A Love for Statues

Re-reading my post from yesterday, got me thinking that those words may not have been her exact words or meaning but just how I related to some of Her Precious Teachings. So, please forgive me for the ordinary translation of something Extrordinary.

And moving on from the disclaimers

Today was a good day. As you probably noticed "A love for Statues" relates to a day focused towards such said Precious Items.

We removed the plexi-glass from Jetsunmas' Long Life Stupa so a new piece could be cut and the Brocade from inside where Amitayus rests so that too can be renewed. How amazing that was!!! I'm gonna have to start bringing my camera on days Ani Sonam has to work so everyone can see this "stuff". I think Ashby only could have gotten pictures of my backside but still that could be good for all you Dart playing experts. The brocade went under the throne of the statue. So a patient manuvering inside that area created an hour long removal of the fabric. It sure seems like these Stupas are energized or something cause it was intense.

Then we went on to remove the brocade from behind Guru Rinpoche in the Enlightenment Stupa next to the parking area. This is another good example of why we are doing all of this. First one of the bolts is nearly stripped, no biggy sort of but keep reading. So we remove the plexi-glass and see a number of beautiful Ladybugs and Flying ants, how wonderful they are creating and polishing the seeds of their enlightenment. But from my measly understanding how poor my view is to think I have any dedication with this mess being there. The Throne is rotting away on the bottom of both sides, and these insects are and have been making it their home. The concrete was covered with nearly a thousand bugs that seemed to fighting each other for survival and dining on the loser. Mold creaping in at the corners and fostering from the excrement of the bugs. And then Guru Rinpoche Tarnished with splashes of water stains and white mold in the corners and folds of Him and His Robes. With bugs crawling around and cob webs lingering with bugs gone passed in the wind like kytes. ok ok I know enough. but justed wanted to give draw a picture since I forgot my camera. And it was just really bad. So WITH PERMISSION FROM JETSUNMA (I'll get back to why that is sooo important later) we removed the statue and polished a bit, we have to do more down the road a bit. Cleaned up the throne and gently showed the creatures where a new home could be found. obviously we put everthing back and dedicated the merit to benefit all sentient beings.

So the "with permission ... " part, there is much more going on in the stupas the I can understand or "feel" and the short answer is that Jetsunma holds the energy of the stupa while we are messing around with it. So for anyone else out there consult your local Enlightened Lhama before proceeding with any similar task. Sorry about the bad humor!:)

And a wonderful lady help us with progressing onward with the filling of statues as well. I am probably going to mis-spell her name so please pardon my ignorance but Achi work steadfastly on a 2 foot tall Shakyamuni Buddha Satue that was filled with a concrete like substance for approx. 8 hours, I and I'm sure Ani Sonam and All sentient beings are very grateful for her work, Thankyou. It was funny so I don't think she'll mind me sharing this. She is a consultant or such and she hasn't had the best of luck finding jobs lately. So she told me she was working away nearly 4 or 5 hours into the cleaning of Buddha and thinking about her down and out luck with jobs and that she's headed back to India and really needed to have some dough come in to make it happen. And sure enough moments after these thoughs by the blessing of our Teacher and the practise of meritourious work she recieved a call on her cell phone and has work arranged for the rest of april. How great is that???!!! Now of course I mention this because I am self motivated and looking for a new sucker to clean Statues haha. Whenever I am inapropriate I think of our wonderful American Mongolian Monk Konchig. so check out his mongolian diary if I am not too upsetting http://danzanravjaa.typepad.com/my_weblog/ he might due the trick, cause he's funny!
Anyways, sorry, back to statues. I don't know if anything like this will happen to you or me but I am so glad it happened for her and just wanted to celebrate her joy and success.

So Tomorrow I think I have a prayer shift at 6-8 am so I'll be there shortly after to spray the foundation of the Jetsunmas' Long Life Stupa with paint remover. Any one is welcome of course but it shouldn't take more than an hour to due that part. Following that we need some primer from Home D or Lowes so that trip will take place. I'll be looking towards an early lunch so the scraping and removing of the Paint stripper can take place and be followed with a power washer washing starting at noon to one pm. If soo many people show up that the scraping and etc. is done, then the spires can be primed. If that is done too then I've notice a few bricks and other items that could be disposed of if someone has the means to do so.

Please Don't feel it unnecessary to come out if you're imcapable of laboress work, just having peoples moral support and prayers is a great and needed component. AKA it keeps my head screwed on straight when I have in haled to many fumes.

Please give reminders of things when you feel they may not be at the forfront of attention and need to be.

may our love and gratitude continue to grow this and everyday and our practise be fruitful for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Love and Gratitide
Norbu Tashi