By Veena Gursahani
The chanting of sacred mantras echoed throughout the Dobbs University Center Thursday as monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery bade farewell to the fourth annual Tibet Week.
The chanting, which spectators called “moving” and “powerful,” was only part of the ceremony, as the monks proceeded to dedicate and then destroy the sand mandalas they had created during their visit to Emory.
The mandalas, colorful sand art designs, represent the impermanence of every natural body, the monks said. The complete destruction of the mandalas also releases the positive forces brought into them by the chanting of holy mantras.
The monks arrived last Monday and worked all week to create two mandalas.
Tenzin Phenthok, the spokesman of the group, said the Ashobya Mandala the monks created helps in the healing of conflicts and crises.
“The Ashobya Mandala is used to make positive imprints into one’s mind,” Phenthok said. “Their very creation is to heal not only people but the entire surrounding world.”
To bring students closer with the Tibetan culture, the monks built a second mandala with the help of people walking through the DUC. The monks called the communal mandala a “gift” to Emory, since community members are not usually involved in the mandala-making process.
When both mandalas were destroyed at Thursday’s ceremony, parts of the communal mandala were given to the ceremony’s attendants, and the rest of the mandala sand was released into the river in Lullwater.
Phenthok said the releasing of the remnants of the mandalas into a body of water is essential to the tradition, since all bodies of water are connected.
“Good forces can spread throughout the world,” he said.
The group of Drepung Loseling monks has been touring the United States since September 2002. They also attended Emory’s Tibet celebration last year, when a month was devoted to teaching about Tibetan issues.
Phenthok said the group travels to contribute to world healing, generate awareness over the current situations in Tibet and raise funds to help support the more than 2,500 refugee monks who recently entered their monastery.
“I miss home, but it’s practical to travel,” Phenthok said. “We want to be able to provide education and health care to those back home who need it.”
The group, which is part of the Mystical Arts of Tibet Tour, traveled across the United States, including Vermont, Florida and Nebraska., in the past year.
Tenzin Sangpo, one of the visiting monks, said the Tibetans’ trip to New York City meant the most to them.
They had the opportunity to visit with the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of many Tibetan Buddhists, who was also visiting New York at the time.
“To meet and chant with his Holiness was the best part of the trip,” Sangpo said.
Students for a Free Tibet Executive Member Julia Earl said the group works to raise awareness of the Chinese occupation of Tibet.
She said the group worked alongside the monks to generate positive awareness about Tibetan culture and politics. They also distributed flyers and pamphlets highlighting recent events in Tibet’s fight for freedom and collected signatures to free political prisoners, including 14 nuns who were imprisoned after a peaceful protest.
“We want to create a general awareness about the situation,” Earl said. “We also hope these petitions will put pressure on the acting government.”
China has controlled Tibet since 1951, when it occupied the region which had, until then, existed under theocratic Buddhist rule.
Students for a Free Tibet President Catherine Carlson said many aspects of the week helped generate positive publicity for Tibet’s plight.
“The photo exhibit really helped to humanize the cause,” she said. “It gave faces to the stories.”
Tara Nancy Doyle, director of the Tibetan Studies Program, said events generating interest in Tibet take place throughout the year, including film screenings and guest speakers.
“We work hard to put forth a good solid display representing all aspects of Tibetan culture,” Doyle said. “We just want to be able to maintain a continued awareness within the Atlanta area.”
