Tibetan mandalas: ritual paintings of colored sand and marble chips
Tibetan mandalas: ritual paintings of colored sand and marble chips

Video: Tibetan mandalas: ritual paintings of colored sand and marble chips

Video: Tibetan mandalas: ritual paintings of colored sand and marble chips
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Sand painting. Tibetan mandalas from Buddhist monks
Sand painting. Tibetan mandalas from Buddhist monks

Buddhist monks are taught humility and patience, and now it is clear why and how. An ancient, unusual and very beautiful art helps monks to train willpower and patience - the laying out of colored sand and crushed marble paintings, which are called mandalas … According to Wikipedia, the mandala in translation from Sanskrit means "circle", and therefore all mandala paintings are in the shape of a circle, and is also so sacred that it can be considered an object of worship, and is created with the appropriate rituals. Indeed, this picture is interpreted as a model of the universe!

Ritual paintings from multi-colored marble
Ritual paintings from multi-colored marble
In the old days, crushed semi-precious stones were used instead of marble sand
In the old days, crushed semi-precious stones were used instead of marble sand
Mandalas are called the map of the cosmos and the model of the universe
Mandalas are called the map of the cosmos and the model of the universe

A large circle, a square inscribed in it, in which there is another circle, and this is all richly "flavored" with symbolic images, colored patterns and mysterious letters, the essence of which is known only to the monks themselves, as well as to those who profess Buddhism. But this is a separate conversation - now you need to focus on these magnificent, even magical paintings, concealing a deeply philosophical meaning, accessible only to a select few.

It sometimes takes several days to create one mandala
It sometimes takes several days to create one mandala

Mandalas are not only flat, but also voluminous, not only laid out of sand, but also carved out of oil, embroidered, woven, painted … In the old days, to obtain colored sand, monks crushed multi-colored semi-precious stones in special mortars - Tibet was a rich country. Today, crushed and colored marble is used. Every year in Buddhist temples, in particular in the Gyudmed monastery, 12 monks are trained in the art of drawing a mandala, who then pass an exam in the central temple.

Mandalas are prepared for the appropriate ritual … and then destroyed
Mandalas are prepared for the appropriate ritual … and then destroyed
The mandala symbolizes the realm of the deities, the pure lands of the buddhas
The mandala symbolizes the realm of the deities, the pure lands of the buddhas

It is difficult to imagine how much time (sometimes up to several days) and energy is spent on drawing one such mandala, which is necessary for the ritual. And when the ritual is over, the picture suffered through … is destroyed. Well, the monks probably take this act of forced vandalism with philosophical calm. Say, everything is mortal in this world - and even art …

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