Statue Installment - Bodhgaya, India

Dear Friends,

This last November Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche visited Bodhgaya India, the place of the Buddha’s enlightenment and a world heritage site, to consecrate a large Guru Rinpoche statue in the Nyingma Monlam temple there.

In Bodhgaya every year, the Nyingma lamas and monks come from all over the world for a few weeks of monlam (prayer gathering, Puja and teaching) in Bodhgaya. They have built a very large temple complex there with dormitories capable of housing maybe 8 thousand monks at a time. This same complex is used at other times of the year for the Kagyu Monlam and for various beneficial group meetings. (When I was there, Doctors without borders were conducting a large eye surgery clinic for thousands of Indians, and the temple complex was filled as if it were its own city.

At the front of the complex is a large temple. In the fall of 2005, Sonam Tsering Lama, a great Tibetan sculptor was requested to come to the temple with some of his students and colleagues from Yolmo, Nepal. Their project was to construct a large Amitabha and install and paint a large Guru Rinpoche statue. They finished by November when Khen Rinpoche led the consecration and packing of the statue. Many texts and prayers were placed inside including the Kangyur (Buddhas spoken words) the Nyingma Kama, and the Rinchen Terzod (108 volumes including the Tantras and termas of the ancient translation school)

The temple now has the two amazing statues side by side, fully packed and blessed. With many thanks to Sonam and the many sponsors who made this possible.

Please visit the gallery of the different installations and particularly check the Bodhgaya gallery as you can see how the statues are packed, and the great care with which they are assembled and painted. The beauty and radiance are immeasurable and yet unique, in each installation.

Best wishes,
David