CENTERS
Bhakha Tulku Rinpoche founded a center in Tularosa decades ago feeling a strong connection with the land.
Tularosa is set within a vast and beautiful desert landscape with a 360° view of the sky, and is located near the Trinity Site where the first atomic bomb was detonated. It also lies next to Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range, the largest military installation in the U.S. and a major center for weapons development. This makes Tularosa an especially meaningful place for Dharma activity, for building a stupa, and for praying for peace.
Land of Orgyen Tularosa, New Mexico
Sampa Lhundrupma Shrine
Rinpoche built a shrine devoted to the manifestations of Guru Rinpoche invoked in the Sampa Lhundrupma (“Spontaneous Fulfillment of Wishes”) prayer. Verse by verse, the prayer calls upon thirteen different forms of Guru Rinpoche, each for subduing a particular danger. Of these, Rinpoche has chosen six of special relevance in today’s times:
Orgyen Drekpa Kundul — against war
Orgyen Men Lha — for healing
Orgyen Khandro Norlha — for wealth
Orgyen Jung Zhi Wang Gyur — for mastering the four elements
Orgyen Dorje Gur — against assailants and terrorism
Orgyen Nangwa Thaye — for the time of death
ORGYEN DREKPA KUNDUL STATUE: The focal point of the shrine is Orgyen Drekpa Kundul, the manifestation of Guru Rinpoche specifically invoked to prevent war and to promote peace. He subdues all aggression between nations, and is shown as if walking, his hands in a threatening gesture, surrounded by four protectors.
THANGKAS (scroll paintings) of the other five manifestations are featured on the walls around the central statue:
Orgyen Men Lha (medicine deity) is blue. His right hand holds five arura fruits of different colors and qualities that cure all diseases; his left hand holds a kapala (skull cup) filled with dutsi (nectar).
Orgyen Khandro Norlha (wealth deity) is golden yellow. He holds a wish-fulfilling jewel in his right hand and a skull cup filled with amrita in his left, surrounded by a retinue of four deities.
Orgyen Jung Zhi Wang Gyur (master of the four elements) is light blue. His right hand holds Mount Meru and his left a lasso of fire and wind. He averts the elemental dangers of fire, earthquake, flood, tsunami, tornado and hurricane, with a retinue of elemental dakinis of wind, water, fire and earth in each direction.
Orgyen Dorje Gur (Vajra Tent) is golden. He holds a sword in his right hand to stop attacks and an iron hook in his left to capture the attackers by their hearts.
Orgyen Nangwa Thaye (Amitabha) is red, holding a pink lotus in his right hand and the Buddha’s begging bowl filled with amrita in his left. Praying to him eases the experience of death.
THE POWER OF FAITH: When we pray with faith to Guru Rinpoche and his many manifestations, it can surely avert war and conflict, heal illness, balance the elements, bring prosperity in life, and ease the passage at death. Rinpoche has asked his students to practice the Sampa Lhundrupma especially in these difficult times. As Rinpoche says: “Pray intensely to Guru Rinpoche without doubt… This prayer will definitely make a difference if you can repeat it at least 108 times.”
Bhakha Tulku Rinpoche with the Orgyen Drekpa Kun Dul statue.
THE MANI WALL: Most of Bhakha Rinpoche’s mani stones, written in his own calligraphy and carved by his students, are placed here in Tularosa. Stone by stone, the carved mantras are being stacked into a mani wall. Rinpoche has said that these stones will benefit the environment, spirits and animals, and agriculture in all directions.
Ösel Khandro Duwei Ling Zuni Mountain, New Mexico
Ösel Khandro Duwei Ling, The Gathering Place of the Dakinis, was established by Bhakha Rinpoche and is home to the Dorje Drolod Stupa, which Rinpoche finished building and consecrated in 2009. The stupa is over 50 ft. high and houses a shrine room in its base, large enough for approximately 30 practitioners to perform group pujas during our annual retreats.
The Zuni Mountain Stupa and its retreat land are cared for by Vairotsana Foundation New Mexico.