The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya

When you visit Colorado, it's not out of the ordinary to seek relaxation and peace among the mountains, but if you're looking to take your journey of self-discovery to the next level next time you visit, head to the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya Which Liberates Upon Seeing-- the most sacred Buddhist monument on the whole continent. But who built it, and why... and why Colorado? The Stupa is a memorial to Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a well-respected Tibetan Buddhist scholar, teacher, poet, artist, and meditation master who founded Red Feather Lakes, Colorado's Shambhala Mountain Center in the 1970's. The Center is one of many he founded across the country and hosts Shambhala meditation training classes, yoga programs, long-term retreats, camps for kids, and tons more, all mostly focused on meditation techniques and Buddhist teachings. When Chögyam Trungpa died in 1987, his students and followers decided to commemorate their teacher with a traditional stupa at the Red Feather Lakes center. Stupas are common across the East and have been used since prehistoric times-- most house the relics and remains of important Buddhist monks and nuns and serve as a place of meditation for the living.   The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya is probably the most imporant example of sacred Buddhist architecture in all of North America. It took thirteen years to build, between 1988 and 2001, and upon completion, was consecrated in a ceremony that lasted for several days. Many important lamas (high priests in the Buddhist religion) attended the dedicated, and the Dalai Lama himself visited the Great Stupa in 2006. It's 108 feet tall and made of a special concrete that's designed to last one thousand years. It's made to look reminiscent of Buddha, wearing a crown and seated on a throne. Specifically, it commemorates Buddha’s descent from Tushita heaven where he taught his mother. Its location on the Center's property, in a valley meadow between two "powerful" cliffs, is significant-- the stupa draws from and harmonizes the energy from the mountains and cliffs. Stupas are said to bring harmony, prosperity, longevity, good health and peace to those who help build them and to those who visit. Every single aspect of the stupa, down to the colors used, is intentional and symbolic, which makes it even more impressive. Even the rooms on the upper floors that are closed to the public are elaborately decorated with symbolic artwork. Most stupas are entirely sealed off, but this one actually has the first floor open so that people can enter it-- you'll see a large, golden, Gandharan-style statue of the Buddha. It's inside this statue, near the heart, whereChögyam Trungpa's skull has been placed. There's a visitor's center at the stupa for those who want to get prespective on what they're seeing-- it's actually really nice for those who don't know as much about Buddhism but still want to visit the stupa. It's open every day for those who want to take a moment at the stupa to meditate, reflect, and generally take in the good vibes. -Roadtrippers The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya Which Liberates Upon Seeing Rising among wooded hillsides, The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya crowns a meadow at the upper end of Shambhala Mountain Center’s main valley. Standing 108 feet tall, it is one of the most significant examples of sacred Buddhist architecture in North America. Built as a memorial to the Center’s founder, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya serves as an inspiration for peace and compassion throughout the world. The Great Stupa is sited between two powerful landforms: the promontory known as Marpa Point and the steep cliffs opposite it. The power of the stupa balances and brings together the energies of the surrounding environment; at the same time, it embodies the wisdom and blessings of Trungpa Rinpoche, as well as the Buddhist and Shambhala lineages. Stupas are said to promote harmony, prosperity, longevity, good health and peace. They bring blessings to the environment in which they are built, to those who build them, and to those who visit and venerate them. In this way, stupas ensure that the living quality of the Buddhist teachings will always be available. Construction of the Great Stupa was initiated in 1988. It was built over a 13-year period, employing the generosity of several hundred volunteer laborers and craftspeople, with money donated through annual fundraising events. Additional contributions of expertise came from many different sectors of the technical industry. The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya was consecrated during a ceremony lasting several days in August 2001. Since then, the Stupa has become the heart of Shambhala Mountain Center. Maintenance and upkeep of the Great Stupa – its architectural elements, original statues, relics and paintings – is ongoing and supported through generous financial donations. The Stupa is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for public visitation It has long been the tradition that wherever the teachings of the Buddhas have been revered and practiced, communities of followers have built reliquary monuments known in Sanskrit as stupas and as chörtens in Tibetan. And wherever they have been built, they have been regarded as sacred, for like religious images and scriptures, they represent aspects of enlightenment. —His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama