Emory Tibet Week: Sand mandala creation and viewing at Drepung Loseling

Emory-Tibet Week

Mandala Sand Painting Live Exhibition
by the Tibetan monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery
Sep 28 - Oct 3, 2025 at Drepung Loseling Monastery
Opening Ceremony: September 28 - 11:00 am
Construction & Viewing: Sep 28–Oct 1 See Daily Schedule
Closing Ceremony: October 3 - 6:30 pm
The Drepung Loseling monks of The Mystical Arts of Tibet will create a Avalokiteshvara mandala sand painting from Sunday, September 28 to Friday, October 3 as part of Tibet week at Emory University. Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion, is perhaps one of the most deeply cherished deities in the Buddhist world. Known as Quan Am in Vietnamese, Kwan Yin in Chinese, Kannon in Japanese, and Chenrezig in Tibetan, Avalokiteshara’s manifestations are manifold. Avalokiteshara is known for his infinite compassion; that is, his ability to see the suffering of sentient beings and his resolve to relieve that suffering.
The opening ceremony on September 28 will begin with introductory remarks about the mandala followed by a ceremony with the monks chanting and playing traditional Tibetan instruments to consecrate the space. After, the monks will begin constructing the mandala by drawing the geometric lines, from memory, for Green Tara in preparation for the colourful designs and ancient spiritual symbols that will appear throughout the week.
After hundreds of man hours and millions of grains of sand laid down in the creation of this mandala over a period of seven days, it will be dismantled in a lavish ceremony on October 3. The sand will be swept away as a symbolization of impermanence and non-attachment, as well as being a tool to reconsecrate the earth and its inhabitants, to the accompaniment of traditional Tibetan musical instruments and multi-phonic chants. Attendees will be gifted half of the consecrated and blessed sand to take home as a reminder.

Daily Schedule

Sunday, September 28, 2025
11:00 am Opening Ceremony
12:30 – 6:00 pm Mandala Construction & Viewing

Monday, Sep 29, 2025
10:00 am – 6:00 pm Mandala Construction & Viewing

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025
10:00 am – 6:00 pm Mandala Construction & Viewing
7:00 pm ETSI Panel Session: Advancing Contemplative Science: Research Collaboration with Monastics
8:00 pm Book Launch & Book Signing: Challenger Defender: The Great Tradition of Tibetan Monastic Debate

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025
10:00 am – 6:00 pm Mandala Construction & Viewing
7:30 pm Panel Session A Panel on Compassion Shift

Thursday, Oct 2, 2025
No events

Friday, October 3, 2025
6:30 pm Mandala Sand Painting Closing Ceremony

https://www.drepung.org/Changing/ChangingMenu/Mandala-DLM-2025.htm