The Location

The temple will be constructed on a high point in an area of gently rolling hills, with an open view to the valley below. Located in the Granja Viana area, only 15 minutes from São Paulo, the 1 1/2 acre site was acquired thanks to generous donations of many students and supporters. The property has been developed with all the infrastructure necessary to support the temple, including a main residence and two guest houses, able to accomodate 20 - 30 people. Our program will include:

• Teachings from resident and guest lamas
• Daily practices of meditation and traditional religious ceremonies
• Weekend and extended retreats
• "Bodhisattva Action": to support those who benefit the community
• Childrens events -storytelling and interactive arts and crafts

The Project

The Temple will be constructed using traditional Tibetan Buddhist architecture, with many of the decorative elements similar to the mother temple in southern Brazil (Khadro Ling). It will provide for the preservation of Tibetan culture, including art, history, philosophy, texts and sacred dance.

• 1st level will be for the more public functions such as the kitchen, dining room, store, offices and bathroom facilities.
• 2nd level is the location of the main shrineroom, where the representations of enlightened body, speech, and mind inspire spiritual practice. It is large enough to accomodate 200 people, and is encircled by a wide terrace.
• 3rd level will be used for special retreats and teachings. It is crowned by a golden yellow roof which sweeps up to the three ornaments on the peak.

The Meaning

The traditional Tibetan temple is called a 'Lha Khang', or abode of the deity, a place to house the sacred representations of enlightened body, speech, and mind, a place that inspires religious practice and meditation. The statues and sacred images represent enlightened body, the collection of ancient root texts and commentaries correspond to enlightened speech, and a great reliquary stupa corresponds to the most profound level - that of enlightened mind.

The stupa is the central focus of the temple and has already been constructed and filled and consecrated. The outer form of the stupa represents the various levels of the path to enlightenment, from the development of the noble qualities of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity - corresponding to the steps of the stupa base - up through the ten levels of the Bodhisattva and the culmination of the three highest levels of Vajrayana practice - corresponding to the thirteen wheels of the top spire. Contained within the stupa are precious relics of H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche and the Dzog Chen lineage masters, as well as many blessed substances and offerings and hundreds of rolls of mantras and sacred texts.

The purpose of all these representations is to plant the seeds of liberation for anyone who even comes near them, as well as, through the power of great blessings, to increase prosperity, long life and spiritual attainment, and through interdependent causes, to help eliminate famine, war, and poverty. For one who is inspired to follow the path of a Bodhisattva - to train the mind to work for the welfare of all beings - the benefits are obviously experienced. But even for those that just visit the temple, as well as the surrounding community are all positively influenced by this manifestation of the kindness of the great spiritual masters and practitioners. .