This is why today is enormous, and also just a first step. We start with this moment of accountability, and work to make it the norm, instead of an incredible rarity. We root ourselves in knowing that black lives matter, and work to ensure that our actions-and their impacts and outcomes- reflect that truth. When Black people are safe, we are all safe. When Black people are free, we are all free. That is why today matters to all of us, and why none of us can stop here.
“ Monks, there are these five kinds of loss. Which five? Loss of relatives, loss of wealth, loss through disease, loss in terms of virtue, loss in terms of views. It’s not by reason of loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease that beings—with the break-up of the body, after death—reappear in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. It’s by reason of loss in terms of virtue and loss in terms of views that beings—with the break-up of the body, after death—reappear in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. These are the five kinds of loss.
“There are these five ways of being consummate. Which five? Being consummate in terms of relatives, being consummate in terms of wealth, being consummate in terms of freedom from disease, being consummate in terms of virtue, being consummate in terms of views. It’s not by reason of being consummate in terms of relatives, being consummate in terms of wealth, or being consummate in terms of freedom from disease that beings—with the break-up of the body, after death—reappear in the good destinations, in the heavenly world. It’s by reason of being consummate in virtue and being consummate in terms of views that beings—with the break-up of the body, after death—reappear in the good destinations, in the heavenly world. These are the five ways of being consummate.” ”
Since moving to the spiritual mecca of Crestone, Colorado in March of 2020, my wife and I have made pilgrimages to many of the areas sacred sites. At 7,923 feet in elevation and located next to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Crestone is both beautiful and isolated, subject to extremes of weather, wind, and temperature. It includes an astonishing array of spiritual sites – more than two dozen ashrams, monasteries, temples, retreat centers, stupas, shrines, labyrinths, and other sacred landmarks. Although pilgrimage may seem an antiquated religious ritual, it remains a vibrant activity in the modern world as pilgrims combine traditional motives – such as seeking a remedy for physical or spiritual problems – with contemporary searches for identity or interpersonal connection.
Our most recent pilgrimage was to the Tashi Gomang Stupa, located about two miles by trail from our home. Since the time of the Buddha’s (566-485 BCE) death, Buddhists have constructed stupas to contain the relics of enlightened teachers. Stupas have become places of veneration and pilgrimage in Buddhist cultures throughout the world. A stupa is an architectural rendering of the Buddhist path, the stages and aspects of enlightenment. When a great Buddhist teacher leaves his or her physical existence, the body that remains is considered to be permeated with the very essence of awakened mind, possessing tremendous intrinsic power and blessings. The appropriate vessel for containing these relics is a stupa. Through its design and contents, a stupa is regarded as having the power to transmit the essence of awakened mind, on the spot, to anyone ready to receive it.
Within the Tibetan tradition there are eight kinds of stupas representing eight major events in the life of the Buddha. The Tashi Gomang Stupa commemorates the Buddha’s first teachings in Benares (Varanasi) when he expounded the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Interdependence. These teachings reveal the truth of suffering, the cause of suffering and the skillful means to bring about the cessation of suffering (enlightenment).
The stupa itself is completely enclosed and contains many special objects inside. A depository of offerings was placed underneath it in tribute to the goddess of the earth and local deities. It was considered essential to ask their permission before construction could take place. The base, or throne of the stupa was filled with juniper which has special powers of purification. Treasure vases were placed in the juniper along with musical instruments, medicines, herbs, food, precious jewels, silks, brocades, perfumes, gold, and silver. Through the blessings of the stupa, these substances will work to bring good health, harmony, peace, and prosperity to its surroundings.
The stupa has been filled with 100,000 tsa-tsas (or miniature stupas) made by volunteers. Within each tsa-tsa is a roll of prayers, and mantras. The tsa-tsas were blessed and consecrated by visiting lamas before being placed inside the stupa. Also inside the stupa are earth, water, and stone from the eight great pilgrimage sites in India; wood from the Bodhi tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, water from a cave of Milarepa, and other sacred objects.
The tsok-shing or “life force” pole was placed in the center of the bell-shaped body of the stupa and reaches to the top of the spire. It was carved from a juniper tree into the shape of an obelisk, with a half dorje (vajra - thunderbolt) at the bottom and a small stupa at the top. Precious relics were placed in the life-force pole and then it was painted, inscribed in gold with the Buddha’s teachings, and wrapped in silks and brocades. It rests on two mandalas, also covered with offerings.
The statue of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, wearing his Black Crown, was placed at the front of the stupa. Artisans in Nepal made the statue and its encasing niche and frame, as well as the ornamentation on top of the spire. The gold leaf finish and additional ornamentation was done on site in Baca Grande. Inside the statue is another tsok-shing, rolls of mantras, and relics from all sixteen Karmapas and other saints.
The Tashi Gomang Stupa embodies His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. In the words of H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche: “Within the stupa the teacher remains unchanging. The Buddha said that whoever sees the stupa will be liberated by the sight of it. Feeling the breeze around the stupa liberates by its touch. Having thus seen or experienced the stupa, by thinking of one’s experience of it, one is liberated through recollection. As our world increasingly adopts a secular and atheistic perspective in many domains of experience, pilgrimage, for many like myself, remains a potent force.
