Two monks working on a sand mandala in Ōtautahi Christchurch recently.
A vibrant work of art symbolising wisdom is to make a temporary appearance at the University of Otago's Dunedin campus.
Over three weeks Tibetan Buddhist monk, teacher and ritual master Geshe Lobsang Dhonyoe will work within a space on the ground floor of the Central Library to construct a sand mandala.
Ōtepoti Dunedin women Lynley Cook and Jane Gillespie, co-director of the Dhargyey Buddhist Centre, have worked together to facilitate the installation.
Gillespie says a sand mandala is a circle representing a world in harmony.
“It is an ancient art form thought to have originated in India and was subsequently transported to Tibet.”
Monks will spend years learning how to create mandalas, she says.
“They're a perfect representation of the cosmos, made using vividly-coloured, crushed marble sand.”
Mandalas serve as a symbolic support for mediation in Tibetan Buddhism and are constructed to generate compassion and peace: “to heal and bless the environment, and to help people realise the impermanence of reality.”
Geshe Lobsang Dhonyoe will create a Manjushri mandala, which places focus on wisdom and spiritual awakening, Gillespie says.
“A library is a fitting venue for the mandala of Manjushri, underlining the importance of knowledge and learning in the quest for enlightenment.”
Staff, students and members of the public are invited to join in for 15 minutes of mantra chanting at the start of each day before work continues on the mandala.
She says each part of the practice is intentional: “the colours, in fact every detail, means something”, and each of the different mandalas has a specific design the monks follow.
Cook recently documented the careful construction of a sand mandala at Ōtautahi Christchurch's public library Te Hāpua: Haswell Centre.
“I was transfixed by the process, and I saw so many people visiting the library were, too.”
She hopes the mandala will bring joy to those who view its construction in Otago's Central Library and encourages people to take a moment to reflect and wonder at the process.
“It is also a celebration of our rich and diverse community in Dunedin.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of stress and worry into people's lives, she says.
“I hope the sand mandala can be something positive for the staff and students as they come to see it, and marvel at the patience of the lamas who are making it.”
Venerable Lhagon Tulku, the spiritual head of the Dhargyey Buddhist Centre, will initiate the mandala during an opening ceremony on Monday 22 August. He and Geshe Nyima Dorje will be present at the dissolution of the mandala on Monday 12 September. The sand from will be swept into a vase before being poured into Otago Harbour to the spread the blessings from the sacred work of art.
This process demonstrates a core Buddhist teaching about the transitory nature of life, Gillespie says.
- Construction of the mandala will take place between Monday 22 August and Monday 12 September at the west entrance of the Central Library.
- A mihi whakatau will take place at 8am on Monday 22 August, and will be followed by an opening ceremony at 10am.
- Geshe Lobsang Dhonyoe will work Monday to Sunday, from 10am –12 noon, then 2pm – 4pm to construct the mandala.
- A closing ceremony will take place at 10am on Monday 12 September.
- The public is invited to join in for 15 minutes of mantra chanting at the start of each day before work continues on the mandala construction.
Kōrero by Koren Allpress, Internal Communications Adviser