The legend of the Great Stupa

Abstract

The Legend of the Great Stupa, known in Tibetan , focuses on incarnation, adoration, disaster, and rebirth to convey the power of meritorious action, aspiration, and vow. It is a Tibetan means of instl]Jcting the visionary along the spiritual path, a path that begins with an initial flash of insight into the possibility of enlightenment and ends with the attainment of complete realization. Given in a narrative between Guru Padmasambhava and his entourage of disciples, this teaching takes place in the temple mandala of Samye Ling, the most ancient of the revered shrines of Tibet. The text has been used in ritual for several centuries to eradicate habitual mental patterns of distortion and stupor by evoking a focused concentration upon sound and meaning. The efficacy of this ritual, which is known as Liberation through Hearing, must be personally experienced.