The Symbolism of the Sand Mandala
Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery
Tuesday, 23 Sep 2014 at 8:00 pm – Sun Room, Memorial Union
Monks from the the Drepung Loseling Monastery will create a mandala sand painting in the lobby of the Memorial Union Monday, September 22 through Thursday, September 25. The process consists of opening ceremony with chants, music and mantra recitation and ends with the dismantling of the mandala and dispersal of the sand. Millions of grains of sand are poured from traditional metal funnels called chakpur to create a finished mandala approximately five feet by five feet in size. Formed of a traditional prescribed iconography that includes geometric shapes and ancient spiritual symbols, the sand-painted mandala is used as a tool for re-consecrating the earth and its inhabitants.The evening lecture will be on the topic of the mandala as a sacred cosmogram and how it is used as an object of contemplation. It depicts the pure nature of the world in which we live as well as how we can live most effectively. When Buddhist monks create a sand Mandala, they believe we bring the creative energy of that sacred dimension into our lives and attune ourselves to this natural perfection.
The schedule of events for the week includes:
Monday, September 22
Opening Ceremony: 12 noon-12:30pm
Drawing of the Lines: 12:30-3:30pm
Sand Painting by Tibetan Monks: 3:30-6:00pm
Tuesday & Wednesday, September 23-24
Sand Painting: 10am – 6pm
Thursday, September 25
Mandala Completion: 10:00-11:00 am
Mandala Viewing: 11:00 am-12:00 noon
Closing Ceremony: 12:00 noon-12:45pm
Dispersal of the Sand: 12:45 pm
Cosponsored By:
- Student Union Board
- Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)
Stay for the entire event, including the brief question-and-answer session that follows the formal presentation. Most events run 75 minutes.
Sign-ins are after the event concludes. For lectures in the Memorial Union, go to the information desk in the Main Lounge. In other academic buildings, look for signage outside the auditorium.
Lecture Etiquette
- Stay for the entire lecture and the brief audience Q&A. If a student needs to leave early, he or she should sit near the back and exit discreetly.
- Do not bring food or uncovered drinks into the lecture.
- Check with Lectures staff before taking photographs or recording any portion of the event. There are often restrictions. Cell phones, tablets and laptops may be used to take notes or for class assignments.
- Keep questions or comments brief and concise to allow as many as possible.