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Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa (centro di buddhismo tibetano) - Pomaia - Toscana
"" Ci sono solo due giorni all’anno in cui non puoi fare niente: uno si chiama ieri, l’altro si chiama domani, perciò oggi è il giorno giusto per amare, credere, fare e, principalmente, vivere. ""
Tenzin Gyatso - Dalai Lama
Immerso nel verde delle colline toscane, precisamente a Pomaia, frazione del Comune di Santa Luce, in provincia di Pisa, si trova l’Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, uno dei centri per lo studio e la pratica del buddhismo più importante d’Europa.
La Statua di Cenresig fu inagurata daL Dalai Lama nel Giugno 2014. la statua più alta d’Europa di Cenresig (in tibetano) / Avalokiteshvara (in sanscrito), il Buddha della compassione, di cui si ritiene che i Dalai Lama siano la manifestazione terrena.
Ha una storia molto particolare: fu realizzata dallo scenografo Dante Ferretti per il film di Martin Scorsese “Kundun”; una volta finite le riprese il set fu demolito, ma la statua si è salvata, e dopo aver viaggiato dal Marocco in Italia, è arrivata qui, dove lo scultore Alessio Pazzini e il suo staff l’hanno restaurata per farla aderire ai precisi canoni iconografici buddhisti.
In quest’oasi di pace convivono monaci e laici, per lo più volontari e studenti che seguono corsi di filosofia, psicologia e meditazione, ma è aperto a chiunque voglia trascorrere un periodo, o anche solo qualche ora, lontano dal caos cittadino, circondato dalla natura, respirando aria buona e dove anziché le notifiche dei cellulari si sentono gli uccellini cinguettare.
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Lama Tzong Khapa Institute (center of Tibetan Buddhism) - Pomaia - Tuscan - Italy
"" There are only two days a year when you can't do anything: one is called yesterday, the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and, above all, live. ""
Tenzin Gyatso- Dalai Lama
Nestled in the green Tuscan hills, precisely in Pomaia, part of the Municipality of Santa Luce, in the province of Pisa, is the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, one of the most important centers for the study and practice of Buddhism in Europe.
The Statue of Cenresig was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in June 2014. The tallest statue in Europe of Cenresig (in Tibetan) / Avalokiteshvara (in Sanskrit), the Buddha of compassion, of which it is believed that the Dalai Lamas are the earthly manifestation .
It has a very special history: it was created by set designer Dante Ferretti for Martin Scorsese's film "Kundun"; once the shooting was finished the set was demolished, but the statue was saved, and after traveling from Morocco to Italy, arrived here, where sculptor Alessio Pazzini and his staff restored it to make it adhere to the precise iconographic canons Buddhists.
In this haven of peace monks and lay people live together, mostly volunteers and students who follow courses in philosophy, psychology and meditation, but it is open to anyone who wants to spend a period, or even just a few hours, away from the chaos of the city, surrounded by the nature, breathing good air and where instead of cell phone notifications birds are heard chirping.
Statue of Lord Buddha in the Bhumisparsha - Earth Touching Mudra, Tsog Kor evening, Tibetan Buddhism, Seattle, Washington, USA
www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/study/history_budd...
A Brief History of Sakya Monastery
Alexander Berzin, 1991, expanded September 2003
Original version published in "Sakya Monasteries." Chö-Yang, Year of Tibet Edition (Dharamsala, India), (1991).
In the Manjushri Root Tantra (‘Jam-dpal rtsa-rgyud), Buddha had prophesied that a Sakya Monastery would cause his teachings to flourish in the Land of Snows. The site of this monastery was also prophesied by Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava (Gur-ru Rin-po-che Pad-ma ‘byung-gnas). Several stupas had already been built at the monastery’s future location, when Atisha (Jo-bo-rje dPal-ldan A-ti-sha) (982-1053) stopped there in 1040. He saw on the mountainside a syllable "Hrih," seven "Dhih," and one "Hung," and prophesied that an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, seven of Manjushri, and one of Vajrapani would grace this site.
In 1073, Konchog-gyelpo (dKon-mchog rgyal-po) (1034-1102) of the Kon (‘Khon) family established the Pelden Sakya Monastery (dPal-ldan Sa-skya dGon-pa) in Tsang (gTsang) province of Central Tibet. The monastery, and subsequently the tradition he founded, derived its name from the color of the soil of its location. "Sakya" means literally "gray earth."
Its 54 Gothic towers are decorated with 216 gargantuan smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara, and it is adorned with 1.2km of extraordinary bas-reliefs incorporating more than 11,000 figures (Lonely Planet).
Shot taken at Shangri-La. Tropical paradise Island, Island of Jahesa
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Island%20of%20Jahesa/122/1...
Image of Tara
Tara, the goddess of compassion, is one of the most popular Buddhist goddesses. She is the consort of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Unusually for such a large sculpture, this figure was cast in solid bronze then gilded. The eyes were probably set with precious stones. The medallion in her hair perhaps contained a seated image of Amitabha, the Buddha of infinite light. Mahayana (Great Vehicle) Buddhism emphasizes compassion, exemplified by the bodhisattvas. The presence of this figure in Sri Lanka provides striking evidence for the presence of Mahayana Buddhism there.
Esta pequeña Pagoda aloja en su interior un altar, en honor a Buda, donde según la tradición Vietnamita, las parejas que deseen ser bendecidas con muchos hijos, deben acudir a este lugar y realizar una ofrenda. Normalmente las mujeres recién casadas acuden a la Pagoda del Pilar Único con ofrendas frutales e incienso, a presentar sus respetos a Buda y ser bendecidas así con fertilidad en su matrimonio. Según los escritos, el emperador Lý tuvo un sueño durante su juventud, en el que la diosa madre budista Avalokiteshvara, que descansaba sobre una flor de loto, le hacía entrega de su hijo.
This small pagoda houses an altar in its interior, in honor of Buddha, where according to Vietnamese tradition, couples who wish to be blessed with many children must go to this place and make an offering. Newlywed women usually come to the One Pillar Pagoda with fruit offerings and incense, to pay their respects to Buddha and thus be blessed with fertility in their marriage. According to the writings, Emperor Lý had a dream during his youth, in which the Buddhist mother goddess Avalokiteshvara, resting on a lotus flower, gave him her son.
