The Making of a Sacred Mandala
by Ven. Geshe Thupten Dorjee and Ven. Rinzin Dorjee

Location: University of Arkansas, Old Main, 5th Floor
Dates: November 6 - 17, 2006

Schedule of Events

• Opening Ceremony: November 6, 7:00 pm
• Closing Ceremony: November 17, 4:00 pm
• Daily Work Schedule: M-F 9:00 - 11:00 am; 2:00 - 4:00 pm

In 1988, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama allowed the construction of a mandala in the West to be opened to the public. This was done by the Namgyal Monks from Dharamsala, India at the Natural History Museum in New York City. His Holiness intended the mandala to serve both as a spiritual offering to the city and as a means to preserve Tibetan culture in exile. He also felt that it would benefit the community at large, since Tibetans believe that a mandala brings clarity and insight to all those who venture near the site of its construction.

Since 1988, mandalas have been made sparingly in our country, and we are deeply fortunate to be among the community that will gather around this sacred symbol. Mandalas serve many purposes in Tibetan life, but none is more important than the simple one of leading us toward a spiritual vision that arises from compassion and generosity and manifests itself in the visionary geometry of the mandala.