A Stupa (Chorten) at Serenity Ridge

First Bön Stupa in US Consecrated During Summer Retreat

Stupa with statue detail of Kuntu ZangpoStupas, or chorten in the Tibetan language, are an important part of Bön and Himalayan culture. Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, headquarters of Ligmincha International, now has its own stupa—the first Bön stupa in the United States and Ligmincha’s fifth stupa worldwide. The new stupa was consecrated during the 2019 Summer Retreat in a ceremony that included His Holiness Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and his family, and many monks.

Within the Nine Ways of Bön, Tonpa Shenrap—founder of the Bön tradition—explained and taught the construction of chortens as a part of the Fifth Way, “The Way of Virtuous Lay Practitioners.” Tonpa Shenrap had his disciples build the first chorten as a support for doing prostrations and circumambulations, expressing and cultivating devotion, and as a way of making offerings to perfect the accumulation of merit and purify negativities. Chorten exist in many forms, each with a precise shape, measurements and other requirements. However, three requirements common to all: they must contain relics of the buddhas; statues and images; and sutric, tantric and dzogchen scriptures.

Group during stupa consecration, June 2019

Ligmincha maintains five stupas around the world. In Mexico there are three stupas. The first Bön stupa built in the West is in Torreón. Consecrated in 2006, it stands 18 meters (59 feet) high and holds room inside for individuals and small groups to practice. Just north of Torreón is the Lerdo stupa, which stands at 12 meters (39 feet) tall. The third is the Great Bön Stupa for World Peace in Valle de Bravo. Dedicated to the Venerable Lopon Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche, His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche and Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, it is the second Bön stupa built in Mexico and the largest in the West. With a height of 34 meters (almost 112 feet), the stupa contains an interior teaching hall with room for more than 200 people. In Poland, about 60 miles from Warsaw, is the Stupa of the Mind of Enlightenment. The newest stupa, at Serenity Ridge Retreat Center near Shipman, Virginia, was consecrated this summer.

Stupa consecrationThe Serenity Ridge stupa is of a type known as an “Elegant Yungdrung Chorten,” or “Yungdrung Kolek Chorten.” It was envisioned and sponsored by Vicki Wheaton, a longtime student of Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and dedicated sangha member. While it purifies the negativities of all sentient beings, this stupa arose from a specific desire to benefit Vicki’s deceased husband, Thashu Lama, who passed away on September 14, 2007, and also her mother, who passed on May 7, 2017.

Khedup Gyatso and Vicki Wheaton

According to Khedup Gyatso, who was instrumental in designing, preparing and building the stupa, “Inside this particular chorten are objects containing the blessings of the Supreme Lord of Refuge the 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche. There are Yungdrung Bön scriptures of sutra, tantra and dzogchen as well as 110 tsa tsa (sacred objects molded during special ceremonies). The benefit of constructing this chorten is that its beauty to the eyes is related to its exact measurements, which illustrate the self-nature of the divine. With these correct measurements, it is a superior dwelling place for enlightened energy. It has been said that if you endeavor to accomplish a construction for the buddhas’ relics, even defilements from the five heinous acts will be purified. Needless to say, lesser acts will be purified. Therefore, how is it possible to express the inconceivable potency of the exalted good qualities of relics? Similarly, through these limitless exalted qualities and power, if future generations of disciples want to purify the two kinds of defilements and complete the two kinds of accumulations, they can make this request at the immeasurable construction for the buddhas’ relics by prostrating, circumambulating and making offerings.”

Excavating the stupa site Vicki Wheaton placing texts in the stupa

Tsa tsa of Sherap Chamma to be placed inside the stupa

The idea for a memorial stupa started more than 10 years ago, and at the time Vicki intended to put it on her own property. But it became clear that more people could benefit by it being at the retreat center, a more public space, and in 2019 all of the conditions and circumstances came together for the stupa to become a reality. She obtained the sok shing, the central beam of the stupa, and the protective cover at the top during a visit to Menri Monastery. While it usually requires months of advance preparation to have such objects made, through the intercession of His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin, Vicki was able to get them “on the spot.” What could have been a significant obstacle simply dissolved. Such things happened repeatedly. Throughout construction seemingly insurmountable obstacles arose, only to evaporate a day or two later.

Lama Yungdrung painting the stupa

Geshe Denma painting the stupa

Tsering Wangmo and Vicki Wheaton with scarves for consecration

Many people were involved in ensuring the success of the project. Khedup Gyatso’s immense knowledge and practicality were indispensable. John Massie helped identify the best location. Raven Cypress Wood was involved in multiple steps. Geshe Denma Gyaltsen of Ligmincha Texas and Lama Yungdrung Lodoe of Ligmincha Mexico painted the final form. Local sangha member Tom Elliot provided his expertise to shape the concrete into the precise forms required by the texts, assisted by Norbu Dawa.

The shrine at the consecration ceremony

His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin during the consecration

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche offers a gift to Vicki Wheaton

Sunrise at the Serenity Ridge stupa

During the second week of the summer retreat, in a ceremony attended by retreat-goers and others, His Holiness Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and his family, and many monks joined in consecrating the stupa.

Located at the front of the property just inside the entrance gate, the stupa is a beautiful place for circumambulating, reciting mantras and resting. From late summer to fall, it is the very first spot that the rising sun falls upon at Serenity Ride. As one approaches, its energetic and healing qualities can be immediately felt. It is a blessing to the land and all who live on it or visit it.

A special thanks to Raven Cypress Wood, whose knowledge was instrumental putting this article together.