Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Statues and Stupas Vol 1 c5
Statues and Stupas Vol 1 c5
Part 1
© FPMT Inc., 2003, 2007
Cover photo courtesy of Nick Dawson
Front cover design by Karena Domenico, Taos, New Mexico
Practice Requirements
Anyone with faith may do the practices contained in this booklet.
Photo Credits:
Photo on p 26 taken by Bob Cayton and used with permission.All
other photographs taken by Nick Dawson and used with permission.
Contents
Introduction 5
Practices 107
Introduction
Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1 is the first in
a three-part series designed to bring living beings to enlightenment
quickly through the power of holy objects.
The first section, “General Information About Stupas”, provides
the background for how stupas came to exist in our world, their pur-
pose, and their symbology as a physical representation of the entire
path to awakening. It also outlines the eight primary types of stupas
and the specific events to which they relate. This information is a great
resource to facilitate understanding of what different stupas can teach
us, and may inspire others to build specific stupas to fulfill specific
purposes. A more extensive collection of pictures, photographs, archi-
tectural drawings, and measurements to support the building of stu-
pas will be provided in part 2 of this series.
The section entitled “The Benefits of Holy Objects” contains exten-
sive teachings and quotations from sutra and tantra on the benefit of
holy objects. It describes how holy objects, in particular stupas, serve
as a conduit of the blessings of all buddhas and provide a profound
and easy method for purification of negative karma. The benefits of
the four dharmakaya relic mantras, the most powerful mantras to be
placed inside holy objects, are also given and may help to explain why
there is such tangible positive energy in places that contain holy ob-
jects. It becomes clear why building holy objects is a valid means to
bring about world peace and help others in a lasting way.
The two sections, “The Benefits of Practices Related to Holy Ob-
jects” and “Practices” have been provided to inspire readers to maxi-
mize the opportunity that holy objects provide to quickly and easily
accumulate great stores of positive energy and cleanse lifetimes of
negative imprints from the mind stream. While there are limitless
practices one can do in relation to holy objects, we have provided here
only those practices most commonly referred to in both the teachings
6 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
General Information
About Stupas
Types of Stupas
There are eight different types of stupas that can be built to commem-
orate different events in the life of the Buddha:
• Lotus Stupa: the birth of the Buddha
• Enlightenment Stupa: the Buddha’s attainment of enlightenment
• Auspicious Stupa with Many Doors: the Buddha’s turning the
wheel of Dharma
• Miraculous Feats Stupa: when the Buddha performed miracles
• Descent Stupa: the Buddha’s descent from Tushita heaven
• Reconciliation Stupa: when the Buddha healed the schism in the
Sangha
• Victory Stupa: prolonging the life of the Buddha
• Parinirvana Stupa: the Buddha’s passing into parinirvana
In addition to these, two other kinds of stupas that are commonly built
in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition are Kadampa stupas and Kalachakra
stupas. Kalachakra stupas are generally built to help bring about world
peace. Kadampa stupas commemorate the teachings and practices of
the Kadam tradition founded by Lama Atisha, who kept a stupa with
him at all times to purify in an instant even the slightest misdeed.
As traditionally described, all eight types of stupas have twenty-four
parts that are constructed according to precise proportions. These
parts may be enumerated somewhat differently; however, the purpose
remains the same. The chörten stupa, like a victory banner, points
the way to liberation. The naming and consecration of its parts trans-
forms them into the body of the teachings: They become empowered
symbols of the path and its realization.
Embodied Wisdom
In general, there are three representations of the Buddha that corre-
spond to the Buddha’s holy body, speech, and mind. Statues and so on
are representations of the holy body of enlightened beings. The texts
of Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings, coming from the different turn-
ings of the wheel of the Dharma, reveal the quality of his holy speech
(the sixty melodious qualities), and are representations of the Buddha’s
holy speech.
The third representation is that of the Buddha’s holy mind, referred
to as “embodied wisdom.” Stupas are representations of the Buddha’s
mind. As such, stupas reveal the path to enlightenment, or in other
words, how the mind can be transformed into enlightenment.
(space in between)
Notes:
1. “The harmika, a square stone box surrounded by a fence-like enclosure of rail-
ings on the stupa’s top, also contains relics. The harmika reflects precisely the
directional orientation of the stupa’s base; relics are deposited in a box in the
harmika’s center, or as Atisha describes, in an obelisk that forms the stupa’s
spire.” From The Stupa: Sacred Symbol of Enlightenment, Crystal Mirror Series,
Vol. 12, p. 46.
2. Mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, and phenomena.
3. Abandoning of afflictions already produced; non-generation of afflictions not
yet generated; increasing of pure phenomena already generated; generation of
pure phenomena not yet generated.
4. Aspiration to the bases of magical emanations; effort toward the bases of magical
emanations; mental attention on the bases of magical emanations; and single-
pointed concentration.
5. Close mindfulness not being attached to whether or not someone is listening
respectfully; close mindfulness not having anger toward someone listening dis-
respectfully; close mindfulness maintaining equanimity regardless of whether
someone listens or not.
Colophon:
Compiled from the following sources with permission: A talk given by Khensur
Losang Thubten Rinpoche on the occasion of the launch of the Enlightenment
Stupa on Kangaroo Island; the legend on the origins of the stupa was taken from
The Buddhist Stupa: Yoga’s Sacred Architecture, Nittin Kumar, ed., Exotic India, Feb-
ruary 2003, www.exoticindia.com; “Ten Traditional Purposes of Stupas” found in
The Thousand Buddhas Relic Stupa Book by Tenzin Zopa; The Stupa: Sacred Symbol of
Enlightenment, Crystal Mirror Series, Vol. 12. Berkeley: Dharma Publishing, 1997.
By which it mentions the names of seven of the eight [types of] stupas
directly.
Thus, there are different ways of counting eight [types of] stupas ac-
cording to different scriptures. However, scholars and masters such as
Tagtsang Lotsawa (Sherab Rinchen) and Gungtang Jampälyang, etc.
accept [the eight types of stupas] described below.
(1) The very moment the Bhagavan took birth in the garden of Lum-
bini, he took seven steps in each (cardinal) direction, and a lotus ap-
peared as he took each step. In order to represent that although the
Buddha had taken birth in samsara, he was undefiled by the faults
of samsara, just as a lotus is not defiled by mud even though it grows
from mud, the “piles of Lotus Stupa” (pädma chörten) is built.
22 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
(3) The Auspicious Stupa with Many Doors (tashi gomang chörten),
which has from 16 to 108 doors, is built in order to represent the eight
emancipations and the Four Noble [Arya] Truths that were taught dur-
ing the turning of the wheel of Dharma at Varanasi.
General Information 23
(4) The Miraculous Feats Stupa (chhötrul chörten) [is built in honor of
when the Buddha] overpowered others by subduing the six tirthika
teachers [at Shravasti by displaying miraculous powers], without [hav-
ing generated] any [previous] intention, etc.
(5) The Descent Stupa (lha bhab chörten) with stairs [is built to commem-
orate] descending from [Tushita] heaven at Sangkha Sala (Selden).
24 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
(6) The Reconciliation Stupa (endum chörten) with eight corners [is cre-
ated] by cutting the four [main] corners of the shape [in half], in order
to represent abiding in the eight emancipations by cutting the four – the
three poisons and [wrong] view – which were the causes for the division,
when bringing [the Sangha] together after the division.
(7) The Victory Stupa (namgyäl chörten), which is round, has three or four
steps for [when the Buddha did retreat for] blessing or extending the life
span for three months [at Nalanda]. Lama Zopa Rinpoche advises building
Victory Stupas with four steps, which represent the four mindfulnesses.
General Information 25
(8) The Parinirvana Stupa (nyängän chörten) without any steps, repre-
sents complete victory in the battle with the Lord of Death, free from
the extremes of samsara.
Thus, the way in which the eight [types of] stupas came to exist has
reliable sources.
Colophon:
Extracted from Losel Literature Series, volume 48, Drepung Loseling Printing
Press, 2000. Translated by Geshe Thubten Sherab, Taos, New Mexico, August
2003. Scribed and edited by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Education Services, Au-
gust 2003.
Line drawings of the eight types of stupas by Geshe Thubten Sherab, Taos, New
Mexico, 2003.
26 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Golden Stupa
Tsurphu, Tibet
General Information 27
Speech
• telling the truth
• reconciling others
• speaking in a quiet and gentle ways
• speaking sensibly and meaningfully
Mind
• practicing contentment
• being altruistic
• having faith in right views (which are the foundation for liberation)
2. The three steps above symbolize the three refuges one holds on to:
• Buddha
• Dharma
• Sangha
3. The lion throne symbolizes superiority over the whole universe and,
in particular, the four fearlessnesses, which are a result of the four
knowledges:
• knowledge that all factors of existence are understood
• knowledge that the obstacles are correctly known and the way to
stop them can be taught to others
• knowledge that the path of renunciation, through which all the
virtuous qualities are obtained, has in fact been accomplished
• knowledge that all corruption has been brought to an end
4. The treasure vase symbolizes the the eight precious royal objects
(eight noble riches).
5. The small and the big lotuses symbolize the six transcendental virtues
(six perfections):
• generosity
• morality (ethics)
• patience
• energy (enthusiastic perseverance)
• meditation
• wisdom
General Information 29
Colophon:
Extracted with permission from: www.stupa.org.nz, webmaster William Hursthouse.
Translation from the Kangyur by Lama Karta at Karma Migyour Ling; The Stupa: Sa-
cred Symbol of Enlightenment, Crystal Mirror Series, Vol. 12, Berkeley: Dharma Publish-
ing. Compiled by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Education Department, August 2003.
32 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
When she went back, everything happened. She made plans and was
able to build. There are other stories like this.
Anyway, when the brothers were standing in front of the stupa, the
oldest brother made a prayer, “May I become a Dharma king in Tibet,
the Snow Land.” The next brother heard his prayer and said, “May
I become a minister to help him spread the Dharma.” The next son
made the prayer, “May I be an abbot to pass on the lineage of ordina-
tions in Tibet.” And the next one made a prayer, “May I become a pow-
erful yogi when there are obstacles to spreading Dharma in Tibet.”
In the next life, then, the oldest brother became the Dharma king
Songtsen Gampo in Tibet; he was the Dharma king who had two
princesses who brought the statues of Shakyamuni Buddha – one is
now at the Jokhang and the other at the Ramoche. He did great activi-
ties to benefit all sentient beings, and I think he also helped to build
the Jokhang. The second brother became a minister in Tibet [Padma
Gungtsen]. The third brother became an abbot [Shantarakshita], and
the fourth brother became Padmasambhava.
When they were building the first monastery in central Tibet,
Samye, during the day the people would build and then at night spirits
would tear it down. One of the ministers suggested that they invite
Padmasambhava from India. When he came he manifested as a deity
called, I think, “Controlling the Three Realms.” This deity hooked
the spirits and subdued them, making them pledge to become Dhar-
ma protectors. So they stayed around him on the mountain to protect
the Dharma in Tibet.
Therefore, Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet has spread and been pre-
served for many years, and so many beings have actualized the path
and become enlightened. And because of this, Tibetan Mahayana
Buddhism has spread all over the world. Even in the West, many tens
of thousands of people every year are able to follow the path to enlight-
enment, make their lives meaningful, and find peace and happiness.
Including us: we have the chance to practice the lam-rim and are able
to do purification every day, thus becoming closer and closer to libera-
tion from samsara and enlightenment by collecting the three principal
aspects of the path to enlightenment and, on top of that, the tantric
stages to allow us to achieve enlightenment quickly.
All these opportunities that we and many others have in our every-
day life, all this benefit, has come from Bouddha Stupa.
General Information 35
It is said that whatever one prays for when first seeing the Bouddhanath
Stupa will be granted, so pray like this when first sighting the Stupa
and repeat the prayer again upon arrival at the Stupa:
I pray for the long lives of all gurus that I have connection with.
I pray that the whole organization is able to spread the complete teach-
ings of Lama Tsongkhapa – whatever is beneficial for all sentient be-
ings, whatever will benefit in the mind of all sentient beings.
I pray for all students with whom I have connection – for all sentient
beings that see, hear, remember, touch or talk about me – to be free
from all sufferings immediately and achieve ultimate happiness – en-
lightenment.
