The Mystical Arts of Tibet Featuring the Tibetan Monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery

1502323200

Asia Society Texas

The Mystical Arts of Tibet Featuring the Tibetan Monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery

Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 – Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017

12:00 PM – 06:00 PM
US/Central

Tibetan Buddhist monks from Drepung Loseling Monasterywill construct a mandala sand painting and perform special ceremonies August 10-13 at Asia Society Texas Center. During this ritual, millions of grains of sand are painstakingly laid into place in order to purify and heal the environment and its inhabitants.

Because the event is offered FREE to the public (with the exception of Saturday's performance), at high traffic times, admission is not guaranteed.

A live stream of the mandala creation will be made available online, with a new link provided each day.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10

Viewing Hours: 12 pm-6 pm

Opening Ceremony: 12 pm

The mandala sand painting begins with an opening ceremony, during which the lamas consecrate the site and call forth the forces of goodness through chanting, music, and mantra recitation. The lamas then begin the painting by drawing an outline of the mandala on a wooden platform. In the following days, they lay the colored sands using a traditional metal funnel called a chakpur.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 11

Viewing Hours: 10 am-6 pm

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12

Viewing Hours: 10 am-7 pm*

Community Mandala: 12 pm - 4 pm (while supplies last)
Guests are invited to take part in the art by contributing to a separate community sand painting on Saturday. Instruction will be given on how to use the chakpur to fill in the design with sand.

TICKETED PERFORMANCE: Sacred Music and Dance: 7 pm
Presenting Sponsor: Bank of America
Purchase online or call 713.496.9901.
Robed in magnificent costumes and playing traditional Tibetan instruments, the Drepung Loseling monks perform ancient temple music and dance intended to kindle world healing. The Loseling monks are particularly renowned for their multiphonic chanting known as zokkay (complete chord) and are the only culture on earth that cultivates this most extraordinary vocal ability. Each of the main chantmasters simultaneously intones three notes, thus each individually creating a complete chord.

*The monks will be working on the sand mandala from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday, August 12. The Education Center will remain open until 7 pm for visitors to view the sand mandala.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 13

Viewing Hours: 10 am-completion of Closing Ceremony

Closing Ceremony: 3 pm
The monks will dismantle the mandala, sweeping up the colored sands to symbolize the impermanence of life. The sand will be distributed to the audience at the closing ceremony, while supplies last.

About the Programs & Activities

About Mandala Sand Paintings

This artistic tradition of Tantric Buddhism, painting with colored sand, ranks as one of the most unique and exquisite. Millions of grains of sand are painstakingly laid into place on a flat platform over a period of days or weeks to form the image of a mandala. To date, the monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery have created mandala sand paintings in more than 100 museums, art centers, and colleges and universities in the United States and Europe.

Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning sacred cosmogram. These cosmograms can be created in various media, such as watercolor on canvas, wood carvings, and so forth. However, the most spectacular and enduringly popular are those made from colored sand.

In general, all mandalas have outer, inner, and secret meanings. On the outer level they represent the world in its divine form; on the inner level they represent a map by which the ordinary human mind is transformed into enlightened mind; and on the secret level they depict the primordially perfect balance of the subtle energies of the body and the clear-light dimension of the mind. The creation of a sand painting is said to effect purification and healing on these three levels.

HOURS & ADMISSION

Wednesday, Friday - Sunday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday (free admission all day), 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Closed Monday and Tuesday and major holidays.
Explore Asia Admission: Six interactive stations; includes complimentary access to current exhibition in the Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery. $15 per guest ages 13 and up. $9 per guest ages 7–12. Free for guests ages 6 and under and for Asia Society members. Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery Admission Only: $8 per guest. Free for guests ages 6 and under and for Asia Society members. Free exhibition admission on Thursdays from 12 pm – 7 pm, presented by Regions Bank.

Directions & Parking

Free Parking
Paid Parking
Street Parking

Parking in Asia Society Texas Center's lot is $7 for 1-24 hours. Entrances on Caroline and Austin. Limited free and paid street parking is also available.

Special Offers / Dining

Java Lava Cafe
Serving 100 percent premium Kona coffee from KarmaSu Coffee Farm in Hawaii, plus breakfast, lunch, and sweet treats, Java Lava Cafe is open for extended breakfast hours Tuesday–Saturday.

Hours
Tuesday – Saturday, 8:30 am – 3 pm
https://asiasociety.org/texas/java-lava-cafe