On March 19th, Viriyagita, Shantikirika and Portsmouth NH mitra Bettye Pruitt joined the sangha of Nagaloka in Portland, ME, to share information about the project to build a stupa dedicated to Dhardo Rimpoche at Aryaloka in Newmarket, NH. The main theme of Viriyagita’s presentation was the importance of Dhardo Rimpoche to the Triratna community. She pointed out that there are currently four Triratna stupas containing ashes of the late Dhardo: at Tiratanaloka and Padmaloka in the UK; at Guyaloka in Spain; and at Sudharshanaloka in New Zealand. We saw short videos of Sangharakshita dedicating the stupas at Tiratanaloka (see video) and Sudharshanaloka (see video), as well as a video of the late Dhardo Rimpoche talking about Sangharakshita. In that interview, Dhardo emphasized the depth of Bhante’s understanding of the dharma and the importance of having a westerner bring Buddhism to the West. The late Dhardo Rimpoche was one of Bhante’s principal teachers and gave him his Bodhisattva vow. Since the founding of the Triratna community was a fulfillment of that vow, Viriyagita suggested, we owe our existence as a sangha in large part to him.
Viriyagita also shared some of the fortuitous developments that have helped move the project forward. Three small containers of the late Dhardo Rimpoche’s ashes were found, even though at first it seemed there would be none for this stupa. Also, on their trip to India last year, Viriyagita and Dharmasuri visited Kalimpong at a time when the current incarnation, or tulku, of Dhardo Rimpoche was also there. They were able to meet him and invite him to Aryaloka. As it turned out, he was already planning a trip to the US and came to NH just a few months later to dedicate the spot where the new stupa is to be built. He gave Aryaloka two of the late Dhardo Rimpoche’s most treasured possessions, to be placed inside the stupa along with the ashes, and he has agreed to return to dedicate the stupa when it is built.
Unexpectedly, the stupa kula has found a Tibetan stonemason to build the stupa at Aryaloka named Sonam Lama, a remarkable practioner who lives not to far from the building site. He is delighted to build this stupa and will start making preparations this spring. About one third of the money needed to fund this project is in hand, and we are actively seeking donations. You can support the Dhardo Rimpoche stupa project and learn more about it at:
http://www.aryaloka.org/get-involved/the-stupa-project/