The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya
in the beholder, then we walked among Buddhas
Which Liberates Upon Seeing
that day.


Special Destination

I had traveled from New Hampshire to the
Shambhala Mountain Center, 8,000 feet above
sea level, outside the dusty little town of Red
Feather Lakes, Colorado to celebrate the
opening of the one of the most magnificent
example of sacred Buddhist architecture outside
of Asia. Formally known as The Great Stupa of
Dharmakaya Which Liberates upon seeing, this
remarkable symbol of enlightenment was
designed to have an uplifting effect upon all who
behold it, and it invariably succeeds. For me – as
with so many of the practicing Buddhist
students, teachers, and guests there - it was an
experience of a
lifetime.

Living Legacy

As a long-time student of Trogyam Trungpa
Rinoche – the accomplished Tibetan teacher to
whom The Great Stupa is dedicated – I knew the
event was historically important,
commemorating his significant role in
transplanting Vajrayana Buddhism to North
America. (The Mayor of Boulder declared it

Trogyam Trungpa Rinpoche Day.)

I also knew that the building itself would be

impressive. It took four hundred workers
- By Lonny J. Brown
fourteen years to construct, using the world’s

most durable concrete, to enable The Great
Stupa to stand through a thousand Rocky
Ascending the winding mountain valley to the
Mountain winters.
new Tibetan-American Buddhist sacred

monument called The Great Stupa of
And I knew that sacred objects could be
Dharmakaya, catching the first glimpse of its
imbued with spiritual energy; and this one –
gleaming golden, sky-pointing spire, quickens
with ancient relics, millions of printed "mantras"
the heart. Minutes later, seeing its full 108- foot
(sacred prayers), revered texts, precious jewels,
form appear takes your breath away. That’s what
and even a microscopic bone fragment of the
happened to me and my friends and all the
Buddha Himself encased in its walls - would
people we met among the 2000 attending the
most likely be the greatest sacred object I would
consecration ceremonies for this historic
ever get near.
monument, in the summer of 2001. If it is true

that this first moment of seeing this majestic
But I had no idea how The Great Stupa would
structure contains the essence of enlightenment
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79