Sunday September 20, 2009

Trendy Buddhism

By CHIN MUI YOON

A chain of well-designed stores shows how age-old Buddhist wisdom can be presented in a chic setting.

For an ancient religion, Buddhism is surprisingly cool and trendy when presented by the Kechara group.

In line with its Lama, the H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s teachings, Kechara claims to spread the Dharma (teachings) in a modern and relevant way while also running a soup kitchen, a Saraswati arts group promoting traditional Tibetan arts and Kechara Paradise, a chain of stores featuring artifacts and handicrafts from the Himalayan region.

Kechara Paradise stocks a variety of authentic Tibetan Thangkas that are painstakingly handpainted and sewn onto brocades.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen opened Kechara Paradise’s latest store in Sunway Pyramid shopping mall in Petaling Jaya last week.

Well-known Malaysian fashion designer Bill Keith conceptualised the store design. Decorated in jewel tones of fuchsia, reds and yellows, the store is attractively laid out with a variety of statues, pendants, amulets, wealth vases, books, DVDs and CDs, as well as Buddhist prayer, ritual and offering items.

“We started in 2000 with a simple store on the upper floor of a shop lot in SS2, Petaling Jaya,” says Kechara Paradise director Henry Ooi.

He relates that as more volunteers approached them and offered to help, they were able to open more outlets in Bangsar (KL), 1 Utama (shopping centre in Petaling Jaya), Sunway Pyramid and Penang.

“Our spiritual teacher Rinpoche likes presenting gifts to his students,” says Ooi. “One day as he was having coffee along the sidewalk cafés in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, the thought came to him that there are many people congregating here, from tourists to yuppies, and so many of them are spiritually lost. How are we able to reach out to these lost sheep?”

One way is to bring Buddhist teachings to where the people are. Kechara Paradise introduces “ethnic aesthetics to contemporary design” by combining traditions with a modern lifestyle. The outlet in Sunway Pyramid specialises in statues and unique interior decorative items that are hand-picked by both Ooi and his cousin Ruby Ooi, who frequently fly to Tibet, Nepal and north India on buying trips.

A popular trend for people is to display Buddha statues or paraphernalia to decorate their homes and offices whether or not they are Buddhists.

“We’ve had people wondering if it’s alright to have Buddha statues in restaurants and clubs where certain activities like drinking are against Buddhist percepts,” says Ruby Ooi.

“We look at it positively that the Buddha’s image is so powerful that anyone just glancing at it will feel a sense of peace anywhere it is found.”

Henry adds that having a Buddhist statue is not a form of idolatry.

Kechara Paradise directors Henry Ooi and Ruby Ooi at their latest store, a beautifully decorated space in Sunway Pyramid shopping mall.

“This is a common misunderstanding,” he says. “We don’t pray to statues. Rather, it’s there to guide our thoughts and clarify our minds.”

Accordingly, the store has a variety of copper or gold-plated Buddha statues. Ruby is particularly proud of beautiful, authentic Thangkas, finely detailed paintings by Tibetan nomads which are framed in traditional silk brocades.

Kechara also runs its own media and publishing department to produce books and recordings based on Rinpoche’s teachings. The most popular ones are Compassion Conquers All, Guru for Hire and Nothing Changes.

“Rinpoche teaches that you do not need to change your lifestyle, rather change your motives,” explains Jamie Khoo, Kechara’s media and publishing department senior editor.

“Many situations may not change; rather, it’s about how our minds transform from being negative to positive. Spirituality is not about shaving our heads, burning incense or drinking green tea, but it’s in the quality of our inner thoughts,” she says.

Ruby adds: “Today’s youths are very inquisitive. We ensure we have lots of materials that answer their many questions including books, CDs and DVDs.

In the old days we accepted it when our elders told us that religion is good for you; we didn’t question it. But not today. Our guru Rinpoche encourages people to ask questions and seek the answers for themselves. We hope our stores are one way of providing the answers.”

■ Sales go toward supporting Kechara’s activities in presenting the Dharma. For more information, call 03-7803 3908 or visit kechara.com.