Tibetan Buddhist monks creating a sacred sand mandala of world peace.
Photos by Hank Ogle/Cuestonian

By Stephen Kondor
Staff Writer

Exiled Tibetan monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery of Mungrod, South India, are in the Performing Arts Centre on Cuesta Campus Aug. 28 – 31.

The monks are creating the sacred sand mandala of peace.

The commencement of the mandala began at 9 a.m on Monday, Aug. 28 and will be open to the public every day from 9 to 11 a.m and 12 to 3 pm.

The event itself is free but there is a parking fee of $2 per day for those who do not already have a parking pass.

“The master studied 10 years to learn how to perfect the sand mandala and teach it to others,” Geshe Lharampa Lobsang Younten said.

There are over 2000 monks at their home monastery in Mungrod.

The monastery is a place for families to send their kids for free education, clothing and shelter.

The master also can select people in the monastery to study for becoming a monk.

People can join the monastery as young as age 7 and some as old as 100.

The monks primarily study Buddhism at the monastery, however there are lots of things to learn at the
monastery, including the art of the sand mandala.

The monks are also selling interesting authentic Tibetan merchandise.

The World Peace Mandala