Throughout International Education Week, Stetson University will host a troupe of Tibetan Buddhist Monks from Gaden Shartse Dokhang Monastery in South India as part of their 2014 Compassion Tour. This event is co-sponsored by the Stetson University College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Music, the Departments of Communication and Media Studies, Counselor Education, History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Sociology and Anthropology, as well as the Gender Studies Program, the Gillespie Museum, and WORLD: The David and Leighan Rinker Center for International Learning, in cooperation with the DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts. These events are open to the public at no charge.

During their week at Stetson, the monks will construct a traditional Tibetan sand mandala, offer a cultural performance, give a talk on Tibetan Buddhism, participate in various classes, and be present on campus to engage with the university community. This visit will include several cultural credit events, offering students multiple opportunities to learn about Tibetan culture and religion.

The schedule of events will take place in Allen Hall Auditorium, 508 N. Woodland Blvd., on Stetson’s DeLand campus. Each event counts toward cultural credit for Stetson students:

• Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2 – 3 p.m.: Tibetan Cultural Performance. This performance will include traditional Tibetan throat chanting, instrumentation, monastic debate, and a Q&A.
• Tuesday, Nov. 18, 3 – 4 p.m.: Sand Mandala Opening Ceremony. Before the monks begin building the Tibetan sand mandala, they will conduct an opening ceremony consisting of rituals and mantra recitations in order to provide an auspicious start to the days-long mandala project.
• Friday, Nov. 21, 12 – 1 p.m.: Fri@12 Presents a Talk on Tibetan History and Culture. As part of Chaplain Fronk’s excellent monthly series, some of the monks will give a talk on Tibetan history and the significance of the mandala.
• Monday, Nov. 24, 12 – 1 p.m.: Sand Mandala Closing Ceremony. After the monks have completed the sand mandala, they will ritually sweep the intricate, delicate structure away as a symbolic representation of impermanence, a central Buddhist teaching. Small amounts of the sand will be offered to audience members as a blessing.

The sand mandala construction itself will take place on the Allen Hall Auditorium Stage. The ritual will begin Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 4 p.m. and conclude Saturday afternoon, Nov. 22. The process of construction will be open to view by Stetson students, faculty, and staff, as well as the public, during normal campus operating hours Tuesday – Saturday. The completed mandala will also be viewable through the weekend until the closing ceremony on Monday, Nov. 24, 12 – 1 p.m.

If you have any questions or comments, you may contact Christopher Bell, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Religious Studies Department at 386-822-8930 or email [email protected]. Visit the Tibetan Monks Compassion Tour online for more information.