October 2010

AMAZING.....AMAZING....AMAZING....

Thanks to Sean, Gendun Drubpa has the most beautiful Enlightenment stupa... for World Peace and Environmental Harmony. The final installation of the 13 rings, the umbrella, crescent moon, sun and the jewel of enlightenment at the top was completed sunday, Oct. 3rd. The experience was breathtaking, as this stupa seems to radiate such powerful energy of peace, purification, healing, harmony and on and on....

On Thurs. Oct. 7th a group of people who had never seen a stupa, before met some of us out at the stupa site and they were also quite moved by its amazing presence.

So all of you are welcome to come at any time to witness the beauty of Gendun Drubpa's stupa in such a lovely environment that is so conducive for meditation....relaxing....circumabulation....a picnic....or whatever you are drawn to doing. This is your place... so feel free to come and go as much as you want.

NOTE: We were recently told by Roger (who works closely with Lama Zopa Rinpoche as the FPMT international director) while at the two week teachings by Rinpoche in North Carolina...... that Rinpoche would definitely come to consecrate the stupa in the spring.....

August 2010

The Stupa is really taking shape. Sean and Barrie work on adding the vase to the top of the stupa.

July 2010

The stupa is moving on..... and upwards. It's amazing to actually see what Sean has done and is doing...as our stupa is now a stupa "in the making........"

Sunday, July 25th we had the "final" filling of the throne area. We not only added more precious offerings from new people and from others.... we were also able to place specific rolled mantras, and specific tsa.tsas that go inside of the throne on top of the "wealth of the land" items. Each level has incense, etc filling all of the gaps and then a layer of gold cloth. So the top layer now has the 12 volumes of the 100,000 "Prajnaparamita", plus Lama Tsongkhapa's Lam.rim Chen.mo, (5) Sanghata Sutras and (5) Golden Light Sutras.

When we were placing the texts and Vajrasatva tsa.tsas we discovered that spontaneously we were all chanting the long Vajrasattva mantra and were increasing our volume in unison...until... at the end.... there was a resounding "Hum Phet"! All of us laughed, the opening was sealed and we enjoyed in the sharing of a delicious chocolate cake.....

Sean has completed the 2nd chamber with the "four steps", which is quite detailed and beautiful to see. Then, the opening will be painted a bright golden yellow to await the actual filling. All of the tsa.tsas and as much of the rolled mantras, that will fit inside, will be included.

Also, Sean has bolted down part of the pipe in the center that will hold the "Life Tree" or "Sog Shing". The "Life Tree" has been painted red. Geshe Sherab completely hand wrote....in gold ink....all of the specific mantras all around it, making it quite a holy object just by itself.

Gendun Drubpa is so fortunate to be participating in the building and filling of a 9 foot Enlightenment Stupa.....and.....so fortunate that Don's nephew, Sean was able to help with such a holy project as this!

Geshe Sherab

March 2010

March 4, Geshe Sherab visited and blessed all the objects that will go into the stupa.
He also filled the Wealth Vases and wrapped the Tibetan texts during the afternoon.
The weekend of Mar 5-7 Geshe-la held a retreat on How to Practice Dharma In Any Situation.

About Geshe Thubten Sherab:
Geshe Sherab was born in the Manang region of western Nepal and entered Kopan Monastery outside Kathmandu at the age of 9. When he was 22, Geshe-la moved to Sera Je Monastery in south India for further study and the completion of his Geshe (Ph.D.) degree. He studied an additional year at Gyumö Tantric College and in 2001, accepted the assignment of teaching in Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico. Now in his early forties, Geshe-la just completed a 4-year position as headmaster at Kopan Monastery and oversaw the entire education program there.

October 2009

A hardy group of people came and helped clear the debris and logs from around the stupa site.

August 2009

A small group of people helped in the pouring of the cement for the base, and later Barrie was able to lay some of the concrete blocks before the weather began showing signs of approaching winter. The site was covered and put to rest for now.

June 2009

The site was blessed in order to begin the actual digging and construction of the Enlightenment Stupa.

Also, many mantras continue to be rolled, tsa.tsas made, painted and individually wrapped. Wealth vases have been hand made and sent from Kathmandu, Nepal and specific texts purchased from Dehli, India.

October 2008

This past October a tree was selected on Gendun Drubpa's property. Rituals were done to bless the tree for it to become a holy object that will go inside of the stupa. Then on the auspicious day of 30th October, 2008, the long needle pine tree was cut down and placed in a safe place for it to dry before it is milled to the appropriate size and shape. This will become what is called: "sog.shin" or "life tree" that will later be shaped into 4 equal sides, rounded out at the top to fit in the centre of the stupa from above the throne up to and including inside of the 13 rings.

August 2008

Geshe Thubten Soepa visited us to select and consecrate the site for the stupa as per Lama Zopa Rinpoche's instructions.