By Spencer Parts

PRINCETON The brightly colored sand, intricately arranged, has been drawing crowds at all hours of the day.

While two Buddhist monks applied the sand using a steel cone and an antler horn, another explained to passing Princeton University students and faculty what was happening: The monks were creating a mandala, a symbol of Buddhism, outside the Chancellor Green Library. They worked on it all week and finished it Thursday.

It was one of a number of campus events in the weeks leading up to the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama on Tuesday. There were meditation sessions as well as talks intended to help community members understand the pre-eminent spiritual figure of Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama and all the Dalai Lamas are incarnations of a single consciousness, Jonathan Gold, professor in the universitys religion department said, explaining the function of the Dalai Lama in Buddhist tradition.

Gold mentioned that the Dalai Lama is significant not only as a religious figure, but also as a political one.

The Dalai Lamas are considered special protectors of Tibet, he said, adding that the role is significant because the country is engaged in a struggle with the Peoples Republic of China by which it is governed with limited self-rule for cultural preservation and political autonomy.

Retaining cultural customs in Tibet is a major priority for Tibetan Buddhists in their relationship with China, Gold explained, but they have also made strides to create worldwide awareness of the culture. Creating mandalas in public spaces, like the one at Princeton, serves that purpose.

The monks who are building the mandala come from the Do Ngak Kumphen Ling monastery in Redding, Conn., and have created them across the country, exposing passers-by to their cultural traditions.

All of the people Ive talked to have seemed very impressed, said Lobsang Sherab, one of the monks, of his experience at Princeton so far.

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Monks create mandala of sand ahead of Dalai Lama's visit to Princeton