Monks teach students about culture, patience, and sacred art

Will Andress ’17 spent a lot of time in his second week of college talking with Tibetan monks and watching them work on art that is sacred to them.

A group of Buddhist monks from Tashi Kyil Monastery spent the past five days at Randolph building a sand mandala—a colorful work of art made by placing thousands of grains of sand to depict symbols sacred in Tibetan Buddhism. They created an Avalokitesvara mandala representing the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

“I have always been interested in the Eastern religious traditions, and the monks were certainly knowledge about that,” Andress said. “On a more general level, I wanted to spend time with them to see their perspective, which would be vastly different from my own.”

Andress learned more about the monks’ religious practices and their language. He also spent some time watching the men build the intricate mandala, which they made in nearly complete silence by leaning over a platform to drop a few grains of sand at a time. Seeing their patience caused Andress to ponder his attitude towards life. “Many times I become too wrapped up and worried about everyday life,” he said. “I need to live in what is happening in the present.”

In addition to creating the mandala, the monks answered questions following a popular film about a monastery and performed a cultural presentation. On Wednesday, after they finished the mandala, they allowed members of the Randolph community and the general public to come get a closer look at the mandala. Then the monks completed their work with a ceremony that involved wiping the sand to destroy the mandala pattern and pouring the sand into a creek.

“I learned that for them, destroying the beautiful mandala that they had worked so hard to build over the last couple of days was not a difficult process for them because they understood that nothing is permanent, including the Mandala,” Andress said.

Monks return to make another mandala at Randolph in Sept. 2013

A group of Tibetan Buddhist monks will return to Randolph College in September to construct a sacred sand mandala.

The monks from Tashi Kyil Monastery in Derha Dun, India, are on a tour of the United States. They visited Randolph on their tour in 2011. Suzanne Bessenger, assistant professor of religious studies, invited them back.

An opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 12:45 p.m. in Houston Memorial Chapel, during which the monks will dedicate the space for the sacred artwork. The public is invited to watch them work daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  On September 11, at 3:30 p.m., the monks will hold a closing ceremony in which they will destroy the mandala and disperse its colorful sand into a nearby creek.

“This is a great opportunity to witness an historic form of religious art,” said Bessenger. “I hope that Randolph students and Lynchburg area residents take advantage of the opportunity to come and watch Tibetan Buddhist art in action and to develop relationships with some wonderful people.”

A mandala is created by arranging grains of sand in an intricate pattern containing religious symbols. Bessenger said it has played a significant role in Buddhist thought and practice since at least the sixth century. Its significance in Hindu thought and practice dates earlier. “To be able to witness the evolution of the practice of the mandala art form, here in 21st century Lynchburg, Virginia, is a remarkable opportunity,” she said.

The monks will create an Avalokitesvara mandala representing the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Beginning in the 17th century, Tibetan Buddhists believed this deity incarnated as the Dalai Lama.

When they are not working on the mandala, the monks will offer several public events:

• Sunday, Sept. 8, 7 p.m.—Film screening of “The Cup,” a movie about young monks who manage to find a way to watch the World Cup finals at their monastery.  The monks will answer questions after the movie. Nichols Theatre, Student Center.
• Monday, Sept. 9, 7 p.m.— “Let’s Travel to Tibet,” a cultural program that will include a yak dance, a re-enactment of the story of Tibetan holy man Milarepa, and a debate demonstration. Attendees will receive a guidebook with Tibetan phrases. Houston Memorial Chapel

Like this video? Watch highlights from the 2011 mandala opening ceremony.

Also, Bessenger will present a lecture, “Do Nuns Make Mandalas?” on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. in Houston Memorial Chapel.

Since the monks will be staying in the residence halls, students will be able to meet and personally interact with them during their visit.

“Randolph students will get to live, eat, and work with Tibetan monks for five days, all without leaving their college campus.  It is a tremendous educational opportunity,” said Bessenger.

“Normally when I teach Buddhism to Randolph students, I use books and other forms of media, which is fine.  It is another thing entirely, however, to be able to live with practicing Tibetan monks, to talk with them about their work, to share meals with them,” she added.

Students Compete in Ethics Bowl

Front row: (l-r) Wyatt Phipps '13, Lindsay Wood '11, Caleb Moxley '11, Rhiannon Knol '11. Second row: (l-r) Susan Klein, Randolph College President John E. Klein

Four Randolph College students participated in the 12th annual statewide collegiate Wachovia Ethics Bowl on February 13-14, on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk/Virginia Beach.

The Randolph College team competed head-to-head against other highly qualified student teams from Virginia’s 14 leading independent colleges and universities, debating a variety of case studies highlighting privacy-based dilemmas. The Randolph College student team members were Rhiannon Knol ’11, Caleb Moxley ’11, Wyatt Phipps ’13, and Lindsay Wood ’11.

Faculty sponsors for the team were Gordon Steffey, assistant professor of religion, and Laura-Gray Street, assistant professor of Engllish.

Many notables from the business sector, law, education, finance, journalism, and other fields listened to team presentations and offer reactions to the students’ presentations.

The event was sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC).

Founded in 1952, the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges is a nonprofit fund-raising partnership supporting the programs and students of 15 leading independent colleges in the Commonwealth: Bridgewater College, Emory & Henry College, Hampden-Sydney College, Hollins University, Lynchburg College, Mary Baldwin College, Marymount University, Randolph College, Randolph-Macon College, Roanoke College, Shenandoah University, Sweet Briar College, University of Richmond, Virginia Wesleyan College and Washington & Lee University. For additional information on the VFIC, visit www.vfic.org.