Difference between revisions of "Bhutan’s Zangdog Pelri Temples: Paradises of Guru Rinpoche"
(Created page with " Zangdog Pelri ({{BigTibetan|ཟངས་མདོག་དཔལ་རི་}}) or the Copper Coloured Mountain is a style of temple architecture that r...") |
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| − | Zangdog Pelri ({{BigTibetan| | + | [[Zangdog Pelri]] ({{BigTibetan|[[ཟངས་མདོག་དཔལ་རི]]}}) or the [[Copper Coloured Mountain]] is a style of [[temple]] [[architecture]] that represents the {{Wiki|Copper}} Coloured Palace of [[Padmasambhava]] that is said to be located in the land of [[rākśasas]] or [[srinpo]] ({{BigTibetan|[[སྲིན་པོ]]}}{{BigTibetan|་}}) {{Wiki|demons}}. The prevalence of Zangdog Pelri [[temples]] in [[Bhutan]] is due to the prominence of [[Padmasambhava]] in Bhutan’s [[religious]] {{Wiki|culture}}. [[Padmasambhava]], who is commonly known as [[Guru Rinpoche]] or [[precious]] [[teacher]] in [[Bhutan]], is the most popular and {{Wiki|pervasive}} [[religious]] figure in Bhutan’s [[Buddhist traditions]]. |
| − | + | He is credited with the introduction of [[Buddhist teachings]] to [[Bhutan]], with the subjugation of wild and [[malevolent]] forces in the land, and the sanctification of every part of the country. He is said to have come to central [[Bhutan]] in the 8th century and spread the [[teachings of the Buddha]] and blessed the [[people]] of the land that constitutes {{Wiki|modern}} [[Bhutan]]. | |
| − | + | To the [[Bhutanese]] [[religious]] [[consciousness]], [[Guru Rinpoche]] is the most popular [[deity]] or [[Buddha]], believed to be connected to [[Bhutan]] through [[karma]]. From the basic [[prayers]] children mumble to grand [[state]] {{Wiki|ceremonies}}, [[Guru Rinpoche]] [[forms]] the focus of many of Bhutan’s [[religious]] practices. He is considered an [[enlightened]] force who [[exists]] beyond spatial and {{Wiki|temporal}} constructions, beyond [[birth]] and [[death]]. | |
| − | The Zangdog Pelri edifices across [[Bhutan]], despite minor differences, have three floors depicting the [[realms]] of these three [[Buddhas]], who are in [[essence]] one and the same. The sculptures on the three floors includes [[Buddhas]], [[deities]], and figures who constitute the {{Wiki|retinues}} of the three [[Buddhas]]. In the main [[shrine]] on the ground floor, [[Padmasambhava]] takes the central place surrounded by his [[disciples]] [[including]] the two chief {{Wiki|female}} [[consorts]], his twenty-five [[Tibetan]] followers and the many [[treasure]] discoverers. Wall murals also depict the [[Copper Coloured Mountain]] [[heaven realm]]. Though the structures reflect the Zangdog Pelri [[realm]], they serve all the functions of any other [[temple]]. Thus, like most other [[lhakhangs]], Zangdog Pelri [[temples]] are also hubs of [[religious]] [[activities]] and public events. | + | Zangdog Pelri, as the place where he has resided since leaving the [[Himalayas]], is seen as a blessed [[realm]] conducive for [[spiritual practices]] that culminate in [[enlightenment]]. He is said to reside there in order to tame unruly {{Wiki|demons}} and frequently visit the [[human world]] through his [[supernatural power]] of [[emanation]]. [[Bhutanese]] pray to be born in Zangdog Pelri in the presence of the [[master]] and his [[enlightened]] retinue. |
| + | |||
| + | There are many [[prayers]] that seek [[rebirth]] in [[Zangdog Pelri]], describing the [[celestial]] palace, its residents and the [[spiritual activities]] that take place there. The palace is described in the [[visions]] and [[dreams]] of many [[religious]] [[saints]] [[including]] that of [[Pema Lingpa]] (1450-1521), Bhutan’s foremost [[religious]] figure who is considered as a [[spiritual son]] of [[Padmasambhava]]. [[Zangdog Pelri]] is often depicted in paintings on [[temple]] walls and on [[thangka]] ({{BigTibetan|ཐང་ཀ་}}) [[scroll paintings]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Zangdog Pelri]] [[temples]] are functional three-dimensional {{Wiki|representations}} of [[Padmasambhava’s]] palace. The [[architecture]] is three storeyed with a narrow top floor representing the [[realm]] of the [[Buddha Amitabha]] ({{BigTibetan|[[འོད་དཔག་མེད]]}}{{BigTibetan|་}}), the middle floor the [[realm]] of the [[bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara]] ({{BigTibetan|[[སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས]]}}{{BigTibetan|་}}) and a broad ground floor as the [[realm]] of [[Padmasambhava]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | According to the [[Nyingma school]] of [[Buddhism in Bhutan]], these three [[Buddhas]] represent the three embodiments of [[enlightenment]] known as the [[trikāya]] or kusum ({{BigTibetan|[[སྐུ་གསུམ]]}}{{BigTibetan|་}}). [[Amitabha]] represents the [[dharmakāya]] or choku ({{BigTibetan|[[ཆོས་སྐུ]]}}{{BigTibetan|་}}), the [[body of reality]] or [[truth]], which is the intrinsic [[state]] of [[enlightened mind]], the [[Buddha’s]] [[spirit]]. [[Avalokiteśvara]] is the [[sambhogakāya]] or longku ({{BigTibetan|[[ལོངས་སྐུ]]}}{{BigTibetan|་}}), the [[enjoyment body]], the {{Wiki|perfect}} [[physical]] expression of the [[enlightened]] [[spirit]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[enlightened]] [[spirit]] of [[enlightenment]] [[manifests]] in the [[form]] of a {{Wiki|perfect}} [[body]] with all the positive qualities. [[Padmasambhava]] represents the [[nirmāṇakāya]] or [[trulku]] ({{BigTibetan|[[སྤྲུལ་སྐུ]]}}{{BigTibetan|་}}), the