Foyer on Level 1


Receive countless blessings and collect skies of merit by circumambulating the holy objects in our main foyer—a giant prayer wheel and a stupa island.

Giant Prayer Wheel

Just inside our main entrance and visible from the street is an enormous golden prayer wheel. It is carved with the mantra of Chenresig [Avalokiteshvara] and the Eight Auspicious Symbols, and adorned with a brocade banner and pearl garlands. This ornate specimen of Tibetan craftwork serves more than a decorative function. Inside the drum of the prayer wheel are numerous reels printed with Chenresig’s mantra, OM MANI PADME HUM. There are a total of 156 billion Mani mantras on specially made microfilm!

Take your turn in spinning the prayer wheel while circumambulating and receive the precious blessings of these countless Mani mantras.

 

 

 

 

Stupa Island

In the centre of the foyer is a glass-encased formation of many small stupas and statues surrounding a two-feet tall Kadampa stupa. There are rows of six-inch tall Maitreya Buddha statues, gold medallions embossed with 1,000-armed Chenresig, and five-inch Enlightenment stupas. A statue of Amitabha Buddha stands in front. Above and below the central platform are thousands of Dharma texts, such as the entire collection of the Buddha’s teachings, and hundreds and thousands of the Golden Light Sutra, Vajra Cutter Sutra and the Heart Sutra—actual books as well as electronic copies. This structure forms a precious stupa island where one can pay homage, make light and flower offerings, and circumambulate, accumulating vast merits and purifying eons of negativities.

Visitors can help themselves to our supply of tea light offerings and drop in a token donation in exchange for the service.


 

Offering light is an especially quick way to collect merit and to receive blessings.

– Lama Zopa Rinpoche