Here is a close up of Guru Rinpoche. This is the Enlightened Master who brought Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century. His teachings form the very foundation of Nyingma practice, he is considered a living Buddha.

I am not a teacher, and certainly not qualified to teach about such a profound subject as this Precious Guru. I will relate a little just to give an idea why his presence is so significant here.

In the 8th century King Trison Detsun, known as a "Dharma King", was moved by compassion to establish the teachings of the Dharma in Tibet. He invited Shantarakshita, an Indian Buddhist master to Tibet for this purpose. While attempting to construct the first Buddhist Monastery there, great obstacles were encountered, where all work during the day was undone during the night. Shantarakshita advised the King to invite Guru Rinpoche, or Padmasambava, to Tibet, as he was the only one who could tame the opposing forces. Guru Rinpoche accepted the invitation, and the dawn of Buddhism in Tibet then took root.

That very tradition still exists today, and is the foundation of our practice here at Kunzang Palyul Choling, passed purely from teacher to student in an unbroken lineage to this very day.

The building of this Stupa, the first built by KPC, the first established by the Palyul Tradition (a branch of the Nyingma) in this country, all occurred simultaneously with the transmission of the entire cycle of terma revelations (teachings revealed by treasure revealers, many of the teachings were hidden by Yeshe Tsogyal, Guru Rinpoche's heart student, for discovery at specific future times, when they would be most effective) to the brand new sangha in Maryland! This cycle of transmissions took over a month (could be longer, I wasn't there), during which time this Stupa was completed, and Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, our root teacher here, was formally enthroned by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche as a lineage holder and teacher. Thus, Guru Rinpoche who pacified obstacles to the establishment of Buddhism in Tibet, and whose teachings are still practiced by countless devoted students to this very day, took root right here in Poolesville, Maryland, just as our own teacher was enthroned as a lineage holder in his tradition, empowered to carry on his compassionate activity in yet another "barbarian land" (anywhere where Dharma does not exist)!

Another interesting note is that Guru Rinpoche, King Trison Detsun (the Dharma King) and Shantarakshita (the Indian Scholar) who together established Buddhism in Tibet, were all once brothers. They were all the sons of a poultry woman, who had saved her whole life with the aspiration to build a Stupa. She did not live to see it completed, and her four sons vowed to finish it. When they did, they each made aspirational prayers. One to be born a Dharma King, another to be a great Indian Scholar, another to be a great Yogi, and the last to be a messenger that would bring them all together. They all aspired to bring the Dharma to the barbarian land of snow (Tibet). Each was later reborn according to their aspiration, King Trison Detsun, Shantarakshita, Guru Padmasambava, and the messenger that communicated between them.

So here in this Stupa those aspirations are again reborn, replanted, and given roots, as the Dharma again becomes established in a barbarian land. There's a little history to contemplate when you see the Enlightenment Stupa. Even if it sounds like a fairy tale, come on out and walk around it anyway. The power of the Stupa does not require anything from you, it exists only to share its blessings unconditionally. And of course, for all who cannot make it to Poolesville, you can always visit it here!