The main shrine of Thrangu Monastery, Canada, features a statue of the Shakyamuni Buddha so that his followers can pray and recall the great kindness and compassion of the Buddha, who appeared in this world to teach the Dharma and to guide limitless beings to enlightenment. The gold-plated 13-ft statue was crafted in Thailand in the Nepali style.
On September 9, 2009, the Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche and many of his lamas and monks filled the statue with various precious offerings. Among the substances placed inside the statue were relics of several great masters from the past, including pills of their body, speech, and mind, and fragments of the robes of Guru Rinpoche, Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa. There are also statues of various Buddhas; sacred substances given by Thrangu Rinpoche; monastic robes from the traditions of the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana; sutras and scriptures; millions of mantras of several different deities written on tightly- wound scrolls; medicinal and fragrant substances; and sacred stones and pebbles from 108 different countries, including China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal, India, Bhutan, Thailand, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Burma, Taiwan, Canada, and the United States.
The Buddha’s throne is in the traditional design of a lion throne. The four lions supporting the throne represent the four fearlessnesses of the Buddha. The double vajra represents the unchanging and indestructible nature of Buddhahood. The gold-plated designs were crafted in the traditional Nepali style.