Min Bahadur Shakya

BOUDHANATH STUPAA Vatican of Tibetan Buddhism

BOUDHANATH STUPAA Vatican of Tibetan Buddhism

Min Bahadur ShakyaPresented by:

Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods

CONTENTS

• Introduction• Its Structure• Entrance• Angular Walls• Azima Shrine• Three Plinths• Dome• Harmika and Buddha’s Eyes• Spire

Contd.• Legends• History of Boudhanath Stupa• Power places for Pilgrimage and Prayer• Boudhanath: A Vatican of Tibetan Buddhism

The Main Entrance Gate of Boudhanath Stupa

View of the Stupa as seen from outside the entrance gate

A typical Tibetan shop on the side of the entranceway.

A Caitya on the circumambulatory path of the Stupa

Entrance Gate (Seen from Inside the Stupa Area)

The Dome

Circumambulatory Path and the shops alongside

Tibetan Nuns circumabulating the stupa

Base or Vedika of the stupa

Entrance to the stupa

Entrance to the stupa

Shop dealing in ritual instruments alongside the circumambulatory path

The joined buildings surrounding the circumambulatory path of the Stupa

Palden Lhamo (Azima) Shrine

A Large Prayer wheel inscribed with the mantra of Avalokitesvara

Sakyamuni/Aksobhya Buddha in the niche of the dome

Vajravarahi.

A Varuna Nagaraja

Angular Wall containing the fresco paintings of Enlightened Ones.

An old monk lost in his prayers

A Mongolian Lady on Elephant

General View of Boudhanath Stupa with its three plinths

The view of the Stupa from the topmost plinth

General View of Boudhanath Stupa

The Harmika and Eyes

Double Thunderbolt (Visvavajra) on the lotus pedestal

LEGEND OF THE STUPA

• Nepalese Legend• Tibetan Legends

MONASTERIES SURROUNDING THE STUPA

• Maitreya Vihara• Kanying Shedrupling Monastery• Sechen Monastery• Kopan Monastery• Samtenling Monastery

Map of Monasteries around Bodhnath

MAITREYA VIHARA:Jyam Chen Lhakhang

• Main shrine from outside• View from interior courtyard

A General View of Maitreya Vihara

Maitreya Vihara: Main Shrine viewed from the Stupa platform

Maitreya Vihara: View from the interior courtyard

KANYING SHEDRUPLING MONASTERY

• Main Pathways• Entrance Gate• Main Monastery Building• Wall paintings• Dharma Teaching

A Passageway leading to the monastery

Main Entrance gate of White monastery flanked by slant staircases

One of the Lions guarding the gate of the monastery

Kanying Shedrupling Monastery

Main Shrine hall of the Kanying Shedrupling Monastery

Torma on the altar

A typical Tibetan shop on the side of the entranceway.

Mayadevi giving birth to Siddhartha Gautama

Devotees listening to the Dharma Discourse in White Monastery

SECHEN MONASTERY

• Main Entrance• Main Shrine Building• Monks Quarter

Outside garden of the monastery complex

Main Entrance to Sechen Monastery

Sechen Monastery

Building serving as an annexe to Sechen Monastery or Monks Quarter

KOPAN MONASTERY

• Main shrine• Fresco Paintings in the main shrine• Kalacakra Mandala-3D• Maitreya Buddha Statue• Eleven faced Avalokitesvara• Great Stupa• Bodhisattva sacrificing his flesh and blood• Ksantivadin giving teachings to ladies• Clay images depicting the scenes from Buddha’s Life

A typical Tibetan shop on the side of the entranceway.

Kopan Monastery Main shrine hall

Main Shrine hall of the Kopan Monastery

The main shrine all of the Kopan Monastery

Manjusri

Six Syllable Avalokitesvara, flanked by Manjusri and Vajrapani

The Wheel of Life

Fresco of Sakyamuni Buddha on the wall.

Three Dimensional Kalacakra Mandala

Maitreya Bodhisattva at the Kopan Monastery Garden

Eleven faced Avalokiteshvara at the Kopan Monastery Garden

Bird Eye View of the Beautiful Kopan Monastery Garden with Stupa in background

Clay images displayed in the park depicting the Mahasattva’s offering of his own flesh to the hungry tigress.

Clay images depicting the story of Ksantivadin, one of previous life of the Sakyamuni Buddha

Prince Siddhartha taking ordination

Clay images depicting the scene from the Buddha’s Life

Buddha’s Parinirvana

IMPORTANT LAMAS

• Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche• Ven. Choekyi Nyima Rinpoche• Ven. Chobgay Trichen Rinpoche• Ven. Sakya Trizin• Ven. Lama Thubtan Zopa Rinpoche

CONCLUSION

• This presentation has been possible under the auspices of sponsorship of Publication Board of the International Journal called “The Great Compassion”, a quarterly Journal.

• We have included this article on this journal with profuse illustrations and audio-visual materials in a CD together with hard copy journal

• Today Boudha has become a remarkable center for Dharma Practice. After 1959, with the influx of high Lamas from Tibet all the Tibetan Buddhist traditions have built substantial monasteries around the stupa. Everyday the Stupa is visited by hundred of pilgrims, and the Tibetan community in exile in the Kathmandu valley has made Boudha the Vatican of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal.

THANK YOU