NEW WILMINGTON College hosts Tibetan monks
The visit is the first in a series featuring the world's various religions.
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- Westminster College will host several Tibetan monks on campus from Dec. 1 to 3.
The monks are from the Gaden Lhopa Monastery, currently located in exile in India, and are led by the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gayatso, winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize.
The monks will give an introductory talk on Buddhism at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the McKelvey Campus Center Lakeview Witherspoon room.
At 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, the monks will be at the Coffee House discussion in the McKelvey Campus Center student lounge.
At 6:30 that evening in the Lakeview Witherspoon room, they will talk about the Buddhist theory of mind.
At 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, the monks will make an appearance at the Faculty Forum in McKelvey Campus Center Theater.
Sand design
When not conducting talks, the monks will construct a sand mandala.
This beautiful artwork is an act of religious dedication and takes approximately 10 hours to construct over a period of three days. The mandala will be ceremonially destroyed at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Orchard Street Caf & eacute; in the McKelvey Campus Center.
"This event will be the first in a series of biannual visits featuring representatives of the various religious traditions of today's world and the people who study them," said Dr. Bryan Rennie, associate professor of religion and philosophy and the Vira I. Heinz Endowed Professor Chairman.
The series, 'Religion and Religions,' is funded by the Vira I. Heinz Professor Endowment.
All events are free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Rennie at (724) 946-7151 or e-mail brennie@westminster.edu.