There are only a few dozen inhabitants in the small town, in the center of the Aragonese Pyrenees, it rises One of the largest Buddhist centers of the Tibetan tradition In Europe. Panilloarea belonging to Graus municipality (Huesca), he spent DAG Shang Kagyüj MonasteryThe spiritual complex, which includes the Great Stupa, is the main temple, decorated in accordance with Tibetan iconography and a resident of lamps and practitioners.
Location selected by the environment
Founded in 1984 by the Tibetan Lama Dubgyu TenpaThe direct student of Kalu Rinpoche, the center was born in order to preserve and transmit the teachings of the Kagyu line from Vajrayana Buddhism. The choice of this place was not accidental: isolation, natural environment and silence Panillo offered ideal conditions for contemplative practiceThe field after a while The small initial temple has become an international reference complex, Thousands of people interested in Buddhism or in meditation retrites visit.
The monastery is conceived as Pension and training centerField inside, in addition to Stupa 17 meters high, one of the highest in EuropeThere are several Spaces dedicated to spiritual practice: GOMPA (room for meditation), libraries, residential premises, a Tibetan craft store and an office that coordinates the organization of activities. A stupa, built in accordance with the architectural canons of Tibetan Buddhism, is consecrated and It contains relics and sacred texts.
The influence of this temple meant
Dag Shang Kagyü offers regular retreats, exercises open to the public, ritual practices and training for advanced practitioners. The annual calendar includes traditional Buddhist festivals, long -term ceremonies and visits of international teachers. In addition to resident lamps, The monastery welcomes volunteers and students of the laity This collaborates in the daily tasks of the center, from the kitchen to serving the case.
Although his calling is strictly spiritual, the center also influenced the territory. PanilloIn the 1980s there were only a dozen residents, survived a modest revival thanks to the activities of the templeThe Contact between the Buddhist community and the neighbors of the valley, as a rule, was cordial, although it was marked by cultural contrast. The persons responsible for the center contributed to Respect for the environment, avoiding any proselytism and maintaining a careful presenceField
In addition to religious, the monastery also became Tourist and cultural point of attractionsVisitors from all over Europe will learn about the stupa and the temple, attracted by the uniqueness of this place. Tibetan architecture, bright colors and prayer flags contrast with the arid landscape of Aragon to -pyting, generating an unexpected stamp. Visits are regulated and require respect for the gathering and rules of the center.
Faithful to his roots 40 years later
At a time when many rural communities are fighting for maintaining their population and basic services, the existence of a spiritual center, such as Dag Shan Kagu in Panillo, shows another model of revival: not based on mass tourism or urbanization, but on growing contemplative life. The presence of Lames, nuns, volunteers and visitors reconfigured a local demography, but without changing the landscape or essence of the environmentField
Almost forty years after its foundation, The monastery is still active and faithful to its rootsThe Lames field, which manage it, were formed in the Himalayas and in European centers, and the transmission of the line continues with new generations of practitioners. Panillo, without offering it, was inscribed on the global map of Tibetan Buddhism. His temple is not only an architectural rarity, but also an example of how the spiritual can take roots in unexpected territories.
