About Event:
We warmly invite you to take part in the special filling and blessing ceremony of the new Thousand-Armed Chenrezig statue, a deeply meaningful event that will be performed by the Gyumed Monks from India.
This is a rare and precious opportunity, perhaps once in a lifetime, to make an offering that will be placed inside the sacred statue before it is sealed and consecrated. If you wish, you are welcome to bring a precious offering, such as a jewel or another meaningful item, to be placed inside the statue during the ceremony.
The ceremony will begin at 9:00 am on Friday, 21 August, and continue until 3:30 pm on Saturday, 22 August, with short breaks throughout. During these two days, the Gyumed Monks will perform traditional filling rituals, blessing ceremonies, pujas, and prayers to prepare and consecrate the statue.
If you are unable to attend in person but would still like to send an offering to be placed inside the statue, please email spc@chenrezig.com.au to arrange the details.
What Does It Mean to Fill a Statue?
Filling a statue is a sacred Buddhist practice in which blessed and meaningful substances are carefully placed inside a hollow statue before it is permanently sealed and consecrated. Through this process, the statue becomes a sacred object of devotion and a support for spiritual practice.
The interior is filled with a carefully arranged collection of precious items representing the enlightened body, speech, and mind of the Buddha. These may include:
Mantras – Consecrated rolls of mantras and prayers, carefully prepared and placed inside the statue.
Relics and Precious Substances – Sacred relics, fragments of holy objects, precious metals such as gold and silver, and precious or semi-precious gemstones.
Medicinal Herbs and Fragrant Substances – Traditional materials such as saffron, sandalwood, incense, and medicinal herbs, which are layered throughout the statue.
Sacred Offerings – Grains, holy earth from sacred places, blessed substances, and miniature clay stupas or tsa-tsas may also be included as offerings.
Each item is placed with prayers, visualisations, and dedication, making the filling ceremony a profound act of merit and devotion. It is considered a rare and precious opportunity to contribute to the creation of a sacred object that will inspire faith, compassion, and wisdom for generations to come.
Following the completion of the ceremony, the Mani Retreat will begin on Saturday, 22 August, with the preparation of the Gompa at 4:00 pm, followed by the introductory session at 6:30 pm.
For those attending the retreat, participating in the filling and blessing ceremony offers a profoundly meaningful way to prepare for the practice. It is a precious opportunity to connect with Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion, before engaging in the visualisation, mantra recitation, and meditations of the retreat. The blessings and prayers performed during the consecration create a powerful foundation for the practice that follows.
We warmly welcome you to join us for this extraordinary and auspicious occasion.
Donation opportunity
If you wish to make a donation to the Gyumed Monks, please use the link bellow: https://buy.stripe.com/14A6oHb0z4l77j9dhzenS0p
The special practice is available in person only and is open to all who wish to participate on site.
This is a wonderful opportunity to create extensive merit and dedicate for yourself, your loved ones, and all sentient beings.