Dear Sangha,

I know that all of this fundraising must seem endless, and I can only apologise for that, but we are just at a stage of establishing ourselves, like a toddler just learning to walk, we need all of the support we can get.

We have the building - and that, in itself, is amazing and wonderful, but there is no shrine and no Buddha. As they are at the very heart of a Buddhist centre it is so important to get it right. So you can imagine my excitement when, through auspicious circumstance, I heard that a Tibetan master craftsman was just now in London. The long and short of it being that he came to our centre and gave a quote, and so now I put it out there and see if the interest and support is there for us to have a traditional Tibetan altar.

The shrine and the statue must be the most expensive single items that the centre will need. My apologies for the necessity of this campaign but I feel with the conditions coming together as they have - then perhaps the interest and willingness is there for us to bring it all together.

With blessings in the Dharma,

Lama Rabsang.

 

The Buddhist Altar

The master carpenter made the following sketch for an altar that would contain the Kan-gyur (the 108 volumes of the Buddha's teachings) and the Tangyur, (their commentaries), on either side of a platform for the main central Buddha, which would be open (not encased behind glass), with spaces for other small statues on either side of the plinth above and below the text shelves. And cupboard space below for storing offerings. Select the thumbnail image to see a larger view.

The finished shrine would look something like this (less elaborate and he doesn't paint his work).

His quote, for the materials, his work and two assistants, comes to a total of £9000.

Your support in helping to raise this would be deeply appreciated.

 

The Buddha Statue

 

The centre needs a statue that will become the embodiment of the centre. Seated upon the central plinth of the altar, it will be slightly over two meters tall (to fill the space). The most important thing for the statue is, of course, the face. Serene, calm, beautiful. The images above are of Tibetan craftsmen making a statue in the ancient metalworking tradition, all by hand without powertools. Our statue will be made in such a manner in Nepal (the cheapest place) by the metal workers we are hoping to employ. It would be made in Nepal and shipped to Wales in parts, to be reassembled by us at the centre. It will cost £9000 complete including delivery.

Your support in helping to raise this would be deeply appreciated.

 

(Metalworker Images courtesy Katie Brunton)