April 25 Carrying on...

Back to work today...finally. I slept in after covering some late night prayer shifts, while Ashby and Norbu got the day started.

We were able to finish another set of upper steps, keeping us on target for building a platform on Friday. We are hoping to get the Stupa ready for paint by May 23rd, a 10 Million Day (Saga Dawa Duchen), which commemorates Shakyamuni's enlightenment. On this amazingly auspicious day, when Buddhists believe both positive and negative karma accumulated is magnified, we hope to have as many people as we can find put some paint on the Stupa, all of them gaining the profound merit of having repaired a Stupa on a day when that karma will be magnified 10 million times! If you can, please do plan to join us!

As we worked today we remembered than when we clean statues (we're also the statue filling team here at the temple---a team open to any interested in learning---) we use saffron water as an offering and for cleansing. We decide to mix some saffron in with our sand, to serve the same purpose. Those of us close to the Stupas realize there is nothing ordinary about them, they are sacred, precious objects. They are a source of effortless blessings and purification for beings, any being with the fortune to come into contact with them, either by sight, sound, or even wind blowing over them. Such amazing benefit, so we try to honor them in any way we can, praying that as we remove these layers of tenacious paint and hard, stubborn stucco, we also remove tenacious obscurations and remove stubborn obstacles, for all beings seeking freedom from suffering...

Please do come join us, even if just to watch! We put the Stupa back in order every evening when we're finished, so if you want to circumambulate or make offerings it is still available to you, even as we work on it. Please don't let our work interfere with such activity. I guarantee you we'll shut off the compressor and stand aside to let you make offerings or walk around the Stupa, no matter what work we're doing. We do this for you, for all beings seeking refuge. It is our fervent prayer that all who possess even a passing, casual interest in these precious objects will come out and see them! If you cannot make it out, we will make sure you have a way to stay connected to them here. If you'd like to have us circumambulate or make offerings for you, just post a comment and we'll do it. You never have to feel distant or out of reach. We'll keep you in our prayers, and keep this blog posted with photos and information on Stupas, so you can share this amazing experience with us!