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Ganden Jangtse Monks Visit Smith CollegeA group of Ganden Jangtse monks from South India will be at Smith College on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4, 5, and 6, to present a full range of the classical, monastic Tibetan arts, including music, dance and religious rituals of their unique Buddhist spiritual heritage. Founded in Tibet in the 15th century, Ganden Jangtse was the second largest monastery in Tibet, at one point housing more than 7,000 monks. The original monastery was destroyed during the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, and the monastery was rebuilt in South India where it accommodates a constant influx of refugees from Tibet as well as the monks who continue the order's tradition as a great center of wisdom and learning. During their three-day visit to Smith, the ten visiting monks will be engaged in the construction of a sand mandala in the Browsing Room of Neilson Library between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (On Saturday, the concluding ceremony will take place at 2 p.m.) Sand mandalas, which illustrate Tibetan Buddhist scriptures, are constructed painstakingly of colored grains of sand. The creation of a mandala is considered to be a sacred act depicting the realm of enlightened Buddhas, which serves as a sort of road map to guide the practitioner along his or her own path to enlightenment. On Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Sweeney Concert Hall, Sage Hall, the monks will perform sacred Tibetan music and dance, using ancient musical instruments to accompany their chants and rituals. The public is invited to attend the Friday evening performance, to watch the construction of the mandala and to participate in the closing ceremony on Saturday. There is no charge for the events. For further information or to schedule interviews, please contact Dr. Jamie Hubbard, Yehan Numata Lecturer in Buddhist Studies, Smith College, at 413-585-3449. |
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