Tibetan temple in Manila offers more than visual appeal
Artwork by monks stand out in Sta. Mesa landscape
First posted 01:45am (Mla time) May 21, 2006
By Joscephine Gomez
Inquirer
Editor's Note: Published on page A23 of the May 21, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
WHEN one enters the mystically beautiful edifice on Magistrado Abad Santos Street in Bacood, Sta. Mesa, Manila, there is more than the unusual architecture that draws one to the structure.
The Nedo Kagyu Bodhi Dharma Tibetan Temple stands out in a community of residential houses, sari-sari stores and a talipapa.
Its architectural design, artwork and dharma objects (which represent and are used for the practice of teachings) have meaning, purpose and power to achieve certain ends, according to Chutimpa Pema Techog, administrator of the temple. He is also one of four monks in the center who lead the prayer life and education of the temple’s devotees, as well as the community-at-large.
The center is one of five temples of Tibetan Buddhism in the Philippines, which can all be found in Metro Manila. It is, however, the only one with an authentic Tibetan design as it is patterned after the Karma Kagyu sect’s main temple in Sikkim, India, very near Tibet.
The other four are located on Biak-na-Bato Street (membership: 1,000) in Quezon City; Silencio Street (over 50 members) in Sta. Mesa, Manila; in White Plains, Quezon City (50 members) and on Abad Santos Street in Chinatown. (The membership in the last temple could not be determined).
The Tibetan temple in Bacood was built in 2000 by a group of Filipinos and Chinese-Filipinos five years after the community gathered to pray in an apartment in Binondo, Manila, and a rented space across the Sta. Cruz Church.
Strange and mystical as it appears, the Tibetan temple in Bacood stands as a fort, a shield, a buffer against life’s many twists and turns.
The shrine hall, for instance, is designed to allow individuals to get in touch with the highest aspect of their nature—the Buddha nature—which is believed to reside in every person. This is where one receives the Teachings from a spiritually-advanced teacher called Lama.
Three objects at the altar are held most sacred by Buddhists in the Vajrayana tradition (Vajra stands for diamond strength, unchanged, indestructible while yana is the vehicle that will carry one to Nirvana). These are the statue of a Buddha or Boddhisattva, the sacred text wrapped in maroon or yellow cloth and the miniature stupa.
The statue represents the body of Buddha, the sacred text stands for speech while the stupa represents the mind of Buddha. (In Buddhism, every sentient being has a Buddha nature).
Pictures of other sacred beings—Buddhas, Boddhisattvas, Lamas and Protectors—surround the three sacred objects.
The eight auspicious signs
The eight auspicious signs significant to the Vajrayana path in Buddhism (There are 10 different schools in Buddhism) are used unsparingly in the temple: the Precious Vase, the Precious Parasol, the Golden Fish, the Lotus Flower, the White Conch Shell, the Magnificent Knot, the Victory Banner and the Dharma Wheel.
It is believed that when Shakyamuni Buddha was born 2,550 years ago, all heavenly beings gathered around him and presented him with eight gifts, which later on became a feature of every Tibetan temple.
The Precious Vase is meant for wishing that all sentient beings may receive the complete and flawless teachings of Buddha.
The Precious Parasol, used by Vajrayana Masters in giving empowerment and teaching, represents a wish for all beings’ liberation from suffering.
The Golden Fish symbolizes wisdom and is used for wishing that others develop wisdom to realize the truth of all phenomena.
The Lotus, which is untainted by mud although it grows in muddy places, represents a wish that all may develop the capacity to benefit other beings.
The Conch Shell, which was used as a warning signal during wartime in India, stands for that which can be heard from far and wide such as teaching. It is offered with a wish that all beings be free from attachments to craving and aversion.
Eightfold path
The Victory Banner represents the attainment of supreme enlightenment while the Dharma Wheel with eight spikes represents the teachings of Buddha— the Eightfold Path of right view, right thought, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right diligence, right mindfulness and right concentration.
Practitioners turn this wheel 12 times to remember Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths: the truth about suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the path to the cessation of suffering.
Two other objects in the Tibetan temple, which are not just objets d’art, are the Dorje, which is believed to destroy the ignorance of sentient beings, and the bell, the symbol of awakening from ignorance which is considered the root cause of all suffering.
The two objects are placed beside each other as wisdom (the bell) and skillful means (dorje) must go together.
Musical instruments
Visitors to the temple will notice a unique hand drum called damaru. Made of human skin and bone donated by Lamas before their death, the drum is played when praising the meritorious deeds of the Buddhas and Boddhisattvas.
The kangkling, which is made from human thigh bone, is an instrument with a sound that is akin to the mantra that has power over demons. Its function is similar to the phurpa, except that the latter may not be used unless one has been authorized by transmission to do so.
Another intriguing piece is the kapala set which consists of a cup made from a human skull and a stand composed of three more skulls. It is used as a reminder for impermanence and the three realms: form, desire and the formless realms where all beings are believed to exist, unliberated from suffering.
The Double Dorje, a cross formed by two dorjes, symbolizes the emptiness of the four elements: earth, fire, wind and water.
Very conspicuous are the Tibetan rosaries used for reciting mantras. Consisting of 108 beads, they come in a variety of materials—wood, coral, semi-precious stone and even seeds.
Three precious vases adorn the shrine hall: the chubum, the tshebum and the terbum. The chubum, which contains nectar and peacock feathers and is complemented by soft colorful fabrics, is used in the empowerment ceremony.
The tshebum, a vase without a mouth, is held by a Buddha while the terbum has a cover and no mouth.
Apart from these dharma objects, there are many more elements in the Tibetan temple which cannot be discussed here due to lack of space. They, nevertheless, have an important function in the practice of Buddhism.
All the artwork in the temple, including the colors chosen, have meaning and power over a multitude of concerns. The most commonly used are red, yellow, black, white, green and blue.
According to Chutimpa Pema Techog, all the artwork was done by the monks. This is apparent in the painstakingly executed designs and level of mastery that is reflective of their high standard in the performance of any task and their adeptness at concentration.
(Vesak Day—the day of birth, death and enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha—is celebrated by Buddhists worldwide on the full moon day of the 4th lunar month in the Indian calendar. It will be celebrated on May 28 at the Nedo Kagyu Bodhi Dharma Center. The public is invited. For details, call 7821402.)