From now on until enlightenment may myself and all these sentient
beings, those who are working very hard and all others, always be able
to find and meet perfect gurus such as Manjushri, Shakyamuni Bud-
dha, Chenrezig, Lama Atisha, Lama Tsongkhapa and Maitreya Bud-
dha. May all their holy wishes be fulfilled immediately and may we
never rise heresy and disrespect.
I pray for all those who are working hard for me and for all sentient
beings to never be born in the lower realms.
lake appeared a crystal stupa, which was the embodiment of the Bud-
dha’s holy mind, the dharmakaya. This crystal stupa is now inside
the Swayambhu Stupa. This was predicted by Shakyamuni Buddha
himself. It is the most precious one in Kathmandu.
The whole mountain that the stupa is on is regarded as Buddha
Chakrasamvara’s mandala and palace. Ordinary people see a moun-
tain, but high yogis see a mandala. It’s a very, very holy place, the whole
mountain, and that is why people go around it at the bottom of the
mountain. It is so precious.
Colophon:
Extracted from How to Make the Most of Pilgrimages, by Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche,
published by Liberation Prison Project, October 2001. Edited by Ven. Robina
Courtin.
“The First Time You See Bouddhanath Stupa” is from advice given by Lama Zopa
Rinpoche in Bodhgaya, India, 22 February 1990.
Benefit of Holy Objects 37
ing Buddha and not as material things. Every time you look at your
altar, think that these holy objects are the actual living Buddha, but
for the time being the only karma you have is to see Buddha in these
forms, as statues or pictures. Later, when you achieve the path of accu-
mulation of merit, you will see them as the actual living Buddha. Your
view changes as your mind progresses. That is why it is said that holy
objects are manifestations, that Buddha manifests as stupas and so on.
Even though there are stories that such and such an artist made them,
without Buddha there is no way this could happen. For example, those
whose minds are very pure have the experience of statues speaking to
them. Even though the statue was made by an artist, still it speaks.
There are many great meditators and even simple people with not
much knowledge of Dharma but who have strong faith and devotion
who experience this. Even though a statue is made by somebody, it is
actually a manifestation of Buddha. It is also said in the texts that ani-
mals cannot see the Buddha and holy objects as we can, so Buddha is
manifesting in this way for us.
It is very important to understand these benefits. Then you can realize
how important it is to have holy objects and to make holy objects – not
just in your own house, but in the country or area where you live and in
the world. This is so important for sentient beings.
In the Sutra of the Mudra Generating the Power of Faith, Buddha men-
tioned, “Just merely seeing a form of the Buddha creates far greater
merit than making extensive offerings of many different types – such
as umbrellas, banners, food, robes, and so forth –to arhats equaling
the number of sand grains of the Pacific Ocean for eons equaling the
number of sand grains of the Pacific Ocean.”
That seems unbelievable. So many arhats and so many extensive
offerings and for so many eons! It is unbelievable! But actually, all that
merit is very small compared to merely seeing the form of Buddha. It
goes on to say: “There is no question then that making an offering or
prostration to the form of the Buddha creates even greater merit than
that.”
Now you have to understand, to be an arhat is not easy. First, you
have to have the realization of renunciation – seeing the whole entire
samsara – the desire, form, and formless realms – as like being in the
center of a fire, or in a prison, or in a poisonous snake’s nest. An arhat
doesn’t have the slightest interest or attraction to any samsaric pleasure
42 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Colophon:
Edited by Ven. Sarah Thresher from a talk given at the Mitrugpa retreat, Milarepa
Center, Vermont, August 2002. Lightly edited by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Edu-
cation Service, July 2003.
44 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Stupas in Tibet
Benefit of Holy Objects 45
each of those actions, as many times as one does them, creates incon-
ceivable merit. Because one has created inconceivable merit, even this
life is taken care of without clinging to it.
Merely seeing a stupa purifies all this. Anybody, even animals, who
sees a stupa or other holy object is purified. This becomes an incred-
ible purification of the mind. It has that effect: it purifies the mind.
This then becomes the cause for one to see numberless buddhas in
the near future. Then, when one hears the Dharma, one receives the
realizations of the path to enlightenment. Then one achieves total lib-
eration, freedom forever from all the suffering causes, and one attains
the highest enlightenment by completing the Mahayana path.
It is said that even a person who remembers a stupa is purified.
Amazing! Even dreaming of a stupa or remembering a stupa that one
has seen plants the seed of everlasting freedom, total liberation, from
all the suffering causes and of everlasting happiness, the highest en-
lightenment. When you come to know these benefits, then you know
how this stupa makes it so easy to liberate sentient beings, to bring
them to enlightenment, and to save them from the lower realms of
samsara.
A stupa is also the best thing for healing cancer or other sicknesses;
it is the best thing to use for healing. For example, if I go around this
stupa [at Rinpoche’s house in Aptos] a little bit faster for just twenty
minutes, it lowers my diabetes blood sugar level. This has happened
many times. One day I compared: I walked down the road and my
blood sugar level wasn’t lowered that much, but walking around the
stupa lowered it. You can advertise the stupa as unbelievably powerful
for healing. Here, I have been talking about [healing] diabetes, but it’s
also very good for cancer.
Enlightenment doesn’t happen by a click of the fingers; but seeing
holy objects plants the imprint to actualize the path and achieve en-
lightenment. Once you have holy objects, then every day they work for
sentient beings, naturally, all the time. For beings such as animals or
insects who merely touch a stupa with mantras inside – even if they are
touched by just the shadow of the stupa – the negative karma in their
minds of having killed their father or mother is purified.
When water or rain touches the stupa, it becomes holy water. The
rainwater that touches the stupa becomes blessed. So when it rains
and the rainwater runs from the stupa and soaks into the ground, any
Benefit of Holy Objects 47
much peace of mind to the local people where the stupa is built and to
people from all over the world. It will purify the mind so that people
receive inner peace. Just by coming here [to this place with a stupa],
beings will receive an education in order to develop a good heart, com-
passion and loving kindness, tolerance, patience – all these most pre-
cious human qualities of the mind. And inspiration!
It will give people courage in life. People who are depressed will
gain courage by coming to this place. Instead of feeling hopeless in
their life, they will get hope. They will discover that their life is full
of hope and their minds will be inspired in compassion as well as
in wisdom. It will thereby make their lives of the greatest benefit for
themselves and others. This is about peace – for the individual beings
who come to see it, for the whole country, and for the entire world –
for all sentient beings.
I see the creation of stupas as being of incalculable benefit for
countless sentient beings, especially for their mind streams. If one
transforms or develops the mind, then all problems and suffering are
transformed or ceased, because the mind is the creator of all one’s hap-
piness and suffering.
Listening to teachings and practicing meditation are the actual
path, but for this you need a lot of merit; you need to have purified
a lot of negative karma. The immediate and most urgent thing is to
obtain a better rebirth when you die – so these holy objects can be
really beneficial. Since many do not have the karma to come to teach-
ings, the other way to liberate and save sentient beings from the lower
realms, from samsara, and even from the subtle defilements is by their
seeing holy objects and going around them. By their remembering the
holy object, this will help them to enlightenment. This is the essential
purpose of the stupa.
By means of the stupa, the prayer wheels, and the many holy objects
existing, every day, without words, we will liberate so many sentient be-
ings – without words, in silence. By actualizing and building stupas we
liberate so many sentient beings every day by planting the seed of lib-
eration and the seed of the whole path in their minds. We will create
the cause for their good rebirth every day, for all those sentient beings
who will circumambulate – tourists and everybody! The stupa gives
peace of mind, purifies negative karma, and gives beings good rebirths
and every happiness.
Benefit of Holy Objects 51
object does not exist any more, the effect is still working in that being.
That person will then help to bring other sentient beings to enlighten-
ment.
Anybody who comes to see a stupa or holy objects – even those who
dream about them – from that time on will not be born in the lower
realms. Just by seeing and touching a stupa, their negative karmas will
be purified, and they will immediately find refuge and stable faith
in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Then they will be able to pacify
their minds and generate loving kindness and bodhichitta. Wherever
a stupa is built will become a powerful place for healing and a cause
of success for whatever visitors to that place are seeking. Each person
can transform their mind by coming and seeing such holy objects. In
short, spending time at a stupa can become the psychology to bring
peace of mind and a good heart to all beings, both young and old.
These benefits apply to all sentient beings that come to the stupa, even
dogs that are taken for a walk around it.
To support and contribute to creating and building stupas and oth-
er holy objects is therefore of immense benefit, not only to others but
also to yourself in helping to make your life more meaningful.
You can dedicate the benefit or merit of helping with creating holy
objects to family members who have passed away. You can dedicate
the merit to all the people who are dying of cancer now, to all the
people who have AIDS. If you want to do something to help family
members who have passed away, for their good rebirth, then dedicate
your merit of supporting and giving contributions toward building
stupas and holy objects. You can also dedicate for all sentient beings
who are suffering now and so that all those who support the creation
of stupas and holy objects will also have a good rebirth. As well, you
can dedicate all these merits for world peace. There are so many ways
you can dedicate the merit every time you make a contribution or cre-
ate holy objects yourself. And you can pray for the quick realizations
of all sentient beings.
Stupas are very powerful for purification. Wherever you are in the
six realms or in the pure lands or wherever, every day stupas liberate
many sentient beings. You must remember that. Even though our lives
are not long, the time and effort you put into creating stupas and the
stupas to which you have contributed or that you have built will con-
tinuously benefit other sentient beings, liberating them from samsara
Benefit of Holy Objects 53
Colophon:
This article was compiled from the following talks given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche:
Talk given at Atisha Center, Bendigo, Australia, March 2000. Material used wit
permission of Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive (www.lamayeshe.org). Teachings given
at Atisha Center and in Sydney, Australia in September and October 1996 and in
March 2000; Instructions scribed by Brian Halterman in Aptos, California.
The individual extracts were originally compiled and lightly edited by Kendall Mag-
nussen, July 2003. Final editing by Ven. Constance Miller, September 2003.
54 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Swayambhunath Stupa
Kathmandu, Nepal
Benefit of Holy Objects 55
tery hadn’t accepted that he become a monk. Buddha then said, “Be-
cause I have completed the two types of merit, the merit of wisdom
and the merit of method, I can see that you have the karma to become
a monk.”
Because Buddha had completed the two types of merits, which
means he had purified the two obscurations, Buddha had omniscient
mind and could see all the subtle karmas. In other words, the old
man’s karma to become a monk was a subtle karma that only a Bud-
dha could see.
Buddha explained that an arhat could not see this subtle karma
because he had not finished the work of collecting the two types of
merits and so had not achieved omniscient mind.
Buddha explained to Shrijata that he had created the karma an
inconceivable length of time ago when he was a fly and there was
some cow dung around a stupa. One explanation is that the cow dung
was floating on some water; the fly landed on the cow dung and com-
pleted a circumambulation when the water went around the stupa.
The other explanation is that the fly followed the smell of cow dung
lying around a stupa and thus had the good fortune to complete a cir-
cumambulation. The fly had no idea that the stupa was a holy object
or that circumambulating it would become a cause of enlightenment.
The fly had no intention of doing a circumambulation. It was acting
totally out of attachment to the smell of the cow dung. Its motivation
was completely non-virtuous. Due to the power of the object, how-
ever, the circumambulation became virtuous. Buddha explained that
that small virtue of circumambulating the stupa created the cause for
Shrijata to become a monk.
When Buddha checked to see who had a karmic connection with
the old man and could look after him, it turned out to be Maudga-
lyayana, an arhat who excelled in psychic powers. Of Buddha’s two
heart disciples, Shariputra excelled in wisdom and Maudgalyayana in
psychic powers.
Buddha then offered the old man to his disciple, Maudgalyayana,
who was the abbot of another monastery.
After Shrijata became a monk, the young monks in the monastery
also teased him. Every day they would make fun of the old man. One
day he again got completely fed up with their teasing and ran away
from the monastery. He decided that he would jump into the river.
