Nepal's New Eco-World Center For Peace and Unity Opens

Nepal Buddhist Community "Green" Building Promotes Universal Peace, Serenity

LUMBINI, Nepal, March 11, 2011 - On April 4, 2011, Trungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche (Buddhist Master and Harvard
Ph.D.) will preside over the grand opening of Lumbini Udyana Mahachaitya –
World Center for Peace and Unity, built as part of the international Lumbini
Development Project in Nepal.
(www.utbf.org/en/projects/dharmaprj/lumbini and
www.lumbiniworld.org)

The Lumbini Development Project is a large scale multinational
construction project under the auspices and protection of the United Nations,
with support of the Nepalese government, located at the United Nations' World
Heritage Site at Lumbini, Nepal, birthplace of Buddha Shakyamuni.

The 48,600-square-foot 'green' structure, Mahachaitya, is the latest and
largest addition to a master-planned community that envisions more than 40
Buddhist temples in different national styles. It was built by the United
Trungram Buddhist Fellowship (www.utbf.org), a nonprofit organization
Gyaltrul Rinpoche formed as a young man to further activities for the public
benefit. Neighboring the monasteries of France, Vietnam, Germany, India, and
the People's Republic of China, the World Center for Peace and Unity will
represent friends and devotees of Buddhism whose communities or countries are
not represented on the land by any particular monastery.

The universal and ecological design of the structure, combined with more
than 1000 custom-made copper statues depicting the Buddha, his close
disciples, and various figures in the style of the 7th to 13th centuries,
considered the height of Buddhist classical art, lends itself to an
atmosphere of serenity and simplicity, conducive to reflection and
meditation.

Dharmakaya (www.dharmakaya.org), Gyaltrul Rinpoche's US-based
organization dedicated to teaching the skills of mental and spiritual
awareness, is offering a free 5-day trip to the April 4 inauguration that
includes attractions in Kathmandu and Chitwan National Park. The winner will
be a special guest at the opening ceremony of the Lumbini World Center for
Peace and Unity. Registration entries for the free Nepal trip must be
received by March 19. (dharmakaya.org/winnepaltrip)

Rinpoche's efforts to promote serenity and peace through meditation also
extends to the United States where he currently oversees development of the
Mahamudra Hermitage in the Hudson Valley of New York State. The Hermitage
will be nestled on 90 acres near the village of Cragsmoor, in Ulster County.
The Hermitage will offer facilities for both short and long-term retreats. It
will also feature a teaching center for daily classes on Buddhist philosophy.
(www.dharmakaya.org/project)

Suzan Garner, +1-805-455-8420, suzangarner at gmail.com