The Great Stupa an unexpected gem

While in Bendigo last week mum suggested we go and visit The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion.

As a reformed drinker my mind sprung to an assumption about the word Stupa and associated it immediately with the word 'stupor' a state I have known all too well, which had little to do with compassion and I had no interest in re-visiting. She said it's a Buddhist thing so I looked it up. 

Apparently according to Wiki a 'Stupa' is: "...a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics that is used as a place of meditation. A related architectural term is a chaitya, which is a prayer hall or temple containing a stupa."

Sure I said that sounds interesting.

So after my ride from Heathcote we visited the Cathedral then had lunch (Chicken meat I'm afraid we're not very good Buddhists), before heading out of town to a Buddhist colony just down the road a bit. 

Dad making his way along the holy path

When we arrived at the property I wasn't sure what to expect... I mean they call it 'Great' so I figured it was something big but I couldn't really imagine how big.

I won't bang on with all the stuff I don't really know or understand about Buddhism or the particular school that is responsible for creation of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion... but I will say they are committed! The building has been in construction for years. The grounds contain the beginnings of an amazing garden that combined with the Stupa appear as a giant Mandala from above. 

There are statues, sculptures and stones piled in cairns. There are prayer wheels and a wishing well, elephants with their trunks raised and even a statue of St Francis.

The Stupa has not been completed but they are hoping to raise the final tower of the roof by the end of the year. You can get a free tour of the inside which contains some relics and The Jade Buddha of Universal Peace. I have not included a photo of 'The Jade Buddha' it would not do justice.

A slightly smaller Jade Buddha

If you wander down the path to the left of the Stupa you will find the Atisha Buddhist Centre, which was a small, more lived in space that had a caffe and a fantastic little meditation room.

The Stupa was Great, the amount of work going into this place is phenomenal. Maybe seeing photos could lessen the impact of a first hand experience, but I don't think so. The magic of this place is not in the decorative ornaments or the relics, it is the spirit that seems to emit from the place thanks to the efforts of devotees.

When it's done the Stupa will look something like this

The Great Stupa and Atisha Buddhist centre can be found at 25 Sandhurst Town Road, Myers Flat