The Mountain-Like Stupa that Brought an Ocean of Dharma
Dolpopa “Seeing Liberation” Stupa of 100,000 Buddhas
Throughout the history of Buddhism, stupas have served as powerful supports for awakening. They embody enlightened mind and provide a direct way for beings to accumulate merit, purify obscurations, and create a connection with the Buddha’s wisdom. Among the many sacred stupas of Tibet, one of the most extraordinary is the Mountain-Like Stupa that Brought an Ocean of Dharma—the stupa of the great Jonang master Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen, the second Buddha from Dolpo. This stupa is not only a monument to a great teacher. It is considered a “seeing liberation” stupa of one hundred thousand Buddhas, meaning that simply seeing it plants powerful seeds for awakening in the minds of those who encounter it.Today, through an extraordinary series of circumstances, the Dzokden Rime Institute has been fortunate to receive several rare replicas of this sacred stupa—objects of immense spiritual power. The mind of a stupa is a represention of the Buddha and in this case it is a representation than none other than a Buddha who defined and articulated the definitive meaning.
Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen and the Jonang Tradition
Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen was one of the most influential masters of the Jonang lineage, renowned for preserving and transmitting the Kalachakra Tantra and for articulating the profound philosophy of Zhentong (Other-Emptiness). His teachings spread widely across Tibet and beyond, revitalizing the Kalachakra lineage and illuminating the deepest understanding of Buddha Nature. Yet the creation of his famous stupa did not arise from fame or ambition. It arose from something far more powerful: devotion to his guru. When Dolpopa constructed this sacred monument, he did so as an offering of love and dedication to his spiritual teacher. In his mind arose the realization arose:
“When I built a mountain-like stupa, an ocean-like Dharma arrived.”
This profound motivation—rooted in perfect devotion and gratitude to his guru—became the karmic cause for an immense flourishing of Dharma. This lead to his important work the Mountain Doctrine. Later generations would look back and recognize how true his words became. Through Dolpopa’s realization and scholarship, the Kalachakra teachings spread widely, benefiting countless practitioners.
The Famous “Seeing Liberation” Stupa
Dolpopa’s stupa became famous throughout the Himalayan region and is revered as a “Seeing Liberation Stupa of One Hundred Thousand Buddhas.” Pilgrims believe that simply encountering the stupa creates a powerful connection to enlightenment. Traditionally it is said that:
Seeing the stupa plants seeds of liberation
Circumambulating it purifies karma
Making offerings generates immeasurable merit
Connecting with it links one to the profound Kalachakra lineage
In recent years, the stupa was carefully renovated in Tibet/China to restore it as closely as possible to its original design. The replicas created today follow this newly restored and historically accurate form.
A Rare Global Project: 800 Replicas
During the restoration of Dolpopa’s stupa, the great Jonang monastery of Dzamthang undertook an extraordinary project. Over several years, master artisans created 800 replicas of the sacred stupa so that practitioners around the world could form a karmic connection with Dolpopa’s realization and the Jonang lineage. These replicas are not ordinary statues. They were consecrated at Dzamthang Monastery on the anniversary of Dolpopa’s Parinirvana in 2025, during ceremonies attended by thousands of monks performing extensive prayers and blessings.
Filled with Sacred Relics and consecrated by thousands of monks
Each of these stupas has been carefully filled with sacred substances and relics of immense spiritual significance according to traditional Buddhist methods. Inside are sacred mantra scrolls, ritual substances, and blessed materials connected to great masters of the Jonang lineage. Among the most precious inclusions are relic blessings associated with the cremation of His Holiness Jigme Dorje Rinpoche, further enhancing the spiritual potency of these sacred objects. Through the extensive consecration rituals performed by thousands of monks at Dzamthang Monastery, these stupas have become living supports of the Dharma, carrying the accumulated prayers, blessings, and aspirations of the monastic community. To receive or enshrine such a stupa is considered an extraordinarily rare and fortunate karmic connection.
Of the 800 replicas created, only a small number have been distributed outside the Himalayan region. The Dzokden community was extremely fortunate to receive approximately twenty of these sacred stupas. Several are already enshrined in Dharma centers around the world, including the Dzokden Rime Institute in the United States, Kalapa in Austria, and Dzokden in Australia, where they serve as powerful supports for practice and devotion within the Kalachakra lineage. With our focus on spreading the teachings of the definitive meaning, the Dzokden Dharma, these stupas have a profound and special meaning for our community and lineage.
