Do Ngak DzongCastle of Sutra and Mantra

Great Stupa Animation

The Great Stupa of Boudhanath at sunset

Do Ngak Dzong presents

The Legend of the Great Stupa

Rinpoche had the inspired idea to create an animated short of the Legend of the Great Stupa. It will be split into two parts. Part 1 is the celestial background and Part 2 is the actual building of the Great Stupa. This project is a precursor to the Life Story of Guru Rinpoche animation.

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The teaser

The film's opening, scene by scene, in the words of the screenplay. The pictures are illustrations made for the teaser; the film itself is in the making.

Emaho!
Dharmakaya Amitabha, Boundless Light,
Sambhogakaya Mahakarunika, the Great Compassionate One,
Nirmanakaya Padmakara, the Lotus-Born —
Three kaya lineage gurus, to you I pay homage!

An illustration of the Boudhanath Stupa seen from above, prayer flags streaming from its spire
NarratorThis is the story of the Great Jarung Kashor Stupa, support for the dharmakaya, indivisible from the wisdom-mind of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas, in all the ten directions, past, present and still to come.
An illustration of the hall of Samye, the king and disciples kneeling before the throne among butter lamps
TitleTibet, ~9th Century, The Great Monastery of Glorious Samye, the Unchanging, Spontaneously Accomplished.
An illustration of the Mahaguru Padmasambhava on his throne of cushions, dakinis dancing around him
King Trisong DetsenMost splendiferous Great Guru, lord of all mandalas and Buddha families, lantern of Dharma for suffering beings who have never seen the light of Buddha nature, as your radiance dispels the ignorance of sentient beings, I offer this perfect royal turquoise necklace named Radiant Lamp so beings may understand symbolically.
An illustration of Avalokitesvara seated on a lotus, the six syllables shining at his heart
MahaguruCountless eons ago, beyond measure, the Bodhisattva, the Mahasattva, Noble Avalokitesvara made an aspiration in the presence of the Tathagata Amitabha - to liberate all beings from the swamps of cyclic existence. After rescuing countless wandering beings from samsara’s ocean, he arose from meditation, thinking - AvalokitesvaraNow there’s not a single sentient being left.
An illustration of the goddess Apurna reaching for a blue udumvara flower in the divine garden
MahaguruBut Apurna transgressed the impeccable law of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three by stealing a divine flower. And so was cast down...
An illustration of a red and white light falling through rainbow space toward the earth
MahaguruAnd she landed in the human realm.

The Legend of the Great Stupa

Coming soon with your support

Adapted for the screen by Ngakchang Yeshe Namgyal Dorje Rinpoche & Changchub Trime Pema Wangchuk
Based on The Legend of the Great Stupa by Guru Padmasambhava & Wisdom Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal

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The screenplay

The Legend of the Great Stupa, adapted for the screen by Ngakchang Yeshe Namgyal Dorje Rinpoche and Changchub Trime Pema Wangchuk, based on The Legend of the Great Stupa by Guru Padmasambhava and the Wisdom Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal. It opens:

Emaho!
Dharmakaya Amitabha, Boundless Light,
Sambhogakaya Mahakarunika, the Great Compassionate One,
Nirmanakaya Padmakara, the Lotus-Born —
Three kaya lineage gurus, to you I pay homage!
Concept art of Guru Rinpoche's character

The concept art design of Guru Rinpoche's character.

Read the teaser screenplay (pdf)