The Story of Building Qambalin
Meeting Eminent Monk Bome Qamba Lozhoi
In making the construction of Qambalin a reality, the tale is not complete without mention of meeting Eminent Monk Bome Qamba Lozhoi.
Bome Qamba Lozhoi was the highest-ranking monk in Tibetan Buddhism, which enjoys a long history and many devotees, and to the end he strove unstintingly to protect it, earning the respect of many Tibetan priests.
The First Japanese Woman
to Receive the Commandments of Buddhism
Bome Qamba Lozhoi told this to Archbishop Eibin: "Your guardian deity is Six-Armed Mahakala."
Six-Armed Mahakala – also known in Japan Daikokuten – was originally the protector of Shakyamuni.
He also told her to build a Tibetan temple in Japan.
For the name of the temple, he took "Qamba" from his own name and combined it with "lin," meaning "temple," to yield "Qambalin."
"Qamba" (sometimes also written "Chamba") is a word with generations of history in the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Bome Qamba Lozhoi: the Man
Who Named Qambalin
Tibet is a land replete with the formidable natural surroundings of altitudes of 3,500 meters and more above sea level.
In Tibet, which has long excluded foreigners, getting detailed information about temples held in high esteem since long ago is impossible without special permission.
Thanks to Bome Qamba Lozhoi, however, permission was given to build Qambalin as a temple that officially follows Jokhang.
Thrice-made Shakyamuni
On account of the extreme cold that struck Tibet in the first month of 2003, the statue of the Buddha that was in the process of being made was destroyed.
At the same time, it became necessary to reprove the disrespectful attitude that sculptors of Buddhist images held toward the Buddha.
A visit to the image workshop in 2004 then found that the finger mudras were completely wrong.
Then, in the urgent circumstances of 2005, the statues of the Buddha were still not finished.
At that time, for the sake of Bome Qamba Lozhoi, who had entrusted her with this monumental mission, and for the sake of Shakyamuni and his holy teachings, High Chief Priest Eibin refused to compromise.
The Construction of Qambalin
In Tibet, the construction of Qambalin was treated on the order of a national project.
Archbishop Eibin personally funded this tremendous undertaking, and accomplished it through the support of a great number of people. The story truly is a series of miracles.
For people to visit Qambalin as equal "living creatures," regardless of ethnicity or religion, is Archbishop Eibin's greatest joy.
