In the spring of this year, we published details about a very important project that is being developed by Migmar Tsering and the Dynamic Space of the Elements team. The project is based on a terma of Changchub Dorje to build 108 different Stupas to avoid the rising problem of war and harmonize conflict between the inner and outer elements that manifests as natural disasters. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu suggested creating these Stupas and placing them around the globe at particular energetic points and at the places of the Dzogchen Community Gars and Lings.

After a lot of research and experimentation, Migmar finally found a supplier in Chengdu, a Tibetan, who has a lot of experience and skill in the traditional way of making bronze statues and has started to produce the Stupas. You can read more details about this in an article published in May of this year.

The Stupas are made of an alloy of copper and brass and are approximately 54 cm high and 32 cm wide. Once they are filled and authenticated, they weigh between 15 and 20 kg. They can be placed outside in a garden or inside a building. If they are not protected from the rain they become a little darker so if they are outside they could be placed in a box of plexiglass. 

At the moment 16 Stupas have been manufactured. Eight of them have arrived in Italy while another eight will soon be delivered from Chengdu. Two of the Stupas have already been filled with relics, tsa tsa, mantras and many other precious objects by the Dynamic Space team and arrived at their final destinations. One of the stupas was requested and paid for by Paldenling in Poland and the other by Oliver Leick and family in Austria. Next month a Stupa will go to Germany to the family of Alfred and Maike Stellbrink, and we are going to offer a Stupa to the practitioners of the island of Mallorca.

Migmar and the Dynamic Space team have had several requests for the Stupas from different parts of the Dzogchen Community but, up to now, there hasn’t been much financial commitment from those requesting them. Unfortunately, this means that without financial help to cover the costs of making and filling them, it is unsure how many they will be able to make and send.

In addition to covering the costs of casting the first 16 Stupas of the project, Dynamic Space has also paid for the printing of thousands of mantras that they are rolling, sealing and placing inside the stupas as well as 25 particular substances and medicinal substances to be placed inside. 

Since they no longer have available funds to continue they would like to inform people who are interested that, if they can contribute to this important project, Dynamic Space will be able to place an order for another eight Stupas bringing the total to 24. If a Ling or Gar or individual would like to order a Stupa for their place, or simply donate, they can consult the website of Dynamic Space https://108-stupa.dynamicelements.org/en or contact Migmar Tsering directly at [email protected]. 

In the new year they are planning to send a Stupa to Tashigar Sur in Argentina, another to Tashigar Norte in Venezuela, the Ling in Mexico and to Tsegyalgar East in Massachusetts, USA. The Gars are not able to cover the costs but the Stupas will be sent anyway. Then there will be one Stupa for Merigar, another for Dzamling Gar in Tenerife and that will be more or less the last ones.

Authentication of the Stupas

Migmar has prepared a booklet with a list of the main objects that will be placed inside each Stupa. While they are generally filled with the same relics, tsa tsa, some mantras, medicinal substances and other objects, each one has different specific mantras and a different way of filling it. When each stupa is filled, a list is made of the objects inside it. 

The relics that the Stupas are filled with include wonderful personal objects (hair, clothing and so on) from many famous masters such as Adzom Drukpa, Chökyi Wangchuk, the Dalai Lama, Changchub Dorje, Nyala Pema Dündul, Karmapa, Togden Ugyen Tendzin and many others. 

Each Stupa has a life-tree (sogshin) made from olive wood with different mantras on it written in gold with a lotus design at the base. Then the Stupas are filled with many types of printed mantras, all of which are hand rolled by the Dynamic Space team while reciting mantras. Other objects include the powder of six different medicinal substances, many types of tsa tsas, zung pills, 25 substances including 5 medicines, 5 grains, 5 valuable things, 5 aromatics and 5 essences, as well as other sacred objects and substances. 

In Europe, the Stupas will be filled and sealed at the headquarters of Dynamic Space, while outside Europe, in order to avoid possible difficulties with customs control of the objects contained inside the Stupas, the Stupas and their contents will be sent separately along with detailed instructions on how to place the authenticated objects inside the Stupa.

Manufacturing the Stupas

The cost of making each Stupa is quite high because no two Stupas are the same. Each one is individually cast in an alloy of copper and brass. Many of them have a more intricate design – parts of the body of the Stupa may be octagonal, other parts are round – which makes the work of casting them more detailed and much longer. At the workshop in Chengdu, they are very skilled in this type of work as they make traditional statues, so the workmanship of the Stupas is excellent. They also understand very well the geometry of a Stupa in general so it is not necessary to check all the stages of construction. 

Fundraising

The Gau

In order to raise money for this Stupa Project, last year Dynamic Space prepared several precious Gau (amulet boxes) containing the Khorlo of Tagdrol (liberation by wearing), the Sonam Topkyed Khorlo (increasing merits and power) both authenticated by our precious Master, the Dorje Gotrab mantra (protection mantra), hair and clothing of Rinpoche, funerary salt of Rinpoche’s body, different relics of ancient Masters as well as relics of tsa tsa of the Master. The Gau are made of pure silver and gold plated.

Then there are two other types of Gau, both made with silver, but one is gold plated while the other is just silver. Inside there are some very important relics of tsa tsa of our precious Master, hair and clothing of our Master, pills of different relics of precious Masters and the funerary salt of the body of our Master. These Gau are very special and there are only a few remaining.

Stones for Capacity and Fortune Elements

Dynamic Space has also prepared some stones for the Capacity and Fortune elements that follow the four methods of development. They are semi precious stones that have the mantra to develop Fortune or Capacity written on top. All of them have been authenticated according to the four methods of development. These stones are also part of the fundraising effort for the Stupa Project.

If you would like more details or are interested in acquiring one of these very special objects, contact Migmar at [email protected]