Padmasambhava statue for Lawudo nearly finished.US$14,000 offered to build one 11-foot (3-meter) and two life-sized statues of Padmasambhava in Lawudo, Nepal. Lawudo is the site of particular significance for FPMT as the meditation cave of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s previous incarnation, Lawudo Lama Kunsang Yeshe, is located there.

US$60,000 donated to build large Padmasambhava statue for a monastery in Asia.

Over US$1.6 million offered to build and house 21 statues including:

•A 70-foot (21-meter) statue of Padmasambhava with two consorts, each 25 feet (7.5 meters) high;

•Eighteen life-sized statues including the Eight Aspects of Padmasambhava over 6 feet (2 meters) high

A temple to house the statues utilizing art inspired by Padmasambhava’s experience of the pure land Zangdok Palri (Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain)

US$3,000 donated to build a Padmasambhava statue at Milarepa Center in Vermont, USA between 2 and 3 feet (about 1 meter)– Thanks to a 2009 International Merit Box grant!

US$100,000 offered to build a very large Wish-fulfilling Padmasambhava statue at a Sakya Monastery

Initial planning to build a 120-foot (36.5-meter) Padmasambhava statue in Khakhorin, Mongolia. This project is being undertaken by FPMT Mongolia.

The Stupa Fund supports the making of over 1,000 small Kadampa stupas each year. These stupas are made by resident Sangha at Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s home in California and are dedicated for students who have passed away.

The fund has also recently pledged a total of US$51,000 to the Stupa Project at Land of Medicine Buddha, California, USA.

14-foot Auspicious Stupa of Many Doors at Milarepa Center, Vermont, USA.

“Building stupas helps develop so much peace and happiness for numberless sentient beings. As a result, wars, disease, and desire will all be pacified. Instead of feeling hopeless, people will gain courage.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for FPMT is to build 100,000 stupas around the world. The following advice was given by Rinpoche regarding this vision:

“Since there is unbelievable benefit such as liberating sentient beings, then I thought that the whole organization could aim to build 100,000 stupas (minimum size of one storey up to the distance from the earth to the moon) in different parts of the world and for FPMT to do this as a whole.

Kadampa Stupa at Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, CA, USA.“[I would] especially [like] to build in countries where there are no holy objects and in countries where people have no opportunity to see holy objects. Just by seeing holy objects it purifies the mind and one collects extensive merits.

“We can still build in countries where there are alot of holy objects and monasteries like Nepal and India, but [I would] especially [like] to build them in the countries,  where they have no holy objects. It is very important every time a stupa is built that it has the Four Dharmakaya Relic mantras inside, as well as the Namgyalma mantra.

Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel’s stupa at Kopan Monastery, Nepal. “The plan is to build stupas all over the world, individual people or centers [can do this], no matter how many years one puts effort into building stupas, the benefit that this gives to sentient beings every day in so many ways is unimaginable. For instance, when wind touches a stupa that has the Four Dharmakaya Relic mantras inside, when that same wind touches sentient beings it liberates them. Or dust that lands on the stupa then falls off and touches the earth, then the earth is blessed. Rain that touches the stupa and then flows into the ground, this purifies all sentient beings that come in contact with that ground, including the worms. Even if someone sees the stupa from the distance, it purifies them and plants the seed of enlightenment. So this is unbelievable. Everyday the stupa liberates so many beings and brings them to enlightenment. So making the effort for the stupa, even after you die, then wherever you are in the six realms, still you are creating merit because the stupa continues to liberate so many sentient beings and bring them to enlightenment .

“Each stupa must have, as many as possible, The Four Dharmakaya Relic mantras, also 100 Stainless Pinnacle mantras … if possible, even more like 100,000.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche on his Vast Vision for FPMT, Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, CA, March 2007

Lama Zopa Rinpoche translated, “Padmasambhava’s Instruction on Offerings to Stupas” which details the benefits of prostrating to, circumambulating, making offerings, and offering service to stupas.

Enlightenment Stupa (9 meters, 29.5 feet) at De Tong Ling Retreat Centre, Kangaroo Island, Australia.

Eight stupas at Centro Muni Gyana, Palermo, Italy.

Stupas Completed/In Progress

To date, fifty-five stupas have been completed, or are in progress, at FPMT centers and by FPMT students toward this goal of 100,000 stupas around the world.

“Wherever a stupa is built will become a powerful place for healing and a cause for the success of whatever visitors to that place are seeking.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Northern & Central America

• Kalachakra Stupa at Kurukulla Center, Massachusetts USA.Kadampa Stupa (10 feet) at Kachoe Dechen Ling, California, USA
• Lama Yeshe Cremation Stupa (6 feet) at Vajrapani Institute, California, USA
• Lama Yeshe’s Enlightenment Stupa (16 feet) at Vajrapani Institute, California, USA
• Kadampa Stupa (6 feet) at Land of Medicine Buddha, California, USA
• Mahabodhi Stupa, at Land of Medicine Buddha, California, USA
• Kalachakra Stupa (15 feet) at Kurukulla Center, Massachusetts, USA
• Kadampa Stupa (18 feet) at Kadampa Center, North Carolina, USA 
• Auspicious Stupa of Many Doors at (14 feet) Milarepa Center, Vermont, USA
• Enlightenment Stupa (16 feet) at Pamtingpa Center, Tonasket, Washington, USA
• Enlightenment Stupa (9 feet) at Gendun Drubpa, Canada
• Enlightenment Stupa (16 feet) Canada

South America

• Turning of the Dharma Stupa (20 feet), Mexico
• Kalachakra Stupa for World Peace at Serlingpa Retreat Center, Mexico
• Descent from Tushita Stupa (10 feet from ground, 6×6 feet base), containing 15 relics,  in all I think, many of 26 different mantras including the Four Dharmakaya Relic mantras. Cozumel, Mexico.

