Jowo Rinpoche statue
|
The Buddhist Pilgrimage Site Opened in Arlington, Massachusetts
A full-size emanation replica of the Jowo Rinpoche statue, Tibet's most revered icon, has arrived at the Jokhang Institute, a Tibetan Buddhist organization located in Arlington, Massachusetts. Bringing the statue to the U. S. was the vision of Spiritual Director, Venerable Lama Konchok Sonam, who has created a pilgrimage site for Buddhists and people of all faiths to be able to experience the statue's great benefits. According to Lama Sonam, "The statue grants 'liberation through seeing,' for just looking at Jowo Rinpoche quickens the path to enlightenment." Alexis Tsapatsaris, Jokhang Institute President, said, "Jowo Rinpoche has been here for just a short time, but I have already seen its transformative power."
The original statue, a larger than life-size Buddha Shakyamuni, is especially revered since it was made during the Buddha's lifetime. Brought to Tibet in the 7th century by Princess Wencheng (King Songsten Gampo's Chinese wife) the statue has been in its own temple in Lhasa, the Jokhang, for hundreds of years. The U.S. Jowo Rinpoche is called an "emanation replica" because it possesses all the spiritual powers of the original in Lhasa: a source of blessings for practitioners of all faiths, and a visual manifestation of innate benevolence that all can respond to.
More information about the statue and pilgrimage site can be found at www.Jokhang.org .
|
