Tibet is known for its colorful artwork involving Buddhist deities, Buddha figures, and aspects of Buddhist philosophy. Anyone who is even remotely familiar with Tibetan culture will be familiar with one particular type of artwork- the Sand Mandala. A mandala is a spiritual symbol depicting the universe and the cosmos. It is generally a geometric pattern that represents the universe metaphorically.

Mandalas are very common in Tibetan culture where they represent various philosophies found in Tibetan Buddhism like the structure of the Universe, Wisdom and Impermanence, Nature of Enlightenment, etc. Tibetan Mandalas are always made using coloured sand hence the name the Sand Mandala.

An Elaborate Sand Mandala.

For a traveler visiting Tibet for the first time, understanding the significance and philosophy of Sand Mandalas will help you understand Tibetan Buddhism and culture.

What Is a Sand Mandala? An Artistic and Philosophical Carrier of Tibetan Buddhism

Sand Mandalas or Dul-Tson-Kyil-Khor (Mandala of colored powders) as they are known in Tibetan, is an ancient art form of Tibetan Buddhism. It involves the painstaking process of placing colored sand to make an intricate pattern called Mandala, which symbolizes the residence, city, and cosmos of the Buddha in Tibetan Buddhism.

Usually, multiple Tibetan monks will work together to make the exquisite sand mandala and it takes days or even weeks to create the complex design. For Tibetan monks, it is considered to be part of the unique meditation and spiritual practice.

Interestingly, though it takes tons of patience and hard work to create a Tibetan sand mandala, it will be destroyed shortly after its completion, symbolizing the impermanence of life or the transient nature of existence in Tibetan Buddhism. Learn the 3 main beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism.

Dyed sand for making sand mandalas.

How Is a Sand Mandala Made? Involve Enormous Patience, Perseverance and Skills

Sand Mandalas have been in the Tibetan art culture for centuries. In the olden days, monks would use precious and semi-precious stones in place of colored sand.

Nowadays using gemstones is not practical so monks gather a special kind of white sand from mountains along the Yarlung Tsangpo River and dye it into diverse colors with special meanings. The sand is usually very dense so it doesn’t easily scatter if there is a wind or some disturbance while the mandala is being made.

Tibetan monks carefully put grains of colorful sand to make a sand mandala.

First, the monks draw the basic design of the mandala on a flatboard. Then they start filling in the outline with colored sand. Usually, they start at the center and work outwards.

Apart from dyed sand, another sand mandala tool they will use is called Chak-purs, a conically shaped metal funnel, which helps monks place the sand precisely in the sand mandala.

Creating a mandala involves a lot of cooperation and the aim is to maintain harmony throughout the entire process. Completion of a mandala can take several weeks, which is why it is a group effort by the monks. It is generally a very meditative process for monks due to the intense concentration involved.

The mandala starts with a dot in the centre which represents the primary deity of the mandala. At this dot, the image of the deity is drawn. Work on the mandala is started first by holding a few ceremonies. Outsiders are rarely permitted to view the beginning ceremonies, which involve dancing, chanting, and prayers. Once these ceremonies are over, work on the mandala begins.

Tibetan monks are making sand mandalas together.

The sand mandalas are done by skilled professionals, who are always monks. These monks are trained in this art form for many years before they are allowed to create them in public. They are trained in the very specific rules of mandala design and its philosophy. Training can go on for more than three years. Mandalas are created using the rules given out in various Tibetan esoteric texts. There are specific rules for different types of mandalas.

A close-up look at the finely crafted sand mandala.

Each mandala will vary in color, shape, size, and design depending on the lesson it aims to teach. Creating a mandala involves enormous patience, perseverance, and willpower. It is a painstaking work that produces breathtaking results at the end. What is even more awesome is that after all this work is finished and the traditional ceremonies associated with it are over, the mandala is destroyed by being swept aside. The significance of this will be explained further in this article. Discover the meanings of colors in Tibetan Buddhism.

Philosophical Significance of Sand Mandal: Symbolize the Impermanence of Life & Beyond

The mandala is steeped in symbolism and philosophy. Before a monk ever makes any mandala, he is first educated in the philosophy behind it. Since a mandala is so rich in symbolism, the very act of creating the mandala is believed to be sacred.

On the whole, a mandala usually represents the universe. It can also represent various other things like the Enlightened mind, Wisdom, Impermanence, etc.

Monks making a sand mandala using a metal funnel.

Generally, a mandala is represented in the form of a palace. In the middle of the mandala palace is where the Buddha's essence lies. Surrounding him are the four “gates”, which form a square. They in turn represent the four directions as well as the four immeasurables of Buddhism, which are loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity.

View a Tibetan sand mandala from a different perspective.

In each of the directions is a Buddha called a Dhyani Buddha. While these Buddhas are usually the same colour, they can be distinguished by their hand gestures. They each represent overcoming a particular defilement like ignorance or anger or lust. Learn the 8 auspicious symbols of Tibetan Buddhism.

