On April 2, 2017 at Padma Samye Ling during the One Month Dzogchen Retreat, Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche announced that a long-standing dream of Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and his was coming true:

Today begins the carving of five New Stupas that will be installed in the Padma Samye Ling monastery meadow!

A 20’ (twenty feet) Enlightenment Stupa will be placed in the center, surrounded by the following stupas in the four directions: a 12’ Heaped Lotuses Stupa, a 12’ Many Doors Stupa; a 12’ Complete Victory Stupa; and a 12’ Mahaparinirvana Stupa.

These five stupas honor and commemorate Buddha Shakyamuni’s birth, enlightenment, teaching the Dharma, extending his life, and mahaparinirvana.

The five stupas will be made of solid volcanic rock, and are being hand-carved in Indonesia by an expert craftsman.

The carving will take about one and a half years, and the stone is said to last for over 1,000 years!

The benefits of building stupas were spoken of by the Buddha in the Noble Amazing Sutra:

Ananda! Any devoted noble sons and daughters who fill this entire three-thousand fold universe with the seven precious metals and make offerings to all the stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and arhats—as well as all the sangha members in the four directions—do not accumulate as much merit as someone who makes a stupa to the Tathagata—the Subduer, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the One Who Entered Mahaparinirvana— that is even the size of a churura seed, with a central column the size of a needle, an umbrella the size of a juniper leaf, and filled with grain-sized statues and mustard seed-sized relics.

Moreover, in the Analyzing Activity Sutra,

The Buddha said to the brahmin son Netso:

Whoever builds the Stupa of the Tathagata will gain the eighteen benefits. These are: (1) to be born in a royal family, (2) with perfect features (3) and a beautiful body; (4) who everybody loves to see (5) and looks to as a leader; (6) with fame expanding in the ten directions, (7) beautiful cheering sounds, (8) and praised with beautiful verses; (9) very detached from the world (10) and honored by gods (11) and humans; (12) very wealthy, (13) with a long life (14) and as healthy and strong as a vajra; (15) possessing the major marks (16) and minor marks; (17) born in the upper realms; (18) and soon to enter the supreme enlightened state.

Moreover, the Noble Stainless Beams of Light Sutra states:

Noble sons and daughters! Whoever circumambulates or make offerings to a stupa will be blessed by Tathagatas, move to the supreme enlightened state through a non-returning path, and purify all of their karmic obscurations. Even if the shadow of a stupa touches birds, animals, deer, or whomever, they will not be reborn in the lower realms.

Thus, in the sutras and tantras the Buddha taught extensively about the benefits of building stupas, as well as the benefits to those who support and make contact with stupas.

If you would like to support this glorious, meritorious project in honor of our lineage masters, or a loved one, please go to the PBC website ( www.padmasambhava.org/psl-temple-stupa-garden/ ) or mail a check payable to “PBC” to Padma Samye Ling monastery, and note in the memo who the donation is being made on behalf of.

Padma Samye Ling
618 Buddha Highway
Sidney Center, NY 13839

(LINK TO NEW PAGE FOR THIS PROJECT AND OR ONLINE DONATE FORM HERE!)

LINK: https://www.padmasambhava.org/psl-meadow-stupa-garden/ (HAS EMBEDED FORM IN THAT PAGE ALREADY)
MAYBE WRITE, TO LEARN MORE OR MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION CLICK HERE

DEDICATION

As Buddha Shakyamuni told in the Sutra teachings, if you build a temple or stupa that represents the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, it will bring tremendous merit. Even when it is gone, the dust of this place will continue to generate merit and benefit to all those connected to this project. According to that, we dedicate this merit.

By this merit may all obtain omniscience.

May it defeat the enemy, wrong-doing.

From the stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death,

From the ocean of samsara, may I free all beings.

May this virtuous merit advance the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni – particularly the Nyingma teachings.

May this merit radiate to all donors, supporters and their friends.

May all their heartfelt wishes be fulfilled according to bodhichitta and may they have long life, joy, peace, realizations, and good health.

May this merit bring long life and limitless Dharma activities to all the holders of the Buddha’s teaching.

May all beings find joy, peace, and the fulfillment of their wishes, and be guided throughout their lifetime by the Three Jewels, and may they all reach buddhahood.

May the elements become balanced.

May there be an end to natural disasters, war, famine, and sickness.

May this world have peace and be blessed with a shining and everlasting Golden Age.