Cham Tse Ling had approximately 120 registered members in 1988 and many friends and supporters who want to see such a group grow.

Some of our activities: teachings at the center and teachings at the (Chinese) Buddhist Library in Canton­ese (300 people have so far requested registration forms for the next course); pujas on auspicious days; weekend retreats; fund-raising dinners; outings to Chinese mon­asteries (we usually manage to include a fun picnic on the agenda); and releasing animals (it’s easy to buy them by the thousands, but not so easy to find a place where we can release them).

The center is located on Hong Kong Island. It is accessible by taxi or by foot (15 min) from Central District (maybe not on a steamy night). It is situated in a residential area, and so is reasonably quiet. The flat is approximately 1,400 sq ft of which 1,200 sq ft is available for the center facilities. These include a meditation room (40 sitting comfortably), one small office, a kitchen, one full bathroom for the Sangha and one toilet in the kitch­en area, and two rooms now occupied by Anila Chozin who is our resident Sangha and the other by Ailsa Cameron who is working on Wisdom transcripts. The facility is shared with Peter and Nicole Kedge who retain one bedroom.

In view of the great interest shown in our Cantonese classes we plan to organize courses in other parts of Hong Kong such as the New Territories. As interest develops, we will encourage the students to come to the center for more advanced teachings.

As an FPMT center, we are beginning to develop regional meetings with our neighbors from Singapore and Taiwan. As all three are new centers, we have a lot to share, especially when it comes to visiting teachers and the translation of Dharma material. We are currently looking to buy our own premises. The members strongly feel that to bring most benefit the center should remain a “city center” with the possibility of expanding later on with a retreat center in more peaceful rural surroundings.

There is great interest among the Chinese people in Tibetan Buddhism. It is hoped that Cham Tse Ling will remain a spiritual refuge for everyone in Hong Kong long after 1997.