Deep in the Whipstick forest is a Buddhist wonder for all to enjoy..

The Great Stupa of Compassion arises sublimely out of the Whipstick forest of Ironback, outside the regional city of Bendigo in Victoria, Australia. The stupa is a pagoda-like structure that houses Buddhist relics. Bendigo’s stupa contains precious pearl-like objects formed from the ashes of cremated Buddhist masters.

Such an incongruous wonder in the Australian bush landscape poses many questions. Where did it come from? The original vision came from a Tibetan Lama, Thubten Yeshe, who was co-founder of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). He had visited Bendigo in 1983 and was impressed by the strong community support for a Buddhist centre. On his death, the vision was continued by his co-founder, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

The vision was to replicate Tibet’s 600-year-old Gyantse Stupa (Kumbum), featuring nine tiers, 78 chapels, and 108 gates. It’s intended to work as a three-dimensional mandala that enhances its spiritual powers.

The making of this modern stupa provides an opportunity to learn about the crafts that are involved in its construction. The Kalachakra Mandala is a circular illuminated multilayer relief for the ceiling. Eventually, it will cover the 20 x 20m ceiling with 100 different pieces.  Twelve artists from Bendigo, Castlemaine, Kyneton and Melbourne have volunteered their time to paint the mandala. They are ably assisted by Garrey and Krissy Foulkes, who are based in Queensland and have a long history of thang’ka painting. It is now 60% complete, with installation due in August 2025, followed by initiation in September 2025.  Guy Lawson, one of the volunteers, notes, “It frees the mind… Time vanishes. You just get absolutely transfixed by the whole process.”

Jade Buddha at Lunar New Year festival; photo: Chloe Smith

The most precious feature is the Jade Buddha, carved from a rare jade boulder known as “Polar Pride,” discovered in Canada in 2000 and worth $1 million. Rinpoche had a vision of a Buddha that would “… illuminate the world and bring inconceivable peace and happiness and help prevent the destruction that is happening so much in the world, including war.” This vision was finally realised under the supervision of Ian Green. Master carvers in Thailand created the statue, which is 2.7 metres high and weighs four tons. Mementos were carved from offcuts to raise funds. It was formally consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 2009 and now sits on an alabaster throne.

Many of the other features were crafted in Southeast Asia. The 2.5 metre-tall granite statue of Ksitigarbha was carved in Vietnam and represents the Earth Store Bodhisattva, who guides hell-beings to enlightenment. The 1,000-armed Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion, is yet to be fully decorated with gold leaf by volunteers from Taiwan. There are many other features in Peace Park that represent other religions.

The statues have a particular life in the stupa. Their insides are filled with holy objects so that there is no empty space. The stupa has incorporated rituals to help engage visitors, such as an opportunity to wash the baby Buddha. Once a year, they host a Vegecarian Festival where visitors can bring their pets to be blessed by priests.

Its final height of 50 metres makes it the largest stupa in the Western world. Construction and decoration of the Stupa is likely to last at least another 50 years, but it is designed to last one thousand years, making an enduring testament to the skill and devotion of thousands.

Visit stupa.org.au, follow @greatstupabendigo and like facebook.com/GreatStupaBendigo

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Buddhism | G37 | stone | temple | Victoria | Vietnam