A Vision for the Future: Land of Shambhala
These stupas also hold special significance for the Dzokden community in Australia. In the future, Khentrul Rinpoche hopes to build a small replica of Dolpopa’s great stupa at the Land of Shambhala in Australia, creating a powerful place of pilgrimage and practice for the Kalachakra lineage. Such a stupa would serve as a sacred support for practitioners and a beacon of Dharma for generations to come.
Bring Home a Stupa by Supporting the Golden Kalachakra Mandala
Dzokden is currently creating a magnificent golden Kalachakra Mandala statue:
1.8 meters tall and wide
depicting the complete mandala of 636 deities
a powerful sacred support for Kalachakra practice and realization
This extraordinary statue will serve as a profound support for practitioners and a source of merit for countless beings. To help bring this vision into reality, 17 of the rare Dolpopa stupas will be offered as special thank-you gifts to large sponsors donating over $5000 AUD to the creation of the Golden 1.8 meter tall and wide Kalachakra Mandala.
In preparation for the 1,000-year anniversary of Kalachakra entering Tibet in 2027, and the traditionally described transition of the Kalki King of Shambhala, a rare and extraordinary sacred object has been created. A fully realized three-dimensional Golden Kalachakra Mandala, fabricated in China and carefully verified by Jonang monks. This is not decorative art. It is a sacred support for blessing, realization, and the flourishing of enlightened society — what the Kalachakra teachings describe as the emergence of a new Golden Age.
This mandala will anchor the Global Shambhala Tour, traveling internationally before eventually finding its permanent home in Australia at the Rime Institute and Land of Shambhala.
A Mandala Rarely Seen Outside the Himalayas
Three-dimensional Kalachakra mandalas are traditionally found only inside major Tibetan monasteries. They serve as sacred supports for:
Empowerments
Meditation and retreat
Ritual offerings
Transmission of lineage blessings
This Golden Mandala is intended to be the only one of its kind outside the Himalayan region. For many Australians — and for many people around the world — this may be the first and only opportunity in their lifetime to encounter such a sacred object in person.
Portola Palace Mandala from HImalayan Art and Rubin Museum
The Profound Benefits of Seeing a Sacred Mandala
In Tibetan Buddhism, there is a traditional principle known as “liberation through seeing” (tongdrol). Sacred objects created according to lineage instructions are understood to plant profound karmic imprints simply through visual contact.
Traditionally, seeing a Kalachakra Mandala is said to:
Create a karmic connection to the Kalachakra path
Plant seeds for future realization
Purify obscurations through symbolic blessing
Inspire devotion and Bodhicitta
Establish auspicious conditions for peace and enlightened society
Whether one is a practitioner or simply spiritually curious, encountering a sacred mandala can be a transformative moment — a meeting that ripens over time. This is why bringing such an object to Australia is not symbolic alone. It is aspirational and karmic. It is about creating causes for the flourishing of Kalachakra in the Southern Hemisphere.
Shangri La Cultrural Exposition in China
The 1000-Year Turning of the Wheel of Time
According to traditional Tibetan historical reckoning, 2027 marks 1,000 years since Kalachakra took root in Tibet (1027 being a pivotal calendrical and lineage reference point). In the Kalachakra tradition, the line of Kalki (Rigden) Kings of Shambhala represents enlightened leadership guiding humanity toward a Golden Age. This milestone is understood by many as a symbolic turning — an opportunity to consciously create the conditions for compassion, wisdom, and awakened society to flourish. The Global Shambhala Tour is part of that aspiration to celebrate this pivotal moment in time. The art is to help inspire in the minds of people that peace is possible. This is the prophecy outlined in the Kalachakra tantra.
Help Sponsor our Mandala Offering – $150,000 AUD in Sacred Art
By the time the tour reaches Australia, over $1/2 a million dollars will have gone into this exhibition, 300,000 AUD of which will have been for the creation, fabrication of the sacred art. Most of this has been paid for by our global students. We need your help to sponsor the fabrication of our golden 1.8 meter tall and wide Kalachakra Mandala that will find its long term home in the Rime Institute and eventually at Dzokden Shambhala.
This includes:
The 3D Golden Kalachakra Mandala
Supporting ritual consecration
Religious and artistic passport
Preservation and transport logistics
This is not a commercial venture. It is a devotional offering — created with the intention of benefiting beings for generations.
