15.04.2010

Dear Friends in Dharma,

First of all we have a wonderful springtime in Darnkow. Still some snow around but the sun is shining, birds are singing and first flower come into blossom.

Last autumn we informed you that we started preparation for construction of the stupa. In winter we wanted to have his project draft done and start applying for necessary permissions. Unfortunately, everything was delayed. We had to find a new architect because the previous one demanded enormous pay for his work. Now we have an architect, who is going to prepare the draft for free. We will pay only for facility and construction drafts. After receiving of project draft we can estimate costs of the rest.

We are still waiting for documents about development condition necessary to start procedure of application for construction permit.

We have contacted Tulku Pema Rigdzin Rinpoche, the best stupa constructor in Nningmapa indicated by HH Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche. Tulku Pema Rigdzin Rinpoche sent us technical drawings of the stupa and list of items to put into it. He also recommended one young lama, who will come to Darnkow in May/June to start preparing tsa tsa and texts. We will inform when we know the exact date of Lama Thinley’s arrival. Thus everybody, who wants, can help in tsatsa making and folding of mantra.

Taking the opportunity of Tulku Pema Rigdzin Rinpoche`s visit in Europe this year we invited him also to Darnków. Tulku Pema Rigdzin Rinpoche will come to Darnkow on 19th July, 2010. He will prepare the part of the stupa filling himself. He also revise the project finally and confirm all details with us. Tulku Pema Rigdzin will stay in Darnkow around once month, during HH Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche’s visit, so our aim is to be able to lay a foundation of the stupa and even – it depends on funds we have – build the ground floor of the stupa.

Till now we gathered 20 687 PLN for stupa.

To lay the foundation (digging out, ground leveling around the stupa and installing of drain pipe system) and to make the first floor we need around 100 000 PLN. It is an estimation. We will be able to give you more exact number after getting the project draft. Still it is possible to start sending donations for stupa construction to the Khordong Poland Association bank account:

Zwi?zek Buddyjski Khordong
Bank PKO BP S.A. Kudowa Zdrój
PL 90 1020 5112 0000 7902 0035 5347
SWIFT: BPKO PL PW

Do not forget to write: „For stupa in Darnkow”, please.

As for the stupa filling we do not need many items to be put into the ground floor. The main filling will start from next floor. This year we would like to lay the foundation where weapons and tools are put. The ground floor: few bumpas are put into the back wall of the stupa and eight auspicious symbols are placed over the entrance. During next year we will gather funds and prepare the rest of items. Our aim is to build the next floor in 2011, or even finish the entire stupa.

We deeply believe that we will be able to finish constructing of the stupa ground floor this year.

Here is the tentative list of items to be put inside the stupa: Items we have to bring from Nepal or India:

  1. Mandalas, around 40 cm in diameter, 2 pcs.
  2. Bumpas (medium size) 13 pcs.
  3. Golden coloured tsa tsa, 99 pcs., white colour tsa tsa, 108 pcs.,
  4. Mantra scrolls (Zung) – still we do not know details about them, Lama Thinley is to bring texts.
  5. Dry and fine sand to fill in empty space inside the stupa;
  6. Clay bowls for tsang offering, 8 pcs.
  7. Bumpas with neck (usually used for initation), 2 pcs
  8. Different, fine (also Donatem by sangha members);
  9. Sok Ching, (a core of the stupa), 9 m tall, 1 ft in diameter, made of the hardest tree we can find in Poland;
  10. Saffron, 4,5 kg
  11. Small, white shells;
  12. Small bowls for offerings, around 2 cm in diameter, 80 pcs., copper or [other] metal.
  13. Jewellery, gemstones, (including donations of sangha members);
  14. Weapons: guns are not necessary, knives are sufficient;
  15. butterlamps, 15 pcs.
  16. Bundles of string i 5 different colours;
  17. Fabrics in 5 different colours, 4 m. long, 1 m. wide.
  18. 8 auspicious symbols (metal)
  19. Wooden boxes for mandalas. They must be solid enough not to decompose easily inside the stupa.
  20. Different kinds of grain (not poisonous!), 3 kg each.
  21. Ghee butter for butterlamps.
  22. Attention! It is very important! Few kinds of medicine herbs must be purchased in Nepal or India, 1 kg minimum of each:
    kakola, sukmel, ciukang, dzathi, kabur, kaczie shaka, cenden karpo, aru, baru, kyuru.

    Limes we can get in Poland:

The stupa in Darnkow will be our Rinpoche’s stupa. Tulku Ugen choose this so-called stupa of enlightment. He stressed many times that our Rinpoche’s stupa should have been as big as we could construct. Tulku Ugen also suggested costructing a meditation room inside the stupa. Following these instructions we are going to construct stupa with 9x9 metres square base (81 square metres) and 17 metres high. It will be higher that gompa and the meditation room will be located on the first floor. This project was accepted by Gudrun.

We consulted everything with Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Tulku Ugen and Gudrun. They said that stupa should have been filled with the best quality objects in a very specific way. Tsatsa must be perfectly prepared, strips of paper with mantras must be folded precisely and located without any mistake. All objects must be located in specified way and space among them must be filled with washed and dried sand. It is our responsibility to costruct a stupa, which will emanate positive energy and fulfil its task. HH Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche stressed that any mistake done during the construction process destroys all efforts. Moreover, it can cause a harmful effect of generating negative energy. To avoid any fault we asked for supervision to Tulku Pema Rinpoche, an expert assigned by HH Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche. From now on, we consult everything with Tulku Pema Rinpoche.

Many objects from the list will be purchased in Nepal and sent to Poland. We are negotiating prices now. The rest will be found in Poland. As you remember well, we put valuables – jewellery, noble metals, gemstones to the stupa too. It would be good to get a part of them as a gift donated by sangha members. Few years ago we sent such gift for stupa in Siliguri and now we need it in Darnkow. Construction costs are high but we do it for our Rinpoche and for the sake of all sentinet beings.

We are deeply convinced that thanks to our Rinpoche’s blessing we managed to build our gompa and now we will construct the stupa.

With best regards from Darnków
Management Board of Polish Khordong Association

***04/10ar