Lebanon Valley College will host the Monks of Drepung Gomang Monastery as they create a sand mandala painting in LVC’s Lynch Memorial Hall Synodinos Commons this fall. The event is free and open to the public daily from Sunday, Nov.1 to Friday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To construct the mandala, monks carefully place dyed sand particles on a board.
To view the mandala creation live, click here.
The opening ceremony for the mandala construction took place at 5 p.m. on Nov. 1. The monks chanted prayers for peace, prosperity, and healing. The chant master intoned a full chord of three notes, accompanied by delicate hand gestures, cymbals, drums, horns, and flutes.
Immediately following the opening ceremony, a banquet in the West Dining Hall of LVC’s Mund College Center featured Tibetan food. At the dinner, a Tibetan geshe explained the opening ceremonies, and a brief video was shown on the history of Buddhism in Tibet. Tickets for the banquet were $12 for general admission, $5 for non-LVC students, and $30 for a family with children. All other related events are free and open to the public.
The closing ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. on Nov. 6 in the atrium of Lynch Memorial Hall. At that time, the mandala will be deconstructed and the sands will be dispersed in Annville’s Quittapahilla Creek near the campus, symbolizing the impermanence of all phenomena.
The monks will perform a Tibetan Puja (worship service). on Monday, Nov. 2, at 6 p.m. They will teach the traditional Tibetan art of Mani Stone Painting on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. The monks will share a cultural presentation that will include a traditional yak dance and debate on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m in Leedy Theater, Mund College Center.
For more information about the program, contact Lauren Cusick at (717) 867-6034. For a complete listing of events, please visit www.lvc.edu/religion-philosophy/mandala.aspx.