Acharya Lama Dawa Chodrak entered Parinirvana on Thursday, November 23rd, 2017 and was cremated on Tuesday, November 28, Guru Rinpoche's 10th Day.
The inspiration for building a traditional stupa on the grounds of Lama Dawa Rinpoche’s retreat center in Lansing, Iowa, was initiated by his brother, Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche. He said it was not enough to have the countertop golden stupa to house Lama Dawa’s relics (which we had already purchased thanks to generous donors). Even though Lama Dawa Rinpoche was cremated in his homeland of Nepal, his center of Dharma activity was P’hurba Thinley Ling in Lansing, Iowa. Lama Pema Dorje requested that P’hurba Thinley Ling should construct a traditional stupa to house Lama Dawa’s relics which would be a continual source of blessings for all who see it.
Acharya Lama Dawa Chodrak entered Parinirvana on Thursday, November 23rd, 2017 and was cremated on Tuesday, November 28, Guru Rinpoche's 10th Day.
The inspiration for building a traditional stupa on the grounds of Lama Dawa Rinpoche’s retreat center in Lansing, Iowa, was initiated by his brother, Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche. He said it was not enough to have the countertop golden stupa to house Lama Dawa’s relics (which we had already purchased thanks to generous donors). Even though Lama Dawa Rinpoche was cremated in his homeland of Nepal, his center of Dharma activity was P’hurba Thinley Ling in Lansing, Iowa. Lama Pema Dorje requested that P’hurba Thinley Ling should construct a traditional stupa to house Lama Dawa’s relics which would be a continual source of blessings for all who see it.
Lama Dawa Memorial Stupa Timeline
Cremation services for Acharya Dawa Chhodak Rinpoche take place on Guru Rinpoche day, Nov. 28, 2017 in Kathmandu.
Lama Dawa’s KuTung is placed on the van which will take him to the charnel ground. Notice the rainbows at the bottom!
The T’hroma Fire Puja is performed during the cremation of Lama Dawa Chhodak Rinpoche.
Ringsel (relic) growing on a bone fragments in the askes from the cremation of Acharya Dawa Chhodak Rinpoche.
The clay and bone mixture is consecrated by Dondrub Rinpoche who prepares the first tsa tsa. Special mantra rolls are pressed into the center of each tsa tsa. They are painted with gold, then capped with yellow silk. They are consecrated with Vajrasattvas’s mantra.
Celebrating the end of the third week of Lama Dawa’s parinirvana by lighting up Boudanath stupa!
Shrine for the 49th day ganachakra following Lama Dawa Rinpoche’s parinirvana.
Golden stupa to install Lama Dawa Rinpoche’s relics and tsa tsas. Consecrated by HH Dudjom Yangsi.
Gathering Materials for the Stupa at P'hurba T'hinley Ling
,August, 2018
Copper and gold ornamentations for the Lama Dawa Memorial Stupa arrive.
Some of the mandalas, deity images and prayers inscribed on copper plates and‘Zung’ or mantra rolls to be installed inside the different levels of the Lama Dawa Memorial stupa.
The Tengyur and Kangyur arrive on Guru Rinpoche day! This precious collection of the Buddha’s teachings are a donation from a friend from Russia who had originally planned to install them in a stupa in Minsk. Due to political reasons, the stupa was never built. So now they arrive in Iowa to be installed in the Lama Dawa Memorial Stupa!
500 stupa tsa tsas are being made. The clay is mixed with dirt, stones, water, herbs collected from over 150 different pilgrimage places, as well as other precious ingredients.
Photos of some of the materials that go inside the throne section of the stupa, and a photo of some of the ceremonies for the stupa.
Prayers and Offerings
September 7, 2018
Then the placement for the “earth attainment” dig was mapped from that after the excavation of the foundation.
Making Preparations & Laying the Foundation
To create the ‘sog-shing,’ or the life pillar that will be in the center of the stupa, a perfect cedar tree was located on the grounds of Phurba Thinley Ling.
After offering the torma for the local spirits, we cut it down, carefully marking the east side, and trimmed off the ends and the bark. The rest of the tree was used for our daily sang offerings.
