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What is The Great Stupa?
The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion will be the same size and design as the
Great Stupa of Gyantse in Tibet which is 50 metres (164 feet) wide along each
side at its base and nearly 50 metres high. This will make it the largest stupa
in the Western World. It is being built near Bendigo, Australia.
A Stupa is the most sacred monument in the Buddhist world. It is a symbolic
representation of the fully Enlightened mind and the path to Enlightenment. As
the sacred texts are the verbal expression of the Dharma, so the Stupa is its
architectural expression.
Objectives of The Great Stupa
- To inspire people to seek a peaceful and spiritual path.
- To be a pilgrimage place for Buddhists from around the world.
- To provide a refuge of peace and serenity for all and especially those in need.
- To help explain Buddhism to anyone interested.
- To provide a Gompa for use by monks from Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery and members of the Atisha Buddhist Centre.
- To be of service to as many beings as possible.
The Gompa
The Gompa, inside the Stupa, will have many features of traditional large
Tibetan gompas including large statues of Buddhas and deities. The Gompa will
be used for pujas, meditation and teachings. It will also be designed to
present an overview of Buddhism to visitors.
The Gardens
Beautiful gardens will surround the Stupa. Visitors will be encouraged to
walk through the garden and to ascend the Stupa in the clockwise direction.
Along the paths will be 100,000 small stupas.
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An aerial photograph of The Great Stupa as it currently exists. Next
construction phase scheduled for November 2009. Photo Credit: David Field.
Funding
Initial cost estimates for the construction and completion of the stupa run
into several milions. These funds are being sought through fundraising on an
international basis. Construction will take place on a progressive basis as
funds become available.
Make a secure online donation >
Opportunities also exist to support the stupa with specialised skills. These
include landscaping, administration, public relations, art and sculpture.
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