In 2008 efforts were intensified to complete the Kalachakra stupa for World Peace that Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised us to build a number of years ago.
For some years the Stupa was located at Planet Ark in Wentworth Falls, in the garden of our friends Willow and Stefan Mackay whilst plans were considered for its location and completion.
The co-ordinator of the stupa project is Sue Emonson, and under her guidance, and that of artists Nerida McCarthy-Nielson and Sandor Nagy, we had many enjoyable days in Nerida’s kitchen painting the moulds of lotuses, snow lions, double dorjes and other symbols that will eventually be affixed to the outside of the Stupa.
Stage two:
The unfinished Kalachakra Stupa finally returned home to the Centre at Medlow Bath in September 2011. A large crane will be needed to place it on the prepared site in the garden area, but for now it rests facing the driveway entrance for everyone to see.
Feel free to come take a look and offer a flower with a prayer for world peace. Slowly but surely this wonderful project is coming to fruition.
January 2012 Update:
A large 40 tonne crane was hired to move the Stupa onto the prepared site within the ‘Peace Garden’ (see above) at the Centre’s property in Medlow Bath. Final plans for its restoration and completion are being drawn up with the aim of holding the ritual consecration ceremony performed by Tibetan Lamas in March/April 2012.
We’ll be running a special working bee day to clean and repaint the Stupa in February 2013, so keep an eye out for dates to come join in with this magnificently meritorious project.
January 2013 Update – The Final Stage:
The consecration ceremony will be held at 10am on Sunday 17th March 2013 at the Centre and all are welcome. We are currently holding a multi-day work bee to clean and set up the entire stupa. Volunteers are requested to contact the Centre and let us know when they’re available. (Please see the program listing for details.)
The Purpose of Building Stupas
The main purpose of building stupas is to make the lives of all beings, young and old,meaningful. For those beings who see a stupa it will:
1. Help purify their mind;
2. Help collect merit, which is the cause of all happiness and all success;
3. Help heal their body & mind through purification, specifically due to the power of the stupa, (and by) meditating on and seeing the holy object;
4. Help preserve Tibetan Mahayana culture
Eighteen Benefits of Building Stupas (from Sutra)
When Buddha addressed Brahim Nesto’s son, in the sutra Je nampa jelpe do, he enumerated eighteen benefits resulting from the building of a stupa:
1. One will be reborn into a royal family
2. One will have a beautiful body
3. One’s speech will be entrancing
4. One’s mere sight will be a great joy for others
5. One will have a charming and attractive personality
6. One will be erudite in the five sciences
7. One will become a support (an example to all)
8. One will be praised from all directions
9. One will be inclined to sounds and words of Dharma
10. One will live only with happiness
11. One will be venerated by both men and gods
12. One will obtain great riches
13. One will be granted a long life
14. All one’s wishes will be fulfilled
15. One’s beneficial activity and wisdom will grow
16. One’s body will become as indestructible as a dorje (diamond)
17. One will be reborn in the higher realms of existence
18. One will quickly reach perfect awakening
Apart from these, countless other benefits are announced in many sutras and tantras – Birth as a Wheel-Turning King, Attaining Perfect Concentration, Achieving the Arya Path, Attaining Enlightenment.
The Stupa represents Buddha’s holy mind, the dharmakaya, and each part of the stupa shows the complete path to enlightenment. Building or sponsoring a stupa is a powerful means of purifying negative karmas and obscurations and of accumulating extensive merit. In that way you can have good realisations of the path to enlightenment and do perfect work to liberate suffering beings who equal the sky, leading them to the peerless happiness of enlightenment, which is the ultimate goal of our life.
from Lama Zopa Rinpoche – “The Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas”
ALSO: You can reap these benefits, and more, by participating in any of the upcoming Stupa working bees at the Centre, and in particular, by contributing a donation of any amount to our goal of $600 for a new Shakyamuni Buddha Statue which will be placed in the main Stupa niche, readily seen by everyone who visits.
Pledge your donation via email to info @ kunsangyeshe.com.au (or call the Centre). Direct debit transfer to our Commonwealth Bank account, BSB: 062559, Account no: 10268959 is the simplest way. Mark your donation as “Buddha Statue” with your surname included. Or you can simply make your donation directly to us at the Centre.
We’ll include you in our dedication prayers for good health, long life and swift enlightenment.