Building stupas helps develop so much peace and happiness for numberless sentient beings. As a result, wars, disease, and desire will all be pacified. Instead of feeling hopeless, people will gain courage. This is about peace—for the beings who see it, for the whole country, for the entire world, for all sentient beings.—Lama Zopa Rinpoche
The Vision
Rising from a verdant meadow with a bodhi tree planted to the west, we are building a replica of the holy Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya, India, which is the site of the Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment, one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world.
As you walk up the road from our Great Prayer Wheel to the upper part of our land you will encounter this venerable stupa, an icon of peace amongst the redwoods. Standing nearly forty feet tall, this stupa will be the central axis of a mandala with thousands of kadampa stupas, in a garden with flowering plants, pretty shrubs, and trees as offerings to the stupa and buddhas. There will be places to perform prostrations and benches for peaceful travelers to rest, reflect, and meditate by a pond overlooking the stupa.
This magnificent stupa with exquisite sculpture will be marveled by all who see it. The purpose of this stupa is to serve as an inspiration for all to find refuge in the gentle path of wisdom, compassion, and peace. It will bring blessings to all who visit it. Simply seeing, paying homage, making prostrations and offerings, and circumambulating the stupa will be of benefit to all.
Stupa News!
We rejoice in all of the merit you have created this year and pray that you flourish in 2024. A special thank you to our precious donors, stupa sponsors, staff, volunteers and for the blessings of so many amazing lamas this year including: Geshe Tenzin Zopa, Khandro Kunga Bhuma (Khandro-la) , Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche, Geshe Tenzin Legtsog, Yangsi Rinpoche, and Geshe Thubten Sherab. We continue to thank Geshe Ngawang Drakpa who supports our project with pujas and advice. Rejoice!
Our Project Site is open on Sundays: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm (weather permitting)
We will be at the Stupa Project to welcome you with a warm cup of chai and opportunities to enrich your practice.
Gift items, including watercolor stupa cards, available as souvenirs.
Come for a visit!
Contact Denice Taylor Macy, Director of 100,000 Stupa Project, for more information at [email protected]
Support this project
There are several ways to support the project via donations or other means. Here are a few of the options for you:
History
The vision for a 100,000 Stupa Project emerged in the late 1990’s. Tangible progress began in 1999. In the following decade, extensive architectural planning and land analysis work was done to build the 11,000 sq. ft. building modeled after the great Borabudur in Java, Indonesia.
In 2011, after years of working on planning for the Borabudur Stupa, and finding many obstacles, Rinpoche met with Khadro la and it was observed that building a replica of the Mahabodhi would be the best plan to move quickly to get our stupa built. At that time, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche became the central pillar to our Founders Mandala by pledging $50,000 to support the building of our stupa. Research and planning was underway in 2012. In January of 2013, the Chew family from Singapore became the second members of our Founders Mandala, followed by the John and Lucille Cayton family bequest. We are looking for more visionaries to join us bringing the building of this great project to completion.
After only a year of design and engineering, in January 2014 we received our permit approval to build the stupa at Land of Medicine Buddha!
Construction
The bhumi puja (earth blessing) was held on Friday, April 25, 2014, and on the following Monday, April 28, 2014 construction began.
Two years later, on May 22, 2016, we filled the 9th and final chamber of the central tower. Many hands helped pass along the holy objects – sutras, mantras, tsa-tsas, etc. – from the truck, up the ladders, all the way to the top.
Our artist built the Namgyal stupa at the top of our stupa and began working to apply all of the decorative facades to the Mahabodhi.
In 2019 we built the first of the three planned mandala walls which will serve as a location for the thousands of stupas to be dedicated
We continue to cast stupas, work in the gardens and apply decorations.
Watch the Stupa Come to Life
Filling level one of the Stupa
How to wrap 1,000 Tibetan Books
Pouring the foundation for the Stupa
The Life Tree goes into the central pole