Aquesta petita Pagoda allotja al seu interior un altar, en honor a Buda, on segons la tradició Vietnamita, les parelles que vulguin ser beneïdes amb molts fills, han d'acudir a aquest lloc i fer una ofrena. Normalment les dones acabades de casar acudeixen a la Pagoda del Pilar Únic amb ofrenes fruiteres i encens, a presentar els seus respectes a Buda i ser beneïdes així amb fertilitat en el seu matrimoni. Segons els escrits, l'emperador Lý va tenir un somni durant la seva joventut, en què la deessa mare budista Avalokiteshvara, que descansava sobre una flor de lotus, li feia entrega del seu fill.
Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa (centro di buddhismo tibetano) - Pomaia - Toscana
"" Ci sono solo due giorni all’anno in cui non puoi fare niente: uno si chiama ieri, l’altro si chiama domani, perciò oggi è il giorno giusto per amare, credere, fare e, principalmente, vivere. ""
Tenzin Gyatso - Dalai Lama
Immerso nel verde delle colline toscane, precisamente a Pomaia, frazione del Comune di Santa Luce, in provincia di Pisa, si trova l’Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, uno dei centri per lo studio e la pratica del buddhismo più importante d’Europa.
La Statua di Cenresig fu inagurata daL Dalai Lama nel Giugno 2014. la statua più alta d’Europa di Cenresig (in tibetano) / Avalokiteshvara (in sanscrito), il Buddha della compassione, di cui si ritiene che i Dalai Lama siano la manifestazione terrena.
Ha una storia molto particolare: fu realizzata dallo scenografo Dante Ferretti per il film di Martin Scorsese “Kundun”; una volta finite le riprese il set fu demolito, ma la statua si è salvata, e dopo aver viaggiato dal Marocco in Italia, è arrivata qui, dove lo scultore Alessio Pazzini e il suo staff l’hanno restaurata per farla aderire ai precisi canoni iconografici buddhisti.
In quest’oasi di pace convivono monaci e laici, per lo più volontari e studenti che seguono corsi di filosofia, psicologia e meditazione, ma è aperto a chiunque voglia trascorrere un periodo, o anche solo qualche ora, lontano dal caos cittadino, circondato dalla natura, respirando aria buona e dove anziché le notifiche dei cellulari si sentono gli uccellini cinguettare.
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Lama Tzong Khapa Institute (center of Tibetan Buddhism) - Pomaia - Tuscan - Italy
"" There are only two days a year when you can't do anything: one is called yesterday, the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and, above all, live. ""
Tenzin Gyatso- Dalai Lama
Nestled in the green Tuscan hills, precisely in Pomaia, part of the Municipality of Santa Luce, in the province of Pisa, is the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, one of the most important centers for the study and practice of Buddhism in Europe.
The Statue of Cenresig was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in June 2014. The tallest statue in Europe of Cenresig (in Tibetan) / Avalokiteshvara (in Sanskrit), the Buddha of compassion, of which it is believed that the Dalai Lamas are the earthly manifestation .
It has a very special history: it was created by set designer Dante Ferretti for Martin Scorsese's film "Kundun"; once the shooting was finished the set was demolished, but the statue was saved, and after traveling from Morocco to Italy, arrived here, where sculptor Alessio Pazzini and his staff restored it to make it adhere to the precise iconographic canons Buddhists.
In this haven of peace monks and lay people live together, mostly volunteers and students who follow courses in philosophy, psychology and meditation, but it is open to anyone who wants to spend a period, or even just a few hours, away from the chaos of the city, surrounded by the nature, breathing good air and where instead of cell phone notifications birds are heard chirping.
f00611
The bodhissattva Avalokiteshvara
Avalokiteshvara is the Buddhist Lord of Compassion. He is a bodhissattva , an enlightened being who has selflessly chosen to remain in the earthly realm to help others attain spiritual liberation. In Tibet, the Dalai Lama is believed to be his incarnation. Here, Avalokiteshvara's right hand is the varadamudra gesture of charity. His left hand is empty but may have held a lotus stalk, a symbol of purity. The figure was made in gilded bronze in several pieces - rivets above the waist and above the elbows hold it together. Judging by the fine quality of the metalwork it was probably made by Newar craftsmen from the Kathmandu Valley whose skills were in great demand across Nepal, Tibet and China.
La historia de la Pagoda del Pilar Única o Chua Mot Cot se remonta al año 1049 cuando el Emperador Ly Thai Tong mandó construir la pagoda en honor a Avalokiteshvara (la Diosa de la Compasión), en agradecimiento por el nacimiento de su primer hijo varón. Según la leyenda, el emperador ante la imposibilidad de tener hijos con su esposa, soñó como la diosa le entregaba una niño varón sentada en una gran flor de loto. Esta flor de loto fue simbolizada en el mismo diseño de la pagoda, haciendo que emerja sostenida en un solo pilar, a modo de tallo de una planta y rodeada con un pequeño estanque de agua. Con 4 metros de altura y 2 metros de ancho la pagoda está construida enteramente de madera. En su interior se encuentra una figura de la Diosa Avalokiteshvara muy popular entre las mujeres jóvenes recién casadas, quienes acuden a rezar y dejar ofrendas en busca de fertilidad para poder tener hijos durante su matrimonio.
The history of the One Pillar Pagoda or Chua Mot Cot dates back to the year 1049 when Emperor Ly Thai Tong had the pagoda built in honor of Avalokiteshvara (the Goddess of Compassion), in gratitude for the birth of his first son. According to legend, the emperor, faced with the impossibility of having children with his wife, dreamed of how the goddess gave him a male child sitting on a large lotus flower. This lotus flower was symbolized in the very design of the pagoda, making it emerge supported by a single pillar, like the stem of a plant and surrounded by a small pool of water. At 4 meters high and 2 meters wide, the pagoda is built entirely of wood. Inside there is a figure of the Goddess Avalokiteshvara, very popular among young newly married women, who come to pray and leave offerings in search of fertility in order to have children during their marriage.
