Dear Friends,
We are pleased to announce an offer from a donor to match $50,000 in donations to Wisdom Foundation made through January 31, 2017, for the special purpose of building a Reliquary Stupa Structure (RSS) in Natural Bridge, VA, for relics of the late Shamar Rinpoche. The RSS in Natural Bridge will house one of the few golden stupas in the world built for Rinpoche’s relics, and the only one in the Americas and Canada. The golden stupa is already complete, ready to be shipped from France to Virginia when we are ready to receive it. The RSS is the next important step in fulfilling Shamar Rinpoche’s vision for a retreat center:
“My goal here in Virginia is to create a very good, authentic Buddhist studies center where people can learn meditation and Buddhist knowledge. I have a vision of a center that will last for many, many generations. Here in Lexington you have a military school that is 175 years old and is still running very well, as is Washington and Lee, which was founded over 250 years ago. My vision is similar. I’m not interested in teachings that developed lately, where someone claims that the Buddha taught something somewhere, but nobody has any proof. Here I’m organizing a center where the Dharma will be transmitted in the form of meditation according to the Buddha’s teachings, and philosophical studies according to the Buddha’s teachings. Not dialectical and not ritualistic, like in Tibetan monasteries; and not New Age either. Simple and authentic, set up in a simple way that society will naturally find acceptable. When I say that we will be focusing on the Buddha’s teachings, I mean that the main philosophical focus is on teachings that the historic Buddha gave to humans on this earth, primarily sutras. Lojong, or Mind Training, will continue to be the main focus of the practice curriculum because it involves a good deal of meditation and I’ve packed everything into it. And of course we will continue to teach practices such as Chenrezig because they are also quite helpful.
Concerning the infrastructure, we have begun to create a lovely park that we will continue to develop. It will be a place that inspires peace and quiet as soon as you enter the grounds: an environment of compassion and of Buddha’s wisdom. That’s why there’s a Buddha pavilion on top of the hill, and a stupa down below. We’re also going to have a Bhutanese water wheel pagoda so that the moment you arrive in this area, you’ll be in contact with the peace that carries the blessings of compassion and wisdom. We plan to build a dining hall, as well as individual retreat cabins for students who come here to learn meditation. There is already a meditation hall for group meditation and teaching. The cabins will mainly be for meditators. This is because meditation teachers like myself and other teachers cannot travel everywhere, and practitioners can’t find good guides just anywhere. You have to study meditation by doing it, and until you’re good at meditating you need guidance. So you can come and we’ll be here to help you learn how to meditate. The structures that have been built so far in Virginia have been made possible by the openhearted kindness of many benefactors and volunteers. The fulfillment of our vision continues to rely on the generosity, commitment, and involvement of individuals.”
Reliquary Building (the “RSS”)
Go to link below: http://virginiaretreatcenter.weebly.com/golden-stupa.html
The Matching Campaign means as of today, any donor of funds to Wisdom Foundation through January 31, 2017, will be matched dollar for dollar up to a total of $50,000. Including the matching donation, the organization has a great opportunity to raise at least $100,000! The total estimated need to complete the RSS is $185,000.
Wisdom Foundation is the non-profit organization founded by Shamar Rinpoche, which organizes the Bodhi Path Buddhist Centers. All donations to Wisdom Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) religious church organization, are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.
How do I give? Any amount of offering is appreciated in this effort. The following methods are available to make your contribution:
1) Send a check via postal mail to: Wisdom Foundation Attention: 2016-17 Reliquary Match 12 Bodhi Path Natural Bridge, VA 24578
2) Give online at: http://www.bodhipath.org/giving-usa
3) Use Paypal to send funds to this email address: accounting@bodhipath.org
4) Donate stock. Stock is received through Edward Jones. Please call us beforehand, and consult your professional advisors.
Thank you everyone for all you do year around for Bodhi Path as a caring student or organizer. We are all fortunate to have such a community of people in our lives.
Sincerely,
Christine Fang Sharon Gamsby
Treasurer Fundraising Drive Coordinator
Wisdom Foundation Wisdom Foundation
Natural Bridge, VA Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Email: office@bodhipath.org
Phone: (540) 228-0545