October 12, 2001: Volume 53, Number 6

Tibetan monks feature music, dance, art and 'Sand Mandala of Compassion'

Seven Tibetan monks from the Gaden Jangtse Monastery in India will be at Union College from Oct. 18 to 23 for a program of music, art, dance, philosophy and religion that will feature the four-day construction of a colorful "Sand Mandala of Compassion" in the Nott Memorial.

Other events during the monks' visit, all free and open to the public, will include:

- Tibetan Multi-Tonal Chanting Performance - Thursday, Oct. 18, 8:30 p.m., Memorial Chapel;

- Tibetan Philosophical Debate _ Friday, Oct. 19, 3:30 p.m., Humanities 117;

- Talk by Abbott Khen Rinpoche Tenzin Jamphel on his Experiences as a Political Prisoner in Tibet _ Monday, Oct. 22, 7 p.m., Reamer Auditorium.

Monks will be working on the mandala on Saturday, Oct. 20, noon to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.; Monday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The dismantling of the mandala will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 23, at 3:30 p.m. in a ceremony that will conclude with the releasing of the sand into the Mohawk River. (The audience is encouraged to accompany the monks.)

The construction of the colorful and intricate mandala will be broadcast live by Webcam on the College's Web site: http://monkcam.union.edu.

The original Gaden Jangtse Monastery was established in 1409 in Tibet, at one point being the country's second largest monastery with 7,000 monks. Little of the original monastery remains after the 1959 Communist invasion of Tibet; the monastery was re-established in South India, and now serves about 3,000 monks.

The monks have been traveling to bring the spiritual and cultural life of Tibet to North American audiences. The monks have been chosen based on their talents in the ritual arts.

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