spontaneous and {{Wiki|pervasive}} [[emanation of the Buddha]] in {{Wiki|myriad}} [[forms]] to help [[sentient beings]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[Zangdog Pelri]] edifices across [[Bhutan]], despite minor differences, have three floors depicting the [[realms]] of these three [[Buddhas]], who are in [[essence]] one and the same. The sculptures on the three floors includes [[Buddhas]], [[deities]], and figures who constitute the {{Wiki|retinues}} of the three [[Buddhas]]. In the main [[shrine]] on the ground floor, [[Padmasambhava]] takes the central place surrounded by his [[disciples]] [[including]] the two chief {{Wiki|female}} [[consorts]], his twenty-five [[Tibetan]] followers and the many [[treasure]] discoverers. Wall murals also depict the [[Copper Coloured Mountain]] [[heaven realm]]. Though the structures reflect the Zangdog Pelri [[realm]], they serve all the functions of any other [[temple]]. Thus, like most other [[lhakhangs]], Zangdog Pelri [[temples]] are also hubs of [[religious]] [[activities]] and public events. | ||
Latest revision as of 19:04, 3 August 2022
Zangdog Pelri (ཟངས་མདོག་དཔལ་རི) or the Copper Coloured Mountain is a style of temple architecture that represents the Copper Coloured Palace of Padmasambhava that is said to be located in the land of rākśasas or srinpo (སྲིན་པོ་) demons. The prevalence of Zangdog Pelri temples in Bhutan is due to the prominence of Padmasambhava in Bhutan’s religious culture. Padmasambhava, who is commonly known as Guru Rinpoche or precious teacher in Bhutan, is the most popular and pervasive religious figure in Bhutan’s Buddhist traditions.
He is credited with the introduction of Buddhist teachings to Bhutan, with the subjugation of wild and malevolent forces in the land, and the sanctification of every part of the country. He is said to have come to central Bhutan in the 8th century and spread the teachings of the Buddha and blessed the people of the land that constitutes modern Bhutan.
To the Bhutanese religious consciousness, Guru Rinpoche is the most popular deity or Buddha, believed to be connected to Bhutan through karma. From the basic prayers children mumble to grand state ceremonies, Guru Rinpoche forms the focus of many of Bhutan’s religious practices. He is considered an enlightened force who exists beyond spatial and temporal constructions, beyond birth and death.
Zangdog Pelri, as the place where he has resided since leaving the Himalayas, is seen as a blessed realm conducive for spiritual practices that culminate in enlightenment. He is said to reside there in order to tame unruly demons and frequently visit the human world through his supernatural power of emanation. Bhutanese pray to be born in Zangdog Pelri in the presence of the master and his enlightened retinue.
There are many prayers that seek rebirth in Zangdog Pelri, describing the celestial palace, its residents and the spiritual activities that take place there. The palace is described in the visions and dreams of many religious saints including that of Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), Bhutan’s foremost religious figure who is considered as a spiritual son of Padmasambhava. Zangdog Pelri is often depicted in paintings on temple walls and on thangka (ཐང་ཀ་) scroll paintings.
Zangdog Pelri temples are functional three-dimensional representations of Padmasambhava’s palace. The architecture is three storeyed with a narrow top floor representing the realm of the Buddha Amitabha (འོད་དཔག་མེད་), the middle floor the realm of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་) and a broad ground floor as the realm of Padmasambhava.
According to the Nyingma school of Buddhism in Bhutan, these three Buddhas represent the three embodiments of enlightenment known as the trikāya or kusum (སྐུ་གསུམ་). Amitabha represents the dharmakāya or choku (ཆོས་སྐུ་), the body of reality or truth, which is the intrinsic state of enlightened mind, the Buddha’s spirit. Avalokiteśvara is the sambhogakāya or longku (ལོངས་སྐུ་), the enjoyment body, the perfect physical expression of the enlightened spirit.
The enlightened spirit of enlightenment manifests in the form of a perfect body with all the positive qualities. Padmasambhava represents the nirmāṇakāya or trulku (སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་), the spontaneous and pervasive emanation of the Buddha in myriad forms to help sentient beings.
The Zangdog Pelri edifices across Bhutan, despite minor differences, have three floors depicting the realms of these three Buddhas, who are in essence one and the same. The sculptures on the three floors includes Buddhas, deities, and figures who constitute the retinues of the three Buddhas. In the main shrine on the ground floor, Padmasambhava takes the central place surrounded by his disciples including the two chief female consorts, his twenty-five Tibetan followers and the many treasure discoverers. Wall murals also depict the Copper Coloured Mountain heaven realm. Though the structures reflect the Zangdog Pelri realm, they serve all the functions of any other temple. Thus, like most other lhakhangs, Zangdog Pelri temples are also hubs of religious activities and public events.
Karma Phuntsho is a social thinker and worker, the President of the Loden Foundation and the author of many books and articles including The History of Bhutan.
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