At that time Maudgalyayana went looking for the old man. When he
Benefit of Holy Objects 57
of the very subtle karma he created as a fly. With no idea that a stupa
was a holy object that could purify the mind, with only attachment,
this fly followed the smell of cow dung around a stupa and incidentally
completed a circumambulation. Everything started from that small
good karma.
From that small merit, everything, the whole evolution of becom-
ing a monk, actualizing the whole path to achieve total liberation,
the nirvana of the sorrowless state from all the suffering causes, then
entering the pure Mahayana path, then the ten bhumis, achieving en-
lightenment, liberating other sentient beings and bringing them to
enlightenment – the whole thing came from that small merit collected
by one circumambulation by following the smell of the cow dung!
It’s the same thing when you go around a stupa. The effect for any-
body of just walking around a stupa and circumambulating, even with-
out any pure motivation, is the same: actualizing the whole five paths
to liberation, then the five paths to achieve enlightenment, and then
to be able to liberate and then to enlighten all numberless sentient
beings. That benefit is for anybody who goes around the stupa; dogs,
cats, flies, kangaroos, or whatever. Maybe kangaroos can go faster be-
cause they can jump from here to there.
Colophon:
Extracted from Teachings from the Vajrasattva Retreat, teachings by Lama Zopa
Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. Lightly edited by Kendall Magnussen,
FPMT Education Services, July 2003. Reprinted with permission.
Benefit of Holy Objects 59
The stupa represents Buddha’s holy mind, the dharmakaya, and each
part of the stupa shows the path to enlightenment. Building a stupa
is a very powerful way to purify negative karma and obscurations and
to accumulate extensive merit. In this way you can have realizations
of the path to enlightenment and be able to do perfect work to liber-
ate suffering beings, who equal the sky, leading them to the peerless
happiness of enlightenment, which is the ultimate goal of our life. The
benefits of stupas are:
1. If you make a thousand stupas, you will become a great “wheel-
turning holder of the wisdom teaching” (i.e., of Mahayana secret
mantra) and you will develop clairvoyance knowing all the Bud-
dhadharma.
2. After death, without being born in the evil-gone realms (hell, preta,
or animal), you will be born as a king.
3. You will become like a sun rising in the world, with perfect senses
and a beautiful body.
4. You will be able to remember past lives and see future lives.
6. The sutra teaching the Stainless Beam says: “All the negative karma
and obscurations, including the five uninterrupted negative karmas
(the heaviest negative karmas, such as killing one’s parents, causing
60 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
10. There is no question that stupas are the cause for you to accumu-
late extensive merit and gain success and happiness.
Colophon:
These benefits of stupas were explained by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Chenrezig In-
stitute, Australia, in September 1994.
Benefit of Holy Objects 61
Then recently, I was reading the benefits again, and I found out
more about the Stainless Pinnacle Deity mantra. I actually have the
Kangyur in the house, because Ven. Roger offered it to me. It helps
a lot; it helps me discover many things. There are amazing, amazing,
mindblowing things in the Kangyur! Even the Golden Light Sutra is
in there! Therefore, all those benefits I discovered in the Kangyur
actually came from Ven. Roger. If he hadn’t bought the Kangyur, we
wouldn’t have all these discoveries. So actually, the project of building
all the stupas in FPMT is Ven. Roger’s fault.
There were a few of the root and heart mantras missing from the last
printing of the Four Dharmakaya Relic mantras. We checked against
different texts based on the Kangyur and Tengyur and I have made
some corrections. It is now organized correctly and I am quite satisfied
with this version. This version can be used now to make many billions
and billions of stupas!
Also, the Four Dharmakaya Relic mantras can be put inside prayer
wheels, in tsa-tsas, in statues etc. In this way, we benefit the whole
world. We liberate so many sentient beings and bring them to enlight-
enment as quickly as possible.
a good rebirth. Even if the shadow of the stupa touches people and
insects, their heavy negative karma is purified. From the Kangyur:
If this mantra is put inside a stupa then any being, including evil trans-
migratory beings, who sees the stupa, hears of the stupa, touches the
stupa, or who is touched by dust or wind that comes from this stupa,
will be free from all negative karmas. They will be born in the realms
of happy transmigratory beings1 and they won’t be reborn in the lower
realms.
Everything that touches the land the stupa is on becomes meaningful,
including the rain that touches the stupa and then flows to the ground
and touches worms. The worms’ negative karma is purified and they
will receive a higher rebirth.
If there is a stupa containing this mantra in the center of a road or
above a road and cars can pass under it or go around it, this is unbe-
lievable purification. It doesn’t only purify the negative karma of this
life, it purifies the negative karma of many past lives and plants the
seed of enlightenment.
The Destroyer Qualified Gone Beyond [Shakyamuni Buddha] ad-
vised the Bodhisattva Great Sattva: Eliminating All Obscurations,
Owner of the Secrecy, Vajra in the Hand [Vajrapani], the four guard-
ians, the deva Unforgettable2 Owner [Brahma], and the devas of Tsan-
gri, the Maha Deva, [the Hindu God Mahashora], and so forth: “You,
the capable holy beings, I hand over this heart of the king of the secret
mantra. Always keep it, put it in a jeweled samato [container]. Then
proclaim it to all places. Continually reveal it to sentient beings. If
you make sentient beings hear and see this mantra, their five uninter-
rupted negative karmas will be purified.”
of a finger. Then, if you dedicate this merit for sentient beings, for
their happiness up to full enlightenment, they receive unbelievable
benefits and you receive unbelievable merit.
One collects the merit of having made offerings to all the buddhas, to all
the Dharma, and to all the Sangha. Why? Because when you make of-
ferings to a stupa containing the 100,000 Ornaments of Enlightenment
Mantra, you are not only making offering to a stupa. It becomes an offer-
ing to all the buddhas, the Three Rare Sublime Ones – all the Buddha,
Dharma, and Sangha that exist in the ten directions, in any universe.
After a person has died, chant that person’s name during the exact
moment you put the mantra inside the stupa (before placing it inside
the stupa, the mantra should be rolled correctly and covered in yellow
cloth). Then you make offerings to the stupa – either actual offerings,
or visualized, as in the seven limb prayer. If you visualize offerings,
visualize all the flowers inside and outside, all the food offerings, all
the water offerings, all the light offerings, everything! You can use all
the offerings at my houses in California and Washington, as well as all
the offerings at all the FPMT centers.
Buddha said to Ananda: “I explained this sutra for those beings
who have very little merit and no devotion, for those who are over-
come by doubt and cannot believe in the Dharma. For those sentient
beings, I explained the 100,000 Ornaments of Enlightenment man-
tra.” That means Buddha explained this mantra for us.
Buddha also told Ananda: “In future times, if ordained ones don’t
read this sutra that contains the benefits of this mantra and don’t
make offering to this mantra, which makes it so unbelievably easy to
purify the negative karma that causes one to be reborn in the lower
realms and to accumulate the merit to achieve enlightenment and then
offer extensive benefit to sentient beings, those ordained ones will suf-
fer in the same way as householders. But if one listens to this teaching
and then makes even one stupa with this mantra inside, one makes
offering to all the 84,000 teachings of the Buddha.” This means that
this mantra is an antidote to the 84,000 delusions, and one creates in-
conceivable heaps of merit. This is the same as reading the sutra called
Tongpa Denpe Do (Sutra of the Ornamented Trunk)
When you put these four dharmakaya relic mantras inside a stupa,
even mentioning the name of a person or animal that has died and
68 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
praying for them brings them a good rebirth, such as birth in a pure
land. That person will definitely be liberated from the lower realms. It
is very powerful. You can also do the same for very sick people, mak-
ing dedications for them to be healthy. As you put the mantras inside
the stupa (or holy object), you should do the seven-limb practice and
make the dedication for that person. This is a very powerful method
for healing.
Holy objects such as these liberate sentient beings continuously
twenty-four hours a day, every day. They purify the causes of the lower
realms and bring sentient beings to the higher realms where they can
meet the Dharma and then reach liberation and enlightenment.
Creating holy objects with these special mantras inside and mak-
ing them available to others brings constant, unbelievable benefit
to sentient beings. As soon as stupas and statues of the Buddha are
made, they have the power to cause sentient beings to do actions such
as circumambulating, prostrating, offering, and so forth, which then
become virtuous actions creating the cause of enlightenment, even
if those actions are done with the eight worldly dharmas3 and non-
virtuous thoughts. These holy objects make it possible for sentient be-
ings to create the cause to meet the Dharma and actualize the path.
So even though we who are making these holy objects do not have
realizations such as bodhichitta or emptiness, nor have we reached
any of the bodhisattva bhumis, the holy objects we make still have the
power to liberate sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric suffer-
ing, to actualize all the realizations of the path – Guru devotion, the
three principles of the path, and the two stages – and then to achieve
enlightenment.
These are illustrations of the activity of the Buddha’s unbelievable
compassion toward us sentient beings and are but a few of the drops
of Buddha’s unbelievable methods to liberate sentient beings quickly
from the sufferings of samsara.
Benefit of Holy Objects 69
Colophon:
This teaching is a compilation of advice from three different occasions: dictated by
Lama Zopa Rinpoche to Ven. Holly Ansett, Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, Novem-
ber 2002. Section of the benefits is from the Kangyur, which is the essence of all
the Buddha’s teachings. Additional benefits for the Stainless beam mantra extract-
ed from “Zung of the Completely Pure Exalted Beam Stainless Light,” translated
by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and dictated to Ven. Matthew Tenzin, Kachoe Dechen
Ling, February, 2005. Lightly edited by Holly Ansett and Kendall Magnussen, May,
2005. Additional teachings on the benefits of these mantras from a teaching given
by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Kachoe Dechen Ling on November 26, 2006. Tran-
scribed by Ven> Lobsang Yangchen, checked and arranged by Ven. Holly Ansett,
and edited by Ven. Gyalten Mindrol, FPMT Education Department, May 2007.
All teachings compiled in this form by Ven. Gyalten Mindrol, FPMT Education
Department, May 2007
70 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
7. From that time on, you will not be stained by the pollution of the
womb, that is, you will no longer experience suffering rebirth from
a womb.
8. All your own wishes will be completely and exactly actualized.
9. On the 8th, 14th, or 15th day of the Tibetan month, if you recite
these two mantras of the Wish-Fulfilling Precious Jewel (Stain-
less Crown Pinnacle and Stainless Beam) 108 times and circum-
ambulate a stupa containing this relic (the mantras), your mental
continuum will immediately be free from obscurations, negative
karmas, and all disturbing thoughts (attachment, hatred, stains of
ignorance, miserliness, jealousy).”
From the text Stainless Beam, “Due to the blessings of the tathagatas,
anyone of the race of boy or girl (one whose imprint of the Mahayana
teachings has ripened) who circumambulates, prostrates, or makes of-
ferings to the stupa will be irreversible from the path of highest en-
lightenment, and all their previous karmic obscurations will be puri-
fied, without any remaining.”
From the Buddha’s teaching Samatok of the Precious Relic, “Any
sentient being having done one circumambulation of or one prostra-
tion to a stupa will be completely liberated from the karma that makes
them reincarnate and experience suffering, down to the unbearable
suffering state, the lowest hell realm, which has the heaviest suffering
among the hells among all samsaric realms. That person will become
irreversible from the highest fully perfected enlightenment.”
One receives these unbelievable benefits by having these precious
mantras inside holy objects.
Colophon:
Translated from the Kangyur section on the benefits of stupas by Lama Zopa
Rinpoche in Hong Kong on March 8, 1996. Updated by Ven. Gyalten Mindrol,
FPMT Education Department, November 2007.
72 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Benefit of the Practices 73
Mahabodhi Stupa
Bodh Gaya, India
This stupa marks the location in Bodh Gaya where Buddha Shakya-
muni attained enlightenment.
Benefit of the Practices 75
Benefits of
Whoever makes recitations [at this stupa] attains the quality of skill
(knowledge: mkhas);
Whoever gives the meaning of the words [teaches here], will also in
all lifetimes,
Achieve whatever words were said and be worshipped;
Also, if consecration [of this stupa] is done at propitious times
Frost, hail, and famine will be ended and epidemics pacified;
All buddha realms of the ten directions blissfully arise
[are made manifest].
Colophon:
This was printed at Sugel Trashi Chophel Ling (su gel bkra shis chos ’phel gling).