The cut log was then affixed to a beam to prevent it from warping while it dried. The top and bottom were dipped in beeswax to prepare the wood for carving.
Then the base for the foundation was squared off, forming the foundation walls in the process. Rebar was laid in the footings for the stupa foundation.
The open chamber underneath the stupa is the ‘supression chamber’ which was filled with articles representing anger, negativity, suffering, for the purpose of preventing war and negativity and then covered with concrete forming the platform for the stupa.
A rainbow appeared after capping off the stupa foundation and suppression chamber.
Filling the First and Second Layers of the Throne Section
We filled the first and then second layers with precious materials. The second level was filled with prayers and mantra.
The Sog Shing
Sangyum Kamala arrived at Phurba Thinley Ling for the final construction and consecration of the Lama Dawa Memorial stupa. She guided us in the final preparation of the ‘sog-shing’, life pillar for the Lama Dawa Memorial Stupa.
Lama Rangbar added the final mantras to the sog shing.
Lama Dawa’s personal p’hurba was added to the ‘thinley’ section of the sog shing.
A very special relic was embedded in the heart of the sog shing. A self-manifested Guru Dewa Chenpo, which formed spontaneously out of mendrub during a Mendrub Drubchen, held by HH Dudjom Rinpoche in the 1960’s.
After the relics were attached, the sog shing was wrapped with a special fabric which came from the Buddha statue at Kushinagar. Next it was all wrapped in five-colored ribbon, the colors correlating with the five chakras.
After the five-colored ribbon, the whole thing was wrapped with plastic wrap to preserve it and protect it from moisture. Another layer of fabric was wrapped, then finally it was bound with five colored string.
After the completion of the sog-shing, we got an unseasonably early snowfall… with huge snowflakes! We were told it was a very auspicious sign.
Sangyum Kamala offered us this beautiful lotus flower which she got while on pilgrimmage in Kushinagar. It will be placed beneath the sog shing’s dorje.
Progress continued on the stupa construction.
The Bumpa and Filling the Vase
These photos show completing the bumpa section of the Lama Dawa Memorial Stupa, attaching the spire, and Sangyum Kamala performed the consecration of the sog shing and completed the filling of the Lama Dawa Memorial Stupa.
Mantras, texts, tsa tsas, copper plates inscribed with mantras and prayers, were placed in the vase section of the stupa.
Sangyum Kamala and Lama Rangbar climbed the scaffolding to fill the vase – installing the Kangyur in the stupa.
They worked into the night to complete the filling of the vase section.
Lama Dawa Rinpoche’s cremation ashes formed into stupas as well as the dorje and the top of his hat that remained after he was cremated are shown. According to the tradition, he was holding a bell and dorje in his hands, and wearing a special hat with a dorje on the top while his body was cremated. The bell completely dissolved into the fire, while the two dorje’s remained untouched.
Sangyum Kamala performed the rabney for the sog shing and the sacred items to be installed in the bumpa section of the stupa.
Some of the sacred articles placed inside the top section of the stupa are mantras and prayers which have been inscribed on copper plates. This insures their longevity – as paper mantra rolls deteriorate over time.
The sog shing spire and harmika are installed and the vase is ready to be filled.
Sangyum Kamala filled the sun and moon section with special relics, tsa tsas and statues.
Filling begins…..and takes almost eight hours to pack it correctly.
Two copper boxes full of mantras and the Choyin Dzod inscribed on copper sheets are placed on either side of the sog shing. Lama Dawa Rinpoche’s cremation tsa tsas are shown. Mantra rolls are tied to the body of the sog shing
Consecration Ceremony
October 18, 2018 – The next morning
October 19, 2018 – Happy Guru Rinpoche Day!
October 20, 2018 – Morning Riwo Sangcho practice
Putting up the curtain in preparation for the consecration ritual.
Sangyum Kamala performs the ‘tru’ – purification rite – as part of the consecration ceremony.
Unveiling the Buddha.
Flower offerings to celebrate.
A wonderful celebration!
