Tibet

Tibet is a remote island that is located in western China. Tibet is bordered by the Indian region. During the 10^th century Tibet began to fall apart which separated into separate regions. Tibet was under the rule of King Langdarma who repressed Buddhism in Tibet. Monks who practiced Buddhism were disrobed or killed. This sense of killing continued for many years to come. During 1206, Genghis Khan included Tibet in his empire. The Mongols allowed the Dalai Lama to have political power. The Dalai Lama is a monk filled with wisdom. In the modern day some people have attacked the Tibetans way of life. The Dalai Lama said “Today, the religion, culture, language and identity, which successive generations of Tibetans have considered more precious than their lives, are nearing extinction”[1]. The Dalai Lama is looked up to as a spiritual leader. The Dalai Lama is seen as a highly advanced Buddhist since this is what his life is dedicated to. He must save the lives of others while also saving the Buddhist religion by constantly practicing the religion.

As I look at this quote from the Dalai Lama I am compelled to think that poverty play a major role in this. There are over 78% of people living under the poverty line in Tibet. Many of the people face problems with food shortages, health care, education, employment and housing. These factors play a big role when determining the extinction rate. When a person lives without proper necessities they cannot see happiness. This allows people to lost motivation which in advertently affects their faith. Men feel very sad because they are not able to provide for their families. They may feel as if they are unable to be prideful men. It is a custom of their culture to make sure that the family is safe. Tibet also has a major concern that it must take action and this is their healthcare. Most Tibetans in rural areas must travel hours or days to reach a medical clinic. In an emergency, Tibetan children may be unable to reach an appropriate facility in time to avoid death. [2]

When I look at the cultural implications of the Mandala’s, I am inclined to think it plays a major role in the Tibetan culture. The universe is believed to have originated form harmonic hymns, the sounds contained the genetic patterns of beings and things. The word Manda is derived from the root manda, which means essence, to which the suffix la, meaning containing, has been added. Mandalas are usually displayed in two dimensions, and are found from paper, textiles, and colored sand. A mandala is an imaginary palace that is contemplated during meditation. Each object/ line of the mandala represents a form of wisdom. A mandala may also symbolize both mind and the body of the Buddha. This representation of mandalas has become a tradition. Different people have different traditions which show the shape, sizes, and color of the mandala. Mandalas remind viewers of the sanctity inside the universe. The purpose of the mandala is to put an end to human suffering, and to change the view of the world to a more peaceful view.

When I created my mandala I took all of this information into consideration. I wanted to safely portray what the mandala means and its role in a society. Since mandalas are perceived to be highly spiritual object I felt obligated to at least try to achieve perfection. I wanted to give the people and its culture the respect that they deserve. This was symbolic to me because as I look at the people and their life I sit astonished. The Tibetan people do not complain about their lives instead they work to make it better. I attribute this mainly to their deep sense of religion and its role in their society. I wanted my mandala to convey a sense of harmony. As I sit here looking at it I believe that I have represented the Tibetan people very well. I wanted to make their mandala art true spiritual art. I achieved a deeper sense of myself while I made this mandala. This is something that I believe more people should realize and experience for themselves. The mandalas help others achieve a deeper sense of self.

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[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/world/asia/11tibet.html

[2] http://www.ilhr.org/ilhr/regional/tibet/children.htm