Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Nov. 2: Prominent Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders representing different schools of Tibetan Buddhism joined spiritual masters from across the Buddhist world for the inauguration and consecration of 108 Jangchub Chortens or stupas in Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City on Sunday, lending the landmark religious undertaking a significant pan-Himalayan Buddhist dimension.
Among the prominent Tibetan religious figures at the ceremony were His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje; the 105th Gaden Tripa, Jetsun Lobsang Dorje Pelsangpo; His Holiness Sakya Gongma Trichen Rinpoche; His Eminence Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche; Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche; His Eminence Gyetrul Jigme Rinpoche; His Eminence Khöndung Asanga Vajra Sakya Rinpoche; and His Eminence Khöndung Vajra Avikrita Vajra Sakya Rinpoche.
The participation of these eminent Tibetan Buddhist hierarchs highlighted Bhutan’s longstanding religious and cultural ties to Tibetan Buddhism, whose philosophical traditions, spiritual lineages, and monastic institutions have profoundly shaped the Himalayan Buddhist landscape. Their presence also highlighted the enduring religious connections transcending geographical and political boundaries, reaffirming the shared spiritual heritage linking Tibetan Buddhist communities across the Himalayan region.
For Tibetan Buddhists, the gathering of prominent spiritual masters from different traditions in Bhutan also reflects the enduring religious interconnectedness of Himalayan Buddhist societies. Despite geographical and political boundaries, the monastic lineages, teachings, ritual practices, and spiritual relationships of these communities have long transcended national frontiers.
Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who conceived and spearheaded Project 108, attended the consecration alongside members of the royal family and the country’s religious and political leadership. In his address following the completion of the project, the King expressed gratitude to the patrons, sponsors, supporters and well-wishers whose contributions made the undertaking possible.
The 108 Jangchub Chortens, each standing approximately 15 metres tall and spaced 108 metres apart, stretch along an approximately 11.7-kilometre corridor beside the Aie (Mau Chhu) River in Gelephu. Their external structures were erected through a coordinated undertaking on November 1, with approximately 40,000 volunteers completing the construction in around 12 hours. An estimated 200,000 people gathered to witness the historic occasion, according to media reports.
Beyond its remarkable scale, Project 108 carries profound spiritual symbolism rooted in Buddhist cosmology and practice. The number 108 holds particular significance across Buddhist traditions, traditionally associated with the afflictions and defilements that practitioners seek to overcome on the path towards liberation and enlightenment. Known as Jangchub Chortens, or stupas of enlightenment, the structures are intended to embody aspirations for peace, compassion, spiritual awakening, and the well-being of all sentient beings.
