& Meditation Retreat
Building a Stupa at Pine Mountain Temple
Wesak Festival, Stupa Dedication and 10th Anniversary
May 2, 2010
Please join us on Sunday, May 2, 2010 for a combined festival to dedicate our Stupa, which has been built over the past two years, celebrate the traditional Buddhist festival of Wesak, and celebrate 10 years of Pine Mountain Buddhist Temple's existence.
The Lotus Sutra describes how a precious Stupa arises wherever the Bodhisattva Vows are taught and practiced.
Inside the Stupa is a Buddha, who voices his appreciation and encouragement.
Building a Stupa is an expression of devotion and an excellent way to make merit. It shows our sincerity to practice for the sake of all living things.
"Originally a stupa was a monument over the mortal remains of Shakyamuni Buddha or other holy persons. However, stupas also served as a reminder of other decisive events in the life of Shakyamuni, thus there are stupas at Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Kusinagara, Sarnath, etc. Not every stupa contains relics in the proper sense, in their place sacred texts and representations are also enshrined, which confer their sacredness to the stupa. It is not however, the contents of the stupa that are venerated, rather, the stupa itself serves a support for meditation and a reminder of the awakened state of mind."
(from the Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen)
The Merit of a Stupa
There is great merit in building a Stupa, and also in seeing or walking around one in meditation. It may not be possible to put into words why this is so, but many people have an intuitive sense of it. When we look at a building or statue that was made in the past, we are inspired and touched by the devotion, energy and dedication that are present, and think of it as a holy place. This inspiration does not last long, unless we ourselves let it redirect our lives and use it to strengthen our practice. In this manner there is a continuous stream of merit, flowing from generation to generation and helping all beings to look up and be reminded that there is something greater than our day to day ups and downs.
Sometimes it is good to be practical and sensible, doing things such as upgrading our guest accommodations, and at other times it is good to make a gesture of pure faith and do something that has no immediate measurable value in the eyes of the world. This is why we hope to build a stupa, and invite everyone to make a contribution either financially or in the actual construction. To do so will support the practice of Buddhism and increase our own blessings and wisdom. Many consider it an honor and a joy to share in the merit of such a project.
