{"id":54,"date":"2019-01-25T08:00:22","date_gmt":"2019-01-25T08:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.malagaweb.com\/blog\/costa-del-sol\/holidays-67\/"},"modified":"2022-03-07T08:05:21","modified_gmt":"2022-03-07T08:05:21","slug":"enlightenment-stupa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.malagaweb.com\/blog\/costa-del-sol\/enlightenment-stupa\/","title":{"rendered":"Enlightenment Stupa, the largest Buddhist temple in Benalmadena"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let’s know more about the Enlightenment Stupa, the largest Buddhist temple in Benalmadena and Western world, but let me first add an introduction.<\/p>\n

A couple of weeks ago, the good weather during the weekend invited for a relaxed stroll along the seashore; one of my favourite occupations on Saturday mornings when not visiting Benalmadena during my exercise routine of the weekends. This weekend was different, I had a drive through the highway A-7 for visiting a friend who lives in Benalmadena Pueblo.<\/p>\n

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\"Side<\/a><\/p>\n

While driving I let my eyes wander over the close by Mijas mountains; I could see in the clear weather even the golden cone of the Stupa in Benalmadena. I finally made my mind up to make a little excursion to that place before getting to my friend. The Stupa always catches my eyes when I am passing by, so this day was good enough as any other to visit it.<\/p>\n

A Buddhist temple in Benalmadena<\/h2>\n

This Budhist temple in Benalmadena is on the viewpoint of El Retamar in Benalmadena Pueblo and overlooking the Mediterranean Sea<\/a> with fantastic views.<\/p>\n

\"Main<\/a><\/p>\n

The monument itself is beautiful; it seems that in Buddhist tradition this kind of monuments is normally sealed, but this one here has inside a large meditation hall. Here are being held all kinds of activities, lectures, symposia and courses in relaxation and meditation.<\/p>\n

Downstairs there is another room with books and an exposition about Tibetan Buddhism. The whole thing definitely has something. I am not into Buddhism; nevertheless, I find it transmits some very interesting viewpoints, together with the Stupas privileged location, surveying the hustle and bustle of our daily existence.<\/p>\n

There is a shop where acquiring handcrafted traditional Buthan pottery; all benefits from the shop are used for the conservation of this temple.<\/p>\n

What is a Stupa?<\/h3>\n

The Stupas are primarily spiritual buildings which are “working at different levels of the mind, generating and transforming the power of nature and then redistribute it and protect with the same transformed positive energy, removing dangerous or negative forces.” Which means, those who meditates in a Stupa, have assured their protection and at the same time it will increase their spiritual development. Sounds interesting, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

Stupas were originally places of pilgrimage illustrating Buddha’s life. There are different types of stupas according to their characteristics:<\/p>\n