La història de la Pagoda del Pilar Única o Chua Mot Cot es remunta a l'any 1049 quan l'Emperador Ly Thai Tong va fer construir la pagoda en honor a Avalokiteshvara (la Deessa de la Compassió), en agraïment pel naixement del seu primer fill mascle. Segons la llegenda, l'emperador davant la impossibilitat de tenir fills amb la seva dona, somni com la deessa li lliurava un nen baró asseguda en una gran flor de lotus. Aquesta flor de lotus va ser simbolitzada en el mateix disseny de la pagoda, fent que emergeixi sostinguda en un sol pilar, a tall de tija d'una planta i envoltada amb un petit estany d'aigua. Amb 4 metres d'alçada i 2 metres d'amplada, la pagoda està construïda totalment de fusta. Al seu interior hi ha una figura de la Deessa Avalokiteshvara molt popular entre les dones joves acabades de casar, les quals acudeixen a resar i deixar ofrenes a la recerca de fertilitat per poder tenir fills durant el seu matrimoni.
Buddha Garden maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ahimsa/57/85/24
The Heart Sutra:
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, doing deep Prajna Paramita,
clearly saw emptiness of all the five conditions,
thus completely relieving misfortune and pain.
Oh Shariputra, form is no other than emptiness,
emptiness no other than form.
Form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form.
Sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness are likewise like this.
Oh Shariputra, all dharmas are forms of emptiness;
not born, not destroyed, not stained, not pure, without loss, without gain.
So in emptiness there is no form;
no sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness;
no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind;
no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, phenomena;
no realm of sight, no realm of consciousness;
no ignorance and no end to ignorance,
no old age and death and no end to old age and death,
no suffering, no cause of suffering,
no extinguishing, no path, no wisdom, and no gain.
No gain and thus the bodhisattva lives Prajna Paramita,
with no hindrance in the mind; no hindrance, therefore no fear.
Far beyond deluded thoughts; this is Nirvana.
All past, present, and future buddhas live Prajna Paramita
and therefore attain anuttara samyaksambodhi.
Therefore know Prajna Paramita is the great mantra,
the vivid mantra, the best mantra, the unsurpassable mantra.
It completely clears all pain. This is the truth not a lie.
So set forth the Prajna Paramita mantra,
set forth this mantra and say,
Gate! Gate! Paragate! Parasamgate! Bodhi Svaha!
One of the reasons I visited the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore was to see this temporary exhibition of Khmer art. The exhibits were simply fascinating and beautifully displayed. Brahma with his four heads came alive in a memorable scene in "Lara Croft : Tomb Raider" :-)
Mani (Prayer) Stones stacked outside of Namche Bazaar (3440m), Nepalese Himalaya, Nepal. Mani stones, a form of prayer in Tibetan Buddhism, are normally inscribed with the six syllabled mantra of Avalokiteshvara (Om mani padme hum), which loosely translates to "Hail to the jewel in the lotus". Taken on Fuji Velvia Slide Film.
www.robertdowniephotography.com
Love Life, Love Photography
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
China-Song-Dynastie (960-1279)
Ethnological Museum Berlin
Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
China Song Dynasty (960-1279)
One of the reasons I visited the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore was to see this temporary exhibition of Khmer art. The exhibits were simply fascinating and beautifully displayed.
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
Yasaka (八坂) means eight (i.e. many) slopes. It is located on a hilly terrain of the escarpment that forms the eastern boundary of Azumino Valley. This site is located several km north of Oomine ridge.
Yasaka was at the epicentre of the magnitude 5.1 earthquake on April 18, 2025, and the community recorded an "intensity 5 low" out of 7 of the Japanese seismic scale.
The neck of an Avalokiteshvara statue in a temple was broken but no human casualty was reported.
As I wrote previously, Japanese rice farming is born by part-time micro-farmers protected by an extremely high tariff. A general direction to remedy such a deplorable situation is to promote the transfer of rice paddies to large-scale farmers that use large agricultural machinery. However, it is a headache to cope with this type of rice paddies since the machinery is not designed to work under such a soil condition.
Providing a government subsidy may or may not be rationalised to conserve the cultural landscape. Likewise tourism may or may not help the conservation. Anyway, rice terraces in Japan are being abandoned despite the nostalgia of the people.
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
Camboya,. Siamrep.- Angkor Wat
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Explore #47
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De/From:
viajes.nationalgeographic.com.es/a/angkor-ruta-por-tesoro...
+ Google translator
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LOS 216 SONRISAS DEL BAYON
Dioses - Devas
Saliendo de Angkor Wat en dirección norte se llega a la puerta sur de Angkor Thom, la última de las capitales construidas en la zona, que en su momento cumbre llegó a contar con una población de un millón de personas. La ciudadela fue construida tras al saqueo de la anterior capital, Yasodharapura, por parte del reino Champa en 1177. El impulsor de Angkor Thom fue el rey Jayavarman VII, una de las figuras más importantes en la historia jemer pues en el siglo xiii declaró religión oficial el budismo mahayana, dejando atrás siglos de veneración hinduista. Desgraciadamente, su obsesión por las ostentosas construcciones acabó por drenar al reino que, a su muerte, entró en la larga crisis previa a su extinción.
Todo el perímetro de Angkor Thom está rodeado por un foso. Cuando el visitante llega al puente de acceso a la ciudad, lo reciben dos hileras de 54 estatuas. En la de la derecha se alinean representaciones pétreas de deva (dioses), mientras que en la de la izquierda se hallan los asura (demonios). Ante esta imponente puerta, el viajero se siente observado por los rostros del bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.
En el centro de la antigua ciudad se alza la estructura más importante de Angkor Thom: el Bayon. Este templo budista simboliza el sagrado monte Meru y es famoso por los 216 sonrientes rostros que miran enigmáticamente al visitante desde las 54 torres que lo conforman. Más allá de la propia espectacularidad de la construcción, el trabajo del tallado en piedra es de una maestría sin igual y muestra muchos aspectos de la vida del reino jemer en el siglo xii.
Desde aquí se puede continuar la visita del recinto arqueológico por la avenida en dirección norte y girar inmediatamente a la izquierda para acercarse al Baphuon, un templo que fue conocido como «el mayor puzle del mundo». Debido a su descomunal tamaño, el edificio fue desmoronándose con el paso del tiempo y, a inicios del siglo xx, ya era una ruina que amenazaba con desplomarse. En 1960 se decidió restaurarlo y, para ello, se siguió un proceso minucioso, etiquetando escrupulosamente cada piedra que se desmontaba.