Original text, author, and translator are unknown. Edited by Kendall Magnussen,
FPMT Education Services, July, 2003. Words in “[ ]” were added for clarification.
All mistakes are solely the responsibility of the editor.
78 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
A Short Sutra on
Circumambulating a Stupa
The sublime Shariputra, renowned for his great intelligence, asked the Bud-
dha: “Could you say what are the benefits of circumambulating a stupa?
The Buddha answered: “Here are the benefits occurring to one who
circumambulates a stupa: free of the eight unfavorable circumstances,1
he will be reborn into a noble family and will own numerous riches; free
of conflicting emotions (avarice, etc.), he will enjoy practicing generosity.
He will be handsome, attractive, will have a beautiful complexion; others
will delight in seeing him; he will have power over the world and will be-
come a king of Dharma. Then, he will obtain a fortunate rebirth and will
be enthusiastic for the Buddha’s teaching; having completed the practice
(yogas), he will perform great miracles and progressively obtain the thirty-
two pure marks and the eighty physical perfections of a buddha’s body.”
Such was his answer.
These few benefits are nothing compared to all those that could yet
be enounced about the circumambulation of a stupa. By merely seeing a
stupa, listening to the qualities of a stupa, remembering a stupa, touching
a stupa, etc., even if only being touched by the shade of a stupa or being
touched by the wind that passed over a stupa, one will obtain happiness
in this life and, ultimately, awakening.
Note:
Of being born in a hell, animal, or preta realm, a barbaric or irreligious country, a
long-life pleasure god, having imperfect faculties, being displeased with the presence of
a buddha, being born at a time when no buddha has descended.
Colophon:
Extracted from the Kangyur. Translation by Lama Karta at Karma Migyour Ling.
Extracted with permission from the Stupa Information Site put together by William
Hursthouse at www.stupa.nz.org. Lightly edited for reprinting here.
Benefit of the Practices 79
Verses on
Circumambulating a Stupa
(from the sutras)
After the Buddha, the One of Great Wisdom, had turned the Dharma
Wheel in the world, the wise one Shariputra1 humbly asked:
“What are the results that come from circumambulating a stupa? May
the Guide of the supreme universe of this great kalpa please advise me.”
“Once you gain the leisure, so very rare, and circumambulate a stupa
for even a very short time, the eight adverse states5 will be no more.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: a very long life – a life-
time more like that of a god – in which you will obtain great renown.
80 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will see the whole
process of perception6 as empty, and, bewilderment about the Dharma
ended, you will quickly obtain the state of bliss.7
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: After death you will
pass to the higher realms; rejoicing in the Buddha’s doctrine, you will
be a yogin9 and a miracle-worker.
Benefit of the Practices 81
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will pass from
the realm of the gods to be reborn in the human realm, and will enter
the womb with clear intent.10
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will dwell hap-
pily in the womb, you will be born easily, and joyfully you will drink
at the breast.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will have a father
who will ensure you the finest care by many attendants, and a nurse-
maid who is always attentive.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: For one hundred kal-
pas your body will be perfect; you will never be crippled11 or blind.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: Your eyes will be-
come totally pure:12 oblong, sapphire-hued, and beautiful like the eyes
of the gods.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: Both body and mind
will be well balanced, your determination unswerving, and your shoul-
ders broad and dependable.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will become In-
dra, Lord of the Thirty-three13 – the one with miraculous abilities, the
great Lord of Gods.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will become the
king of the gods of the heaven called Yama14 or Tushita or of the heav-
en Nirmanarati or Pari-nirmita-vashavartin.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will gain the
power of Brahma himself in the world of Brahma, and you will be
worshipped by many tens of millions of gods.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will gain strength
and perfect vitality, and setting laziness aside, you will obtain the su-
preme accomplishments.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will attain a me-
lodious voice with a pleasing pitch and a dulcet tone. You will never be
harmed and you will be free from disease.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will soon ob-
tain the four foundations of mindfulness,15 the Four Immeasurables of
Mind,16 and the powers of the Bases of Miraculous Ability.
Benefit of the Practices 83
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will achieve the
Four Noble Truths, the powers and the strengths, and the fruit of the
limbs of enlightenment.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: You will obtain the
six superknowledges, unstained, having cast off all the emotional fet-
ters, and you will become a wonder-working Arhat.
“Circumambulating a stupa will have this result: Having cast off desire
and hatred and having given up all your attendants, you will gain the
enlightenment of a Pratyekabuddha.
“Although words are far too limited to express them well, out of mercy
for sentient beings, and as requested by Shariputra, the Lord of the
World will indicate the benefits of honoring the stupa.
“O wise one, the benefit of those who joyfully take one step around
the Buddha’s stupa is unmatched by the benefit of gaining one hun-
dred thousand measures of gold from the gold river of Jambu.
“O wise one, the benefit of those who joyfully offer a clay bowl to the
Buddha’s stupa is unmatched by the benefit of those with one hun-
dred thousand palaces made of gold from the gold river of Jambu.18
“O wise one, the benefit of those who joyfully heap flowers before the
Buddha’s stupa is unmatched by the benefit of having one hundred
thousand vessels made of gold from the gold river of Jambu.
“O wise one, the benefit of those who joyfully bear flower garlands
for the Buddha’s stupa is unmatched by the benefit of having twenty
million bales.
“O wise one, the benefit of those who joyfully sprinkle perfumed wa-
ter upon the Buddha’s stupa is unmatched by the benefit of having
one thousand hillocks of gold made from the gold river of Jambu.
“O wise one, the benefit of those who joyfully offer butter lamps to the
Buddha’s stupa is unmatched by the benefits of having one hundred
thousand times ten million measures of gold from the gold river of
Jambu.
“O wise one the benefit of those who joyfully offer victory banners,
pennants, and parasols to the Buddha’s stupa is unmatched by the
benefit of those who possess one hundred thousand great mountains
of gold.
Notes:
1. The original version of this text includes diacritical transliteration of Sanskrit
words, both names and terms. For this reprinting, these diacritical letters have
been changed to the closest renderings in the standard English alphabet.
2. Throughout this explanation of the benefits of circumambulating stupas, the
Buddha uses worldly examples so that ordinary people can appreciate the ben-
efits and get inspired to do the practice of circumambulation. Even if the mo-
tivation is to obtain samsaric pleasure, it will still bring them to liberation and
enlightenment.
3. Kinnaras are powerful local spirits. There are eight divisions: eight outer, eight
inner and eight secret. When you are going to start a major project, for example,
you should make offerings to them, requesting them to not harm. Also, strong
weather such as cyclones, hailstorms, violent winds are associated with miam-
ji. And especially before you do wrathful actions you would make offerings to
these powerful worldly devas. You can also make offerings to them before you
build a house, to request them to not harm. Sometimes these eight powerful
worldly gods manifest as human beings.
4. Mahoragas are non-human local landlord spirits.
5. To be born in a hell, animal, or preta realm, a barbaric or irreligious country,
a long-life pleasure god, having imperfect faculties, being displeased with the
presence of a Buddha, being born at a time when no Buddha has descended.
6. All causative phenomena.
7. The first bodhisattva bhumi, “Extremely Joyful.”
8. This is a wheel-turning king, the most powerful king on earth with whom no
other can compete.
9. Will have realizations such as guru yoga, clear light, and illusory body.
10. Without ignorance.
11. Or experience arthritis.
12. This refers to the “clairvoyance of the deva’s eye”: this is the clairvoyance to
see your own and others’ deaths, the time when the mind leaves the body. You
can also see the various rebirths of yourself and others. You explain this to the
sentient beings to be subdued in order to liberate them from the wrong view of
nihilism.
13. The Realm of the Thirty-three is at the top of the four levels of the universe,
where Mount Meru and the water meet.
14. Devoid of fighting, and will have control over Tushita, etc.
15. The four mindfulnesses of body, mind, feeling, and phenomena.
16. The four limitless thoughts of equanimity, love, compassion and joy.
86 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
17. Physical prostration means to pay homage by bowing down; mantra and prayer
are prostration of speech; and devotion is prostration of mind.
18. jambu chulung refers to Lake Matoe into which fell the fruit of the Dzambutika
tree. Nagas in the form of fishes ate some of the fruits, but the uneaten fruits
were churned in the lake for many thousands of years. Due to that, the lake be-
came jambu chuser, the “Jambu water gold.” It became the best quality of gold,
priceless. So, gold from the gold river of Jambu is referring to this, the best gold,
not to just any gold.
Colophon:
Reprinted with permission from The Stupa: Sacred Symbol of Enlightenment, Crystal
Mirror Series, Vol. 12, pp. 218–31, by Tarthang Tulku, Dharma Publishing. Com-
mentarial notes have been compiled from teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Ko-
pan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 1995. Edited by Kendall Magnus-
sen, FPMT Education Services, December 2003.
Benefit of the Practices 87
Commentary on the
Sutra on Circumambulating
the Stupa
by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
These eight states are: being born as a hell being, a preta, a hungry
ghost, an animal, as a barbarian, a long-life god, a heretical being, a
fool, and in a time when no buddha exists. These are the eight states
without freedom to practice Dharma. Even circumambulating for one
second frees you from the eight states that have no freedom to practice
Dharma. Every second that you circumambulate, you achieve the eight
happy states. It is unbelievable.
Having circumambulated holy stupas, you will always have a
good memory.
This means you don’t need to put on make-up all the time. You will
have natural color, you don’t need to carry all those boxes to paint, or
go shopping!
You will be wise, and you will receive offerings all the time.
You will receive chocolates, milkshakes, ice cream, coffee, biscuits, and
chai! This can also mean that you can make offerings to others.
These practices – prostrations, making offerings to the holy ob-
jects, circumambulations – fulfill your wish for happiness, all your
Benefit of the Practices 89
needs to practice Dharma, all your needs to help others, and all your
needs to serve the teachings of the Buddha. The more you do these
practices, the more all these things come naturally, without effort. The
sutra gives details, “you’ll get this, you’ll get that,” but the way to look
at this is that all these practices fulfill your wishes, up to enlighten-
ment. Not only all the things that are mentioned there, “you’ll get this,
you’ll get that,” but most importantly you will attain the realizations of
guru devotion, realizations of the graduated path of the lower capable
being, realizations of the graduated path of the middle capable being –
renunciation – and then bodhichitta, emptiness, and finally, the two
stages of tantra.
If you offer one grain of rice, a tiny flower, or a stick of incense to
the Buddha you have visualized, a statue of Buddha or a picture of
Buddha with the motivation is bodhichitta and the practice is done
with renunciation of samsara or right view, then there is no ques-
tion whether or not it is Dharma. But even if you have non-virtuous
thought – only attachment clinging to this life, happiness, long life,
to be healthy, to have power, and wealth for yourself – because of the
power of the holy object, this one grain of rice offering immediately
becomes a cause of enlightenment. It becomes the cause to achieve the
infinite, inconceivable qualities of Buddha’s holy body, holy speech,
and holy mind. Not only that, but this becomes cause for you to achieve
enlightenment. That means that this becomes the cause also for you
to achieve the realizations of the path, from guru devotion, renuncia-
tion of samsara, the graduated path of the lower capable being, middle
capable being, and higher capable being, bodhichitta, right view, and
all the bodhisattva’s path, the six paramitas and ten paramitas. This
becomes the cause of achieving the five paths and the ten bhumis,
and on the basis of the three principles of the path, the two stages of
highest tantra.
This one offering, even done with a totally negative mind, becomes
the cause to achieve the whole path from guru devotion up to en-
lightenment. Not because of your motivation, but due to the power of
the holy object, it becomes virtue, the cause of enlightenment. Then,
because karma is expandable, it becomes the cause to achieve libera-
tion from samsara and also the cause to achieve a good rebirth – a
deva or human rebirth for many hundreds of thousands of lifetimes.
From one cause, the result you experience lasts for many hundreds of
thousands of lifetimes.
