swayambhu tour

SWAYAMBHU STUPA

SWAYAMBHU STUPA
Since the time of the previous Buddha USHNISHA, this sacred site was popularly known as the Swayambhu Nath, for the reason of its self-emergence. With “self-emergence” is meant, it came by itself, not caused by any force.
Kathmandu Valley during this period was said to be a huge lake.
The legend tells that from this lake, a self-emergent crystal Stupa about a span's size was produced, as the foundation of the Tathagatha's mind, having the nature of Dharmadhatu. At that time, humans had a life span of 60,000 years.
Buddhists believe that the duration of an individual human life (the life span) gets shorter in time. Every thousand years, the life span goes down with 1 year (this way of thinking can be considered opposite to western thinking, who believe that due to better hygienic circumstances the life span improves within the years).
During the period of the self-emergence of the crystal Stupa, Buddha VISVABHU appeared in this world, from the summit of Manjushri Hill to visit Dharmadhatu Stupa. His attendants were VAJRACHARYA and MANJUDEVA, clairvoyant and endowed with supernatural powers. People devoid of these powers couldn't walk before the magnificent object.
He thought “won't it be wonderful if the lake dried by the force of Karma and transformed into a land, so that everyone could pay their obeisance to the Stupa directly”. Bearing this in mind, he slashed the hill with a sharp sword and a lake with a walking distance of four days and four nights dried, to become land. A small lake remained behind and is known to Tibetans these days as TSO RALDRI (sword lake). Although the lake had dried, it is said that the present Swayambhu hill emerged from the firm dwelling of the precious natured lotus, witch is the foundation of the self emerged Stupa. At first the hill was known as PADMAGIRI. Later it was known as Vajrakata Parvat and Go Shingha Parvat.
At the time humans had the life span of 40,000 years, when Buddha KRAKUCHANDA appeared in the world, it is said that towns and villages were formed.
When humans had the life span of 30,000 years and Buddha KANAKAMUNI appeared in this world, VAJRACHARYA MANJUSHRI DEVA generated strong conviction and created the self-Emerged Stupa as the Mandala of DHARMADHATU MANJUSHRI through his petitional prayers. For the reason of giving instructions on “The twelve joints Tantra of pronouncing correctly the names of Empowerment”, he named it as Dharmadhatu Manjushri.
Long after that when humans had the life span of 20,000 years and Buddha KASYAPA appeared in this world, someone called VAJRACHARYA MANJUDEVA returned to the five summits of Manjushri Hill. After the completion of his deeds at this sacred site, again, he traveled like thunder in the sky with the body of a deity having disactivated the costume of VAJRACHARYA.
At another time, in the town of Goti in India, King PRACHAND DEVA appeared. He was a physical emanation of VAJRASATTAVA. Renunciating the pains of cyclic existence, his son SHAKTIDEVA was installed as the King. He, in turn, left the Kingdom and became a novice before the Stupa. Committed to the practice of VAJRASATTAVA, he was named SHANTISHRI VAJRACHARYA.
In order to protect the span size crystal Stupa of Dharmadhatu Manjushri, he covered it with dust from the top, the outer cover prevailed in the shape of a Stupa and the self-emerged Stupa as the heart of it. To NorthWest, near the self-Emerged Stupa lies the blessed temple of malevolent spirit MOTROGMA; AGNIPURI and SHANTIPURI; NAGAPURI, to North; MAYAPURI to SouthWest; a throne of Manjusha and the Stupa of Buddha KASYAPA on Manjushri hill.
To the East-West direction of the Stupa there are two additional Stupas. Between these two Stupas, below the sacred hill there are long stone steps leading to the summit and statues of the Tathagata and Nath. A golden Vajra exists at the navel and on soft copper supports rests the magnificent Mandala of Dharmadhatu Manjushri.