Berkeley welcomes Dorje Shugden

May this mural be the cause for many more and much larger images of Dorje Shugden to appear in the world. Click to enlarge.

DorjeShugden.com is proud to announce that our third mural has been completed, and this time it is in Oakland-Berkeley, California! This mural was conceptualized to reach a younger generation who would see it as a photo opportunity and spread it around on social media, and therefore multiply the number of people blessed by Dorje Shugden just by looking at him. When anyone views an image of any Buddha and their manifestations, karmic imprints are implanted in their mindstreams so that they will, in the future, meet with Dharma. We wish everyone who sees Dorje Shugden in these busy areas will be imprinted with the holy imprints of Manjushri and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s infallible lineage. Then perhaps in this or future lives, something will trigger the imprint which will act as the catalyst for them to enter Dharma, generate the bodhi mind, perceive mahamudra and gain full awakening.

It was also our intention that the mural will generate intrigue for passersby, and interest them in exploring the background and practice of Dorje Shugden. We hope by visiting the website on the murals that it will indirectly create the causes to connect passersby to a Dharma centre, teacher or space that is disseminating our holy lineage. For people to see the mural and look up DorjeShugden.com, they can easily come upon the perfect teachings of a teacher in Shar Ganden or Serpom Monastery, through Yongyal Rinpoche, Gonsar Rinpoche, Lama Phurbu, Achok Rinpoche, Kuten Lama in Indiana, Zava Damdin Rinpoche, Domo Geshe Rinpoche, Danak Rinpoche, Gaden Trisur Rinpche, Rabten Rinpoche, Lama Jampa Ngodrup, Trijang Rinpoche, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, Zasep Rinpoche, H.H. Gaden Trisur Rinpoche, Gangchen Rinpoche, Kundeling Rinpoche, Chatreng Monastery, Pabongka Rinpoche, Denma Gonsa Monastery, etc. We do not have any preferences for which teacher they connect with through our mural, but what is most important is that they do connect.

The artist took great pains to ensure the painted image was as accurate as possible

We hope that these murals will spread the name and practice of Dorje Shugden which itself is a blessing. If people connected with nothing else and just Dorje Shugden, it will still benefit them. We also hope that in spreading Dorje Shugden’s name and image, we create awareness of the ban on his practice and how the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is adversely affecting our lineage. With this greater awareness, we hope to garner more support to remove the ban.

Finally, every aspect or part of Dorje Shugden’s body shows some aspect of enlightenment as well as the path to its achievement. Dorje Shugden’s form is resplendent; we wish everyone to enjoy and have a visual feast of such beautiful forms of art (rupakaya). Art is accepted across all cultures and barriers. We describe here the benefits of making Dorje Shugden’s image available to all, so that our readers and Dorje Shugden practitioners everywhere can rejoice in the planting of Dharma seeds in countless beings’ mindstreams. May this create the cause for many more and much larger Dorje Shugden murals to spring up around the world, so that people everywhere can be blessed by this sacred image of our Protector.
 

Check out our other murals:

• New York City, New York
• Los Angeles, California

LOCATION

The location of the mural in Oakland, California. Click the map to enlarge the image.

The mural is located on the corner of 48th Street and Telegraph Avenue, close to the Oakland-Berkeley border. It can be found across the road from the Tip Top Bike Shop and Tara’s Organic Ice Cream. The area is full of students, being close to UC Berkeley, and the wall of the mural is itself the side of an art gallery. If you are in the Oakland-Berkeley area and wish to visit the mural for yourself, click HERE for a map.

The mural is located just off busy Telegraph Avenue (to the right of the pic)

THE BENEFITS

Unlike regular paint work or decoration, murals can give artists a better opportunity to express their creative and artistic interpretations of an image. Some of the benefits of a nicely-done mural include:

1. Brightening the local environment. Murals are often colourful and make use of dead space that is otherwise plain and underutilised
2. Education and a provider of inspiration. Murals can be used to promote positive messages or, in our case, positive images
3. Promoting creativity. Murals can help to generate further exciting artistic expressions of a person’s thoughts, beliefs and opinions
4. Create lasting impressions on visitors. Because of their size and contemporary style, a mural with a catchy message can be effective advertising that sticks with the viewer
5. Effective message boards. Murals can be painted with text large enough for people to read from a distance. Their size captures your attention, whether or not you are interested in the subject
6. Murals like ours with a large Buddha image on the ground level can attract and bless people when they walk by. Due to their size, passersby cannot help but look at murals and when it is an image of the Buddha, it plants seeds of enlightenment in their minds

WHY A DORJE SHUGDEN MURAL?

Buddhists do not worship statues and religious artefacts. In the Buddhist tradition, a sacred image of the Buddha is used as an inspiration for creating and spreading positive human qualities, for example compassion and peace. Dorje Shugden is an emanation of the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri so for those who recognise his form, our mural is a visual aid that helps them to recall the great qualities of the enlightened mind, so that we might emulate them ourselves. For those who do not know who Dorje Shugden is, it creates imprints in their minds to receive the wisdom of Dharma and the Lam rim in the future, since most people find images easier to remember as compared to text. The addition of the website URL also provides interested individuals with a way of finding more information.

May this mural be the cause for many more and much larger images of Dorje Shugden to appear in the world. Click to enlarge.

In creating as much images of our Protector as possible, we also bring the benefits of Dorje Shugden to many. Who knows, perhaps someone who is in need of spiritual guidance one day happens to walk by our mural and sees Dorje Shugden’s gentle face, and begins the Protector practice from there. Our ultimate motivation is that Dorje Shugden’s practice reaches all sentient beings, to give them the clarity of mind and ability to discern the wisdom which will help them to alleviate their own suffering. This is because Dorje Shugden is an emanation of Manjushri, and any practice of Manjushri is very effective for helping us to clear our delusions and ignorance, and to develop penetrative insight and wisdom. Buddha images such as Dorje Shugden ultimately implants the seeds of Buddha awakening within the perceiver. Even if a person sees a Buddha image in anger without faith, by the power of the enlightened qualities of a Buddha, imprints are planted karmically that they will see a Buddha or meet the teachings in the future. We plan on more murals throughout large cities. Anyone interested in this project in their cities, do let us know. We are looking for more artists! Or you can do the same in your communities. Arrange a Dorje Shugden painted so all may be blessed. A blessing can go a long way!

More wonderful images below:

More pictures of the process of making this wonderful mural which, at eye level, will bless everyone who walks and drives by!