Madhyamaka KMC: New Home for First Metal Statue cast By KAS

he stunning new metal Buddha Shakyamuni statue created at the Kadampa Art Studio first appeared at the International NKT-IKBU Summer Festival 2023.. Following the festival Madhyamaka KMC received the news that the center would be the statue’s home. As...

Mar 13, 2024 - 21:01

0 20

Madhyamaka KMC: New Home for First Metal Statue cast By KAS

Madhyamaka KMC: New Home for the first Metal Statue Cast by Kadampa Art Studio

The stunning new metal Buddha Shakyamuni statue created at the Kadampa Art Studio first appeared at the International NKT-IKBU Summer Festival 2023. Following the festival Madhyamaka KMC received the news that the center would be the statue’s home. As a prototype statue for Kadampa Buddhist Centers worldwide, it seemed appropriate that this precious statue would be coming to Madhyamaka KMC, the first Kadampa Center opened by Venerable Geshe-la, back in 1986.

Appearing for the First Time At the International NKT-IKBU Summer Festival

New Shrine At Madhyamaka KMC

The Buddha statue arrived in late October 2023. Weighing around 300kg, it was clear our new Buddha Shakyamuni would not be fully supported in the existing shrine cabinet, so we began fundraising to build a new home for him. Very quickly, and due to the kindness and generosity of many kind benefactors, we had raised the full amount. Dominic began the first phase of work on the new cabinet in November, and then during the January retreats moved up to Madhyamaka KMC to begin the second phase of construction within the main meditation room itself.

While the beautiful cabinet was being constructed by Dominic and his team using a light maple wood, Kadampa artist Jessica Finney refreshed the paintwork and added jewels to many of the statues in preparation for the transition to their new home. The statues of Buddha Shakyamuni’s two disciples, Shariputra and Maudgalyanaputra, have long been a distinguishing feature of the shrine at Madhyamaka KMC, and we were delighted when it was decided they would stay. We also had the good fortune to receive a new Dorje Shugdan statue for the shrine, and will be updating it with two new Kadampa stupas very soon.

The new shrine was finally completed by early March, in time for our Pure Mind, Pure World day course with Gen-la Kelsang Kunsang on 9th March. We are very grateful to Venerable Geshe-la for this beautiful and inspiring development at Madhyamaka KMC that will bring benefit to the thousands of Dharma practitioners and visitors that come to the Center every year.