Creating Sacred Art for the 7th Temple
With hearts full of inspiration, more than 80 people gathered at Kadampa Meditation Center France for five special days of Buddhist art, creativity, and joyful collaboration. Through painting, gilding, and preparing sacred mantras, participants not only developed their artistic skills but also had the precious opportunity to contribute to the creation and beautification of sacred images for the 7th Temple for World Peace.
A Special Art Course held at Kadampa Meditation Center France
A Special Art Course
Creating Sacred Art Together
Last week, more than 80 people gathered at Kadampa Meditation Center France(opens in new tab) for a special Buddhist art course.
Participants learned to draw and paint Buddhas, gild the Eight Auspicious Symbols, and even roll mantras that will one day be used to fill the statues of the 7th Kadampa Temple for World Peace!
With guidance from Gen Kelsang Wangchen, participants quickly realized that these were far more than ordinary drawing or gilding activities. Rather, they were a special way of spending time in the presence of and beautifying sacred images and symbols—representations of our Spiritual Guide in the aspect of Buddha Shakyamuni, expressing all his extraordinary qualities.
Five days of learning, concentration, collective accumulation of merit, and sharing unfolded in an atmosphere that was both focused and joyful.
Statues of Je Tsongkhapa & his two main disciples
Painting & Gilding
The very next day after the art course ended, a team of around ten Kadampa artists prepared two large rooms at Kadampa Meditation Center France so that the painting and gilding of the Temple statues could begin—with the magnificent statues of Je Tsongkhapa and his two main disciples, which had stood on the altar at Kadampa Meditation Center France since its inauguration in 2008, as the first to be painted and gilded!
