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Recently, a group of Tibetan monks came to Austin in a tour of goodwill. Their mission is to raise funds for a hospital that provides free medical care in Tibet. While in town, they participated in a variety of community events, and even offered consultations to those in search of inner peace. Deciding I needed no (or no more) inner peace, I opted to just watch them make a mandala.
A mandala, or Tibetan sandpainting, is an intricate and detailed drawing of Buddha, animals, flowers, and geometric patterns. Monks pour fine, brightly-colored sand onto a board over several days. At the end, they sweep it up and pour it away, symbolizing the impermanence of all things.
If you’re interested in seeing a mandala be made or learning more about Buddhist monks, I recommend renting Kundun, Martin Scorsese’s film about the current Dalai Lama, and the situation in Tibet. It has a score by Philip Glass. Pretty neat, I recommend it!
Here are some photos I took of the mandala here in Austin. The sand was eventually poured into Lady Bird Lake, before a group-meditation session on the shore. I passed on all of that, but the sandpainting was still amazing.
The monks made the mandala right in the lobby of City Hall. On the right, here’s a detail of one corner of the mandala.
The sand is poured in layers. The mostly-green background of the outer area was put down first, with the colored sand done last. The textures of the sand and the height of the designs adds to the complexity. On the left, you can hopefully see the depth of the sand, and on the right, an overhead view.
The monks poured the sand through long, skinny cones. To control the rate of sand, they scraped a stick against the side to slowly agitate out the sand. It was neat to watch them work. I hope they enjoyed their trip and raised money for their hospital.
On to the Top Comments!
From Neon Vincent:
In takes a lot of money... G2geek explains Rush Limbaugh's career choice.
From indycam:
GussieFN on the importance of being a good winner.
From GreenMtnState:
The Termite makes an astute observation in quaoar's diary on Karl Rove.
From sardonyx:
Dauphin makes a modest proposal in ACLU's diary More Evidence of Drug Law Enforcement Spiraling Out of Control.
Kidspeak gives excellent advice on removing lead from your house and away from children in TomP's diary on lead poisoning in children.
sharris0512 recites a little prayer for embattled Republican congressman Vito Fossella.
Dont Just Stand There eloquently asks Would America elect Thomas Jefferson today? In reply, bernardpliers posits a completely different fate for Jefferson.
Juan4All writes about intelligence without education in a diary with many excellent comments, dawnt's Is West Virginia Welcome in Your Democratic Party?
Top Mojo by sardonyx! Thanks!
Top Mojo (cskendrick/sardonyx-style) excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, and Cheers and Jeers:
1) Actually I find the 'doctoring' of the record by Morgan Sandlin — 485
2) Thanks again by Scott Kleeb — 282
3) Thank God for C-Span! by Kimball Cross — 191
4) True...that and the good ear of a Kossack by Morgan Sandlin — 159
5) Fixed. Sorry about that. by Karmic Spirit — 142
6) Seconded. Beautiful diary, Dawn! by chrisblask — 123
7) dont forget this weeks victim by lazbumm — 121
8) The War on Drugs by opinionated — 105
9) Mother of Zeus by Carnacki — 100
10) and where the hell is the NRA in these cases? by Uberbah — 98
11) Clearly it's time... by Red no more — 91
12) He also claimed the Constitution says by Kimball Cross — 88
13) O M G by Lava20 — 85
14) Eloquently said by jiordan — 81
15) I just keep thinking by Patch Adam — 80
16) Just came back from Yancey Cty, NC by wmdrpa — 79
17) The great thing about Oregon by Saska — 79
18) I think I read that Obama by turneresq — 78
19) True of Bill Clinton, too. by Dale — 75
20) If you haven't said anything, he'll call on you by mtosner — 74
21) why does everything have to be a war? by CharlieHipHop — 73
22) I really like how Obama is doing this by psycho liberal — 72
23) Excellent diary. I'm not from there by TomP — 72
24) Sorry, I think this is in poor taste. by D Wreck — 69
25) Would America elect Thomas Jefferson today? by Dont Just Stand There — 65
26) Incompetence at HRC 08. by Inland — 61
27) Senator Akaka just endorsed! by Oreo — 60
28) Jefferson Would Be In Gitmo by bernardpliers — 59
29) (Slides) More Covers from this week by Al Rodgers — 59
30) Altering the Record by pmorlan — 59
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1) Tips for Constitutional competence by NWTerriD — 928
2) Tips for hardy mountain folk by dawnt — 782
3) Actually I find the 'doctoring' of the record by Morgan Sandlin — 485
4) Tips for a safe recovery soon by koNko — 401
5) Tips by turneresq — 392
6) I would like to have by Granny Doc — 350
7) Recommendations Welcome by kubla000 — 338
8) Thanks again by Scott Kleeb — 282
9) Tips for training paying off by droogie6655321 — 268
10) Tip Jar by kkaabboomm — 247
11) Bill O'Reilly is and has been by NMLib — 222
12) Tips for Senator Obama and by TomP — 217
13) Thank God for C-Span! by Kimball Cross — 191
14) 50 state strategy, tipped, recced, by Inland — 178
15) Happy Monday! by DarkSyde — 165
16) True...that and the good ear of a Kossack by Morgan Sandlin — 159
17) This might be well-intended. by Mother of Zeus — 157
18) Tips/recs.... by maxnyc — 154
19) Happy Mother's Day to all by kid oakland — 149
20) Tips For Tom! by justiceleague — 143
21) Fixed. Sorry about that. by Karmic Spirit — 142
22) When I say outrage piled on outrage, by lao hong han — 140
23) Tip Jar by Oreo — 137
24) Tips, thoughts, etc. by JedReport — 125
25) More evidence... by COwoman — 123
26) Seconded. Beautiful diary, Dawn! by chrisblask — 123
27) dont forget this weeks victim by lazbumm — 121
28) Thank you! by jenontheshore — 118
29) tips for change by SamGrahamFelsen — 114
30) In memory of by monkeybiz — 113
31) tj by FishOutofWater — 113