90 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
However, you do not have to wait for your next life to experience the
result of the karma of making these offerings. Because holy objects are
very powerful, you start to experience the result of your actions even in
this life. All the success of this life – health, long life, prosperity, all the
needs in this life for your own practice or to help others – comes from
good karma. Therefore, this life is also taken care of – all the things
that you need. Also all the difficulties, whether health, sicknesses, or
life danger, come from negative karma. These practices purify negative
karma. Even if you don’t think about receiving any benefit in this life,
even if you don’t have that motivation, this life is taken care of by the
way, so that you don’t have to experience these obstacles. At the least,
they become smaller.
The common idea is that by doing business, you develop, but there
are many problems with that method. It is not very reliable. First of
all, for the action of business to become virtue, the motivation has to
be virtuous. You have to make a lot of effort for your motivation to
become virtuous. For business to become Dharma, the motivation has
to become Dharma. Therfore, there are many obstacles. The benefit
or profit we achieve from business is not fixed. Nothing is definite.
Sometimes there is more profit. Sometimes – even if we are able to
sell – it is not profitable.
The benefit of these practices – circumambulation, prostrations,
offerings, doing these various practices that Buddha taught, the vari-
ous means to purify the mind of the negative karma and defilements,
and the practices to collect merit – is always the same. The benefits
of circumambulation, the benefits of offerings, and so forth, all these
skies of benefit, this inconceivable merit is always the same. There is
no deflation and inflation like the value of gold or the value of the
dollar. It is always inconceivable. The benefit that every single one of
these practices has is always inconceivable. The resulting happiness is
inconceivable, and it is always the same.
Due to the power of the object, of Buddha, the benefit is always
the same. Due to the fact that things are empty of existing from their
own side, due to dependent arising, it is always the same. Why? Be-
cause Buddha’s power never decreases, Buddha’s compassion towards
sentient beings never decreases, and Buddha’s qualities never decrease.
They are always the same. Therefore, all these practices that we do,
even toward a statue or a painting of the Buddha – circumambulation,
prostration, offering – always bring infinite benefit. Always.
Benefit of the Practices 91
You will not be miserly but you will be brave in giving, in making
charity.
If you want to make anybody who sees you feel happy, then circumam-
bulate all day and night! There are some people that everybody likes;
the whole world is attracted to them. I don’t think it has so much to do
with their body. One reason is the body, but I don’t think that is the
main thing. The main thing is the cause that the person created in the
past, so that everybody is attracted to and naturally likes that person.
You have to understand that. It comes from these practices, due to the
power of holy objects. It has nothing in particular to do with the shape
of the person’s body. Their body can have an ugly shape, but somehow
people are still drawn to that. Therefore, it is not due to the shape
of the body. The karma that the person created in the past, such as
circumambulations and other practices with holy objects that are the
cause. If you analyze how these things happen, it is like that.
This means you can have a lot of coffee, chocolate drink, or milk-
shakes, a lot of chai!
Buddha does not tell lies. Circumambulating does have all these ben-
efits, and usually what ordinary people desire is temporary happiness,
not ultimate happiness. Since circumambulating does have these ben-
efits, Buddha emphasized the benefits that ordinary people like. As
they do circumambulations, it brings them to enlightenment, even
though their motivation is for worldy things. Then it gradually brings
the realizations of the path and brings them to enlightenment, so that
is Buddha’s skillful means.
You will have morality, will always hear the teachings. You will
have secret mantra, having scriptural understanding and realiza-
tions of tantras.
Wheel-turning kings are the most powerful. There are no other kings
that can compete with a wheel-turning king. You are the most power-
ful, most wealthy. There are kings who have control over one conti-
nent, two continents, three continents, four continents, and the king
who controls the deva realm.
This means a pure land of Buddha, like Amitabha’s pure land. Vajray-
ogini’s pure land, or the Kalachakra pure land. Circumambulating
holy objects helps the practice of phowa, so that when you die you can
transfer your consciousness easily to the pure land.
You will be able to be born from the mother’s womb with very clear
memory, remembering so much of your past lives, like that.
For a hundred eons you won’t become blind and you won’t experience
arthritis.
Deva’s eye clairvoyance means that you are able to see where you will be
born, after death.
The head will be a nice shape and you will have a nicely shaped body, not
ugly. I think it is describing a nice shape according to the worldly view.
96 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
You will become a great and powerful deva having great psychic
powers, in the Indra realm.
People are so attracted to the sound, the voice, of various singers. There
is a cause for that, such as offering a bell. That person will become so
Benefit of the Practices 97
fewer mistakes. You can deal with others or teach Dharma according
to their mental state. You know what fits their minds and what doesn’t
fit their minds. Then there is the clairvoyance of the deva’s eye, know-
ing when death will occur, and what kind of birth will be taken. You
are able to see those things, and can help other sentient beings.
It is said in the text that even Hindus can achieve these other five,
but not the sixth one, as it involves ceasing all the delusions. Circum-
ambulating makes it possible to achieve these clairvoyances faster, so
that you can benefit sentient beings much more.
You will abandon all delusions. You will become the arhat, hav-
ing great psychic power.
Colophon:
Extracted from teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Root Institute, Bodhgaya, In-
dia, December 1999. Edited by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Education Department,
July 2003, and Venerable Gyalten Mindrol, FPMT Education Department, Novem-
ber 2007.
Benefit of the Practices 99
The Benefits of
Circumambulating Stupas
by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
I’m sure you have often heard the story of Jinpa Pelgye (Shrijata). (See
“A Story about the Power of Stupas,” p. 55.) Buddha explained that Jinpa
Pelgye had the karma to actualize the path through becoming a monk
and an arhat because long ago in one of his previous lives he had been
a fly that followed the smell of dung around a stupa. By following the
odor of the dung, the fly circumambulated a holy object. In other
words, even when there is no virtuous motivation, any circumambula-
tion of a holy object becomes a virtuous action because of the power of
the holy object. It is useful to remember that a stupa has this power.
Circumambulating holy objects purifies broken pratimoksha vows,
the five uninterrupted negative karmas, all the karmas to be born in
the naraks (hell realms).
In India there were great siddhas who achieved realizations by cir-
cumambulating temples, and Lama Atisha and the Kadam geshes did
many circumambulations of stupas.
Once when Lama Atisha was circumambulating, Dromtompa asked
him, “Why don’t you relax? Why not practice virtue while sitting?
Why do you do this ordinary practice of circumambulating?” Lama
Atisha replied, “You don’t understand. A circumambulation contains
all three actions of body, speech and mind. If you just sit and meditate,
you have only the one action of the mind meditating, with no virtu-
ous actions of body or speech. In terms of creating virtue, there is no
greater merit than that from circumambulating.”
Since depending on these holy objects purifies the cause of the dis-
ease, it has to have an effect on the disease itself.
Even if a person does this practice with the motivation of just this
life’s happiness, even if the motivation is not Dharma, but for the
happiness and success of this life – that motivation wasn’t to benefit
sentient beings and therefore it didn’t become Dharma, but due to
the power of the object, it becomes Dharma. It becomes the cause to
achieve enlightenment.
Colophon:
Quotations from the sutras were taken from the Kangyur on the benefits of stupas
and translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Hong Kong, March 8, 1996. Additional
teachings were given at Land of Medicine Buddha, November 2002. Compiled and
edited by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Education Services, July 2003.
Benefit of the Practices 103
Making Offerings to
Holy Objects
One day Buddha went for alms through the village. There were three
children playing in the sand and these children wanted to make an
offering to Buddha, but Buddha’s holy body was very tall and they had
nothing to offer. They were playing in the sand and one child stood
up, then another child stood up by standing on his shoulders, and
then third child stood on the shoulders of the second child. Then the
third child offered sand grains to the Buddha’s begging bowl by visual-
izing the sand grains as gold.
This was the karma that resulted: the next life that child was born
as King Ashoka, a Dharma king in India. Ashoka built many monas-
teries for the Sangha and offered food for the Sangha, not for just one
day, but for his whole life. He was able to offer so many services to the
monasteries which created the condition for him live in ordination
and to study and practice Dharma.
Then he built ten million stupas in one day. The text mentions one
life, but I think it was in one day. Ten million stupas in one day! Of
course, he was a king so he had enough wealth to build them. In that
life, being born as a king with all that wealth, he was able to benefit so
many people and create merit like the limitless sky by building many
stupas and many monasteries, and offering food for the Sangha.
The cause of what he was able to do in that life was just simply that
karma of offering a handful of sand grains, and visualizing every single
grain of sand as gold. By visualizing all these sand grains as gold, he
received the benefit of having actually offered gold. He accumulated
the merit of having actually offered gold, even though there was not
one single speck of gold there.
104 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
When you offer grain, visualize a wish-granting jewel, like the sto-
ry of King Ashoka. Visualize gold, diamonds, and the most precious
thing among all possessions, the wish-granting jewel. Anybody who
prays to that jewel, all their wishes – whatever enjoyment and comfort
they want – are immediately received due to the power of the material,
the jewel, and the power of your good karma, together.
We can all offer some rice to the stupa, but the meditation when
you offer this is to visualize that you are not just offering rice but gold.
Then immediately that action of offering will become the cause to
achieve enlightenment, and it will become the cause to achieve lib-
eration from samsara and the all the causes of suffering. Third, the
offering of grain visualized as gold becomes a cause of achieving good
rebirth for a hundred thousand lifetimes. Therefore, whenever death
happens you will have a good future life.
This karma of offering also takes care of this life: health, long life,
prosperity, and any happiness of this life that one is seeking – all from
the good karma of making offerings. You collect so much merit and
that becomes the cause of success of this life and the happiness that
you are seeking for this life.
This is the same even with animals, human beings, or anybody who
circumambulates, prostrates, and so on. As I mentioned before, even
if the motivation is not pure, even if it is only negative, the circumam-
bulating, prostration, or offering immediately becomes the cause to
achieve enlightenment for that person or animal. Then, by the way, it
will even be the cause to achieve cessation of the whole entire cause
of suffering.
To achieve good rebirth for hundreds or thousands of lifetimes in
a human body or as a deva, and to have wealth and whatever happi-
ness – whatever one wishes for in future lives – all comes from that
one good karma of circumambulating or prostrating or even putting
two palms together towards the stupa. That is not even laying down
the body [in prostration]. Just putting the palms together towards the
stupa immediately becomes the cause to achieve enlightenment, and it
becomes the cause of success, happiness, and the like.
By offering grain and visualizing it has a better quality substance,
we receive the same benefit as if it were better quality. That is the medi-
tation. Generally in our daily life when we make offerings, even if we
are offering water, if we visualize nectar we actually accumulate more
merit. If you visualize the wish-granting jewel, then by offering with
Benefit of the Practices 105
Dedicating
It is said in the teachings that dedicating merit is like the reins with
which you pull the horse. Whichever way you pull the reins, the horse
goes that way. It is the same with dedication of merit – wherever you
dedicate the merit, the result happens. Therefore, dedication is impor-
tant and the correct dedication is the one that is most profitable. We
should dedicate our merit in the most profitable way.
Colophon:
Extracted from teachings given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Land of Medicine Bud-
dha, November 2002. Scribed by Sally Barraud. Edited by Kendall Magnussen,
FPMT Education Department, July 2003 and Venerable Gyalten Mindrol, FPMT
Education Department, November 2007.
Practices 107
Practices
A Short Meditation to Practice with Stupas 109
Stupa
Unknown Location
Practices 109
A Short Meditation
to Practice with Stupas
If you can concentrate or sit down and do this meditation every day for a half an hour, or
one hour, this is fantastic.
Visualize white light coming from the stupa and totally illuminating
your body, purifying you from sickness, delusions, spirit harm, and
negative karma. You may also chant mantras.
Colophon:
Instructions by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to Sally Barraud at Land of Medicine Bud-
dha, November 2002. Edited by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Education Depart-
ment, July 2003 and Venerable Gyalten Mindrol, FPMT Education Department,
November 2007.
110 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
The Practice of
Circumambulation
by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Introduction
Circumambulations should be done with body, speech, and mind. If
your mind is distracted and you are gossiping while you are circumam-
bulating, there is no great benefit.
Mental circumambulation involves generating devotion by thinking
again and again of the qualities of the object you are circumambulating,
of the qualities of the Guru-Buddha.
Speech circumambulation involves reciting mantras and praises
over and over again. Of the three types of circumambulation, the most
important is the mental circumambulation – having devotion in the
mind. It is the same with prostrations.