On January 19th, 2025, Dzokden Rime Institute hosted its 1st Annual Pet Blessing Ceremony, an event that touched the hearts of over 100 animals and their dedicated owners. Under the guidance of Shar Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche, the esteemed Buddhist master of our temple, this special ceremony became an unforgettable occasion of love, compassion, and spiritual growth for all involved.
Families traveled from near and far, some taking long journeys by train, to share in the auspicious event. The pets in attendance, including bunnies, birds, cats, and dogs, were showered with blessings and prayers that not only brought joy to their hearts but also set the stage for their future well-being of being reborn in a higher realm and a potential human rebirth. With a human rebirth and the karmic connection to Dharma their karmic continuum will eventually lead to liberation. The smiles on the faces of the pet owners were a testament to the deep sense of peace and happiness they felt, knowing their beloved companions were receiving such sacred attention.
A Sacred Ceremony for Pets and Their Families
The pet blessing ceremony, deeply rooted in Buddhist principles, aimed to help animals free themselves from negative karmic influences of lower rebirths and ensure their future liberation. It was a powerful opportunity for families to offer spiritual support for their pets while deepening their own practice of compassion.
In Buddhism, all sentient beings, not just humans, are considered worthy of peace and happiness. Our pets, who are often treated like family members, deserve the same compassion and care. The event provided a meaningful way to extend this love to animals, recognizing their mulitlife spiritual journeys and offering blessings that would influence their karmic paths, both in this life and in future rebirths.
Rituals and Blessings for Every Pet
The blessing ceremony included a variety of sacred rituals designed to benefit the animals in profound ways. Here’s a glimpse of what took place:
Chanting & Mantras: Rinpoche led the recitation of holy mantras, creating an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. These chants had a calming effect on the animals, helping them feel more relaxed and spiritually nurtured.
Circumambulating the Stupa: The temple’s powerful stupa played a central role in the ceremony. Families and their pets walked around the stupa, generating positive karma and creating auspicious conditions for their future. Walking animals around the stupas is a powerful activity that an owner can do at any time to help purify karma.
Blessed Water & Rituals: The animals were sprinkled with water that had been infused with blessings, purifying their negative karma and promoting peace and harmony in their lives.
Sacred Gifts: Each animal received a personalized blessing, along with precious gifts such as blessed sand, mantra recitations, and a protective blessing cord. The owners, too, were deeply moved by these sacred offerings, knowing they were helping their pets on their spiritual journey.
Why the 1st Annual Pet Blessing Was So Special
Cultivating Compassion: Attending the blessing ceremony was a powerful reminder for pet owners of the importance of compassion. It wasn’t just about caring for their own happiness, but about recognizing the interconnectedness of all sentient beings. Many families expressed how the experience deepened their bond with their pets and reinforced their own spiritual practices.
Health and Happiness in This Life: While no one can guarantee a perfect life, the blessings offered at the ceremony helped improve the karmic conditions for the animals’ health and happiness. Pet owners left with a renewed sense of peace, knowing they had done something meaningful for their companions.
A Better Future Rebirth: According to Buddhist teachings, the blessing ceremony aimed to improve the karmic conditions for each animal’s future rebirth. For many pet owners, the idea of their pets having a more favorable future, potentially even a human rebirth, was a source of comfort and hope.
Protecting Pets from Lower Realm Rebirths: The ceremony also helped free the animals from the possibility of lower realm rebirths.
Families Reflect on the Experience
The families who attended the event expressed how deeply moved they were by the ceremony. Many shared that the experience left them with a sense of peace and fulfillment, knowing they had taken steps to ensure their pets’ future well-being. Several owners even commented on how calm and serene their pets seemed after the blessings, a testament to the power of the rituals and the sacred energy created by the event.
Khentrul Rinpoche’s guidance throughout the ceremony resonated with many attendees. His teachings about the karmic connections between pets and their owners, and the importance of supporting their spiritual journeys, were a source of inspiration.
A New Tradition at Dzokden Rime Institute
The first annual pet blessing ceremony was an immense success, creating an atmosphere of joy, peace, and interconnectedness. The event was not just about offering blessings for pets, but also about uniting people in a shared practice of compassion. The families who attended felt deeply grateful to be part of something so meaningful, and the happiness they experienced was palpable.
Looking ahead, Dzokden Rime Institute is already excited to host the 2nd Annual Pet Blessing Ceremony in 2026. We are committed to making this event a cherished tradition where animals and their families can continue to receive blessings for peace, health, happiness, and spiritual growth.
