Thubten Norbu a Buddhist nun arranges a number of historic relics of Buddha Shakyamuni and 40 of Buddhist masters on Friday, December 13, 2013 in Palm Springs. Palm Springs -Amanda Russell handled every glass stupa with extreme care, cradling them with gloved hands before laying them out on the embroidered cloth in front of her.
Symbolizing the path to enlightenment, each container’s value paled in comparison to its contents — relics students of Buddhism believe salvaged from the ashes of their religion’s greatest practitioners.
The pearl-like ringsels — a Tibetan word with no English equivalent — are said to contain their forebear’s very essence of inner peace and loving kindness.
“A diamond is carbon and when compressed turns into this beautiful stone,” Russell said. “It’s this same thing happening, but this is through the development of mind and consciousness — through the human body.”
For the past two years, Russell has traveled around the Americas with Tibetan monk Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s assemblage of Buddhist relics.
He currently resides at the Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, but frequents the U.S., Australia and Mongolia to teach.
Zopa’s American collection consists of more than 1,000 ringsels from the remains of 45 Buddhist masters, including the historical Shakyamuni Buddha. Shakyamuni’s relics are almost 2,700 years old, and many were donated to Zopa’s collection by the current Dalai Lama.
One set of vibrant orange orbs came from his blood, said Thubten Norvu, a Buddhist nun from Mexico who also travels with the exhibit.
Other relics come from Shakyamuni’s disciples like Shariputra, founders of various schools of Buddhism like Nagarjuna, and various lamas or teachers — all high-level masters in their own right.
A student of Zopa’s, Russell’s moving experience upon first witnessing the relics is her reason for curating them now.
“Some people are very drawn to a particular teacher,” she said. “When they are drawn to that particular master, saint or great yogi, they usually find out a little about their lives and what kind of qualities they had.”
Normally the exhibit doesn’t revisit the same city twice in two years — having come through Palm Springs in the spring of 2012 — but Russell and Thubten said locals really wanted it back.
Thubten stressed the exhibition is nonsectarian, and they merely provide a space to come into contact with beautiful energy that embodies characteristics valued by all religions.
“Personally, the relics inspire me to be a better person and develop a good heart towards everybody,” she said.
This year, the collection has toured cities like Edmonton and Ontario, Canada, as well as Washington, D.C., and Denver.
The exhibit will be in town through Sunday at the Center for Spiritual Living, 2100 E. Racquet Club Road, Palm Springs. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Sunday
Pet blessings will be offered throughout the stay.
