A unique group of the finest artists from Bhutan and Nepal gathered over several years to work under Kunzang Dechen Lingpa Rinpoche, one of the last remaining visionary masters of Tibetan Buddhism. These artists assisted in the construction of a new monastery and temple, creating an oasis of Buddhist sacred art, including dazzling murals, statues, decorative architectural art, and other elements reflecting hundreds of years of Himalayan artistic tradition.
Instructions to construct the monastery and temple were revealed to Kunzang Dechen Lingpa Rinpoche in a dream after seven years of solitary retreat, along with an exact vision of where the structure should be placed and what it should look like. Some years later, Rinpoche found the site on a hilltop in Arunachal Pradesh in the Himalayas, one of the poorest and most remote areas in the world although also one of the most spectacularly beautiful. The location is exactly as described in his dream, including its relationship to eight surrounding major mountains and to local caves to the north, south, east and west. With his own limited resources, Rinpoche acquired the land and started work; a monastic community of over 170 monks and nuns has since come together under his guidance. It was Rinpoche’s aspiration that this community become an oasis of Buddhist scholarship, sacred art, meditation and service. The precise size, appearance and architectural details of the new temple were constructed exactly according to Rinpoche’s dreams.
Those of us who appreciate this sacred art can now give back to the traditional cultural origins to preserve the art and carry on these traditions. Please enjoy the collection of images above and click here to support the ongoing creation and maintenance of these precious artistic traditions. All donations are tax deductible in the USA.