Memorial Stupa and Tree Grove

May dear mother sentient beings receive Bodhi Blessings when they come into this world, and when they leave.  Here at Land of Calm Abiding we would like to dedicate our cultivation of LamRim MahaMudra realizations on the Path towards our loved ones who have passed on.  We have received three sets of ashes from elder Sangha members who abided in retreat here and were highly influenced by their retreat experience.  The family and friends of these elder Sangha members have elected LCA to be the custodian of their precious remains.  Henceforth we are cultivating a Memorial Stupa and Tree Grove near our sacred Enlightenment Stupa in dedication to these dear ones and others whom have passed on. 

Each Memorial will consist of a glass Stupa with a small portion of visible remains within a roll of mantras. The majority of the remains will be used to plant either a Monterey Cypress, Live Oak, Saint Lucia Fir, or an appropriate fruit tree of one’s choosing next to it.  Until the trees are more fully grown, the glass Stupa will be kept around the middle rim of our Enlightenment Stupa. As the tree grows with its natural awning, the loved ones of the departed can design their own placement of the Stupa beneath the tree and sitting bench if desired. All three non-fruit trees are grown from local seeds of nearby local trees (and each currently occupy the space of a 5 gallon pot on the land).  The Monterey Cypress in particular have the ability to be functionally bonsaied as they grow older, while our very local and very rare Saint Lucia Fir has the preferred ability to grow straight to the sky.  Live Oaks can become the combination of the two growing styles.  It’s also possible to reserve a plot in advance to be able to plant a tree with years prior to grow. The ashes could then be applied carefully afterwards to the root structure of the tree. 

Meditation at Memorial sites are often potent. Death and impermanence synthesize with our ability to let go of our tiresome grasping to the mere appearance of this life. One’s internal dialogue with all its stories is free to disappear as we sit beneath a Memorial Tree of a Beloved one that inspired us greatly. Our own current Director for years has benefited from the sanctuary beneath his own mother’s Memorial Live Oak Tree in the Stanford Hills of the Bay Area. It would be such an honor to host others who could make the same pilgrimage here to this most blessed and remote Land of Calm Abiding. Already it is truly undeniable for any who come here, that the pristine wilderness that surrounds Land of Calm Abiding is essential for helping to provide the fertile field of our minds to grow irreversible realizations on the Path of Awakening. 

Such sacred wilderness in conjunction with decades of Bodhichitta meditations from our solitary Yogis and major Bodhi Blessings on the land from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khandro-la Tseringma Rinpoche, Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche, and Ribur Rinpoche– is just truly remarkable!  On Lama Zopa’s last visit he brought Khandro-la and they blessed the building site of our Enlightenment Stupa and offered a very memorable teaching in our very humbly small Zopa Main House gompa.  Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche came to visit one of our yogis abiding in his second Great Retreat (currently the same Yogi is following his Guru’s advice and abiding in his third Great Retreat!).  Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche’s first visit was actually in a small airplane circling overhead while offering from the open window the blessings of flowers upon us! On Ribur Rinpoche’s visit there was a Sangha lunch outside the Amitabha cabin where two Chinese nuns were abiding in long retreat.  During his stay Ribur Rinpoche prophesized, “One day this land will be one of the holiest sites for preserving the Dharma.”

The spacious meadow around our Enlightenment Stupa has close to two acres of land that can be dedicated to this Memorial Stupa and Tree Grove.  The current design of pathways for the Grove is to border the north-western edge of the meadow until reaching the adjacent larger meadow portion that could house a grid that mimics the design of a Dharma Wheel. It would be such an honor to cultivate a Memorial Grove amidst our inspiring Yogis and Lama Blessings here. A sanctuary that could serve as a genuine place of pilgrimage for more of our fellow Bodhisattva Path aspiring friends to come and rest in the home of their own true nature.  Whether the beloved deceased is an inspiring Bodhisattva practitioner, or whether it is a member of the family or friends who are, here at LCA we would be filled with joy to open up our rare to visit land for loved ones to visit their Memorial Tree and Stupa during the non-rainy seasons. 

If anyone would like to learn more about cultivating a Memorial Stupa and Tree site please reach out directly to Kolby at [email protected]

Also if anyone would like to help sponsor the first three Memorials for the Elder Sangha members’ remains we have received that would be so essentially helpful and “Wow Wow Wow Amazing”!  These three Elder Sangha members and close students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche are none other than our dear Venerable Pemo, Venerable Nyima, and Venerable Jimi Jigme. 

Land of Calm Abiding is a 501c(3) non -profit corporation - All Sponsor donations are tax deductible. 

May all our dear mother sentient beings, like our Elder Sangha, work to uncover the irreversible Path of Awakening for All Beings!

And may we see to it that our cultivated realizations here in solitude at Land of Calm Abiding always maximize their benefit!

Offering large portion of Venerable Pemo-la’s ashes by Venerable Gyatso from the top of Maitreya Rock over-looking Shinay Land. The Tara chanting prayers are from our Most Kind and Dear Khandro-la Tseringma Rinpoche.