Building Stupas at a Retreat Center

 










During the summer of 1999, staff and interns from Skillful Means helped the staff of Rigzdin Ling, a Buddhist retreat center in Northern California, build six stupas.
Stupas are representations of enlightened mind.




The center is a long way from the nearest concrete pump, and the stupas are 21 feet high. Somebody created a gizmo for lifting he concrete up high with a backhoe bucket--a 55 gal. drum with a hole and gate at the bottom. The drum was filled from a cement truck, then lifted over the stupa. When the gate was opened, the concrete fell into place (with a little friendly persuasion).

We built six stupas, one level at a time.
Early each morning, we would pour another level.



Gingi gives "thumbs up" with a bandaged thumb.



A wave from the crew.



The stupas were filled with sacred objects by community members as rain clouds gathered blessings in the sky.



When the ceremony was complete, it rained.

Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche and Lama Gyatso
after the consecration.

In October, the spires were completed and the stupas were blessed by His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche.

The basic elements of the stupas are now complete.
In the Spring, they will receive ornamentation and color.