A
Tour of Laussedat
(For
an access map and directions see the page "A tour
of Le Bost")
The centre at Laussedat is situated approximately
three kilometres from Le Bost.
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To get there one takes the D.515 from Saint Priest
des Champs towards Biollet, then one takes the
dirt road on the left indicated by a sign marked
'Laussedat', four kilometres after the village
of Saint Priest.
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On
arrival at the site, visitors can park their vehicles
in the car park to the left, opposite the stupa.
Laussedat's complex of buildings is similar to that
of Le Bost's, but its layout is nevertheless quite different.
Due to the site's spatial limitations, the various buildings
are much closer together than had been desired. The
general layout is not as accessible for the visitor
since the monastic hermitage and the retreat centres
are all in one enclosed area.
As
in Le Bost, the centre is orientated along a south-east,
north-west axis. The visitor enters through the main
gate on the south eastern side which is the only public
entrance. A path leads directly to the reception office.
This communal section forms an L shape and consists
of a reception area, offices, and rooms for the students
practioners and short duration retreatants.
The
temple, which has a surface area of 160 square metres
is situated in the bottom wing of this section and is
open to the public. On entering the temple the visitor
is struck by its beauty and grace.
A large shrine is situated at the far end with a
statue of the Buddha at its centre, its crowning
glory. The shrine's left hand side is dedicated
in part to the 21 aspects of Tara and the right
hand side is dedicated to the Dharma protectors.
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Situated
behind the temple is the monastic hermitage arranged
in a rectangular form around the inner landscaped
garden which resembles that of Le Bost. |
Towards
the south west of the centre there is the original house
which is now Samten Ling, a second three-year retreat
centre. This is surrounded by Teudreul Ling and Drendreul
Ling, the two original three-year retreat centres, and
Kunsang Ling, the long duration retreat centre. The
other second three-year retreat centre, Tharpa Ling,
is situated to the extreme north west of the site.
On the western side of site there is a large area of
land which in the future is destined to become a nature
reserve.
As in Le Bost, the public does not have access to the
monastic hermitage or the retreat centres.
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