EXCURSIONS: Gampo Abbey, Part 2

“Excursions” is a blog post category presenting content that is peripherally connected to the Houston, Texas area in either the thematic and/or the geographic senses. 

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In Part 1 of this discourse, a general photo tour of Gampo Abbey and its grounds was presented.  This present post was reserved for a description of the Abbey’s Stupa of Enlightenment, which is so rich in content that it warrants a standalone presentation.

View of the stupa from the adjacent roadway.

A "stupa" is a mound-like devotional monument containing relics and other symbolic and historical items.  Many stupas throughout the Buddhist world have been erected without interpretive guidance, but the Stupa of Enlightenment is surrounded by a series of granite plaques upon which words of wisdom (called the "Lojong slogans" or "Atisha slogans") have been inscribed in plain English.  They are presented below without comment and within the order of their clockwise appearance along the stupa perimeter, so that each can be contemplated on its own merits.  Even those blog readers who are unfamiliar with Buddhist terminology and concepts will recognize abundant universal wisdom within this series.