The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya: Can you guess where this Buddhist Monument is located?

A stupa is a spiritual Buddhist memorial that is used to renew a spiritual connection to Buddha’s teachings. If I were to ask you where you might see a stupa like the one below, where would you guess?

The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya

I bet you would guess one of these places: Tibet, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, or Bhutan.

Not so! We visited this stupa located near Red Feathers Lake, about an hour from Fort Collins, Colorado. We were amazed. The stupa is located in a very remote area, with beautiful mountain views but nothing but a few houses and farms located nearby.

Lots of farmland next to the Stupa

As we drove up to the compound, we were surprised that it was difficult to find a parking spot. There were a lot of people visiting on a Sunday afternoon. Once parked, it is about a mile hike to the stupa. People come to the stupa as a retreat and camp in the many tents inside of the compound.

Tents for retreat visitors

The hike to the stupa is pretty easy, you simply follow the flags and cross several bridges along the way.

Black bird shows you the way

As you make your way to the stupa, you can hear the sound of nearby creeks.

Bridges along the path

Before long, you arrive at the stupa.

Arriving at the Stupa of Dharmakaya

Once inside, you are greeted by a huge Buddha. As you walk clockwise around the room, you can see relics and donations left by other visitors.

Buddha greets you inside

Once you’ve visited the stupa, you are invited to watch a 25 minute movie that explains how and why it was built. It was built in honor of Shambhala Mountain Center’s founder, the meditation master, author and artist Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. It honors his contribution in bringing the spiritual teachings of Tibet to the West.

Up close shot of the Stupa

I’ll leave you with our view on our walk back to the car.

Our view back to the car

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