Sands of Time

Over the next few days,the ceremony will see the monks place millions of grains of coloured sand,created from crushed stone,into traditional Tibetan iconography comprising geometric shapes and Buddhist spiritual symbols. The mandala is expected to bless the earth and its inhabitants and bring peace and harmony to the area where it is being constructed.

The monks measure out the dimensions for creating the Mandala and meticulously put the elements of the process in place. This is the fourth dimension of the Buddhist tantra — action or kriya tantra to incorporate love,passion and peace in our lives.

The teaching of the mandala is passed through an oral tradition started by Buddha over 2,500 years ago. Buddhists believe it changes the mind stream by creating a strong imprint of the beauty of perfection of the Buddha’s mind. As a result of this imprint,one may be able to find greater compassion,awareness and a sense of well-being. Sand mandalas are associated with the most profound and elaborate Buddhist ceremonies in Tibet.

All mandalas have outer,inner,and esoteric meanings. On the outer level,they represent the world in its divine form; the inner level represents a map by which the ordinary human mind is transformed into the enlightened mind; and on the esoteric level,they depict the perfect balance of the subtle energies of the body and the clear light dimension of the mind.

“We have an American monk,who will providing explanations and the ceremony will begin with chanting,’’ says Kultar Nat,one of the founders of Coveda. Once the initiation is complete,the temporary structures are deliberately destroyed,the sand swept up and poured into a body of water to emphasise the impermanence of things .

The Mandala ceremony will be held from February 24-28 from 10 am to 4 pm