Tibetan Monks make 10th anniversary visit

Geshe Tsultrim is a sand mandala master on the 10th anniversary tour. Grass Valley was the first tour stop when Tsultrim first came to the United States in 2001.In January 2001, the first tour of Tibetan Buddhist monks from Gaden Shartse monastery arrived in Nevada County to offer a cultural exchange of sacred arts of Tibet and since that time the monks have returned each year to continue the annual tradition of constructing a sand mandala in St. Joseph's Hall.

The Sand Mandala is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition involving the creation and dissolution of a geometric design meticulously made from colored grains of sand. Upon completion, perhaps 100 hours later, the beautiful work of art is ritualistically swept away with accompanying ceremonies and the viewing is completed to symbolize the Buddhist doctrinal belief in the transitory nature of material life. Historically, the mandala was not created for the public and was not made with dyed sand, but granules of crushed colored precious and semi-precious stone such as turquoise, coral and lapis. The sand from mandalas is considered to be sacred and possess spiritual properties for healing, and helping the sick and the dying. Prior to laying down the sand, the monks draw precise geometric measurements. The sand granules are then painstakingly applied using small tubes, funnels, and scrapers, until the delicate and intricate pattern is achieved.

The Gaden Shartse Monastery which was originally founded in Tibet in 1409 is often compared the great universities of Europe founded in the 15th century. Gaden Sharste was completely destroyed following the occupation of Tibet in 1959 and all but a small fraction of the 3000 monks perished in the cultural annihilation of Tibet. Gaden Sharste has since been reestablished in a Tibetan Resettlement camp in exile in India and is experiencing a revival of Buddhist philosophical teachings based on non violence and compassion. According to the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, one should not “try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are.”

“Nevada County is very important to our monastery,” said Geshe Lobsang Tsultrim, sand mandala master on the tour. “Our connection here is very strong and continues to grow. All of our monks know of the kindness of Grass Valley and several people from Grass Valley have also visited our monastery in India. This community is very kind to the people of Tibet. We never forget this. We wish to offer a special mandala for our 10th anniversary visit.”  Grass Valley was the first tour stop for Geshe Tsultrim when he first came to the United States in 2001. “We are very happy to be returning to Nevada County again.”