- Enlightenment Stupa
The Enlightenment Stupa is the largest
Stupa inEurope , measuring 108 feet or 33 metres high. It was inaugurated on the 5th October 2003, and was the final project of the greatBuddhist MasterLopon Tsechu Rinpoche . It is situated inBenalmádena, Málaga in theAndalusia n region of southernSpain , overlooking theCosta del Sol .In
Buddhism , aStupa is a monument which represents peace, prosperity and harmony, as well as being a place formeditation . The Enlightenment Stupa ("Chan Chub Chorten" in Tibetan) symbolizes Buddha's enlightenment, the realisation of the nature of mind, and is one of the eight different forms that Stupas are built according to. Whereas Stupas are typically sealed structures, the Enlightenment Stupa is unusual as there is 100 square metre meditation room and a room that can be used for exhibitions aboutTibet an Buddhism and Himalayan culture inside the structure. The walls of the meditation room are painted with the life story of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni.The
Stupa was inaugurated by H.H. KunzigShamar Rinpoche , the second-most important teacher within theKarma Kagyu lineage ofBuddhism . Also present was Lömpo Sangye Ngodup, a minister from the Himalayan Kingdom ofBhutan , LamaOle Nydahl and the Mayor of Benalmádena, Enrique Bolin. Sr Bolin was instrumental in providing the land on which the Stupa is situated.Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche
Lopon Tsechu visited Spain for the first time in 1990, where he gave teachings and empowerments at Karma Guen, aBuddhist meditation centre nearVélez-Málaga , about 50 kilometres from Benalmadena. Rinpoche built his first Stupa at Karma Guen in 1994, a symbol of peace and prosperity for Spain. Rinpoche went on to build 16 more Stupas in Europe before his death in 2003. Rinpoche became a resident of Spain in 1995 and began visiting the country regularly, giving further teachings and empowerments.External links
* [http://www.stupabenalmadena.org/ Homepage of the Enlightenment Stupa at Benalmadena]
* [http://stupabenalmadena.org/en/pictures_en.html Official Photographs Page of the Enlightenment Stupa in Benalmadena, Spain]
* [http://www.karmaguen2003.com/karmaguen2004/pages/Enlightenment-Stupa-Benalmadena-Spain-June-2004.htm Photographs of Enlightenment Stupa in Benalmadena, Spain]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=-4.58094754626&daddr=36.5881162159&ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=36.58825,-4.580768&spn=0.002434,0.004345&t=k&om=1 Enlightenment Stupa at Benalmadena on Google Maps]
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