Before you circumambulate, first generate the motivation. Think
that you are leading all sentient beings in the circumambulations. Visu-
alize that beams are emitted by the holy objects and purify you and all
the sentient beings. Then think that you all receive all good qualities.
When you do circumambulations, you can dedicate the first cir-
cumambulation to all sentient beings, but especially the hell beings.
When you finish the circumambulation, think that you have purified
all sentient beings and give all the merit to them. They all become en-
lightened, especially the hell beings. Dedicate the second round to all
sentient beings, but especially the pretas. When you have finished the
circumambulation, dedicate all the merits to all sentient beings, but
especially to the pretas. They all become enlightened. Do the same for
all the animals, humans, asuras, suras and intermediate state beings.
112 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
You can then circumambulate for your gurus, dedicating for them
to have long lives and for all their wishes to be fulfilled. You can do
another circumambulation and dedicate it for the teachings to exist
for a long time.
In this way you can dedicate nine circumambulations, the first sev-
en being for the beings in the six realms plus those in the intermediate
state, the eighth being for the gurus and the ninth for the teachings.
This is just one idea of how you can make circumambulation very ef-
fective, very beneficial.
When we circumambulate, our mouth should be reciting holy
prayers or powerful mantras and our mind should be feeling devo-
tion.
As well as prostration of body, there is prostration of speech (prais-
ing Buddha) and prostration of mind (generating devotion). In a simi-
lar way, there are circumambulations of body, speech, and mind. While
your body is walking around the holy objects, your speech is reciting
praises or mantras and your mind is feeling devotion. Generate the
motivation for the circumambulations by thinking:“The purpose of
my life is to free all sentient beings from all their sufferings and bring
them to enlightenment; therefore, I must achieve enlightenment. It is
for this reason, for the benefit of all sentient beings, that I am going
to do these circumambu-lations. Each circumambulation is for every
single sentient being.”
Normally, when I circumambulate the stupas at Bouddhanath or
Swayambhunath, I buy one or two kilos of rice and I give everybody
some, for making offerings as we circumambulate.
Motivation
First, generate a strong motivation of bodhichitta by thinking in one of the following ways:
Brief Motivation
At this time I have achieved a perfect human rebirth. I have met the
Buddhadharma and met the virtuous friends revealing the complete
path, without anything missing. While I have the necessary conditions
Practices 113
free from all the obstacles to achieve enlightenment for all sentient be-
ings, it is not sufficient for me to merely achieve a good rebirth in my
next life, without being reborn in the lower realms. Even achieving lib-
eration from samsara for myself alone is not sufficient. I must achieve
enlightenment for all sentient beings.
The purpose of my life is to free all sentient beings from the suffering
causes and bring them to full enlightenment. To do this I must achieve
enlightenment and to accomplish that, I need to collect merit. There-
fore, I am going to make offerings and circumambulate.
most precious ones in my life. I must free them from the defilements
and the heavy suffering, jealousy and constant fighting, and bring
them to enlightenment.
Thus, the purpose of my life is to free all sentient beings and lead
them to enlightenment. To do this I need to achieve enlightenment;
to achieve enlightenment I need to actualize the path; and to actualize
the path I need to purify and accumulate merit. Therefore, I am going
to circumambulate for the happiness of all sentient beings and to liber-
ate all sentient beings.
Remember Emptiness
Think that the holy object you are going to circumambulate becomes
empty. Remember that the absolute nature of this holy object is the
absolute nature of all holy objects everywhere.
Visualization
You can visualize the stupa (as in the guru yoga meditation) as your
root guru and all the buddhas, the Dharma, and the Sangha, as well
Practices 115
as all the statues, stupas, and scriptures, all the holy objects of the ten
directions.
Or you can visualize the stupa as a deity, and absorb all the buddhas
and bodhisattvas of the ten directions into it, remembering that the
guru encompasses all buddhas, Dharma and Sangha. You can visualize
Chenrezig, Vajrasattva, Namgyälma, or any deity you wish, and recite
the mantra of that deity. As you recite the mantra, nectar beams are
emitted, completely illuminating you and all other sentient beings.
With this meditation you can circumambulate all the holy objects that
exist in any universe. So it is very, very profitable; it is the most profit-
able way to circumambulate – the way in which one collects the most
extensive merit. At the very least one should think that all the holy
objects are the manifestations of one’s root guru. This is a skillful
meditation to collect the most extensive merit.
Visualize that beams are emitted from the holy objects purifying one-
self and all sentient beings.
Shakyamuni Buddha
TADYATHA OM MUNE MUNE MAHA MUNEYE SVAHA
Tara
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA
Practices 117
Mitrugpa
NAMO RATNA TRAYAYA OM KAMKANI KAMKANI ROCHANI
ROCHANI TROTANI TROTANI TRASANI TRASANI PRATIHANA
PRATIHANA SARVA KARMA PARAM PARA NIME SARVA SATTVA
NÄNCHA SVAHA
Making Offerings
As you circumambulate, you may offer rice to the stupa, thinking that it
is whole skies of wish-granting jewels or diamonds, like rainfall spilling
onto the stupa. You should offer it respectfully, throwing the rice up,
not down.
Third Circumambulation
Think:
I am going to do this circumambulation for the benefit of all sentient
beings, particularly the animals.
At the end of the circumambulation think:
All defilements are purified. Every single animal being attains enlight-
enment by completing the entire path.
Then think:
II give all my merit, from the resultant happiness up to enlightenment,
to all the sentient beings, particularly the animals.
Fourth Circumambulation
Think:
I am going to do this circumambulation for the benefit of all sentient
beings, particularly the human beings.
Practices 119
Fifth Circumambulation
Think:
I am going to do this circumambulation for the benefit of all sentient
beings, particularly the asura beings.
At the end of the circumambulation think:
All defilements are purified, every single asura being attains enlighten-
ment by completing the entire path.
Then think:
I give all my merit, from the resultant happiness up to enlightenment,
to all the sentient beings, particularly the asura beings.
Sixth Circumambulation
Think:
I am going to do this circumambulation for the benefit of all sentient
beings, particularly the sura beings.
At the end of the circumambulation think:
All defilements are purified. Every single sura being attains enlighten-
ment by completing the entire path.
Then think:
I give all my merit, from the resultant happiness up to enlightenment,
to all the sentient beings, particularly the sura beings.
Seventh Circumambulation
Think:
I am going to do this circumambulation for the benefit of all sentient
beings, particularly the intermediate state beings.
120 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Colophon:
From teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India. Edited
by Kendall Magnussen and Ven. Constance Miller, FPMT Education Department,
October 2003.
Practices 121
Make Offerings
At every holy place you should have offerings. You can offer butter
lamps or candles, incense, flowers – one hundred thousand, whatever.
Always there should be offerings.
Light the candles [and make the other offerings] and recite OM AH
HUM to bless them.
Preliminary Prayers
Refuge
La ma sang gyä la ma chhö
The Guru is Buddha; the Guru is Dharma;
De zhin la ma ge dün te
The Guru is Sangha also.
Kün gyi je po la ma yin
The Guru is the creator of all (happiness);
La ma nam la kyab su chhi
To all gurus I go for refuge. (3x)
122 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Generating Bodhichitta
Drol nam dräl dö sam pa yi
With the thought desiring to liberate migrating beings
Sang gyä chhö dang gen dün la
I always go for refuge
Jang chhub nying por chhi kyi bar
To the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
Tag par dag ni kyab su chhi
Until the heart of enlightenment is achieved.
She rab nying tse dang chä pä
With perseverance, acting with
Tsön pä sem chän dön du dag
Wisdom, compassion, and loving kindness,
Sang gyä dün du nä gyi te
In the eyes of the buddhas, for the benefit of sentient beings,
Dzog päi jang chhub sem kye do
I generate the thought of full enlightenment.
Purifying the Place
Tham chä du ni sa zhi dag
Everywhere may the ground be pure,
Seg ma la sog me pa dang
Free of the roughness of pebbles and so forth.
Lag thil tar nyam bäiduryäi
May it be in the nature of lapis lazuli,
Rang zhin jam por nä gyur chig
And as smooth as the palm of one’s hand.
Offering Prayer
Lha dang mi yi chhö päi dzä
May human and divine offerings,
Ngö su sham dang yi kyi trül
Actually arranged and mentally created,
Kün zang chhö trin la na me
Clouds of finest Samantabhadra offerings,
Nam khäi kham kün khyab gyur chig
Fill the entire space.
Practices 123
Invocation
Ma lü sem chän kün gyi gön gyur ching
Protector of all beings without exception;
Dü de pung chä mi zä jom dzä lha
Perfect knower of all things;
Ngö nam ma lü yang dag khyen gyur päi
Divine destroyer of the intractable legions of Mara;
Chom dän khor chä nä dir sheg su söl
Bhagavan and retinue, please come here.
La ma tön pa chom dän dä de zhin sheg pa dra chom pa yang dag par
dzog päi sang gyä päl gyäl wa shakya thub pa la/ chhag tshäl lo chhö do
kyab su chhi wo/ jin gyi lab tu söl (3x with prostrations)
Every single one of these negative actions has four suffering results: the
ripening result (a rebirth in the lower realms), the possessed result (the
type of environment I’m born into when again a human), the result
similar to the cause in my experience, and the worst one, the result
similar to the cause in my actions, which means that again and again
I am driven to create the same negative actions in the future, and so
again and again I have to experience the four suffering results. In this
way, samsara has no end.
Not only that, but karma increases, so from even a small negative ac-
tion can come huge suffering results. And karma is definite to be ex-
perienced, so every negative action I have created will definitely bring
its result, no matter how long it takes, until it is purified. So from one
negative karma, I have to experience the result over and over again for
so many hundreds of lifetimes. Understanding this, how can I stand to
live life without purifying myself and getting rid of all these negative
karmas, just as I would try to get rid of a deadly poison in my body?
Not only that, but I’m going to die, and death can come even today,
any moment. Therefore, I must purify all my negative actions right this
second. In order to do that, I am going to do these prostrations with
the practice of confessing downfalls, and I’m going to do this so that
I can develop myself in order to work for the happiness of all sentient
beings.
Think that each one of these buddhas is the embodiment of all three
times ten directions Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, and all statues, stupas,
and scriptures. Think they embody all holy objects, whose essence is
the Guru. Have complete faith that each one has the power to purify
all your negative karmas and imprints, accumulated since beginning-
less time.
Now imagine that you emanate numberless bodies, and that as you
prostrate, all these bodies prostrate along with you from all directions,
covering every atom of the earth.
Now recite the increasing mantras, refuge and the Confession of Downfalls to the Thirty-five
Buddhas on the next page, repeating each buddha’s name over and over as many times as
you can with each prostration. It is the recitation of the name of each buddha that brings
the purification, so there is a big difference when you recite just a few times or many. Even
if you do the recitation by listening to a CD or tape, still recite the name yourself as much as
you can. Either recite the prayer three times straight through making one prostration to each
buddha each time, or do three prostrations to each buddha as you go through the prayer once.
At the end, recite the names of the Medicine Buddhas. This can be followed by Vajrasattva
mantra and the “Po” Praise to Chenrezig, according to time. Then recite the prayer at the
end, followed by the General Confession.
De zhin sheg pa dra chom pa yang dag par dzog päi sang gyä rin po
chhe dang pä ma la rab tu zhug pa ri wang gi gyäl po la chhag tshäl lo
(3x)
To Tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha, King of the Lord
of Mountains Firmly Seated on Jewel and Lotus, I prostrate. (3x)
Chom dän dä de zhin sheg pa dra chom pa yang dag par dzog päi sang
gyä chhö gya tsho chhog gi lö nam par röl pä ngön par khyän pa la
chhag tshäl lo
To the bhagavan, tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha,
Clearly Knowing by the Play of Supreme Wisdom of an Ocean of
Dharma, I prostrate.
Chom dän dä de zhin sheg pa dra chom pa yang dag par dzog päi sang
gyä men gyi lha bäi dur yä ö kyi gyäl po la chhag tshäl lo
To the bhagavan, tathagata, arhat, perfectly completed buddha,
Medicine Guru, King of Lapis Lazuli Light, I prostrate.
