About The Odiyana Project

WORLD’S LARGEST STATUTE OF GURU PADMASAMBHAVA

A statue of Padmasambhava in the form of Guru Nangsi Zilnoen is being built in Takela, Lhuntse in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Bhutan to bring peace and harmony to the world as prophesied by Lord Buddha and the Great Dzogchen masters. The statue will stand 148 feet tall including 30 foot high lion throne and 17 foot high lotus seat.

Guru Padmasambhava

According to the Mahaparinivana Sutra, when the Buddha was about to pass away at Kushinagara in India, he said ‘impermanence is the nature of all created phenomenon. Death being inevitable, the time for my passing into Nirvana has arrived. Of this you should not grieve… I will be reborn in lotus lake- Dhanakosha, in Uddiyana and will be known as Guru Padmasambhava’. Guru Padmasambhava is also known as Guru Rinpoche, the ‘Precious Master’.

Guru Rinpoche as prophesized appeared miraculously from the Lake Dhanakosha in Uddiyana - the present Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier as the reincarnate Buddha. He discovered the supreme teachings of the true nature and enlightenment, bringing great benefits to sentient beings. This is why Guru Rinpoche is called the Buddha of the Vajrayana.

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A Prophetic Purpose

One of his close attendants had once questioned the Buddha on the merits of making statues, stupas and building monasteries. In response he said:

if someone were to build a huge temple that would house hundreds of thousands of sangha, and if the same person were to make offerings to the sangha, day after day for years; or, conversely, if that person were to make a small stupa the size of a Myrabolan fruit, and a statue of the Buddha the size of the fruit, creation of these two would be more helpful. Both represent the Buddha’s mind and body. As Buddha has limitless qualities, any worship or offering made to these two miniatures would be more precious.

In the 19th century, the two luminaries of the non-sectarian, H.H. Jamyang Khentse Wangpo and H.H. Jamgon Kontrul Thaye, the accomplished Dzogchen masters as well as Tertons foretold the need to construct a five-storied idol of Padmasambhave in the form of Guru Nangsi Zilnoen in Bhutan. They said the statue would bring peace, prosperity and happiness in this universe and also avert war, famine and other natural calamities. Also Terton Lerab Lingpa prophesied that a time will come when there will be a war of horses in Kurteo valley and, to prevent this war, a statue of Guru Nangsi Zilnoen should be built.

Similarly, the late Lama Sonam Zangpo, the most revered yogi of Bhutan advised that, a giant statue of Guru Rinpoche be built in Takela in Lhuntse for ensuring continued prosperity in the world in general and Bhutan in particular.

Location of the project

Terton Lerab Lingpa prophesied, ‘At one point of time, there will be a war of horses in Kurteo valley. To avert this war, a statue of Guru Nangsi Zilnoen should be built’. Likewise, the late Lama Sonam Zangpo, the most revered Yogi of Bhutan, emphasized that, for ensuring continued prosperity in the world in general and Bhutan in particular, a giant statue of Guru Rinpoche should be built in Takila, Lhuntse district in eastern Bhutan.

Map of Bhutan-Click to zoom

Takela has one of the beautiful scenic spots in Lhuntse district. The statue will stand imposingly on the Takela mountain slope overlooking the entire valley of Tangmachu. The slope then gently descends into the Kurichu River. Belonging to the Tangmachu community, an old Lhakhang exists at the site of Guru Statue. The community Lhakhang is on the verge of collapse. Hence, the community graciously offered the old Lhakhang to the Venerable Khenpo Karpo as the site for the construction of the Guru Statue together with the surrounding areas measuring up to 31 acres of land. Not a single household will be affected by the project. Besides, Khenpo will restore the existing old Lhakhang and provide spiritual hone and sanctuary for elderly people.

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Founding Master

Venerable Khenpo Karpo is spearheading the construction of this gigantic Guru Statue. At a young age he studied under the renowned Dzogchen master- H.H Jigdrel Yeshe Dorji alias Dudjom Rinpoche and H.H. Polo Khenpo Rinpoche and served them well. Venerable Khenpo Karpo is one of the spiritual sons of the two masters. According to the wishes of these masters, he had established Pelphu Retreat Center at his native place of Zhongmey in Lhuntse district in 1992. The center has 51 monks.

Motivated by prophesies and blessings of his masters, Khenpo Karpo established the Druk Odiyana Foundation in 2004 to facilitate the construction of statue. The Foundation is mobilizing resources under the chairmanship of Venerable Khenpo Karpo.

