A stupa is one of the most powerful and revered expressions of Buddhist sacred architecture. It represents the enlightened mind of the Buddha and serves as a living symbol of the path to awakening. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, stupas are understood as sacred supports that benefit beings continuously—through inspiration, blessing, and the virtue created by those who visit, make offerings, and practice nearby. Through the hidden meaning in it’s architectural symbolic form, the stupa reveals the path of transformation: how the ordinary mind can become enlightened. There are many forms of stupas in Buddhism. Traditionally, there are eight major types that commemorate important events in the Buddha’s life, such as his birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana.

This rare form of stupa was built in 2001–2002 through the initiative of She Drup Ling (Graz) and generous donations. After the Kalachakra Empowerment in Graz, conditions manifested to create this stupa and Kalachakra retreat center in the mountains.

The stupa was inaugurated through a traditional rabné consecration ceremony. In this ceremony, a qualified Vajra Master invokes the blessings of the deity into the sacred object—in this case, the stupa—activating it as a powerful support for future practitioners and for the benefit of all who come into contact with it. The Kalachakra stupa at Garanas was conecrated by Jhado Rinpoche in the presence of twenty monks from Namgyal Monastery. Jhado Tulku Rinpoche is a highly respected Tibetan Buddhist master in the Gelug tradition, widely known for his connection to the Kalachakra lineage and his role as a former abbot of Namgyal Monastery. More recenlty Rinpoche also served as an Abbot and chant master at Gyuto, the Upper Tantric College from 2013 and 2017. 

When Dzokden received the gift of the retreat center, the community made an aspiration to restore the stupa. After fundraising concluded, our community began restoration in 2023 and completed the work in 2025. The stupa has been repainted blue in honor of Vajrasattva and the Kalachakra tradition. Molds were created for an addition to the top of the 10 fold powerful symbol of Kalachakra according to Jetsun Taranatha and painted in four different color patterns according to the textual instructions of Jonang Master Bamdha Gelek Gyatso. These enhancements honor the living practice lineage of the center today, while respectfully preserving the stupa’s original purpose and historical origins.

In the Buddhist tradition, restoring and repairing holy objects is considered a profound act of virtue. Traditional texts explain that those who repair damage to a stupa receive extraordinary benefit—described as achieving powerful enlightened activities and ultimately attaining awakening.

Restoring a stupa is also meaningful because a stupa continues to benefit beings silently over time—helping to purify negativity and inspire virtue in everyone who encounters it. In this way, caring for the stupa is not only preservation of a sacred monument—it is an ongoing offering of peace, merit, and blessing for the world.

We warmly invite you to visit this sacred stupa and connect with its blessings. Even a simple visit can become a meaningful practice—through offerings, mindful circumambulation, reflection, and dedication for the benefit of all beings.