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THE 216 SMILES OF BAYON
Gods - Devas
Leaving Angkor Wat heading north you reach the southern gate of Angkor Thom, the last of the capitals built in the area, which at its peak had a population of one million people. The citadel was built after the sacking of the previous capital, Yasodharapura, by the Champa kingdom in 1177. The promoter of Angkor Thom was King Jayavarman VII, one of the most important figures in Khmer history because in the 13th century he declared religion official Mahayana Buddhism, leaving behind centuries of Hindu veneration. Unfortunately, his obsession with ostentatious constructions ended up draining the kingdom which, upon his death, entered the long crisis prior to his extinction.
The entire perimeter of Angkor Thom is surrounded by a moat. When the visitor reaches the bridge leading to the city, they are greeted by two rows of 54 statues. On the one on the right, stone representations of deva (gods) are lined up, while on the one on the left are the asura (demons). Before this imposing door, the traveler feels observed by the faces of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.
In the center of the ancient city stands the most important structure of Angkor Thom: the Bayon. This Buddhist temple symbolizes the sacred Mount Meru and is famous for the 216 smiling faces that enigmatically look at the visitor from the 54 towers that make it up. Beyond the spectacular nature of the construction itself, the stone carving work is of unparalleled mastery and shows many aspects of the life of the Khmer kingdom in the 12th century.
From here you can continue your visit to the archaeological site along the avenue heading north and immediately turn left to approach the Baphuon, a temple that was known as "the largest puzzle in the world." Due to its enormous size, the building fell apart over time and, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was already a ruin that threatened to collapse. In 1960 it was decided to restore it and, to do so, a meticulous process was followed, scrupulously labeling each stone that was dismantled.
Die bekannteste Quan Am-Statue in Da Lat befindet sich in der
Linh An Pagode und ist mit 71 Metern die höchste Guanyin-Statue Vietnams. Sie wurde zwischen 2017 und 2019 erbaut, steht auf einer großen Lotusblume und bietet Besuchern über eine Treppe mit 250 Stufen Zugang zu einer Aussichtsplattform. Eine weitere bemerkenswerte, aber kleinere Statue von Avalokiteśvara (Quan The Am) befindet sich in der Linh Phuoc Pagode, die auch als Drachenpagode bekannt ist.
The most famous Quan Am statue in Da Lat is located in the Linh An Pagoda and, at 71 meters, is the tallest Guanyin statue in Vietnam. Built between 2017 and 2019, it stands on a large lotus flower and offers visitors access to a viewing platform via a 250-step staircase. Another notable, but smaller, statue of Avalokiteshvara (Quan the Am) is located in the Linh Phuoc Pagoda, also known as the Dragon Pagoda.
This is the longest Mani stone wall in the world ( estemated 1500 m ) ; it's located in Sershul County. Dza Patrul Rinpoche began its construction.
Mani walls
Along the paths of regions under the influence of Tibetan Buddhism the traveller is often confronted with Mani walls. These stone structures are a compilation intricately carved stone tablets, most with the inscription "Om Mani Padme Hum" which loosely translates to "Hail to the jewel in the lotus".[4] These walls should be passed or circumvented from the left side, the clockwise direction in which the earth and the universe revolve, according to Buddhist doctrine.
They are sometimes close to a temple or chorten, sometimes completely isolated and range from a few metres to a kilometre long and one to two metres high. They are built of rubble and sand and faced with mani stones engraved in the elegant Tibetan script.
Mani stones are stone plates, rocks and/or pebbles, inscribed with the six syllabled mantra of Avalokiteshvara (Om mani padme hum, hence the name "Mani stone"), as a form of prayer in Tibetan Buddhism. The term Mani stone may also be used in a loose sense to refer to stones on which any mantra or devotional designs (such as ashtamangala) are inscribed. Mani stones are intentionally placed along the roadsides and rivers or placed together to form mounds or cairns or sometimes long walls, as an offering to spirits of place or genius loci. Creating and carving mani stones as devotional or intentional process art is a traditional sadhana of piety to yidam. Mani stones are a form of devotional cintamani.
Angkor Thom was built as a square, the sides of which run exactly north to south and east to west. Standing in the exact center of the walled city, Bayon Temple represents the intersection of heaven and earth.
Bayon is known for its huge stone faces of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, with one facing outward and keeping watch at each compass point. The curious smiling image, thought by many to be a portrait of Jayavarman himself, has been dubbed by some the "Mona Lisa of Southeast Asia." There are 51 smaller towers surrounding Bayon, each with four faces of its own.
Chiu Khar བྱིའུ་མཁར། / Jiu Gön བྱིའུ་དགོན།
Founding (1350 (probable)) > Nyingma (1850 - ) > Drukpa Kagyü (1350 (probable) - 1850 (probable)) བྱིའུ་མཁར། > Jiukhar - Chiu Khar > byi’u mkhar - Byi’u mkhar བྱིའུ་དགོན། > Jiu Gön > byi'u dgon Jiu Khar (`Sparrow Monastery བྱིའུ་ མཁར་ byi'u mkhar) also spelled Chiyu Gonpa at the lake`s western gateway sits atop a conical outcrop of red rock. Originally founded by the Drukpa Kagyu lama Kyapgon Gangriwa, inside there is a small shrine and cave where Padmasambhava meditated with his consort Yeshe Tsogyel before leaving this world. Various revered objects are to be found inside the cave, such as the granite rocks with clear imprints of Padmasambhava`s hands and feet. Above the cave there is a small temple containing (L-R): the reliquary stupa of Tsewang Lama who was responsible for rebuilding the complex during the 1980s, images of Vajrasattva, Padmasambhava, surmounted by a small Avalokiteshvara, and an old Padmasambhava, flanked by Mandarava and Yeshe Tsogyel. The spiritual practices followed here combine the termas of the Dudjom Tersar tradition and those of Jatson Nyingpo with Drukpa Kagyu liturgies. Above the temple there is a small protector chapel. At Jiu Gon there is the source of the Sutlej River, known as the Ganga-chu or Langchen Khabab. When the fortunes of Tibet are low, it is almost dry, as is the present situation. The only water that remains is the brackish cusp of hot springs behind Jiu Gonpa, where a glass-roofed bathhouse has been constructed. The Tibetans have also created several open-air stone bath where you can wash yourself and your clothes in the clean hot water. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr... བྱིའུ་ དགོན་པ་ byi'u dgon pa ; bird, sparrow; little bird, bird, alpine hare; mice. "Little Bird," in the west, built in the form of the Glorious Copper-colored Mountain (zangs mdog dpal ri) upon a heart-shaped rock. It was blessed by Guru Padmasambhava, who is said to have spent seven days there on his way to Chamara, when leaving Tibet; one of the eight monasteries around Manasarovar [MR]. Little Bird, near Lake Manasarovar
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
to all my friends i dedicate this simple image.
i'm sorry if i don't comment a lot these days, but you are always on my heart.
namaste to all of you!
