A group of five Tibetan Buddhist monks, newly arrived from South India, are on a three-month tour of the west coast to construct Sand Mandalas, also known as Sand Paintings.
Their tour is called "Sacred Tibetan Art -- The Sand Mandala: Creating a Picture of Universal Compassion."
The monks will be constructing the mandala at the Hood River Library from Tuesday, Aug. 7, through Saturday, Aug. 11.
This project can be appreciated simply as a piece of "time-based art." But, according to Tibetan Buddhist belief, the creation of a Sand Mandala is meant to create a profound experience of compassion. The positive effects of a Sand Mandala are believed to radiate out over an entire region, blessing the environment and the beings therein, as an effort for world peace. Once created, the Sand Mandala is destroyed in the closing ceremony, as a lesson in the impermanence of all life. The opening and closing ceremonies include traditional Tibetan Buddhist chanting and music.
The closing ceremony will include a procession to the Columbia River, weather permitting.
This event is free to the public. All ages are welcome to attend.
For more information contact the Hood River County Library District at 541-386-2535, firstname.lastname@example.org, or visit the website at http://hoodriverlibrary.org.