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Buddha Park of Ravangla

The Buddha Park of Ravangla, also known as Tathagata Tsal, is situated near Rabong (Ravangla) in South Sikkim district, Sikkim, India.

It was constructed between 2006 and 2013 and features a 40 m (130 ft) high statue of the Buddha as its centerpiece. The site was chosen within the larger religious complex of the Rabong Gompa (Monastery), itself a centuries-old place of pilgrimage. Also nearby is Ralang Monastery, a key monastery in Tibetan Buddhism.

The statue was consecrated on 25 March 2013 by the 14th Dalai Lama, and became a stop on the 'Himalayan Buddhist Circuit'. The statue of the Buddha marks the occasion of the 2550th birth anniversary of Gautama Buddha. This statue was built and installed in the place through the joint efforts of the Sikkim government and its people. The Buddhist circuit of this park was built here under a State government project, for boosting pilgrimage and tourism in the region. The Cho Djo lake is located within the complex, surrounded by forest.

Entrance to the Buddha Park of Ravangla.
The Buddha Park is located approximately 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of the city of Ravangla, in the South Sikkim district of India's Sikkim state.


Prayer wheels.
A prayer wheel is a cylindrical wheel (Tibetan: 'khor lo) on a spindle made from metal, wood, stone, leather, or coarse cotton, widely used in Tibet and areas where Tibetan culture is predominant.

  • Traditionally, a mantra is written in Ranjana script or Tibetan script, on the outside of the wheel. The mantra Om mani padme hum is most commonly used, but other mantras may be used as well.
  • At the core of the cylinder is a "life tree" often made of wood or metal with certain mantras written on or wrapped around it. Many thousands (or in the case of larger prayer wheels, millions) of mantras are then wrapped around this life tree.
  • According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition based on the lineage texts regarding prayer wheels, spinning such a wheel will have much the same meritorious effect as orally reciting the prayers.
  • See more at Prayer wheel - Wikipedia.

Buddha Park seen from the southeast.
The park has a tranquil setting with spacious pathways, and there is a Buddhist conclave, a meditation centre and a museum with a spiral gallery.


Access gate to the Buddha statue.

Buddha statue.
The statue, built of 60 tonnes of copper, is an example of repousse work.


The Nine Stages of Mental Development.
Samatha ("calm," "serenity," "tranquillity of awareness,") and vipassana (literally "special, super (vi-), seeing (-passana)", are two qualities of the mind developed in tandem in Buddhist practice.

  • According to Thrangu Rinpoche, when samatha and vipasyana are combined, through samatha disturbing emotions are abandoned, which thus facilitates vipasyana, "clear seeing". Vipasyana is cultivated through reasoning, logic, and analysis in conjunction with samatha.
  • See more at Samatha-vipassana - Wikipedia.

Six symbols of longevity.
The painting refers to a very old legend about an extremely beautiful and tranquil place where people dream to be, a cloud-kissing, firm and eternal Stone Mountain which, like the right-turning conch was worshiped by Amitayus; "a longevous old man" with a large, plump forehead and a long white beard on his face, benevolent in appearance and holding an ancient precious bottle and holy peach.

  • He is living happily in the charming landscape. The hot spring, worshiped by the old man, is welling up from the valley of the Stone Mountain and flowing eternally to foster good health; an old tree living on this land and nourished by the hot spring is deeply rooted in the earth and appears to be flourishing and fruitful.
  • It is a sacred place for people to enjoy the cool atmosphere; cranes are also living in this abundant land, shadowed by the ancient tree, fed with eternal fruits, and looked after by the old man. They happily search for food in his yard, which attracts various kinds of birds and beasts.
  • On the grassland, not far from the old man, a buck and a doe are romping; having been protected by the old man, they are enjoying the profuse grass and abundant spring water.

See also

Source

Location

Location: Ralong Rd, Ravangla, Sikkim 737139, India