Sacred Buddhist relics are visiting Tuva

Buddhist relics, which will be exhibited in the National Museum of Tuva from 8^th to 16^th August, will be used to consecrate the Buddhist temple complex “Ustuu-Khuree” which is growing by Chadan, as well as Buddhist stupas, hospitals, shelters, and other social institutions. This was discussed at the regular meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and execution of the exhibition of the sacred relics “Maitreya Project”. The committee is headed by the minister of culture and information politics of RT, Vyacheslav Dongak.

One of the of the initiators of the project – the chairwoman of the cultural foundation “Enerel”, Anneta Bodur-Oorzhak, reminded that the main goal of the action was to bring blessings to the greatest possible number of people.

It is believed that contemplation of the relics and circumambulation of them clockwise purifies negative karma accumulated over many lifetimes. Even those who do not believe receive blessings. In Tibet, where they were kept for centuries inside Buddhist statues and stupas, they have always been symbols of holiness and enlightenment.

The unique collection of relics which will be exhibited in Tuva includes a fragment of a tooth of Buddha Kasyapa, blood of Buddha Shakyamuni, a fragment of a text in Tibetan language, written by Tibetan princess Yeshe Tsogyal, who lived in the 9^th century of our era when Buddhism first came to Tibet, and many others. “Every fragment of their bodies contains positive energy, which inspires us to develop good thoughts and keep away the bad ones”, - believes the collector of the relics, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

After the end of the tour, these relics, which have traveled around practically all the countries of the world, will be placed into the heart of a 152 meter statue of the Buddha Maitreya (Buddha of the Future), which is going to be erected in Kushinagar in India in 2015, where, according to the legend, two and a half millennia ago, the Buddha’s ashes were scattered.

According to information of Internet publications, the cost of the bronze statue will be about 250 million dollars. Not counting the pedestal, it will be 152 meters tall, which is about three times the size of the American Statue of Liberty. Inside the statue, visitors will be able to see various relics, including those that will now be on exhibit in Tuva.

“Relics of Christian saints are always traveling throughout Russia, bringing blessings to the believers. Buddhists of Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva have until recently lacked the opportunity to have contact with the holy relics of their religion. The program of the exhibition in the National Museum of Tuva will fill this need”, says the announcement which is being circulated by the organizing committee.

A press-conference with the core organizers of the exhibition, administrators of the project “Maitreya” Andrew Melnic, and others, and representatives of the foundation “Sokhranim Tibet” (SaveTibet”), Igor Yancheglov and Julia Zhironkina. is scheduled for August 8.