From November 4th through 9th, two monks from Namgyal Monastery, namely
Thupten Woser and Lobsang Tashi, will be in residence at the Benton to
create a Sand Mandala of Enlightenment in the East Gallery. During this
time, the public is invited to attend the monks' morning prayers and
meditation at 9 a.m. Tuesday through Friday.

On November 5, at 12:15, former Benton Museum Director Salvatore Scalora
will give a gallery talk about "The Making of a Mandala" while the monks
work.

Mandalas are intricate creations made by applying many different colored
sands, grain by grain, to a particular design. They date back to the 6th
century B.C.E. when, according to Buddhist tradition, the purpose, meanings,
and techniques were taught by the Buddha Shakyamuni.

Once completed, the Mandala of Enlightenment will remain on view until
Sunday, December 7, at 2 pm when, in a sacred, prayerful ceremony, the monks
will sweep the colorful sands into an urn and disperse them into the waters
of Mirror Lake. The dismantling of a mandala is regarded as a blessing on
the area and a reflection of the impermanence of all things. Those
attending the ceremony will receive a small packet of the sand for good
health and healing.