Grains of Grace: Tibetan Monks Weave Tranquility Through Timeless Art

A group of Tibetan Buddhist monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery are amusing spectators with their intricate sand mandala construction, an ancient tradition symbolizing peace, compassion, and impermanence. On Sacred Arts tour currently, the monks are painstakingly constructing millions of grains of colored sand to form the Green Tara mandala, which shows the Mother of all Buddhas and symbolizes compassionate energy. Witnesses to the process at Lake Street Church in Evanston describe a profound feeling of calmness, focus emanating from the meditation and contemplation and the commitment of the monks.

 

Even its creation is a practice of nonattachment. The monks will perform a ritual disassembly when it's complete, sweep away the sand ritually and release it into a nearby lake to scatter compassion's message. This act of piety reminds all back to the impermanence of life and need for letting go.

 

The public is welcome to witness the mandala's construction as well as its breathtaking dissolution ceremony, witnessing firsthand this unique blend of spirituality, art, and mindfulness.

 

Source: Asia Society, Utah State University, KPBS