The Story of the Amitabha Stupa

Every stupa begins with the vision and inspiration of an authentic spiritual master. In the case of the Amitabha Stupa that vision came from Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo who was recognized by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche as a reincarnate bodhisattva (tulku) and Palyul lineage holder in the Nyingma tradition of Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism. She saw that the Amitabha Stupa, built in Sedona during these troubled and turbulent times, would ease the suffering of the world and bring tremendous blessing to those who visit and live in the region.

Jetsunma is the founder and spiritual director of Kunzang Palyul Chöling (KPC), and its worldwide centers for compassionate practice, activity and outreach. Jetsunma has built nearly three dozen stupas, bringing together the talents, resources, generosity and energy of hundreds of volunteers.

To oversee the building of the Amitabha Stupa, Jetsunma invited one of the foremost stupa builders in the world, Tulku Sang-nang Rinpoche. Rinpoche came to Sedona to manage the Stupa’s construction and to lead ceremonies that would create the most auspicious conditions for the building and empowerment of the Amitabha Stupa.

It took 18 months to complete the Amitabha Stupa. The construction culminated with a three-day consecration ceremony in July and August of 2004. Since that time, tens of thousands of visitors from around the world have come to the Amitabha Stupa looking for healing for themselves or loved ones, solace from sorrows, good fortune, long life, help for those dying or deceased, and, most especially, for the ultimate goal of spiritual awakening.

Most people have no idea that stupas are filled to the very top with hundreds of sacred objects. The Amitabha Stupa contains these offerings:  sacred mandalas for prosperity, well-being and peace which antidote specific causes of suffering, close to a billion mantras for peace, compassion, and the pacification of negativity, precious medicines from around the world, and earth from every continent.

Within the Amitabha Stupa there is also a sacred relic from the Buddha of our time, Shakyamuni (Gautama) Buddha! There are numerous other extraordinary relics from past living Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. These relics give the Amitabha Stupa its profound potency to alter the karmic fabric for all who stand in its presence.