Confession Prayer
All those [you thirty-five buddhas] and others, as many tathagatas, ar-
hats, perfectly completed buddhas as there are existing, sustaining,
and residing in all the world systems of the ten directions; all you
buddha-bhagavans, please pay attention to me.
In this life and in all the states of rebirth in which I have circled in
samsara throughout beginningless lives, whatever negative actions I
have created, made others create, or rejoiced in the creation of; what-
ever possessions of stupas, possessions of the Sangha, or possessions of
the Sangha of the ten directions that I have appropriated, made others
appropriate, or rejoiced in the appropriation of; whichever among the
five actions of immediate (retribution) I have done, caused to be done,
or rejoiced in the doing of; whichever paths of the ten non-virtuous ac-
tions I have engaged in, caused others to engage in, or rejoiced in the
engaging in: whatever I have created, being obscured by these karmas
causes me and sentient beings to be born in the hell realms, in the
animal realm, and in the preta realm; in irreligious countries, as bar-
barians, or as long-life gods; with imperfect faculties, holding wrong
views, or not being pleased with Buddha’s descent. In the presence of
the buddha-bhagavans, who are transcendental wisdom, who are eyes,
who are witnesses, who are valid, and who see with omniscient con-
sciousness, I am admitting and confessing all these negativities, I will
not conceal them nor hide them, and from now on in the future I will
abstain and refrain from committing them again.
132 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
To the conquerors, the best of humans — those who are living in the
present time, those who have lived in the past, and those who will
likewise come — to all those who have qualities as vast as an infinite
ocean, with hands folded, I approach for refuge.
Then reflect on the emptiness of each of these negative actions, remembering that even
negative actions do not truly exist from their own side. They arise in dependence on causes
and conditions and are merely labeled by the mind. You can either think they are completely
non-existent from their own side, or that they are merely labeled by mind, or that they are hal-
lucination. Whichever method you use to understand emptiness, the conclusion that should
Practices 133
come in your heart is that each of these negative actions are completely empty, not existing
from their own side, even the slightest atom.
At the end of the confession prayer, pause to make the determination not to commit these
negative actions again in the future. This is the power of restraint. Make this promise real-
istic, even if you are promising simply not to do the negative action even for just the next five
minutes or seconds. This is to make sure you that you do not tell a lie to the merit field.
General Confession
U hu lag! (Woe is me!)
I, who am named [say your name], circling in cyclic existence since be-
ginningless time until the present, overpowered by mental afflictions
such as attachment, aversion, and ignorance by means of body, speech,
and mind have created the ten non-virtuous actions. I have engaged
in the five uninterrupted negative karmas and the five nearing unin-
terrupted negative karmas. I have transgressed the vows of individual
liberation, transgressed the vows of bodhisattvas, and transgressed
the samaya of secret mantra. I have been disrespectful to my parents,
have been disrespectful to my vajra masters, and to my abbot, and
have been disrespectful to my spiritual friends living in ordination. I
have committed actions harmful to the Three Jewels, avoided the holy
Dharma, criticized the arya Sangha, harmed sentient beings, and so
on. These and many other non-virtuous negative actions I have done,
have caused others to do, have rejoiced in others’ doing, and so forth.
In the presence of the great Guru Vajradhara, all the buddhas and bo-
dhisattvas who abide in the ten directions, and the venerable Sangha,
I admit this entire collection of faults and transgressions that are ob-
stacles to my own higher rebirth and liberation and are causes of cyclic
existence and miserable lower rebirths. I will not conceal them, and I
accept them as negative. I promise to refrain from doing these actions
again in the future. By confessing and acknowledging them, I will at-
tain and abide in happiness, while by not confessing and acknowledg-
ing them, true happiness will not come.
134 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Dedication
Due to all the three time merits accumulated by myself, all the buddhas
and bodhisattvas and all sentient beings, which are completely empty
of existing from their own side, may the I, which is completely empty
of existing from its own side, quickly achieve the state of full enlighten-
ment, which is completely empty of existing from its own side, in order
to lead all sentient beings, who are completely empty of existing from
their own side, to that state by myself alone, who is completely empty of
existing from its own side.
Due to all the three time merits accumulated by myself, all the buddhas
and bodhisattvas and all sentient beings, may the precious supreme
enlightened thought, bodhicitta – letting go of self and cherishing oth-
ers – which is the source of all success and happiness for myself and all
sentient beings, immediately be generated within my own mind, and
within the minds of all sentient beings. May that which has already
been generated never decline, but increase more and more.
Sit down for the rest of the prayers, starting with the Seven-Limb Prayer.
Please bless me and all sentient beings to cease immediately all wrong
conceptions, from incorrect devotion to the guru up to the subtle dual
view of the white appearance, red increase, and black near attainment.
Please bless me and all sentient beings to actualize immediately all the
correct realizations, from guru devotion up to the unification of no
more learning.
Please pacify immediately all outer and inner obstacles. (1x or 3x)
IDAM GURU RATNA MANDALAKAM NIRYATAYAMI
Then you can recite one of the Lam-rim prayers, slowly, doing a direct meditation on Lama
Tsongkhapa’s Foundation of All Good Qualities, Three Principles of the Path, or
Songs of Experience (Lines of Experience).
Like that, may the gurus who show the noble path
And the spiritual friends who practice it have long lives.
Please bless me to pacify completely
All outer and inner hindrances.
Dedication Prayers
Depending on the time available, the following dedication prayers may be done in full
or in part; however, it is good to do at least five.
Due to the past, present, and future merits generated by me and by all
the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, may the complete
teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa – the unification of sutra and tantra
– be completely actualized in my mind, the minds of all my family
members, and in those who have sacrificed their life working for the
Dharma [in this organization].
May it spread in all directions and flourish forever until sentient be-
ings no longer experience war, famine, disease, earthquakes, the dan-
gers of fire, water, earth and wind, poverty, torture, and all undesir-
able things.
Due to the past, present, and future merits generated by me and by all
the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, may the virtuous
friends have long and stable lives and may all their holy wishes succeed
immediately.
Due to the past, present, and future merits generated by me, and by all
the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, may myself and my
family members, [all the students and benefactors of the FPMT orga-
nization], and those who benefit others, meet only perfectly qualified
Mahayana virtuous friends. May we only see them as enlightened be-
ings and do actions only most pleasing to the virtuous friend. May
myself and all sentient beings fulfill their holy wishes immediately,
now and in all future lives.
never be reborn in the lower realms from that time onwards. May they
be liberated immediately from all the negative karmas, sicknesses,
and diseases and may they achieve enlightenment by actualizing
the whole path.
Due to the past, present, and future merits generated by me and by all
the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, may whatever uni-
verse, world, country, or area I am in – just by being there in that place
– may I cause all sentient beings to attain perfect peace and happiness,
purify all defilements, heavy negative karmas, and may all diseases like
cancer, arthritis, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, leukemia – the most difficult
diseases – may they be instantly healed.
Due to the past, present, and future merits generated by me and by all
the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and all sentient beings, may the deaf hear
sounds and the blind see forms. May all those mentally crazy, harmed
by spirits, with manic depression, migraine headaches, sufferings of
war, torture, and quarrels, and those with heavy anger and jealousy be
instantly pacified.
May the poor find prosperity and those in need of a companion be able
to find a beneficial friend – kind hearted and supportive in achieving
liberation and enlightenment.
May all the Sangha who spread and preserve the teachings attain the re-
alizations of the complete path and receive all the necessary conditions.
May all the benefactors who help preserve the Dharma also attain the
Practices 141
realizations of the complete path. May they have long lives and may all
their virtuous wishes succeed, according to the Dharma.
By the force of this merit, in all my lives may I never be parted from
Mahayana’s four spheres, and may I reach the end of my journey along
the paths of renunciation, bodhichitta, the pure view, and the two
stages.
Dedication in Emptiness
As a result of the three-times’ merits of myself and others,
May emptiness be generated in the minds of self and other sentient
beings, without delay, even for one second.
And that which has been generated, may it increase.
Due to the three-times’ merits of myself and others, which are emp-
ty from their own side, may I, who am empty from my own side,
achieve Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment (or Tara’s, or
Chenrezig’s, or whichever deity one is practicing), which is empty
from its own side, and lead all sentient beings, who are empty from
their own side, to that enlightenment, which is empty from its own
side, as quickly as possible, by myself, alone.
Meditate very intensely and precisely. Dedicate in emptiness, then when your mind is in that
state, label “due to the merits of the three times of myself and others,” “may I achieve Guru
Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment,” and “lead all sentient beings to that enlightenment
by myself, alone.”
In this way you can see that it is just mere imputation; that the three-times’ merits, enlight-
enment, I, are empty of existing from their own side. Everything appears to you as mere
imputation; your dedication is mere imputation. It’s not completely non-existent, but like
non-existent. If that kind of idea comes, it is extremely good. It is correct.
142 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
May Lama Osel Rinpoche have a long and healthy life. May he be
able to complete all his studies without hindrance and become a great
holder and teacher of sutra and tantra in this life. May he be of great-
est benefit to all sentient beings.
May all the obstacles to the quick success of the building of the Mai-
treya statue be instantly destroyed. May this great statue of Maitreya
be accomplished exactly according to the wishes of Lama Yeshe and
Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
May all the centers and projects of the FPMT be free of obstacles to
spread the holy Dharma of Buddha Shakyamuni, in particular the
teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa.
May all sentient beings be free from suffering and achieve every happi-
ness and the highest state of enlightenment.
May all the students and friends who work so hard (for FPMT) in
the service of the Dharma and who sacrifice their lives for Buddha’s
teachings and to relieve the suffering of sentient beings have long and
healthy lives. May they realize the path to enlightenment in their own
minds as quickly as possible.
May all those who rely on and have made specific requests to Kyabje
Zopa Rinpoche be free of all obstacles to having long and healthy
lives. May they be able to achieve all the realizations of the path in this
lifetime.
May all the students’ activities please the virtuous friend. In all their
lives may they be guided by perfectly qualified Mahayana virtuous
friends, and may all their wishes succeed immediately according to
the Dharma.
Practices 143
This is a condensed version of the extensive dedication prayer of the bodhisattvas, The King
of Prayers, the prayer of the bodhisattva’s holy deeds. That prayer contains infinite bodhisat-
tvas’ prayers.
After that, recite the prayer for meeting Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings:
Give all of your merits – all the merits of the practice done at this time,
together with all past, present, and future merits – all the merits up to
enlightenment – to all sentient beings. Think precisely of each hell being,
hungry ghost being, animal, human, sura, and asura being, etc.
Think that all their places, the hot hells, etc., become pure lands of the
buddhas – Vajrayogini, Amitabha, Shambhala, etc., depending on in
which pure land you are praying to be born – where there is no sickness,
no poverty, no suffering, no old age, and no suffering or rebirth.
Think that they all receive enlightenment, whatever they want, whatever
they need – a guru, teachings, even if they’re not aware that they need
them – everything. This causes them to actualize the path of method and
wisdom in their minds: their minds become the dharmakaya, and their
Practices 145
Multiplying Mantras
To increase by 100,000 times the merit created, recite these special mantras at the end of
the session:
CHOM DÄN DÄ DE ZHIN SHEG PA DRA CHOM PA YANG DAG
PAR DZOG PÄI SANG GYÄ NAM PAR NANG DZÄ Ö KYI GYÄL PO
LA CHHAG TSHÄL LO (1x or 3x)
Due to the power of the blessings of the eminent buddhas and bodhi-
sattvas, the power of infallible dependent arising, and the power of my
pure special attitude, may all my pure prayers succeed immediately.
Colophon:
Preliminary Prayers: Taken from Essential Buddhist Prayers, Vol. 1, 2007 edition,
FPMT Education Department.
Foundation of All Good Qualities: From the Jorchö booklet, translator Jampäl Lhun-
drup, edited by Ven. Ailsa Cameron, Wisdom Publications, 1988. Lightly edited by
Ven. Constance Miller and Nick Ribush, APril 1999.
The title Bodhisattva’s Confession of Moral Downfalls has been changed to Confession
of Downfalls to the Thirty-Five Buddhas at the request of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, April
2003.
