Buddhist Temple in Malhão

The Humkara Dzong Tibetan Buddhist Centre is a centre for studies and Tibetan Buddhist practice. It is open everyday and to everyone, regardless of any religious beliefs. This Buddhist retreat centre is located in Malhão, an isolated spot in the very heart of the Algarve mountain range. This beautiful 600-metre high place contains a 360º overview to the horizon, including the sea. It is open to the public free of charge. When you enter the Centre, you come across an array of prayer flags. There are five different colours, each one representing an element and being associated with a cardinal point. In this way, the blue flag is the first one – this colour represents the sky as well as the west; the white one symbolizes the clouds and the centre; red stands for the fire and the east; green represents the wind and wood and is linked to the north; and finally, the yellow one, which is a symbol for the earth element and the south.

Stupa, the central religious monument, is the place of worship that contains relics. It is considered to be the most ancient monument in Buddhist religion. Stupa is an extremely important component for Buddhism. It is thus advised to walk around the monument clockwise while coming up with the vows for world peace as well as for the welfare of our loved ones and human beings in general. The square base stands for the earth element; the water is represented by the hemispherical dome; the cone-shaped pinnacle symbolises the fire; the sunshade lotus and the crescent moon are a representation of the air element; the space is symbolized by the sun and the point of dissolution.

NOTES COLLECTED FROM:

http://caboacabo.blogspot.pt/

http://viajarso.blogspot.pt/2012/04/budismo-no-malhao-algarve.html

http://uniaobudistaportuguesa.blogspot.pt