With love, for every Ama

About 4,700 kilometers from a war-ravaged Gaza Strip and thousands of kilometers from other war zones around the world, Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche, the author of the book titled Living Fully: Finding Joy in Every Breath and president of the Universal Peace Sanctuary, laid the foundation for a universal peace sanctuary to be developed at Lumbini on a beautiful Saturday afternoon (Dec 16) in the presence of a peace-loving crowd.

The crowd had gathered at the birthplace and the sacred land of meditation for Shakyamuni Buddha and several of his previous incarnations for the occasion themed ‘Make peace more fashionable than war’ from far and wide. Droves of people, including dignitaries, laid stones for the construction of the sanctuary dedicated to Mayadevi, the mother of the Buddha and wife of King Shuddodhan.

The sanctuary symbolizes the supreme sacrifice of Mayadevi, who, as prophesied, died after giving birth to Prince Siddartha, who went on to become the Buddha by ultimately renouncing the worldly trappings associated with a prince, and all mothers for giving birth and nurturing life.