This stupa is the oldest of its kind in Nepal (dates back to 460 A.D.) and has numerous shrines and monasteries on its premises. Swayambhu literally means "self-existent one" and it is a wonderful power place full of spiritual energy and legends.
One of the 16 arhats is said to meditate inside of Swayambhu hill, until the next Buddha, Maitreya, appears in the world.
Also it is said that it was here, where Nagarjuna went into the earth to visit the Nagas (nature spirits) in order to receive the Prajnaparamita teachings from them and then spread these among humans, as Buddha Shakyamuni originally only taught these teachings to the Nagas, as at his time the conditions were not ripe for them to be spread among humans.
The essence of Prajnaparamita is the heart sutra which contains the famous lines:
"Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form and emptiness cannot be separated."
On our pilgrimage we came to Swayambhu several times. On the day we came here the first time we had the honor to have an audience with Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche, a wonderful Karma Kagyu Lama, who is a living Chenrezig.
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