Kalachakra Mandala Closing Ceremony

On March 8th, 2008 the Kalachakra Mandala that had been assembled over several weeks by the Venerable Losang Samten was dismantled.

The Kalachakra Mandala, while depicted on a flat surface, serves as a 3-D schematic of the palace of the Kalachakra Deity, the embodiment of omniscience and enlightenment. The Palace of the Kalachakra Deity is in the center of the Mandala, and is surrounded by representations of the 722 aspects of the Deity, which also represent all reality internal and external.

A large crowd formed around the mandala, and after chanting the Kalachakra Mantra and reciting several prayers, the Mandala was swirled into a rainbow colored pile.

A portion of the sand was put into a vessel given to Losang Samten, and the rest was divided into envelopes and given to all those who attended the ceremony. Losang explained that we could cast our sand into the creek, or spread it on an altar or around our homes.

Losang led a procession to the creek, where more prayers were chanted before Losang dumped the sand he carried into the water. He emphasized that this was not an act of destruction, but that it should remind us of the impermanence of all things. After the vessel of sand was emptied, it was filled with water and emptied again. Losang blessed all those in attendance and let out a contagious laugh. Many in attendance dumped their envelopes of sand into the creek as well, and the ceremony was over. It was a beautiful event.