receive our newsletters
join Friends of FPMT
A replica of one of the Twenty-one Tara statues from Rinpoche’s room in Kopan, June 28, 2023, Photo by Venerable Tenzin Tsultrim.
Recently, Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC) in Singapore completed an ambitious holy object project advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The project added statues of all the Twenty-one Taras, each standing twenty-four inches high, to the altar in ABC’s beautiful gompa. This was completed in August 2021 and Rinpoche offered a teaching via Zoom during the consecration ceremony in October of that year. This project was recently further enhanced with the completion of an exquisite golden aura adorning each of the statues. ABC Director Tan Hup Cheng shares the story:
The advice to ABC to build the Twenty-one Taras was given by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche as early as 1995. First, Rinpoche had advised ABC to buy land on which to build a dedicated temple. Secondly, for the main altar, Rinpoche had advised that the central image should be the One-thousand Armed Chenrezig surrounded by the Twenty-one Taras. I wrote down the advice and we designed a graphic of what the altar should look like and showed it to Rinpoche. In this picture, you can see Rinpoche standing next to Lama Osel when he was very young. The central figure of Chenrezig is surrounded by Twenty-one Tara statues together with statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and Lama Tsongkhapa and His Spiritual Sons.
The design of the main altar drawn by Tan Hup Cheng director of ABC Singapore in 2000 based on Rinpoche’s advice.
What was initially an advice given by Rinpoche became the cause for these ideas to develop and finally, be fully actualized. The printout you see here, drawn in 2000, is not far from the reality . As you can see, the marble altar that was a sketch has actually been created. The vision of a One-thousand Arm Chenrezig surrounded by Twenty-one Taras has all been realised. Amazing, amazing, isn’t it, how the words of our guru can be transformed into such a reality?
The altar in the main gompa at ABC Singapore, June 28, 2023, Photo by Venerable Tenzin Tsultrim.
Rinpoche had given the advice that the Tara statues for ABC would be a replica of the Twenty-one Taras in his room at Kopan Monastery, 24-inches high, in full gold, in that style. In 2018, we attempted to approach the artist in Nepal who had made that set of Tara statues, but he had passed away. Through the help of Tencho Lama, a Kopan Monk, another statue maker was found and he made a wax model of the 24-inch Tara statue. This was shown to Rinpoche and met his approval. The statue maker then proceeded to cast the full set of Twenty-one Tara statues. In 2020, the pandemic broke out and the production of the statues was delayed. It was not until August 2021, that the statues were completed and shipped to ABC.
To enhance the display of the statues, the artist Peter Griffin had advised that we should adopt a floating display effect of the statues. He proposed to construct the lotus seats for the Tara statues and filigree auras to enhance the statue. We accepted his proposal and he proceeded to construct the lotus seats. To support the lotus seats we had to make a special engineer-designed metal frame secured to the back wall. The background wall was painted with a special “ultramarine blue,” which gave the gold-colored statues a stunning effect. Electrical wiring was laid during the installation. Peter completed the gilded lotus seats and shipped them to Singapore for the consecration in October 2021. Our precious Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche consecrated the statues by Zoom from Kopan Monastery, as we were still in lockdown. It was not until April 2023 that the twenty-one auras were completed and shipped to Singapore. The gilding and painting of the auras was done at ABC and on June 20, 2023 the auras were fully installed with the help of Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi and the Kopan monks.
Tara statues on their lotus seats with auras, June 28, 2023, Photo by Venerable Tenzin Tsultrim.
During the journey of making the Twenty-one Taras, which took four years, one very important lesson we learned was to have full faith and trust in the guru’s advice. We adopted a “ Just Do It” mindset, and do whatever it takes to fulfill Rinpoche’s wishes. The result of doing so will be astounding, this project is an example of this.
If FPMT centers or study groups plan to set up a Twenty-one Taras altar, they are welcome to contact ABC Director Tan Hup Cheng for advice.
To help ensure the creation of holy objects around the world as advised by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, all are welcome to offer a donation of any amount to the Holy Objects Fund.
You can learn more about Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore: www.fpmtabc.org