Weekend Drawing Workshop:
Manjushri The Buddha of Infinite Wisdom
with Carmen Mensink

Fri Oct 6, 7-8:30pm; Sat Oct 7, 10:30am-6pm; Sun Oct 8, 10:30am-5pm EDT

IN-PERSON

This weekend you will learn how to draw the beautiful Manjushri (Tib.: Jampel-yang), according to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition or thangka (scroll paintings).

Manjushri embodies the wisdom of all the Buddhas, and therefore the attributes that he holds in his hands are an expression of this enlightened wisdom.

In his left hand he holds a lotus flower that supports the

Manjushri by Graham Dyer

‘Perfection of Wisdom-Sutra‘, an important Mahayana- text that reveals the methods for developing and achieving the ultimate wisdom in yourself.

In his right hand he holds a flaming sword, symbolizing the power of his wisdom to cut through the core of all our illusions, namely: ignorance. Because of our ignorance we experience all the problems in this life.

It is said that studying the Wisdom-Sutras and meditating on Manjushri are the two most powerful ways to develop wisdom in yourself.

In addition to drawing this special deity, this weekend course you will also learn all about the backgrounds and symbolism of Manjushri through presentations and lectures. In the mornings we will start with a guided meditation, and you will learn the meanings of Manjushri’s mantra and how to work with it.

Thangka-drawing is a meditation in itself, and creates joy and inner peace.

Buddhist lamas say “When you draw a Buddha, you draw your own mind.”

If you are a Buddhist practitioner, drawing a Buddha can greatly be of benefit to your visualization meditation.

Note: This subject of Manjushri is more suitable for intermediate to advanced thangka students. Beginner students are welcome to join and learn to draw The Buddha (Shakyamuni, the Historical Buddha of our time) this weekend. The requirement for a complete Buddha is this is that you’ve learned the basics through the Drawing the Buddha Face workshop on Oct 5 / Tibet House NYC / Drawing the Buddha Face. Alternatively you can take the Buddha Face Course anytime beforehand Online at the School for Tibetan Buddhist Art.

Short Video

In this short video, Carmen Mensink talks about Manjushri, the Buddha of Infinite Wisdom.

Important Note

This is an in-person event. Please review our latest Covid-19 policy

Registration/Schedule

Workshop Fee: $225 for the entire workshop. The fee includes the use of materials*

*We have drawing paper, pencils, erasers and rulers for you to use. If you prefer to bring your own materials in addition as well as colored pencils for example, please do so. You may also want to bring a notebook and pen to make notes during this class.

Schedule:

Fri Oct 6 
7-8:30pmLecture/Presentation
Sat Oct 7 
10:30am-1pmMorning Session
1-2pmLunch Break
2-6pmAfternoon Session
Sun Oct 8 
10:30am-1pmMorning Session
1-2pmLunch Break
2-5pmAfternoon Session

Time zone: US Eastern Daylight Time (GMT/UTC-4)

For questions regarding registration, please email registration@shantidevanyc.org for assistance.

Dana for the Teacher

Shantideva Center makes offerings to our teachers using the funds collected through registration. You can give additional support to the teacher and create a stronger karmic connection by offering dana. Please make sure to select the teacher’s name in the dropdown menu. Dana offered is passed entirely to the teacher, but please note that it is not tax-deductible.

About the Teacher

Carmen Mensink is an internationally renowned painter of thangkas, the traditional Tibetan scroll paintings of Buddhas and mandalas. She is the founder of the online School for Tibetan Buddhist Art.

Carmen has been teaching Tibetan Art, Meditation and Philosophy for two decades and offers classes at museums, universities, and Buddhist centers around the world, including the Rubin Museum of Art, Pratt Institute, Columbia University, and Omega Institute. She has been featured in dozens of publications.  

Through the dedication and joy Carmen expresses (and that is passed on to her students!) in her onsite, online, and private thangka classes, she has guided and inspired thousands of people along the Buddhist Art & Dharma path.

Carmen is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and is also being asked to work on related Tibetan art forms, including large floor paintings of the ‘Eight Auspicious Symbols’ to welcome the Dalai Lama in her home country in 2009, 2014 and 2018. 

To learn more go to https://www.tibetan-buddhist-art.com and the https://www.schoolfortibetanbuddhistart.com/