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
Excerpt from thebuddhistgarden.com/places-of-interest-%E5%AF%BA%E9%99%...:
The Hall of Sudhana (Hall of Shan Cai) is a multifunctional hall named after a giant relief sculpture. The lifelike figures depicted in this huge sculpture number fifty-three in total. There is also a fascinating story behind it.
The Pilgrimage in Pursuit of Enlightenment Guided by 53 Mentors depict the entire process of a practitioner attaining Buddhahood. The practitioner in this story is none other than the attendant of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, Sudhana Boy.
According to the Avatamsaka Sutra, Sudhana Boy made extensive offerings to past Buddhas, cultivating profound virtues and always rejoicing in purity. He accumulated immense merit and blessings. Sudhana Boy was born in the city of Awakening in India, and at the time of his birth, seven great treasures naturally appeared in his household. Additionally, at the moment of his birth, five hundred precious vessels materialized, leading his parents to name him "Sudhana."
As Sudhana grew up, he was influenced by the teachings and inspiration of Manjushri Bodhisattva. Sudhana embarked on a challenging journey to seek the Dharma. He tirelessly traveled southward, visiting various virtuous individuals. His visits included Bodhisattvas, monks, nuns, Upasakas, Upasikas, etc., totaling fifty-three virtuous individuals. This is the famous "Pilgrimage in Pursuit of Enlightenment Guided by 53 Mentors".
Sudhana's journey of visits and study exemplifies the path to Buddhahood. It teaches us the importance of perseverance and an open-minded approach to learning Buddhism in a humble way.
The Pilgrimage in Pursuit of Enlightenment Guided by 53 Mentors is a representative work of Mahayana Buddhism. Like every practitioner, Sudhana's heart was childlike. During his spiritual journey, he approached, observed, contemplated, and made choices in relation to each accomplished individual. He chose to learn from their virtues and kept his distance from their flaws.
Among his 53 mentors, the twenty-seventh was Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, who cared deeply for him. After acquiring the Dharma, Sudhana returned to the side of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and assisted in the Bodhisattva's compassionate mission to guide sentient beings.
This is the story of the Hall of Sudhana and the Pilgrimage in Pursuit of Enlightenment Guided by 53 Mentors at Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden.
善財寶殿是一個多功能廳，它因為一幅巨幅浮雕而得名。整個五十三參浮雕作品長26.2公尺（合86英尺），高6.4公尺 （合21英尺），供奉於五台山大殿一樓多功能廳，是一幅巨型雕工精美的藝術大作。這幅巨雕上面的人物栩栩如生，一共有53位。其中53個人物的立體雕像都是獨立的立像，每個人物雕像約1.08公尺。這裡面還有一個非常有趣的故事。
五十三參講述了一位修行者成佛的整個參學過程。這位修行者就是觀音菩薩的左脅侍－善財童子。
觀音菩薩有兩位侍者：一位是善財童子，一位是龍女。善財童子是《華嚴經入法界品》裡的主要人物。據《華嚴經》記載，善財童子在過去諸佛處，廣修供養。深種善根而常樂清淨，並且喜歡親近善知識，修習菩薩行，因而積聚了大量的福德因緣。善財童子生於印度覺城，因前生福報，初住母胎之時，家中自然顯現七大寶藏。出生之時，又有五百寶器出現，父母請人為他取名叫「善財」。
善財長大時，文殊菩薩正在覺城弘法。由於受到文殊菩薩的教導與啟發，善財歷盡艱辛，南下求法，歷訪各處的善知識。所參訪的對象，有菩薩、比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷、童子、童女、天女、婆羅門、國王、王妃、仙人、醫師等，共計有五十三位善知識。這就是著名的「五十三參」。
善財童子的參訪修學之路為佛教徒展示了一條通往成佛的途徑，由淺入深，由低到高，循序漸進，不可投機取巧。它啟示人們在學佛的歷程裡，要有吃苦耐勞的毅力和鑼而不捨的精神。虛心學習佛法，所學的對像不必固定為一師一處，甚至只要他有長處，即使是外道，也不妨虛心向他求教。這是一種開放、寬廣的求學胸懷，值得後人效法。因此，善財童子是學習佛法、實踐佛法的榜樣。
善財童子五十三參是大乘佛教的代表之作。善財童子就像每一個修行的人，他的內心猶如孩童，在自己修行的旅程上，向每一位成就者都親近、觀察、思維、抉擇，擇其善者而從，於其不善者遠離。
其中參拜第二十七位名師是觀音菩薩，觀音菩薩對他十分關心。善財得到佛法後，便回到觀音菩薩身邊，協助觀音菩薩教化眾生。
這就是五台山善財寶殿和五十三參的故事。
Chiu Khar བྱིའུ་མཁར། / Jiu Gön བྱིའུ་དགོན།.
Mt. Kailash / Mount Tise གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ། gangs rin po che,Kailash Snow Mountain གངས་ཏེ་སེ་ gangs tese, Gang Ti Se.
Founding (1350 (probable)) > Nyingma (1850 - ) > Drukpa Kagyü (1350 (probable) - 1850 (probable)) བྱིའུ་མཁར། > Jiukhar - Chiu Khar > byi’u mkhar - Byi’u mkhar བྱིའུ་དགོན། > Jiu Gön > byi'u dgon Jiu Khar (`Sparrow Monastery བྱིའུ་ མཁར་ byi'u mkhar) also spelled Chiyu Gonpa at the lake`s western gateway sits atop a conical outcrop of red rock.
