Tibet in Estonia - Tarmo Teder “Existentia 3” p 38-41, 1985

First Estonian Stupas built by Vello Vaartnou

Tibet in Estonia
Tarmo Teder “Existentia 3” p 38-41, 1985

III

.,,,One branch of Buddhism – Lamaism or Tibetan Buddhism was founded on 7th century by Padmasambhava and by his school of Nyingmapa or red hats and magicians (“Old” in Tibetan). This school is followed by those young taolans in Estonia and this writing with it’s prolonged foreword is meant to talk about them.

A man from Saaremaa, with prolonged journeys, with interest in paintings and recognized astrologist – Vello Väärtnõu – has been since 1972 until today a man dedicated to Buddhism. More exactly to Taoism and Lamaism, but enough of –ism’s. For a decade he obtained, researched and systematized relevant articles, books, scripts, albums and catalogues, receiving help from a few sympathizers, hectic and for now withdrawn from religion.

Until 1983 he wondered alone in the knot of numerous problems, when a group of enthusiasts joined him in tighter co-operation, who today have became young principled Buddhists, followers of Dharma and dedicated in thriving towards monkhood. Every one of them has an altar or a sacred corner (so called micro temple), which is decorated by tens, if not hundreds, of burhans or statues of gods. Resourcefully they build prayer wheels, where thousands of mantras or prayers circulate.

They are diligent in translating texts about Buddhist and about Buddhism from foreign languages; they are learning Tibetan, gelding Buddha statues and painting thangkas – sacred pictures from the land of Tibet. The dream of these young taolans is to build a temple and home monastery; also they believe in learning abroad.

Is the desire for pilgrimage of Barefoot Tõnisson formed into five, his reincarnation pentapluralized? For every year some of the Buddhists of the brotherhood take upon themselves to make a long journey into Soviet Buryatia, monastery of Ivolga, where the head lama, Hambo Lama (Erdinejev) of Soviet Buddhists is located. For those interested one thorough official evening of diapositives and comments has taken place, when materials brought from travelshad been shown and touched (prayer wheels, burhans etc). But most important, that has been thereason behind this overview, are the STUPAS under Estonian trees, which seemto visually melt into part of our small land. Is Tibet really moving to Estonia?

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Stupas are three- stepped places for sacredrelics, which are built for gods (not to confuse with God!) and dedicated to gods,events in Buddhism and great persons (look Angarika Govinda “Buddhist Stupas”). First stupas were erected after the death of Buddha. Stupa became the model of the body of Dharma, its expression and symbol and it consists of three parts or realms or steps:

1.Kamadhatu or the realm of desires;

2. Rupa dhatu or the realm of ideas, forms and imagination;

3. Arupa dhatu – the realm without form.

The time for the building to start is determined astrologically and the place for the “faith pedestal” is also important. The erected stupa symbolizes five basic elements – fire, earth, air, water and ether. 13 heavens, moon, sun and lotus are located in the upper part. The bells ringing in the top express compassion towards all living beings.

The first stupa was built in Estonia in the summer of 1983. It is located in Pärnu County, in Pangarehe near Tõstamaa. Stupa has been erected under the leadership of V.Väärtnõu and it is dedicated to the spread of the Law or Dharma. The other, about 6 meters in height (the middle one on the pictures) was built by the brotherhood in the summer of 1984 to Haapsalu, Tuuru village near Ridala and dedicated to Buddha himself (in Mongolian burhan bhanksü suburgan). The third and fourth stupas were raised in the next year, 1985, in the same Tuuru village.

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Thus, thanks to Buddhas and Boddhisattva s, there are already 4 stupas in Estonia, which is a cultural history fact, not yet introduced to public not by “Kultuur ja Elu” (“Culture and Life”) nor “Kunst ja Kodu” (“Art and home”), nor “Kodumaa” (“Homeland”), but pictures and hearsay about holy pedestals as special architecture or monumental sculpture examples have reached far in the worlds.

Anyways, five of them have succeeded in enriching the culture and people from across the ocean have come to gaze at those unusual signs. It is worth marveling that five young men have succeeded in such things. It must be that honorable Brother Vahindra has created good grounds for the spread of Dharma. And the constant visits to monastery by the young brotherhood, that look like modern pilgrimages, have brought themselves the protections of local spirits and help so that the sacred undertaking would succeed and grow in Estonia.

It seems that young taolans are persistent and modest in their undertakings, because it shows nowhere that they try to promote their activities or let it be know by wider public. This shows sureness and respect to the culture, lack of self-pride and confidence enabled by the refuge in the Three Treasures.

It is common of small hearts that the so called “Coffee- shop Buddhists” and honorable orientalists have been heard to make bitter and demeaning commentaries about the activities of the Brotherhood. But everyone tries to demonstrate their existence and desire to be superior in their own possible way and how much it contains Eastern compassion or understanding of Being, this is already shown by life. And up until now, the brotherhood seems to be un afflicted by the things in their way and relying on the help and opinions of Buddhas and Boddhisattva s about how to cope with the passion of envy in the Sansara.