Buddhist monks visit campus to share the ancient practice of sand painting

Register, Charlie

Roberts, John

English

Furman University

Furman MagazineVolume 46Issue 4 Winter 2004 Article 81-1-2004The Art of the MandalaJohn RobertsFurman UniversityCharlie RegisterFurman UniversityFollow this and additional works at: https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/furman-magazineThis Article is made available online by Journals, part of the Furman University Scholar Exchange (FUSE). It has been accepted for inclusion in FurmanMagazine by an authorized FUSE administrator. For terms of use, please refer to the FUSE Institutional Repository Guidelines. For more information,please contact scholarexchange@furman.edu.Recommended CitationRoberts, John and Register, Charlie (2004) "The Art of the Mandala," Furman Magazine: Vol. 46 : Iss. 4 , Article 8.Available at: https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/furman-magazine/vol46/iss4/820 B U D D H I S T  M O N KS V I S I T  C A M P U S  TO S H A R E  T H E  A N C I E N T  P R A C T I C E  O F  S A N D  PAINTI N G .  urman's University Center has hosted a wide variety of events: concerts, appearances by well-known person­alities (Madeleine Albright, Tom Brokaw, John Grisham) ,  and even hypnotists. But few of its attractions have piqued as much interest as the monks from Drepung Loseling. And no, Monks from Drepung Loseling is not the name of an alternative rock band. They are authentic Tibetan Buddhist monks representing the Drepung Loseling Institute in Atlanta. The monks, who travel frequently to colleges and museums, were at Furman January 1 2- 1 5  to construct a mandala, an intricate "sand painting" filled with geometric shapes and spiritual symbols. The ancient practice dates back an estimated 20,000 years and is meant to spread "mystic enlightenment." Throughout the monks' visit, a stream of curious on-lookers stopped by the University Center's main lobby to marvel at their discipline and craftsmanship. During the opening ceremony for construction of the mandala, the monks consecrated the site. Dressed in color­ful regalia, they chanted, danced and played assorted percussion and wind instruments as they prepared for the task at hand. Then, working in  groups of three or four, the monks outlined the mandala from memory on a tabletop that measured approximately 4 feet by 4 feet. Over the next few days, they used special instruments to lay mi l l ions of grains of colored sand into place. Mandalas have outer, inner and secret meanings. On the outer level, they represent the world in its divine form. On the inner level they represent a map by which the ordinary human mind is transformed into an enlightened mind, and on the secret level they depict the perfect balance of the subtle energies of the body and mind. The creation of a sand painting is said to effect purification and healing on all three levels. Once their work was complete ­and in keeping with tradition - the a closing ceremony in which they dis­mantled the mandala, distributed small portions of the col lected sand to all who requested it, and poured the remnants into the Furman lake. The destruction of a mandala sym­bolizes the impermanence of all things physical. Pouring the sand into a flowing body of water disperses the healing energies of the mandala throughout the world. The monks of Drepung Loseling Mon­astery in South India established the Atlanta institute in 1 991 . The institute is dedicated to the study of Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the preservation of the endangered Tibetan culture, which today leads a fragi le existence in refugee communities in India and Nepal. In 1 998, the institute established an academic affiliation with Emory University. Its objective is to promote transcultural understanding and scholarly interchange. The monks' visit to Furman was sponsored by FUSAB (Furman University Student Activities Board) ,  Students for a Free Tibet, University Housing, Dining Services and the departments of Rel igion and Asian Studies. - John Roberts To learn more about the institute and the art of sand painting, visit www.drepung. org and www.mysticalartsoftibet.com. PHOTOS BY CHARLIE REGISTER Opposite: Containers of colored sand await the start of work on the mandala, which takes several days. This page: The monks don ceremonial garb and play exotic instruments at both the opening and closing celebrations; well-used tools of the trade; before starting to "paint," the monks, working from memory, painstakingly draw the outline of the mandala, a process that takes several hours. 21 22 Opposite: The monks use metal funnels, called chak-pur, to pour the sand. Holding a chak-pur in one hand, they run a metal rod along its notched surface. The vibration allows the sand to flow like l iquid. This page: After completion, mandalas are destroyed in a service that signifies life's impermanence. The sand is swept into the middle of the table; after small portions are distributed to observers, the remainder is placed in an urn. The monks then process to a nearby body of water where they disperse the sand, so that its healing blessing goes to the ocean and on to the world. 

The Art of the Mandala

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The Art of the Mandala

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