Kshitigarbha Statue

During Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s visit to Tushita in 2013, Rinpoche said “Kshitigarbha is so important compared to all the other bodhisattvas.  If you make prayers to Kshitigarbha, the prayers are 100 million times more powerful than other bodhisattvas.  Make a Kshitigarbha statue where people can make offerings and make strong prayers. Ksitigarbha is very powerful for success”.

So this is what we have done! A beautiful, life-size marble statue of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha now resides in its own gorgeous shrine where everyone can make offerings and prayers.

Unpainted Kshitigarbha

Rinpoche selected an artist in Varanasi where a long tradition of marble and sandstone carving has been preserved.  A clay statue was prepared first and

Unpainted close up

served as the reference for the carving of the marble block. After six months of work, two trips to Varanasi, and some corrections recommended by Rinpoche the statue was complete.  Our Kshitigarbha traversed 1,500 km from Varanasi through the winding roads of northern India to finally arrive home at Tushita.

Recently, as per Rinpoche’s advice, we made a gold offering to the statue by painting the face with pure gold and the rest of the body with the best quality golden paint. Next, we will offer further embellishments to Kshitigarbha’s crown, neck and arms.

Rinpoche mentioned that “this statue could be a model for other people or centers who want to make one; only the size will change”.

Kshitigarbha Painted in Shrine