Europe

• Kadampa Stupa at Institut Vajra Yogini, France.Kadampa Stupa built for Lama Yeshe and International Year of Tibet (1991) at Institut Vajra Yogini, France
• Enlightenment Stupa (13 feet) at Nalanda Monastery, France
• Descent from Tushita Stupa at Kopavogur, Iceland
• 1 Enlightenment Stupa built for Lama Yeshe Geshe Rabten, Geshe Yeshe Tobden, and Gomo Tulku, at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy
• 1 Reconciliation Stupa built for Lama Yeshe Geshe Rabten, Geshe Yeshe Tobden, and Gomo Tulku, at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy
• Kadampa Stupa at Kushi Ling Retreat Centre, Italy
• Lama Yeshe Enlightenment Stupa at Jamyang Buddhist Centre, London, UK (Built in 1988, contains, Lama Yeshe’s bone relic, and was consecrated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche)
• Kadampa Stupa at Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, Spain
• Kadampa Stupa with Geshe Thubten Tsering’s ashes at Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, Spain
• Enlightenment Stupa built for Lama Yeshe at Osel Ling, Spain
• Eight stupas at Centro Muni Gyana, Palermo, Italy.

Pacific Region

• Auspicious Stupa with Many Doors at Dorje Chang Institute, Auckland, New Zealand.The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion (50 meters, 164 feet), Atisha Center, Victoria, Australia, in progress
• Enlightenment Stupa (9 meters, 29.5 feet) at De Tong Ling Retreat Centre, Kangaroo Island, Australia
• Stupa (12 feet) at Kunsang Yeshe Retreat Centre, New South Wales, Australia
• Victory Stupa at Vajrayana Institute, New South Wales, Australia
• Garden of Enlightenment Stupa at Chenrezig Institute, Queensland, Australia
• Victory Stupa at Chenrezig Institute, Queensland, Australia
• Auspicious Stupa with Many Doors at Dorje Chang Institute, Auckland, New Zealand
• Long Life Stupa (5.2 meters) at Chandrakirti Buddhist Meditation Centre, Nelson, New Zealand
• Enlightenment Stupa at Mahamudra Center, New Zealand

Asia

• Stupa built for Geshe Lama Konchog at Kopan Monastery Nepal.Enlightenment Stupa built for Lama Yeshe at Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India
• Auspicious Stupa of Many Doors built for Geshe Rabten at Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India
• Parinirvana Stupa built for Geshe Wongdu at Tushita Meditation Centre, Dharamsala, India
• Stupa at IMI House (1 meter, 3 ft) in Sera Je Monastery, India
• Kadampa Stupa (21 ft with 8 smaller stupas) at Root Institute in progress
• Enlightenment Stupa built for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s mother (20 ft), located between Lawudo and Namche Bazaar in a village called Samshing, Nepal
• Stupa for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s mother’s incarnation, Nawang Zhimay, (10 ft), located below Lawudo in a village called Teshok
• Eight Stupas at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• Geshe Lama Konchog’s Dharmachakra Stupa (35 ft) at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• Thousand Buddha Relics Stupa for Geshe Lama Konchog’s relics, a row of 8 stupas and a golden stupa for Lama Yeshe’s relics, at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• Lama Lhundrup’s Stupa (25 ft), Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• Lama Lhundrup’s Stupa at Kopan Nunnery
• Lama Yeshe’s Stupa at Kopan Monastery, Nepal
• Enlightenment Stupa (3 meters) in Boudhanath, Nepal at one student’s house
• Namgyalma Stupa, Losang Drakpa Center, Malaysia
• Victory Stupa at Golden Light Sutra Center, Mongolia
• Enlightenment Stupa at Shakyamuni Buddhist Center, Taiwan
• Geshe Sengye’s stupa in Tibet (20 ft)
• Enlightenment Stupa (18 ft), Taplejung District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• Enlightenment Stupa (18 ft), Okhaldunga District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• Enlightenment Stupa (21 ft), Lalitpure District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• Stupa (18 feet), Okhaldunga District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• Nirvana Stupa (18 ft), Rasuwa District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• Pepung Stupa (Lotus Stupa) (18 ft), Nuwakot District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• Construction of stupa (18 ft) in Rasuwa District, Nepal (built by Losang Namgyal Rinpoche)
• 24.5 ft stupa, Rinchen Jansem Ling, Malaysia. 

Offerings Made to Build Stupas

•  Chogyey Trichen Rinpoche’s Stupa (105 feet tall with a 54 feet diameter dome), Nepal, US$7,700 offered.

Further Resources

• Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 1
• Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 2
• Benefits and Practices Related to Statues and Stupas, Part 3
• Microfilm for Stupas and Prayer Wheels
• FPMT’s Stupa Resources Page
• Stupas in Everyday Life by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
• Gallery of some stupas inspired by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

How Can I Make a Donation?

To make a tax-deductible donation generally to the Stupa Fund

DONATE

Or simply send your check in US dollars payable to FPMT Inc. and write “Stupa Fund” on the memo line.

FPMT Inc.
1632 SE 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214-4702
USA

The Stupa Fund is a project of FPMT Inc. and is administered by FPMT International Office located in Portland, Oregon, United States. All donations made to this fund are tax-deductible within the United States in accordance with IRS Code article 501(c)(3) to the extent allowed by law.

For more information please contact: Charitable Projects Coordinator.