Story Published:
May 31, 2010 at 6:56 AM MST
Story Updated:
May 31, 2010 at 8:15 PM MST
BILLINGS - It is not what you would expect to find in Montana, but tucked away in the Mission Mountains in the western part of Big Sky Country lies a spiritual community with Eastern ties.
The Ewam Buddhist center is located north of Arlee, Montana on land of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation.
"This land is very sacred an it has been prayed over for many generations," said Georgia Milan, coordinator of the Dalai Lama's visit to Ewam.
Ewam was established about ten years ago.
"In general, Tibetans believe that from the time the earth first evolved to the time it ends 1000 Buddhas will descend on earth," said Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche.
Rinpoche is a Buddhist teacher who established Ewam.
As a child in Tibet he had a dream of creating a peace garden.
His vision was realized during a visit to Montana as an adult in the late 1990's.
"Just like it is mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures; the sky above us is round like the 8-spoke dharma wheel and the ground below is like a lotus flower in bloom," said Rinpoche.
His dream is taking shape in Big Sky Country.
It is called the Garden of 1000 Buddhas.
"This is an amazing structure; it's much larger than it looks from the road," said a visitor.
A 23-foot statue of the mother of all Buddhas, stands alone in the hay field right now, but when the garden is completed 1,000 Buddhas will surround her in the form of a dharma wheel.
"It's going to be an international peace garden," said Milan. "So, it will be a site where people of all different faiths and walks of life can come and gather in the name of peace and in the name of spirituality."
It will be the only spiritual site of its kind in North America and it is expected to draw 500 to 1,000 visitors a week when it is completed.
"I understand that the Dalai Lama has been invited, is that correct," asked the visitor.
The 75-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader who has been exiled from Tibet has been invited, and, "He has definitely given his promise to come and consecrate the garden and I think he's very excited about his project," said Milan.
The garden is expected to be completed in the summer of 2011.
The Dalai Lama is expected to visit later that fall, or in the fall of 2012 if the project is not completed on schedule.
Ewam welcomes visitors to stop in whenever they would like.
Coming up Monday night on the second part of Big Sky Buddhas, we introduce you to the Montanans who are building the garden and sculpting the 1000 Buddhas and tell you how you can get involved too.
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