In the past major monasteries in Tibet would have a very large Shakyamuni Buddha statue that contained the Kangyur in pecha form. Other monasteries would have a Buddha statue and a wall of bookshelves containing the Kangyur. Some monastery would have just Kangyur and by having a copy then be called a Kangyur Lhakang [Kangyur Temple]. All of these would make the monastery a special place for practice, visits, and pilgrimages.

Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche thought for many years that with modern technology it might be possible to bring the tradition of the statue and the Kangyur into the home and so be available for individuals. Thanks to microfilm we have accomplished this aspiration reducing the 103 volumes of the Kangyur to a size that fits into an 7 inch; statue.

As told by Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche:

The whole process of the parts of this statue coming together was auspicious and I want to thank my friends and students who made the parts of this statue possible. I was thinking about this for a long long time. I told this idea of making a statue with the Kangyur in it to many people. It is my understanding that this is a unique statue which we want to share with our dharma friends. May it help and support your practice of dharma and be an object that helps you to accumulate merit.

Ju Mipham mentioned in Pema Karpo [White Lotus], the supportive text to the sadhana [practice] named The Treasury of Blessing of the Liturgy of the Muni, that a statue or thangka the size of an outstretched hand, which is about 7inches, is an excellent focal point for practicing this text or for shamatha meditation.

During the time of the British occupation of India, Buddha's bone relics were found during an archeological dig. The British government gave these relics to Thailand since the Thai king was Buddhist. Later the Thai king gave part of these bone relics back to India in a beautiful pagoda. This pagoda can be seen at The National Museum in New Delhi.

Later the Bhutanese ambassador to India was given a small amount of these relics. The tiny bit of these precious relics mixed with sacred substances and placed in these statues is from that part of the relics. My good friend, Khenpo Yeshe Gyaltsen Rinpoche, provided me these very precious relics.

Buddha's bone relics, along with other substances, are mixed into earth from eight holy places of Buddhism. These sites are: Lumbini, his birth place, in Nepal; Bodhgaya, the place in India where he achieved enlightenment; Sarnath, where he delivered his first teaching; Kusinagar, where he passed into Parinirvana, Shravasti, where he spent the largest amount of time, Rajgir, where he taught the Prajnaparamita [Perfection of Wisdom]; Sankasia, where he descended from the Tushita Pure Land after having taught his deceased mother and Vaishali, where he ordained the first nuns.

Another good friend of mine, Khenpo Sonam Thenphel Rinpoche, requested His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to write the mantra of Buddha Shakyamuni for placement into this statue.

My classmate, Khenpo Pasang Tendzin Rinpoche, was in Bodgaya. I asked him to try to find some bodhi leaves from the Bodhi tree. He sent Bodhi leaves along with a set of robes that are offered daily to cover the Mahabodhi Buddha Statue in Bodhgaya.

We started looking for microfilm. Candia Ludy and Debbie Burch found Linco Micro-Image Systems, Inc. through the sangha of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Linco was kind enough to prepare a complete Dergé Kangyur for these statues.

My nephew, Lopon Kunzang Nyima, was in Chengdu, China and I ask him to research possibilities of making a Buddha statue. I sent a photo of the Mahabodhi Buddha Statue to him which he took to a good foundry. When he showed the photo to them they recognized it immediately and pointed to a large statue they were making of the same one.

This Shakyamuni Buddha Statue is based on one of the oldest Buddha statues; the Mahabodhi Buddha Statue in Bodhgaya, India
Padoga Holding the Bone Relics Given by the Thai Givernment to India.
Gold Relic Substance Pill	Note from Khenpo Yeshe Gyaltsen Rinpoche: Unmistaken Buddha's Bone Relics mixed with earth from the 8 holy sites
Note from Khenpo Yeshe Gyaltsen Rinpoche: I got this when Kyabje Rabjam Rinpoche built the eight stupas at the eight holy sites. Inside each Stupa one of these pills was placed. The bone relic was obtained from the Bhutanese Embassy in India.
Part of the Shakyamuni Buddha Muni Mantra written by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for this Statue.
Bodhi Leaves and Statue Wrapping Cloth
Microfilm of the Kangyur
Clay Original of the 7" Shakyamuni Buddha Statue
Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche with statue and microfilm
Members of Pema Karpo clean statues each Sunday after service.
Shakyamuni Buddha statue cleaned and painted with gesso. Ready to be filled.
	Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche preparing the relics pills with the Buddha bone relic, earth from the 8 sacred sites and bodhi tree leaf. The vial that holds the pill, His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Muni Mantra, and saffron is topped with the wrapping cloth from the Bodhgaya statue and tied with 5 color thread.