How to Make a Mandala
The ancient Tibetan art form is an exercise in patience—and letting go.
By Rob Bedeaux
As part of the opening ceremonies for the new Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, which includes hundreds of statues, paintings, carpets and other objects donated by Alice Kandell, a group of Tibetan Buddhist nuns from the Jangchub Choeling Nunnery in India have spent a week at the museum making a sand mandala.
Mandalas are artistic representations of the residential palaces or cosmic realms associated with particular deities. Tibetan Buddhists have long created mandalas out of colored sand as a way to manifest their beliefs in the physical world. The mandala’s creation and consecration is believed to benefit beings, while their destruction serves as a reminder of their ephemerality of life and the impermanence of all things.
History of the Sand Mandala
Some Buddhists believe that Shakyamuni (the historic Buddha) taught the art of sand mandala construction in India in the fifth or sixth century BCE. This tradition also states that the knowledge of mandala-making has been passed down, unbroken, for over 2,500 years. Through the centuries, they have been incorporated into many other Eastern religions, including Hinduism, Jainism, and Shinto.
Sand mandalas were documented in Tibet as early as the eleventh century, and there the practice took on its own traditions. The geometric designs are first drawn by a qualified lama, after which purification rites are conducted to bless the monks or nuns who will undertake the mandala’s creation. Starting at the center, they work their way to the outer edge over the course of several days. The sand is applied using a thin, funnel-like tube. Rubbing a metal rod along the ridged exterior of the tube causes a gentle vibration that keeps the sand running smoothly. This sacred art form is not only a visual representation of specific qualities and energies but also serves as a tool for meditation, focusing the mind, and fostering spiritual reflection. It is a symbolic offering of the entire universe.
Every intricate detail of the mandala is fixed in the tradition and has specific symbolic meanings, often on multiple levels. In the Tibetan religious tradition, it is believed that the process of creation gathers spiritual energy, and then the destruction distributes that energy back to the natural world, where it can be used again.
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Creation & Destruction
The creation and destruction of a sand mandala is a deeply spiritual practice, symbolizing the impermanence of all things. The process begins with the consecration of the site where the mandala will be constructed. The ritual includes dance and prayer chants, which purify the site for the mandala.
At the museum, the nuns then began placing the individual grains of colored sand using tubes, funnels, and scrapers. The process took five days, resulting in an elaborate geometric pattern filled with sacred symbols. During the creation, the nuns blessed the grains of sand which will imbued them with spiritual energy.
The destruction of a sand mandala is known as the Dissolution Ceremony. The Ceremony begins with one of the nuns scraping a knuckle through the sand, creating a cross of grey sand. Next, the nuns will sweep the sand toward the center until it is a small grey pile. This sweeping represents the impermanence of everything in the universe. At the museum, the sand will be collected in a jar and transported to the Mississippi River, where it will be released back into nature. It is believed that the “dissolution” disperses the healing energies of the mandala into the water and throughout the world.
Green Tārā & the GreenTārā Mandala
Every mandala is believed to house the essence of a particular deity and imbue certain qualities. In partnership with the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota and the Jangchub Choeling nuns, the creation at the museum was decided to be a Green Tārā Mandala.
Green Tārā is a central deity in Tibetan Buddhism. She is believed to be incarnated as the Nepali princess Bhrikuti Devi, whose influence helped establish Buddhism in Tibet. She embodies happiness, peace, and prosperity and is often depicted with a green complexion. Tārā is a protector who responds quickly to the cries of those in distress, offering relief from fear and suffering.
Mandala Facts
- Crushed precious stones were traditionally used to create a mandala, but today it is often plain white stones or marble dust dyed with opaque inks or food coloring.
- Small tubes, funnels, and scrapers called chak-pur are the tools used to create a mandala.
- Sand mandalas are unique to Tibetan Buddhism and are believed to emanate healing and purification.
- The word mandala literally translates to “circle” in Sanskrit (मण्डल).
- There are three main types of mandalas seen across world cultures and religions; they are teaching mandalas, healing mandalas, and sand mandalas.
