Monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery in Tibet work on the sand mandala at the USC Pacific Asia Museum.

Monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery in Tibet work on the sand mandala at the USC Pacific Asia Museum. (USC Photo/Gus Ruelas)

Arts

Monks create beautiful art at USC Pacific Asia Museum — then destroy it

The making of the colorful sand mandala and then its destruction is a ritual symbolizing the impermanent nature of life.

January 28, 2019 Gus Ruelas

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Visiting monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery in Tibet spent much of last week creating a sand mandala at the USC Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena. The Buddhist tradition involves creating a “painting” made from colored sand and then destroying it in a ritual that symbolizes the impermanent nature of life. Take a look as they worked through the week and then held Saturday’s closing ceremony.