Ithaca College is proud to announce that it will welcome back several monks from our South Hill neighbors, Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, for the creation of a sand mandala inside the upper atrium of the Dorothy D. and Roy H. Park Center for Business and Sustainable Enterprise. This is the third consecutive year that Ithaca College and Namgyal Monastery have come together to host this extraordinary event. The construction of the mandala will center a week of programming and learning opportunities beginning Wednesday, September 18, and extending through Monday, September 23.
“We are so excited to be welcoming back the monks for the creation of a mandala on our campus this fall,” said Eric Steinschneider, associate professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion. “This is an amazing opportunity to continue to strengthen the bonds between Ithaca College and our Tibetan neighbors, and a reminder to the entire community of the wonderful treasure that we have in Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies here in Ithaca.”
The mandala will be constructed out of multi-colored sand and is dedicated to Chenrezig, the bodhisattva (highly advanced spiritual being) of compassion, also known as Avalokiteśvara. Tibetan Buddhists traditionally recognize Chenrezig as the patron of Tibet and view the XIV Dalai Lama as an emanation of Chenrezig in the physical world.
The creation of the mandala will officially commence on Wednesday, September 18, beginning with a brief opening ceremony, led by Ithaca College President La Jerne Terry Cornish and representatives from Namgyal Monastery, at 10:00 a.m. in the upper atrium of the School of Business. The monks will be actively constructing the mandala each day from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. throughout the remainder of the week until it is completed.
Each day, the monks will suspend their active work on the mandala at 3:00 p.m. to do ritual chanting followed by a brief meditation period. Each day at 4:00 p.m., IC community groups will offer a walking meditation opportunity that all are welcome to attend.
Ithaca College will also broadcast a livestream of the monks’ progress throughout the week for those unable to attend in person. The livestream can be viewed at www.ithaca.edu/livestream/mandala-project.