Originally founded by the Drukpa Kagyu lama Kyapgon Gangriwa, inside there is a small shrine and cave where Padmasambhava meditated with his consort Yeshe Tsogyel before leaving this world. Various revered objects are to be found inside the cave, such as the granite rocks with clear imprints of Padmasambhava`s hands and feet.
Above the cave there is a small temple containing (L-R): the reliquary stupa of Tsewang Lama who was responsible for rebuilding the complex during the 1980s, images of Vajrasattva, Padmasambhava, surmounted by a small Avalokiteshvara, and an old Padmasambhava, flanked by Mandarava and Yeshe Tsogyel. The spiritual practices followed here combine the termas of the Dudjom Tersar tradition and those of Jatson Nyingpo with Drukpa Kagyu liturgies. Above the temple there is a small protector chapel.
At Jiu Gon there is the source of the Sutlej River, known as the Ganga-chu or Langchen Khabab. When the fortunes of Tibet are low, it is almost dry, as is the present situation. The only water that remains is the brackish cusp of hot springs behind Jiu Gonpa, where a glass-roofed bathhouse has been constructed. The Tibetans have also created several open-air stone bath where you can wash yourself and your clothes in the clean hot water. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...
The Potala Palace is located in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. It was named after Mount Potala, the abode of Chenresig or Avalokitesvara. The Potala Palace was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India, after an invasion and failed uprising in 1959. Today the Potala Palace has been converted into a museum by the Chinese.
The building measures 400 meters east-west and 350 meters north-south, with sloping stone walls averaging 3 m. thick, and 5 m. (more than 16 ft) thick at the base, and with copper poured into the foundations to help proof it against earthquakes. Thirteen stories of buildings – containing over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and about 200,000 statues – soar 117 meters (384 ft) on top of Marpo Ri, the "Red Hill", rising more than 300 m (about 1,000 ft) in total above the valley floor. Tradition has it that the three main hills of Lhasa represent the "Three Protectors of Tibet." Chokpori药王山, just to the south of the Potala, is the soul-mountain (bla-ri) of Vajrapani金刚手菩萨, Pongwari that of Manjushri文殊菩萨, and Marpori, the hill on which the Potala stands, represents Chenresig or Avalokiteshvara.
Avalokiteshvara
Pak Tai Temple, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
香港灣仔北帝廟 觀音菩薩
Guan Yin is the bodhisattva of compassion and wisdom in Chinese Buddhism. She is highly revered. Her name means 'She Who Hears the Cries of the Whole World'.
According to one belief, she was born as Princess Miao Shan to a childless king and queen. Upon expressing her wish to become a Buddhist nun to her father, he disowned her. Without her father's blessing, Miao Shan proceeded to become a nun in a Buddhist monastery. Her father had paid the nuns at the monastery to abuse Miao Shan severely so that she would leave and come back home. The nuns accepted the money and proceeded to treat Miao Shan terribly. They forced her to sleep on the floor and do all the chores around the monastery by herself. However, upon realizing her intense devotion to the Buddha's teachings, they relented and stopped abusing her. From then on, they treated her as a sister and friend. When her father realized that the nuns weren't abusing Guan Yin any more, he became absolutely furious and set the monastery on fire. Guan Yin put out the fire by pricking her the roof of her mouth with a long pin, which let out a stream of blood that proceeded to spray on the monastery, saving all the nuns inside. Her father was enraged upon seeing the miracle of Guan Yin and strangled her with a silken cord. As Guan Yin died, she took all of her father's sins on her, and proceeded to go to the hell realms. However, wherever she went in hell, demons fled and cool streams and beautiful flowers sprouted. Effectively, she was turning hell into a paradise by her very presence! This terrified the king of hell, Yama, who felt as if he was losing his kingdom. He sent Guan Yin back to earth, where she went to live on Mount Pu'to Shan in China.
觀世音菩薩（梵文：अवलोकितेश्वर，Avalokiteśvara），又譯為光世音菩薩、觀自在菩薩，漢語音譯「阿婆盧吉低舍婆羅」、「阿縛盧枳低濕伐邏」，西方極樂世界教主阿彌陀佛座下的上首菩薩，同大勢至菩薩一起，為阿彌陀佛的左、右脅侍菩薩，並稱「西方三聖」。同時祂也是四大菩薩之一。
觀世音菩薩是東亞民間普遍敬仰崇拜的菩薩，在各種佛教圖像或造像中觀世音菩薩像也最為常見，而且種類繁多，變化極大。在台灣，觀世音菩薩是台灣民間信仰所崇信的「家堂五神」的首尊，常將之繪製於家堂神畫「佛祖漆」上，與自家所祀神明一同，晨昏祭祀。佛教的經典上說觀世音菩薩的悲心廣大，世間眾生無論遭遇何種災難，若一心稱念觀世音菩薩名號，菩薩即時尋聲赴感，使之離苦得樂，故人稱「大慈大悲觀世音菩薩」，為佛教中知名度最高的大菩薩，有「家家阿彌陀，戶戶觀世音」的讚譽。
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Chiu Khar བྱིའུ་མཁར། / Jiu Gön བྱིའུ་དགོན།.
Mt. Kailash / Mount Tise གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ། gangs rin po che,Kailash Snow Mountain གངས་ཏེ་སེ་ gangs tese.
Founding (1350 (probable)) > Nyingma (1850 - ) > Drukpa Kagyü (1350 (probable) - 1850 (probable)) བྱིའུ་མཁར། > Jiukhar - Chiu Khar > byi’u mkhar - Byi’u mkhar བྱིའུ་དགོན། > Jiu Gön > byi'u dgon Jiu Khar (`Sparrow Monastery བྱིའུ་ མཁར་ byi'u mkhar) also spelled Chiyu Gonpa at the lake`s western gateway sits atop a conical outcrop of red rock.
Originally founded by the Drukpa Kagyu lama Kyapgon Gangriwa, inside there is a small shrine and cave where Padmasambhava meditated with his consort Yeshe Tsogyel before leaving this world. Various revered objects are to be found inside the cave, such as the granite rocks with clear imprints of Padmasambhava`s hands and feet.