The thangka painting of life of Buddha narrates the most relevant episodes of the life of Siddhartha Known as the “Twelve Great Deeds of Buddha’s Life”. The twelve deeds carried out by the Buddha Shakyamuni are:
1. Transferring to the Southern Island- continent from a Pure land of Tushita, after having transferred his throne to the next Buddha for the eon, Maitreya Buddha.
2. Entering his moms womb.
3. Taking Bath
4. Becoming skilled and learned in the arts
5. Enjoying himself with his wife and his circle
6. Setting forth from family as a renunciation
7. Undergoing difficult ascetic practices
8. Proceeding to seat for enlightenment under a Bodhi tree.
9. Taming the demonic forces (Mara).
10. Manifesting full enlightenment
11. Setting flow rounds of transmission of the preventive measures of Dharma (Turning the wheel of Dharma)
12. Demonstrating a total release from all suffering (Nirvana) by passing away.
“ The native spirit Āḷavaka: “I will ask you a question, ascetic. If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”
Buddha: “I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me. But anyway, ask what you wish.”
“What’s a person’s best wealth?
What brings happiness when practiced well?
What’s the sweetest taste of all?
The one who they say has the best life: how do they live?”
“Faith here is a person’s best wealth.
The teaching brings happiness when practiced well.
Truth is the sweetest taste of all.
The one who they say has the best life lives by wisdom.”
“How do you cross the flood?
How do you cross the deluge?
How do you get over suffering?
How do you get purified?”
“By faith you cross the flood,
and by diligence the deluge.
By energy you get past suffering,
and you’re purified by wisdom.”
“How do you get wisdom?
How do you earn wealth?
How do you get a good reputation?
How do you hold on to friends?
How do the departed not grieve
when passing from this world to the next?”
"One who is diligent and discerning
gains wisdom by wanting to learn,
having faith in the perfected ones,
and the teaching for becoming extinguished.
Being responsible, acting appropriately,
and working hard you earn wealth.
Truthfulness wins you a good reputation.
You hold on to friends by giving.
That’s how the departed do not grieve
when passing from this world to the next.
A faithful householder
who has these four qualities
does not grieve after passing away:
truth, principle, steadfastness, and generosity.
Go ahead, ask others as well,
there are many ascetics and brahmins.
See whether anything better is found
than truth, self-control, generosity, and patience.”
“Why now would I question
the many ascetics and brahmins?
Today I understand
what’s good for the next life.
It was truly for my benefit
that the Buddha came to stay at Āḷavī.
Today I understand
where a gift is very fruitful.
I myself will journey village to village, town to town, paying homage to the Buddha, and the natural excellence of the teaching!”
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”
“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
“Once upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the demons. Then Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the gods of the Thirty-Three:
‘Good sirs, when the gods are fighting, if you get scared or terrified, just look up at my banner’s crest. Then your fear and terror will go away.
If you can’t see my banner’s crest, then look up at the banner’s crest of Pajāpati, king of gods. Then your fear and terror will go away.
If you can’t see his banner’s crest, then look up at the banner’s crest of Varuṇa, king of gods. Then your fear and terror will go away.
If you can’t see his banner’s crest, then look up at the banner’s crest of Īsāna, king of gods. Then your fear and terror will go away.’
However, when they look up at those banner’s crests their fear and terror might go away or it might not.
Why is that? Because Sakka is not free of greed, hate, and delusion. He is fearful, scared, nervous, quick to flee.
But, mendicants, I say this: If you’ve gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut and you get scared or terrified, just recollect me: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ Then your fear and terror will go away.
If you can’t recollect me, then recollect the teaching: ‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’ Then your fear and terror will go away.
If you can’t recollect the teaching, then recollect the Sangha: ‘The Sangha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, direct, methodical, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individuals. This is the Sangha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’ Then your fear and terror will go away.
Why is that? Because the realized One brave, bold, and stands his ground.”
That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy
One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“In the wilderness, at a tree’s root,
or an empty hut, O mendicants,
recollect the Buddha, and no fear will come to you. If you can’t recollect the Buddha
the eldest in the world, the bull of a man
then recollect the teaching, emancipating, well taught.
If you can’t recollect the teaching,
emancipating, well taught then recollect the Sangha, the supreme field of merit.
Thus recollecting the Buddha, the teaching, and the Sangha, mendicants, fear and terror
“ So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha, “Does Master Gotama claim to have awakened to the supreme perfect awakening?”
“If anyone should rightly be said to have awakened to the supreme perfect awakening, it’s me. For, great king, I have awakened to the supreme perfect awakening.”
“Well, there are those ascetics and brahmins who lead an order and a community, and teach a community. They’re well-known and famous religious founders, regarded as holy by many people. That is, Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta, Pakudha Kaccāyana, and Ajita Kesakambala. I also asked them whether they claimed to have awakened to the supreme perfect awakening, but they made no such claim. So why do you, given that you’re so young in age and newly gone forth?”
“Great king, these four things should not be looked down upon or disparaged because they are young. What four? An aristocrat, a snake, a fire, and a mendicant. These four things should not be looked down upon or disparaged because they are young.”
That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“A man should not despise
an aristocrat of impeccable lineage,
high-born and famous,
just because they’re young.
For it’s possible that that lord of men,
as aristocrat, will gain the throne.
And in his anger he’ll execute a royal punishment,
