During the week of April 7-11, 2025, Tibetan monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery visited Stockton to work on a wonderful mandala piece entitled “Lord Avalokitesvara,” the Buddha of Compassion, educate students about this culture, and share this ancient tradition. The events that occurred range from Mantra of Compassion on Stones to a Tibetan Cooking Class. 

The Drepung Gomang Monastery was founded in 1416 near Lhasa, which is the capital of Tibet. Gomang Dratsang, or College, is the oldest of the 4 colleges of Drepung. Before the invasion of communist China, the monastery had more than 10,000 monks. Today around 1,700 monks live on 42 acres of land in Mundgod, South India.

The monks that attended this past week were Khenrap Chaeden, Kherap Gyatso, Sangyal Gyatso, Jamyang Chophel, Jamyang Nyema, Lobsang Jinpa, and Tenzin Gelek. Four work on the mandala at a time while three sell authentic items, including hemp bags, jewelry, and wood carvings. 

On April 7, following a sequence of prayers and chants, six monks started creating the design for the mandala they would be building that week. The pattern of the mandala will be completed with red, green, yellow, blue, and orange sand. The Tibetan Buddhist tradition holds that the mandala represents the Buddhist universe.

Dr. Jongbok Yi, who organized the visit of the Tibetan monks, spoke of the importance of this event to the monks and to the university. 

“In Tibetan Buddhism, the sand maṇḍala serves as a profound symbol of impermanence. It requires days of intricate, mindful work to create, yet it is intentionally destroyed upon completion… It embodies the Buddhist principle of non-attachment, reminding observers to appreciate the present moment while recognizing its fleeting nature.” Yi explained.

Yi went on to explain the importance and significance of hosting events such as the Tibetan Monks—it allows students to experience the culture and traditions outside of coursework or textbooks. It allows students to have conversations with the monks and learn from them and promotes holistic learning—not only intellectual, but also emotional and ethical. It invites reflection on universal themes such as suffering, healing, and impermanence, while challenging materialistic or utilitarian worldviews.”

The closing ceremony on April 11 opened with speeches from the Dean of Arts and Humanities, Ian Marshall, and Yi, both expressing gratitude to those who helped bring the monks to Stockton. Following their remarks, the monks presented gifts to everyone who played a role in making their visit possible.

Afterward, the monks began a solemn mantra, marking the start of the mandala’s ceremonial destruction. Each person in attendance received a jar filled with blessed sand to take home, symbolizing healing and compassion. The remaining sand will be released into a natural body of water, allowing its blessings to spread to people around the world.