Tibetan Culture

[Guest guest]

This past Friday, I went into Wash DC to see the Tibetan Village on the Mall.

Their

very finest craftsmen were demonstrating their arts. Several monks were

continuing

the sand mandala underway all week, which requires a steady touch. Fine colored

grains of sand are put in a slender metal funnel and then rubbed gently with a

metal

wand so that the slight vibration causes a few grains at a time to drop out the

small

opening. The intricacy of this design is incredible.

 

The painting of the Thangkhas, religious images of Buddha and Bodhisattvas are

also

finely detailed. As well as painting, some are created by an applique technique

of

rich materials and fine sewing. Pashima shawls hand woven of tiny fine threads.

The

lettering of their texts is traditionally hand carved into wooden blocks for

printing. The enormous amount of time to do these crafts is quite obvious, not

to

mention the time it takes to learn to do them well. It all gives an impression

of

having all the time in the world to do something just right.

 

At the Buddhist temple in a tent, there was a continous round of teachings and

chantings. And the tent was full to overflowing. It's very encouraging to see

such

interest. The end of the talk I heard, the monk asked how many might be

returning for

the next talk an hour later and half the crowd raised their hands. He told the

rest

that if this might be their only hearing of Buddhist teachings they might wonder

what

they got from it, but to think of Buddhism as being not about getting but more

about

what one might come there to leave. He made a few points about dropping stuff

and

said the essence of the message is how to relax and leave worries behind.

Everyone

clapped. The Tibetans certainly do have a very noticable serenity and kindly

cheerfulness in their willingness to talk to anyone and everyone and patiently

answer

questions.

 

There were more crafts and yaks and a nomad's tent and a huge prayer

wheel,dolls in

Tibetan costumes.

Anyway, I'll soon put a few pictures in the files in a Tibetan folder..the flash

camera

ones I haven't got back yet.

 

A sample of their various arts can be seen at this website:

http://www.beliefnet.com/features/dalailama/tibetanarts.html

 

Be sure to at least see the incredible

Sand Mandala pictures at: http://www.artnetwork.com/Mandala/

 

 

On Friday, 50,000 people showed up to hear the Dalai Lama's talk on the mall. It

was

non-political, focusing on the illusory nature of wealth and power, and the role

of

hope and generosity toward others in bringing happiness.

 

A video webcast of his talk in Wash DC will be available July 5th 7:30,

continuing

until Aug at this site: http://www.beliefnet.com/features/dalailama/index.html