Above the cave there is a small temple containing (L-R): the reliquary stupa of Tsewang Lama who was responsible for rebuilding the complex during the 1980s, images of Vajrasattva, Padmasambhava, surmounted by a small Avalokiteshvara, and an old Padmasambhava, flanked by Mandarava and Yeshe Tsogyel. The spiritual practices followed here combine the termas of the Dudjom Tersar tradition and those of Jatson Nyingpo with Drukpa Kagyu liturgies. Above the temple there is a small protector chapel.
At Jiu Gon there is the source of the Sutlej River, known as the Ganga-chu or Langchen Khabab. When the fortunes of Tibet are low, it is almost dry, as is the present situation. The only water that remains is the brackish cusp of hot springs behind Jiu Gonpa, where a glass-roofed bathhouse has been constructed. The Tibetans have also created several open-air stone bath where you can wash yourself and your clothes in the clean hot water. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...
monastery Chiu Khar བྱིའུ་མཁར། / Jiu Gön བྱིའུ་དགོན།
Founding (1350 (probable)) > Nyingma (1850 - ) > Drukpa Kagyü (1350 (probable) - 1850 (probable)) བྱིའུ་མཁར། > Jiukhar - Chiu Khar > byi’u mkhar - Byi’u mkhar བྱིའུ་དགོན། > Jiu Gön > byi'u dgon Jiu Khar (`Sparrow Monastery བྱིའུ་ མཁར་ byi'u mkhar) also spelled Chiyu Gonpa at the lake`s western gateway sits atop a conical outcrop of red rock. Originally founded by the Drukpa Kagyu lama Kyapgon Gangriwa, inside there is a small shrine and cave where Padmasambhava meditated with his consort Yeshe Tsogyel before leaving this world. Various revered objects are to be found inside the cave, such as the granite rocks with clear imprints of Padmasambhava`s hands and feet. Above the cave there is a small temple containing (L-R): the reliquary stupa of Tsewang Lama who was responsible for rebuilding the complex during the 1980s, images of Vajrasattva, Padmasambhava, surmounted by a small Avalokiteshvara, and an old Padmasambhava, flanked by Mandarava and Yeshe Tsogyel. The spiritual practices followed here combine the termas of the Dudjom Tersar tradition and those of Jatson Nyingpo with Drukpa Kagyu liturgies. Above the temple there is a small protector chapel. At Jiu Gon there is the source of the Sutlej River, known as the Ganga-chu or Langchen Khabab. When the fortunes of Tibet are low, it is almost dry, as is the present situation. The only water that remains is the brackish cusp of hot springs behind Jiu Gonpa, where a glass-roofed bathhouse has been constructed. The Tibetans have also created several open-air stone bath where you can wash yourself and your clothes in the clean hot water. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...
The most popular Tibetan pilgrimage site in the old town is this lovely stupa, a small copy dating from around 1650 of the great Swayambhunath complex. The stupa is set in a hidden courtyard. Just as at Swayambhunath, there is a two-storey pagoda to Hariti, the goddess of smallpox, in the northwestern corner of the square. In the northeast corner is the Tibetan-style Drubgon Jangchup Choeling Monastery. It’s just a couple of minutes’ walk south of Thamel.
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
The lotus (Sanskrit and Tibetan padma) is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols and one of the most poignant representations of Buddhist teaching.
The roots of a lotus are in the mud, the stem grows up through the water, and the heavily scented flower lies pristinely above the water, basking in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment.
Though there are other water plants that bloom above the water, it is only the lotus which, owing to the strength of its stem, regularly rises eight to twelve inches above the surface.
According to the Lalitavistara, "the spirit of the best of men is spotless, like the lotus in the muddy water which does not adhere to it."
According to another scholar, "in esoteric Buddhism, the heart of the beings is like an unopened lotus: when the virtues of the Buddha develop therein, the lotus blossoms; that is why the Buddha sits on a lotus bloom."
The lotus is one of Buddhism's best recognized motifs and appears in all kinds of Buddhist art across all Buddhist cultures. Scrolling lotuses often embellish Buddhist textiles, ceramics and architecture.
Every important Buddhist deity is associated in some manner with the lotus, either being seated upon a lotus in full bloom or holding one in their hands. In some images of standing Buddhas, each foot rests on a separate lotus.
The lotus does not grow in Tibet and so Tibetan art has only stylized versions of it, yet it appears frequently with Tibetan deities and among the Eight Auspicious Symbols.
The color of the lotus has an important bearing on the symbology associated with it:
White Lotus (Skt. pundarika; Tib. pad ma dkar po): This represents the state of spiritual perfection and total mental purity (bodhi). It is associated with the White Tara and proclaims her perfect nature, a quality which is reinforced by the color of her body.
Pink Lotus (Skt. padma; Tib. pad ma dmar po): This the supreme lotus, generally reserved for the highest deity. Thus naturally it is associated with the Great Buddha himself.
Red Lotus (Skt. kamala; Tib: pad ma chu skyes): This signifies the original nature and purity of the heart (hrdya). It is the lotus of love, compassion, passion and all other qualities of the heart. It is the flower of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion.
Blue Lotus (Skt. utpala; Tib. ut pa la): This is a symbol of the victory of the spirit over the senses, and signifies the wisdom of knowledge. Not surprisingly, it is the preferred flower of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom.
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
Chiu Khar བྱིའུ་མཁར། / Jiu Gön བྱིའུ་དགོན།.
Mt. Kailash / Mount Tise གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ། gangs rin po che,Kailash Snow Mountain གངས་ཏེ་སེ་ gangs tese.
Founding (1350 (probable)) > Nyingma (1850 - ) > Drukpa Kagyü (1350 (probable) - 1850 (probable)) བྱིའུ་མཁར། > Jiukhar - Chiu Khar > byi’u mkhar - Byi’u mkhar བྱིའུ་དགོན། > Jiu Gön > byi'u dgon Jiu Khar (`Sparrow Monastery བྱིའུ་ མཁར་ byi'u mkhar) also spelled Chiyu Gonpa at the lake`s western gateway sits atop a conical outcrop of red rock.
