The Rimé Institute developed Khentrul Rinpoche’s book series Unveiling Your Sacred Truth and the commentary the Hidden Treasure of the Profound Path over many years. As time went on, we have improved the editions. We had some early editions in our storage unit that would be of more benefit to sentient beings, so we sent out these early English language editions of Khentrul Rinpoche’s books to libraries and prisons throughout the English and Chinese speaking world
Why include prison libraries
The Kalachakra Tantra says that even those who have committed the 5 heinous crimes can learn to practice Kalachakra and take the initiation. Everyone has Buddha-nature and therefore has the potential to realize their own nature. We want to make sure that as many people as possible have access to these teachings either through a public library system or prison library system. Everyone who has interest and potential should be able to come into contact with the Dharma. Research also shows that people who come into contact with spirituality and religious training in prison are less likely to commit crimes once released and therefore less likely to return to prison.
How the public helped make this happen?
We offered these books for free, however we relied on the generosity of our donors to cover the shipping costs of the books. We have raised enough money to successfully sent out up to 300 books for this project with the majority of books being received in Australia, Canada, US, UK & New Zealand. Through Dzokden we are some of the first backers of a Compassion in Prison project in the USA working to connect both inmates and correctional officers to Dharma.
We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the project to make this possible. Because of your generosity, so many sentient beings are able to benefit from the Dharma.
With great joy we announce the completion of the Sangha Unifying Stupa at Tibetan Buddhist Rime Institute in Melbourne, Australia. Khentrul Rinpoche selected the Stupa of Reconciliation as our first stupa to create as a global community. This stupa represents the time when the Buddha unified the sangha. Our community across the world has come together to make this happen, we thank you all for your effort, generosity and joy which has enabled us to complete the project. This is a tremendous step in us creating the Golden Age of Dzokden dharma together.
Reaching our fundraising goal
We were able to exceed our initial fundraising goal of $25,000, coming to a grand total of $28,953 raised in generous donations through our community across the globe. The $25,000 estimate was the minimum amount estimated to complete the project and did not include the countless hours that Rinpoche and our local Australian community spent on completing the project.
The Making of the Stupa
The Stupa was built by one of our full time volunteers who spent a solid two months full time making the it at Land of Shambhala in Thornton, Victoria.
Khentrul Rinpoche did Pujas everyday for a month to bless the sacred objects that go inside the Stupa.
10 local volunteers many of whom are tradesman helped us level the ground, build the foundation, landscape and paint the stupa. This enabled us to keep the costs to supplies as we did not pay for external labor.
Many other stupa projects from around the world end up costing significantly more than this project. We extend our utmost gratitude to you and all of our volunteers.
The Precious and Priceless Items enclosed in the Stupa
The stupa is filled with countless precious relics, holy texts and statues from around the world which included;
Statues from Rinpoche’s personal collection which included 1. 24 armed Kalachakra statue 2. A yab yum primordial buddha 3. An Amitabha statue
Relics from the 2nd Karmapa, Karma Pakshi
Ashes from Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche, master in the Gelug tradition and also known for Kalachakra teachings
Blessed pills from the 17th Karmapa
Blessed pills from the Jonang linage in Zhamthang
Blessed pills from His Holiness the Dalai Lama including vajrakilaya pills and pills from his monastery in Dharamsala
Blessed pills from Kathog monastery
Blessed pills from the Swayambhunath stupa in Kathmandu valley.
Fragment from the Mahabodhi stupa
Also included were an abundance of items containing the wealth of the world including, many crystals, precious and semi-precious stones, texts, weapons for the dharma protectors, many tsa tsas that represent 100 stupas each, 100’s of thangkas of the Shambhala dharma kings and the Rime Linage Masters to unify the global sangha.
The 21 Taras Garden of Abundance Project Continues
This stupa is the 2nd successfully completed item in the 21 Tara’s garden of abundance project. We have remodelled the garden and installed the prayer wheels in the front and back of the temple.
Our Vietnamese sangha have donated the statue for the Tara statue and completed the initial design specs. The statue will be created once Covid restrictions ease in Vietnam.
We have successfully raised all the funds for the project so far, however there are still opportunities to for you to contribute to. We will have the landscaping to complete, our external temple fence to paint and lighting for the garden to install.
Stay tuned for upcoming volunteer days once current Victorian restrictions ease.
We’ve had an extraordinary busy couple of weeks on the 21 Taras Garden of Abundance project with so much achieved. The sangha rallied together to focus on getting some of the core elements of the garden near completion. The sangha worked tirelessly digging a lush pond for the garden, complete with two waterfalls, river rocks and a variety of colourful plants.
We have selected 4 new prayer wheels each containing 20 million Mani Mantras to place at the entrance Gate to the Temple Garden. People who walk by on the public footpath will be able to spin them creating the seeds for liberation and benefiting all beings. Thanks to the your generosity, we are glad to say they have all been sponsored!
The space for the Sangha unifying stupa has been cleared, leveled and the foundations of the stupa set. This stupa represents the time when the Buddha unified the sangha. We need a strong global community to bring about Dzokden, the Golden Age.
There were also many other surrounding areas that were also tended to. Mulch was laid around the grounds with carefully selected plants to adorn. The circle and square window were shaped. The circle is called the Window of Enlightenment or Moon Gate and the square is called Window of Delusion in Japanese zen. The circle is to create thoughtful and meditative moments in the garden. We have chosen white rocks that require the visitor to slow down and move along the paths in a meditative state and contemplate the holy objects and environment.
Next to the pond we have also added the fire pit for Sang offerings
3D Engineers have started the process of designing the marble Tara statue to Rinpoche’s specifications. He wants to match the lotus of the innate Kalachakra so they are scanning the statue to fulfill Rinpoche’s wishes.
Stay tuned for further updates in the coming weeks.
