![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3i5ZFuvsSCbvi2S7VAFgTaSC2N5XnRrVYtOVLu8pF57821DD_yvgz_rGnN36MLwBkWHIfIFLtXzoGFm5geGQLgaU2gDqfuoYrGW4HscgGuS6MGnCKdGYvijuG7-hTQJPtZKYU/s320/L1150058.jpg)
Just the finishing touches before it was complete.
After the mandala was complete prayers were said and a mask dance was performed and a final ceremony before the sand was brushed into a small urn.
Finally the sand was taken the nearby Sumida river and scattered into the water to symbolise the Buddhist doctrinal belief in the transitory nature of material life.
![scattering sand mandala into Sumida river tokyo](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bGmVs1YAXq4EPlMDFCCkaMJxpIv2KZHXj7D1ffIbssKqPixDcJbs94AIZtxEN-Sv7qo6h62Y2rABQ9-ocJQMm7i7yzZeFzdPg7wuw5XM33JqQ44mifDv47NoYL1G45SU555v/s320/L1150086.jpg)