Outside this are generally concentric circles which also have deep meanings. The outermost ring is usually drawn as a ring of fire. This denotes the burning of ignorance. The mandala is technically a representation of the enlightened mind.

So an outer circle showing a ring of fire means the first step towards enlightenment would be the burning away of ignorance. It also symbolizes the transformations that humans must go through to reach enlightenment.

The next circle is depicted by thunderbolts and diamond scepters. This is linked to the Tibetan tradition itself which is called Vajrayana or Diamond Vehicle Buddhism. It represents the illuminity and indestructibility of the the ultimate truth of the Buddha’s teachings.

Precisely place grains of dyed sand with Chak-purs to create sand mandalas.

The inner two layers depict eight graveyards and finally lotus leaves. These represent the eight aspects of human consciousness that bind a person to the cycle of rebirth and religious rebirth, respectively. After that is the square “palace”, the meaning of which has been discussed earlier.

The mandala philosophy represents the human journey from ignorance to Buddhahood. One interesting thing about the process of mandala making is that, after the mandala is completed, the accompanying ceremonies and public viewing is over, the mandala is destroyed in one swift sweep.

This represents the ultimate impermanence of all conditioned things. The sand is then swept into the rivers where it is believed that the river waters will carry the blessed sand far and wide.

Top Tibetan Monasteries to Watch Sanda Mandala: Sera and Tashilunpo and Samye Monasteries

Well, although the creation of a sand mandala is not a daily occurrence, in Lhasa and Shigatse, there are a couple of Tibetan monasteries where you can see ready-made sand mandalas for visitors.

1. Sera Monastery (Lhasa)

As one of the great three Gelugpa monasteries in Lhasa, Sera Monastery is widely known for its lively monk debate in the afternoon (15:00 - 17:00, from Monday to Saturday) in the debate courtyard.

However, as you travel from its entrance to the debate courtyard through the main passage, don’t miss out on the three sand mandalas displayed next to the Printing Press inside the Sera Monastery. You can closely marvel at the colorful and elaborate pattern of the sand mandala.

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2. Tashilunpo Monastery (Shigatse)

Located in Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet, Tashilunpo Monastery is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama. Here, not only can you see the world’s largest Maitreya Buddha measuring 26m, but also visit its Tantric College where you can appreciate the amazing sand mandala displayed.

Every year, Tashilunpo Monastery will host as many as six religious ceremonies and you are very likely to see how Tibetan monks make such an amazing sand mandala in person.

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3. Samye Monastery (Shannan)

Well, apart from seeing the real sand mandala in person, what if you can travel in a sand mandala?

Yes, there is a legendary Tibetan monastery in Shannan Prefecture (around 2hrs drive from Lhasa) whose design is completely based on the Buddhist mandala, i.g the renowned Samye Monastery, which is also the first Tibetan monastery in Tibet.

The Samye Monastery’s Main Hall, known as Ütse, represents Mt Meru, the center of the universe, while the outer temples represent the oceans, continents, subcontinents, and other features of Buddhist cosmology. Highly recommended! You can explore the mandala city in real life.

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Best Festivals to Watch Sanda Mandala in Tibet: Saga Dawa Festival, Tibetan New Year

Since the making of sand mandalas mostly takes place during traditional Tibetan festivals, the following two occasions will maximize your chance to closely observe how the ornate sand mandala is created in Tibetan monasteries.

1. Saga Dawa Festival

As one of the most important Tibetan festivals across Tibet, the Saga Dawa festival (May) celebrates the enlightenment of Sakyamuni and the entry into nirvana. The Jokhang Temple in Lhasa and Mt. Kailash in Ngari Prefecture will be packed with pilgrims walking the kora.

Meanwhile, most Tibetan monasteries like Sera, Drepung Ganden Tashilunpo Monasteries, etc. will organize Buddhist rituals to celebrate this grand Buddhist festival, including the monks making the sand mandala and giant Thankga Buddha display, etc.

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2. Tibetan New Year (Losar)

Another great time to admire sand mandala in Tibet is during the Tibetan New Year, also known as the Losar Festival. During Losar, many monasteries perform special rituals and ceremonies that may include the creation of sand mandalas.

Besides, Tibetan opera is performed and the streets are thronged with Tibetans in their finest outfits. Prayer ceremonies take place and new prayer flags are hung.

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As a bonus, we’ve handpicked a sand mandala video for you, in which you can see how an exquisite sand mandala is made by Tibetan monks during Tibetan festivals in 4 minutes.

Conclusion

Sanda Mandala making is very important in Tibetan Buddhism and it is heavily laden with symbolism and deep philosophy. Sand mandalas are beautiful, colorful, and a definite treat to the eyes of those seeing them. If you have more questions about Tibetan sand mandala or Tibet travel, please feel free to email us for a free consultation. As a local Tibet travel agency, we are looking forward to taking you to see the real sand mandala in Tibet. Cheers!