Dear friends and supporters of the Ka-Ter Translation Project,

Dear members of the Tara family,

 LET’S IMAGINE

that all sentient beings live a harmonious, peaceful and enjoyable life,

that there are no conflicts, wars or disharmonies among us,

and that everybody is happy and free of suffering.

 

That sounds like a nice fantasy, doesn’t it?

 Living in ‘reality’, we are confronted with natural disasters, numerous frictions between countries, and tremendous disagreement between people. Consequently, many beings suffer. How can we deal with these difficult conditions? Can we do something to keep our minds calm and relaxed although the external circumstances often appear wild, ferocious and chaotic?

 The answer is YES, WE CAN.

  • The first thing that we can do is related to the material dimension: to translate texts and teachings of the Masters and to publish them.

In that way we have the possibility to access the wisdom of the Masters. For more than 22 years, the Ka-Ter Translation Project team, consisting of translators, editors, graphic designers and layout artists, has done admirable efforts to translate numerous teachings of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and other great teachers. Because of the tireless work of the entire team and all your generous donations in all these years, we are able to read and study the unique wisdom of our Masters in our language. These wonderful books, published by Shang Shung Publications, are valuable for future generations.

  • The second thing that we can do is related to the dimension of voice or energy: to focus on our practice.

For activating and integrating the wisdom of our Masters in our life and for harmonizing our conditions we need to focus on our own practice.  As you all know, since February 2020 – for almost five years – we have been practicing together as the Tara Family three times a week. By practicing collectively, practitioners from all over the world unify in the transmission of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in the same moment. How wonderful!

  • The third aspect that we can do is related to the dimension of the mind: to get a stupa which is the symbol of the enlightened mind of all Buddhas, and therefore also a symbol of the nature of our mind.

We can get one of the newly available stupas and, in this way, follow a suggestion of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. In 2014, our Master initiated the project called THE 108 STUPAS OF CHANGCHUB DORJE, which is based on a terma of Changchub Dorje. Changchub Dorje’s main intention for this project was to harmonize the conflict between the elements and to avoid the rising problem of wars. War means that there is a conflict between the five inner and five outer elements. Externally this manifests as natural disasters, internally as conflict between people. When the external and internal elements are harmonized we can live in peace and happiness.

 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu suggested building these stupas and placing them around the globe at particular energy points and at the places of the Dzogchen Community Gars and Lings. 

Rinpoche asked Migmar Tsering and the team of Dynamic Space of the Elements to take over this project. It is very demanding and challenging to realize this project and it has taken several years to manifest. By now, sixteen stupas have been manufactured. Each stupa is filled with unique and extraordinary special relics and include not only relics of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu but also unique personal objects like hair, clothing and other precious items from many famous and important Masters such as Adzom Drukpa, Chökyi Wangchuk, the Dalai Lama, Changchub Dorje, Nyala Pema Dündul, Karmapa, Togden Ugyen Tendzin and many others.

YOU CAN NOW BECOME PART OF THIS SUPERB INITIATIVE!

One can get one of these stupas either as an individual or as an institution. 

The INTERNATIONAL SHANG SHUNG INSTITUTE with branches in Australia, Austria, Russia, the UK and USA, is a very well-established institution, and its board of directors has decided to get one of these stupas for the benefit of all sentient beings and to place it in one of the institutes. As the Shang Shung Institute Austria is part of the International Shang Shung Institute, we are very happy and pleased that we can be part of this project and will, of course, provide our financial support.

As you know, the Ka-Ter Translation Project is the main task and activity of the Shang Shung Institute Austria, with its mission to translate texts and teachings by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and the ancient wisdom, knowledge and experience of Tibetan culture into western languages. 

On behalf of the Ka-Ter Translation Project, I invite you all to participate in buying this stupa by donating whatever you can afford to this initiative. This is a special opportunity to accumulate infinite merits for oneself and to bring enormous benefits to all sentient beings.

A list of donors’ names will be placed underneath the stupa in a separate box. In this way, each donor will be connected to the stupa and receive all its blessings and benefits. This list will include all the names of the donors to the Ka-Ter Translation Project as well as the donors’ names for this project to the other Institutes, who donated funds in 2024. 

As the Shang Shung Institute Austria is responsible for this initiative, please send your donations to our bank account: 

Account holder:  Shang Shung Institute Austria
IBAN:  AT19 3815 1000 0003 0387, BIC: RZSTAT2G151
Bank address: Hauptstr. 39, 8262 Ilz, Austria

You can also send your donation via PAYPAL or REVOLUT, use 0043 664 88662660 or IBAN: LT48 3250 0488 1616 3042, BIC: REVOLT21

Thank you very much for your understanding and your support!

Oliver Leick, December 2024

For more information about the stupas please read the articles in THE MIRROR: article 1 and article 2 where you can find pictures and details about this project.

Please also visit the website of the 108 Stupa Project.