Tibetan Sand Mandala Event

Description

Join the Drepung Loseling Monastery for the Mystical Arts of Tibet Monks at the Eureka Springs Community Center May 6-9th. The closing ceremony is at 12:30 pm on Saturday, May 9th.

Well over 1000 years ago, Tibetan Buddhist monks began crafting elaborate Mandalas in sacred and secret rituals to offer space, or a “palace” for various aspects of the Buddha.  Chanting mantras and meditating to Buddha to bring that power to living beings, and to alleviate the suffering of humans, the monks worked tirelessly, crushing precious and semi-precious stones to fine sand and then meticulously placed the sand into shapes to create the colorful Mandalas.

In 1959, the Chinese invaded Tibet and forced the Dalai Lama to flee to India to save his own life and the traditions and knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism.  Thousands of Tibetans were forced to flee their homes and the lives they knew to escape certain death at the hands of the Chinese.

This tragedy had one good outcome.  The ancient knowledge the Tibetans had held sacred and secret for thousands of years was now being brought into the rest of the world.  In 1988, the Dalai Lama decided that Mandala art was to be introduced into Western society, and Nangval Monks from Dharamsala, India, constructed the first public Mandala in New York City.

Since that time, this sacred ritual has been created very sparingly in our country.  Tibetans believe that Mandalas can bring clarity and wisdom to all who venture near.

This event is free and open to the public.