Originally founded by the Drukpa Kagyu lama Kyapgon Gangriwa, inside there is a small shrine and cave where Padmasambhava meditated with his consort Yeshe Tsogyel before leaving this world. Various revered objects are to be found inside the cave, such as the granite rocks with clear imprints of Padmasambhava`s hands and feet.
Above the cave there is a small temple containing (L-R): the reliquary stupa of Tsewang Lama who was responsible for rebuilding the complex during the 1980s, images of Vajrasattva, Padmasambhava, surmounted by a small Avalokiteshvara, and an old Padmasambhava, flanked by Mandarava and Yeshe Tsogyel. The spiritual practices followed here combine the termas of the Dudjom Tersar tradition and those of Jatson Nyingpo with Drukpa Kagyu liturgies. Above the temple there is a small protector chapel.
At Jiu Gon there is the source of the Sutlej River, known as the Ganga-chu or Langchen Khabab. When the fortunes of Tibet are low, it is almost dry, as is the present situation. The only water that remains is the brackish cusp of hot springs behind Jiu Gonpa, where a glass-roofed bathhouse has been constructed. The Tibetans have also created several open-air stone bath where you can wash yourself and your clothes in the clean hot water. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...
monastery Chiu Khar བྱིའུ་མཁར། / Jiu Gön བྱིའུ་དགོན།
Founding (1350 (probable)) > Nyingma (1850 - ) > Drukpa Kagyü (1350 (probable) - 1850 (probable)) བྱིའུ་མཁར། > Jiukhar - Chiu Khar > byi’u mkhar - Byi’u mkhar བྱིའུ་དགོན། > Jiu Gön > byi'u dgon Jiu Khar (`Sparrow Monastery བྱིའུ་ མཁར་ byi'u mkhar) also spelled Chiyu Gonpa at the lake`s western gateway sits atop a conical outcrop of red rock. Originally founded by the Drukpa Kagyu lama Kyapgon Gangriwa, inside there is a small shrine and cave where Padmasambhava meditated with his consort Yeshe Tsogyel before leaving this world. Various revered objects are to be found inside the cave, such as the granite rocks with clear imprints of Padmasambhava`s hands and feet. Above the cave there is a small temple containing (L-R): the reliquary stupa of Tsewang Lama who was responsible for rebuilding the complex during the 1980s, images of Vajrasattva, Padmasambhava, surmounted by a small Avalokiteshvara, and an old Padmasambhava, flanked by Mandarava and Yeshe Tsogyel. The spiritual practices followed here combine the termas of the Dudjom Tersar tradition and those of Jatson Nyingpo with Drukpa Kagyu liturgies. Above the temple there is a small protector chapel. At Jiu Gon there is the source of the Sutlej River, known as the Ganga-chu or Langchen Khabab. When the fortunes of Tibet are low, it is almost dry, as is the present situation. The only water that remains is the brackish cusp of hot springs behind Jiu Gonpa, where a glass-roofed bathhouse has been constructed. The Tibetans have also created several open-air stone bath where you can wash yourself and your clothes in the clean hot water. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...
Aptly named after Mount Potolaka, the sacred mountain abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, the Potala Palace has been identified in different ages as the residence of Tibet`s two illustrious and kingly emanations of Avalokiteshvara - Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century and the Fifth Dalai Lama during the 17th century. The building which towers above the city of Lhasa rises from the slopes of Mount Marpori, for which reason it is known locally as Tse Podrang "Summit Palace". The outer section, known as the White Palace has functioned as the traditional seat of government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, while the inner section known as the Red Palace contains outstanding temples and the reliquary tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas. In terms of global perception, it is this relic of Tibet`s past, present, and future national aspiration which, more than any other, symbolizes the country of Tibet, like the great wall of China “Great Firewall of China” or the Vatican in Italy.
This 13-storeyed edifice was among the world`s tallest buildings prior to the advent of the 20th-century skyscraper, and undoubtedly the grandest building in Tibet.
The interior area of the 13-storeyed Potala Palace is 130.000 sq m. The building is 118 m high, 366 m from east to west, and 335 m from north to south. There are 1000 rooms housing approximately 200.000 images.
Traditinally the chapels of the Potala Palace were only open to the public on set days such as the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and in the fourth lunar month. Now, in the absence of the Dalai Lama, it has the air of a (dead) museum, and is accessible throughout the week.
Chiu Khar བྱིའུ་མཁར། / Jiu Gön བྱིའུ་དགོན།.
Mt. Kailash / Mount Tise གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ། gangs rin po che,Kailash Snow Mountain གངས་ཏེ་སེ་ gangs tese.
Founding (1350 (probable)) > Nyingma (1850 - ) > Drukpa Kagyü (1350 (probable) - 1850 (probable)) བྱིའུ་མཁར། > Jiukhar - Chiu Khar > byi’u mkhar - Byi’u mkhar བྱིའུ་དགོན། > Jiu Gön > byi'u dgon Jiu Khar (`Sparrow Monastery བྱིའུ་ མཁར་ byi'u mkhar) also spelled Chiyu Gonpa at the lake`s western gateway sits atop a conical outcrop of red rock. Originally founded by the Drukpa Kagyu lama Kyapgon Gangriwa, inside there is a small shrine and cave where Padmasambhava meditated with his consort Yeshe Tsogyel before leaving this world. Various revered objects are to be found inside the cave, such as the granite rocks with clear imprints of Padmasambhava`s hands and feet. Above the cave there is a small temple containing (L-R): the reliquary stupa of Tsewang Lama who was responsible for rebuilding the complex during the 1980s, images of Vajrasattva, Padmasambhava, surmounted by a small Avalokiteshvara, and an old Padmasambhava, flanked by Mandarava and Yeshe Tsogyel. The spiritual practices followed here combine the termas of the Dudjom Tersar tradition and those of Jatson Nyingpo with Drukpa Kagyu liturgies. Above the temple there is a small protector chapel. At Jiu Gon there is the source of the Sutlej River, known as the Ganga-chu or Langchen Khabab. When the fortunes of Tibet are low, it is almost dry, as is the present situation. The only water that remains is the brackish cusp of hot springs behind Jiu Gonpa, where a glass-roofed bathhouse has been constructed. The Tibetans have also created several open-air stone bath where you can wash yourself and your clothes in the clean hot water. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...