Tibetan monks from the Deprung Loseling Monastery in India working on a mandala in the lower level BCC. Photo by Peter Caty/The Mirror.
The lower level of the Barone Campus Center looks slightly different this week, due to the arrival of the Tibetan Monks this past Monday.
Hailing from the Drepung Loseling Monastery in India, six monks are in the process of creating a giant sand mandala, approximately five feet by five feet. Mandala is a Sanskrit word, which translated into English means “the center and the surroundings,” and refers to the symbolic harmony of the universe.
The creation of the mandala is a fascinating thing to observe. The monks gather up colored sand into metal cones and pour the sand onto the design in a delicate and precise manner.
“Each color has their own meaning, and each design has their own meaning,” said Lobsang Paljor, one of the monks. For any student that wants to try their hand at this exquisite art, there is a mandala of the Fairfield University seal set up on one side of the lower level of the BCC.
What is the mandala?
According to Paljor, the mandala is the enlightened cosmos, where the monks recite to the gods — it is essentially a residence of the gods. The mandala has three levels and three meanings: the outer level represents the world in its divine form; the inner level represents a map of the human mind’s journey from ordinary to enlightenment; the secret level depicts the perfect balance of the mind.
There are six steps in creating a mandala. The opening ceremony, which involves blessing a site; drawing the lines, which constructs an ancient mandala from scripture; coloring the mandala, using traditional tools like a chakpur and colored sand; a consecration ceremony for more blessings; a closing ceremony, where the monks sweep away the sand; and finally, the dispersing of the sand into a body of water, which is meant to spread the healing powers of the mandala. The destruction of the mandala at the very end represents the impermanence of all existing things.
Besides having a spiritual meaning, the mandala itself is a beautiful work of art. It’s simply breathtaking, even in its unfinished state. The colors are bright and rich and bring out the complex pattern of the map. The completed result is bound to be a masterpiece, full of eye-catching details that will appeal to anyone.
The monks’ presence at Fairfield was a decision made by FUSA Director of Cultural Celebrations, Katerina Sanchez ’12. She knew that the Tibetan monks had visited Fairfield in years past, and after seeing them at a conference, she wanted to bring them back.
The monks continue to work on the mandala in religious adoration. (Gabriella Tutino/The Mirror)
“Just having them here, the BCC has a completely different feel,” Sanchez says. “It’s so relaxed and so mellow. Just having them there with their spirit and whole attitude of things, it’s already making change on campus. People will become culturally aware because they’ll see the Tibetan monks and want to learn about it, versus seeing it in a book.”
The mandala is already halfway finished, and tomorrow will mark its completion. The closing ceremony will be at 4 p.m., when the monks call for a final blessing and then dump the artwork in a flowing body of water, most likely the Fairfield Beach. The reason?
“We think it’s the best way to share this blessing and sand with other beings by throwing in the water,” says Paljor. “It is easier to separate the sand through the precipitation or evaporation. It comes down as rain, so the blessing can be shared with others.”
The mandala is already halfway finished, and tomorrow will mark its completion. The closing ceremony will be at 4 p.m., when the monks call for a final blessing and then dump the artwork in a flowing body of water, most likely the Fairfield Beach. The reason?
“We think it’s the best way to share this blessing and sand with other beings by throwing in the water,” says Paljor. “It is easier to separate the sand through the precipitation or evaporation. It comes down as rain, so the blessing can be shared with others.”
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