Buddhist monks to bring peace on 9/11

Tibetan monks visit Pacific Asia Museum, Los Angeles

The Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena (Los Angeles County) is hosting a major event for the 9/11/11 tenth anniversary commemoration weekend:

Sand Mandala by the Gaden Jangtse Monks

The Gaden Jangtse Buddhist monks will spend five days at Pacific Asia Museum creating a sand mandala in the museum's Focus Gallery and a butter sculpture (floral form) in the courtyard garden.

The sand mandala is an ancient art form that is unique to Tibetan Buddhism. The artwork is made by placing fine sand, grain by grain, into an intricate design of the world in its divine form. Upon completion, the mandala is blessed a final time, and the sand is swept into a pile -- erasing the beautiful work of art.

Some of the sand is given to those present as a small blessing for their home, and the remainder is poured into the moving water of the ocean where it can carry prayers and blessings throughout the world. Visit over and over during the course of the five days to see the progression of the artwork and learn more about this ancient art form.