Buddhist nuns create a Buddha sand mandala Tuesday at the Peter J. Gomes Chapel at Bates College in Lewiston. They use metal funnels to guide grains of colored sand into the mandala. From left are Venerable Cungia Tsomo, Venerable Sonam Dolma and Venerable Sherab Dolma. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Buddhist nuns Venerable Cungia Tsomo, left, and Venerable Sonam Dolma use metal funnels Tuesday to direct fine grains of sand while creating a Buddha sand mandala at the Peter J. Gomes Chapel at Bates College in Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Buddhist nuns create a Buddha sand mandala Tuesday at the Peter J. Gomes Chapel at Bates College in Lewiston. They use metal funnels to guide grains of colored sand into the mandala. From left are Venerable Cungia Tsomo, Venerable Sonam Dolma and Venerable Sherab Dolma. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Andrea Darok, right, of East Winthrop talks with Buddhist nun Venerable Sonam Dolma on Tuesday at the Bates College Peter J. Gomes Chapel in Lewiston. Darok asked Dolma how the sand the nuns use for the mandala was made. Dolma explained it is a combination of rocks, plants and sun. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Buddhist nuns Geshemia Yeshi Sangmo, left, and Lobsang Kumsel enjoy each other’s company Tuesday at the Peter J. Gomes Chapel at Bates College in Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Venerable Thukten Dema explains to visitors Tuesday how the Buddha sand mandala is being made at the Peter J. Gomes Chapel at Bates College in Lewiston. In the foreground, from left, are Venerable Cungia Tsomo, Geshemia Yeshi Sangmo and Lobsang Kumsel. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Visitors watch Buddhist nuns create a Buddha sand mandala Tuesday at the Peter J. Gomes Chapel at Bates College in Lewiston. The chapel is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday for people to observe their work. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Visitors watch Tuesday as Buddhist nuns create a Buddha sand mandala at the Peter J. Gomes Chapel at Bates College in Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal