GAIA MANDALA

Earth Treasure Vase for
the Great Stupa of Boudhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal

Introduction

The stupa dates back to the time of the previous Buddha Kashyapa. As the story goes, a poultry farmer named Samvari, carried the aspiration to build a stupa to house the relics of Buddha Kashyapa. At some point, the stupa’s foundation began to appear and with the help of her four sons, the relics of the Buddha Kashyapa were enshrined in the central pillar and they began building the stupa further. When the stupa was finished, all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of past, present and future assembled and dissolved into the stupa. That is how the stupa became known by the name ‘’Lhundrub Tsek’’, ‘’the all-encompassing stupa’’.

After that, the four brothers stood before the stupa and made deep aspiration prayers. Their personal aspirations to benefit the world led them to be reborn as major figures playing key-roles in bringing Buddhism to Tibet and laying the foundation for what is now known as Tibetan Buddhism. They returned as Dharma King Trisong Deutsen, the abbot Shantarakshita, the great tantric yogi Guru Rinpoche and the minister Nanam Dorje Dudjom.

This legend underlines that the stupa is a powerful place of worship. It has been in the past and it remains to be so in the present. The Tibetan lineage teachers would say that this stupa is so powerful that the wishes of anybody who makes prayers to the stupa are fulfilled.
Cynthia has held a heart-felt prayer to place one of the Earth Treasure Vases inside this Great Stupa at Boudhanath and while on three months retreat, this deeply held prayer was answered. Due to the damage done by the earthquake in 2015 the Stupa was ‘’open’’ for reconstruction and that provided a unique opportunity…

Cynthia tells the story.

It was an emotional ceremony during a time of deep quiet in my “cave” but the process of collecting all the offerings for the Vase provided a powerful opportunity to review the path, reconnect with the beauty of this epic journey anew, and be inspired beyond my wildest dreams. I find it utterly amazing what a life of their own these little vases have!

There are many more offerings being made into the Stupa than it can hold, but most people want recognition for their offerings whereas we just wanted to get the Earth Treasure Vase in. So through Carroll’s friend, Mani Lama, a photographer who is documenting the reconstruction process and whose family lineage has been to care for the stupa over many generations, it was done!

Mani knew the workers well, so Carroll gently handed him the Earth Treasure Vase, called a “bumpa” in Tibetan, wrapped in a white kata which he placed in his backpack and as she circumambulated the stupa from below, he climbed up the scaffolding to the open top with bamboo spires sticking out where about 20 men were working.