Period

The construction work of the project began in February 2008. It is expected to be completed in 2012. As of date, the foundation work as been completed.

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The mobilization of funds

This gigantic statue has no equals in this world. The exact projection of financial requirement to complete this statue is rather difficult as planning and design of Lhakhangs are still evolving. However, the initial estimated cost of equipment, materials and labor worked out to US $ 3.70 million. Further a substantial cost will be incurred on the interior design, painting, electrification, landscaping, fencing etc. Some activities undertaken to generate funds include:

• Making and selling sacred gaws (protection amulet).
  It will protect from external danger, internal disease and promote mental peace and harmony. Each amulet contains a statue of Guru Rinpoche, which is made of 1258 sacred relics of Budha and Bodhusattvas and innumerable great masters and Siddhas of Tibet and relics from Marpa (master of Milarepa), the 4^th Karmapa H.H. Theg Chog Dorje and the 16th Karmapa H.H. Rang Jung Dorje. Each amulet comes with a Nyang Drol Pill. Ingesting this pill opens the energy channels in the body, providing great healing and protection power. When taken at the time of passing, the pill minimizes the pain of death and ensures higher rebirth.
• Preparing and selling bumter, yangbum, dipsung, takdol, religious texts and sacred religious objects.

• Collecting donations and contributions.
• Inviting potential foreign donors at project site and request them to sponsor a specific cost component.
• Applying to the Royal Government for exemption of taxes and levies, quota for timber, sand and stone.
  

Status and Financial position
The idea of constructing a statue, Guru Nangsi Zilnon at Takela in Lhuentse was mooted in 2004. Since then, tireless works began to raise fund for the project. With some funds available the project construction started in February 2008.

Donations
You can also participate in building this great statue by giving your donation in any form. Cheque within Bhutan can be made in favor of Druk Odiyana Foundation. Donations from outside Bhutan can be transferred through anyone of the following three Bank Accounts. So far a sum of Nu 15.095 million has been received as donations from the general public from Bhutan and abroad. Donation received in cash amounted to Nu 3.266 million and the donations in kind was to Nu. 11.829 million.

Odiyana Tours and Travels
To supplement the needy financial resources, Druk Odiyana Foundation also operates cultural tours programs in Bhutan. Oversee travelers and devotees interested to visit Guru Neys (places where Guru had meditated in Bhutan) can now arrange cultural tour programs with Odiyana Cultural Tours and Travels. More details and enquiry, please visit Druk Odiyana Tours & Travels

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Outline of the Guru Statue

The Statue of Guru Padmasambhava, in form of Guru Nangsi Zilnoen, symbolizes the subjugation of negative forces. It will be built seated on a lotus bed on the lion throne (Sengthri). When completed, the statue will stand 148 feet tall including a 30 foot high lion throne and 17 foot high lotus seat.

The lion throne will be 35 feet wide, measuring an area of about 9,500 square feet and will house two main Lhakhangs (Temple), with seating capacity of 650 to 700 people for religious gatherings and blessings. First Lhakhang will be known as Gangzag Nyenjud Lhakhang and the second one will be Rigzin Dagjud Lhakhang. The vertical connection with staircases from either side will lead to the terrace of the Sengthri at the base of the lotus seat. The terrace will serve as an inner circumambulation path. The lotus seat will house a smaller temple, which will be known as the Gyalwa Gonjud Lhakhang.
On four sides, there will be additional shrines with an open balcony. The Lhakhang can be accessed from three directions, through covered porches adorned with traditional architectural designs. A wide path around the base of the lion throne will serve as a space for circumambulation. Eight stupas will be built around the complex, marking the four corners of the site and four main directions. With all these in place, the entire complex would symbolically represent a Mandala with the Guru in the center.

The Dharani (Zung) and other precious relics and religious objects, together with 100,000 Guru Dewa statues (each 4 inches tall), will be placed inside the statue as dZhung (Guru Dewa statue will be sponsored by individual devotees by paying Nu.1000 for locals and US $ 100 for overseas donors to Druk Odiyana Foundation. The Foundation will then order the statue from Nepal and inscribe the names of the sponsor on the back of statue).

The face of the guru statue will measure 14 feet high. It will be made of copper adorned with pure gold. Once completed and consecrated, the statue will represent the Three Bodies of the Buddha, symbolizing the past, the present and the future Buddha.

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