Short Long Life Prayer for Lama Zopa Rinpoche: Requested by Geshe Konchog Khab on
behalf of the students of Thubten Kunga Center, Florida, this prayer was composed
on the 15th day of the Saka Dawa month of the year 2000 by Choden Rinpoche
at Vajrapani Institute in Boulder Creek, CA, USA. English translation by Jampa
Gendun.
Practices 147
Motivation
Before beginning your extensive offering practice, generate bodhicitta in the following way (if
you are specifically doing a light offering practice, then also recite the words in parantheses):
The purpose of my life is not only to solve my own problems and gain
happiness for myself, but to free all beings from their problems and
lead them to all happiness, especially the state of full enlightenment.
Therefore, I myself must first achieve complete enlightenment. To do
this, I must complete the two accumulations — the merit of fortune
[method] and the merit of wisdom. Therefore, I am going to make
charity of these (light) offerings and make offerings (of these lights) to
the merit field.
Also remember to motivate for the success of particular projects, for people who have passed
away or are sick, or for other specific purposes.
OM AH HUM (3x)
In general, if you don’t bless offerings immediately, they can be entered by the possessing spirit
Tse-bu chig-pa, and then making those offerings can create obstacles for you; it can cause
mental damage. In the case of possessed light offerings, without control, you fall asleep when
listening, reflecting, and meditating on the holy Dharma. Similarly, if you don’t bless all other
kinds of offering, various possessing spirits can enter them. Making those offerings can then
damage your mind and create obstacles for you.
148 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
First, we make offerings to all the holy objects here in this place, ev-
ery single thangka, statue, stupa, scripture, picture, tsa-tsa, relic, and
prayer wheel, by seeing them as inseparable from our own virtuous
friend, who is one with all other virtuous friends. (Prostrate, offer, and
generate great bliss.)
Then, we make all these offerings both real and visualized to every
single holy object in this country – all the statues, stupas, scriptures,
pictures, all the centers’ altars, every single altar in peoples’ homes, the
prayer wheels, tsa-tsas, and any virtuous friend in this country, by see-
ing them as inseparable from one’s own virtuous friend. We present
these offerings many times and in this way generate great bliss in all
the holy minds. (Prostrate, offer, and generate great bliss.)
Then, we make all these offerings, both real and visualized, to every
single holy object in India, including the Bodhgaya stupa where 1000
buddhas descended. Also we make offerings to all the holy beings
in India, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other virtuous
friends that you have there. By seeing them as inseparable from one’s
own virtuous friend, we make the offerings many times and in this
way generate great bliss in all the holy minds. (Prostrate, offer, and generate
great bliss.)
150 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
We make all these offerings, both real and visualized, to every sin-
gle holy object in Tibet, including the Jowo Rinpoche in Lhasa that
was blessed by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha himself, by seeing them as
inseparable from one’s own virtuous friend. We make the offerings
many times and in this way generate great bliss in all the holy minds.
(Prostrate, offer, and generate great bliss.)
We make all these offerings, both real and visualized, to every single
holy object in Nepal, including Bouddhanath Stupa and Swayamb-
hunath Stupa and any virtuous friends in Nepal. By seeing them as
inseparable from one’s own virtuous friend, we make the offerings
many times and in this way generate great bliss in all the holy minds.
(Prostrate, offer, and generate great bliss.)
We make all these offerings, both real and visualized, to every single
holy object in the other Buddhist countries such as mainland China,
Thailand, Taiwan, Burma, etc., by seeing all the holy objects as insepa-
rable from one’s own virtuous friend. We make the offerings many
times and in this way generate great bliss in all the holy minds. (Pros-
trate, offer, and generate great bliss.)
We now make all these offerings, both real and visualized, to every
single holy object in the rest of the world, by seeing all the holy objects
as inseparable from one’s own virtuous friend. We make the offerings
many times and in this way generate great bliss in all the holy minds.
(Prostrate, offer, and generate great bliss.)
Practices 151
We make all these offerings both real and visualized to all the ten di-
rection Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha by seeing all of them as insepa-
rable from one’s own virtuous friend. We make the offerings many
times and in this way generate great bliss in all the holy minds. (Pros-
trate, offer, and generate great bliss.)
We make all these offerings, both real and visualized, to all the ten
direction statues, stupas, and scriptures by seeing them as inseparable
from one’s own virtuous friend. Make the offerings many times and
in this way generate great bliss in all the holy minds. (Prostrate, offer, and
generate great bliss.)
Then, we make all these offerings, both real and visualized, to the
bodhisattva Kshitigarbha by seeing him as inseparable from one’s own
virtuous friend. Make the offerings many times and in this way gener-
ate great bliss in all the holy minds. (Prostrate, offer, and generate great bliss.)
152 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
May all the sufferings of the evil-gone realms cease right now.
May the three realms of samsara be emptied right now.
May all impure minds and their obscurations be purified.
May all impure appearances be purified.
May the five holy bodies and wisdom spontaneously arise.
At this point, one may also recite Atisha’s Light Offering Prayer on p. 155 as many times
as one wishes.
Dedication
Ge wa di yi nyur du dag
Due to the merits of these virtuous actions
La ma sang gyä drub gyur nä
May I quickly attain the state of a Guru-Buddha
Dro wa chig kyang ma lü pa
And lead all living beings, without exception
De yi sa la gö par shog
Into that enlightened state.
Practices 153
Due to all the merits of the three times collected by me, buddhas, bo-
dhisattvas and all other sentient beings, which are empty from their
own side, may the I, who is empty from its own side, achieve enlighten-
ment, which is empty from its own side, and lead all sentient beings,
who are empty from their own side, to that enlightenment, by myself
alone.
By the force of this merit, in all my lives may I never be parted from Ma-
hayana’s four spheres, and may I reach the end of my journey along the
paths of renunciation, bodhicitta, the pure view, and the two stages.
154 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Multiplying Mantras
CHOM DÄN DÄ DE ZHIN SHEG PA DRA CHOM PA YANG DAG
PAR DZOG PÄI SANG GYÄ NAM PAR NANG DZÄ Ö KYI GYÄL PO
LA CHHAG TSHÄL LO (3x)
Due to the power of the blessings of the eminent buddhas and bo-
dhisattvas, the power of infallible dependent arising, and the power of
my pure special attitude, may all my pure prayers succeed immediately.
Due to the merits of myself and others, may the victorious teachings
of Lama Tsongkhapa, Losang Dragpa, flourish for a long time. May
all the centers and projects of the FPMT immediately receive all the
conditions necessary to preserve and spread these teachings.
May all obstacles be pacified and may the FPMT organization in gen-
eral and the meditation centers in particular — all our activities to pre-
serve and spread the Dharma, particularly Lama Tsongkhapa’s teach-
ings — cause these teachings to continue without degeneration and to
spread in the minds of all sentient beings.
May those who have sacrificed their lives to benefit others through
this organization have long, healthy lives. May all their activities please
the virtuous friend. In all their lives, may they always be guided by
perfectly qualified Mahayana virtuous friends. May all their wishes
succeed immediately, in accordance with the holy Dharma.
Practices 155
One may recite this prayer when making an individual light offering, or in the context of the
Extensive Offering Practice. After lighting a candle, a butter lamp, or any form of light, this
prayer can be recited in conjunction with the visualization described below.
May the light of the lamp be equal to the great three thousand worlds
and their environments,
May the wick of the lamp be equal to the king of mountains –
Mount Meru.
May the butter be equal to the infinite ocean.
May there be billions of trillions of lamps in the presence of each
and every buddha.
Due to this, may my father, mother, and all sentient beings in this
life and in all their future lives,
Be able to see directly the actual pure lands of the complete and
perfect buddhas;
May they unify with Buddha Amitabha in inseparable oneness,
Please bless me and may my prayers be actualized as soon as possible,
Due to the power of the truth of the Triple Gem and the assembly
of deities of the three roots.
TADYATHA OM PÄNCHA GRIYA AVA BODHANI SVAHA (7x)
Visualization
The light transforms into single brilliant five-color wisdom.
On a lotus and moon disk the syllables OM and DHI appear.
From them, one hundred and eight beautiful goddesses of light,
Marmema, appear, wearing beautiful garments and precious
garlands.
Every goddess holds lights in her hands and from them emanate
billions of trillions of infinite replicas of light-offering goddesses.
All of them make light offerings uninterruptedly to all the
buddhas in the buddha-fields throughout all of space and
to the peaceful and wrathful deities.
Dedication
Thus, due to the merits of having made such a light offering
May all the benefactors, the deceased and migrating beings of the
six realms benefit;
May all their degenerated samaya and broken vows be restored;
May all their superstitious obscurations be purified;
May all their bad karma, negativities, and obscurations be purified;
May the three realms of samsara become empty immediately.
Please grant control, power, and realization.
Practices 157
Colophon:
Composed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Taiwan, February 1994. Lightly edited by
Venerable Constance Miller, FPMT Education Department, May 1998. That ver-
sion was edited and included as an appendix in Teachings from the Vajrasattva Re-
treat, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, 2000. Revised edition, August 2001. Revised
by Kendall Magnussen, FPMT Education Department, April 2003; and by Vener-
able Gyalten Mindrol, FPMT Education Department, in consultation with Vener-
able Holly Ansett and Venerable Sarah Thresher, September 2006. Light Offering
Prayer composed by Lama Atisha and translated by Venerable Pemba Sherpa.
158 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Rejoicing Meditation
Rejoicing in Our Own Virtue
Rejoice in your own virtue – all the virtues you accumulated in the
past, all those you are accumulating now, and all of those you will ac-
cumulate in the future. Think, “How wonderful! How precious! How
fortunate I am.” Without accumulating virtue and merit, there is no
cause for happiness, so all the happiness we seek right up to the ulti-
mate happiness of enlightenment comes from virtue. Without virtue
we cannot do anything; there is no success and no happiness, not even
temporary happiness. Therefore, every single virtue that we accumu-
late is so precious. We have created numberless virtues in the past
and each one is so precious. We are creating numberless virtues right
now, and we will create numberless virtues in the future right up until
enlightenment. Every one of these are so precious.
Think over and over again, “How wonderful! How precious!” Each time
you rejoice it causes all of this virtue to multiply and gain strength.
Think of all the monks who create so much virtue here every day.
Down at Bouddhanath Stupa, so many people are circumambulating,
offering lights, and prostrating. There are so many people in this val-
ley accumulating virtue all the time – how wonderful, how precious.
All the people making holy objects, all of the monasteries, all of those
who contribute to the monasteries – think, “How wonderful! How
precious!”
As much as you have studied the qualities of the different levels of the
bodhisattvas and the buddhas, remember those qualities and think,
“How wonderful! How precious! May I become like this.” Generate
great happiness in your heart and rejoice over and over again.
Colophon:
Rejoicing meditation as led by Ven. Sarah Thresher on the advice of Lama Zopa
Rinpoche, and excerpted from the Foundation Training in Rituals manual, FPMT
Education Department, 2007.
Helpful Resources 161
Helpful Resources
Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 2: Build-
ing Holy Objects. More than 2,500 years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha
revealed an inconceivably powerful method for awakening and bring-
ing peace and prosperity to the world – building holy objects. In Part
2 of this series, you are given the tools you need to create a holy object
yourself, including tips from stupa builders, architectural drawings,
photographs, and ritual texts needed for building a stupa. This book
empowers you to create new places of pilgrimage and peace, for the
benefit of the entire world.
Altar Set up & Water Bowl Offerings. Setting up the altar and mak-
ing offerings are an integral part of the preliminary practices taught
by Lord Buddha to enable us to engage in successful meditation. By
doing this practice daily, our minds become ripe for realizations. This
short text provides a complete explanation of how to set up a personal
altar, how to make water bowl offerings, and how to offer them in the
most extensive and beneficial way. This newly revised edition from
2007 includes additional information on water bowls, meditations to
use while doing the practice, and a mantra to recite when removing
food offerings from the altar.
162 Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
Stupa and Its Technology, by Pema Dorjee, New Delhi: Indira Gan-
dhi National Centre for the Arts, 2001. Gives example of stupas and
explains some of the technical aspects of their creation. Includes an
earth blessing ceremony to consecrate land prior to holy objects being
built on it. Available from the publisher at: Central Vista, Janpath,
New Delhi, 110-001, India.