Written by Jack Miller
Roanoke College recently enjoyed the privilege of hosting a group of Tibetan Buddhist monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery in Southern India. Their weeklong residency involved the creation of a sand mandala in the Sutton Commons as well as talks about stress relief and meditation. The monks worked on the creation of the mandala from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. Monday through Friday of last week.
The specific sand mandala the monks created at RC was the Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhissatva of Compassion. Palden, their translator, explained that the monks had chosen to create this mandala to spread compassion and love. The sand mandala is a sacred visual in Tibetan Buddhism; it is a symbol that represents the universe. Creating a sand mandala is a sacred practice in this religion that serves as an opportunity for its creators to heal and meditate.
The mandala process represents the creation, destruction, and rebirth of the universe. Each mandala is created and likewise swept up by the monks and again recreated afterward an indefinite number of times in the future. Students who happened to be present at the closing ceremony of the mandala were able to witness as the monks swept the sand up. The monks then distributed half of the sand to the audience and carried the remainder to be spread in the creek outside of New Hall. The sand will eventually spread to the ocean and carry its healing blessing to the world.
The monks who you may have seen around sunny Salem last week are Thupstan Dorjay, Tenzin Dundup, Palden Namgya, Jampa Chhering, Sonam Gyaltsen, and the most senior lama, Gonsa Rinpoche. Rinpoche means “precious jewel” in Tibetan. Gonsa Rinpoche has been recognized by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the “tulka,” or a spiritual teacher who has undertaken a special vow.
When they weren’t working on the mandala or teaching students the importance of meditation, the monks spent their time playing soccer or basketball with students. They also spent much of their time sitting in the Colket Atrium talking to students who wanted to come learn more about Tibet or Buddhism.
Palden explained that the monks were very excited to come to Virginia. They love the RC family and were excited to bring their message of peace and compassion to America. The monks left Roanoke last Friday to continue their tour of America before returning back to Drepung Loseling Monastery to continue their vocation.
