Mandala

Mandala ( Sanskrit, n, मण्डल, Mandala, "circle", Tib. དཀྱིལ་འཁོར་, dkyil 'khor ) is a figural or geometric in shape of Yantra diagram in Hinduism and Buddhism in the cult practice a magical or has religious significance. A mandala is usually square or circular and always focused on a central point. In its simplest form it can show a triangle that a trinity ( Trimurti ) symbolizes, in its largest configuration down to the ground plan of a sacred building increased the mandala represents the entire universe with heaven, earth and underworld. It serves as a visual aid in order to internalize the representation of gods, landscapes, and characters complex religious contexts can.

Dissemination of Mandala representations

Mandalas are used for religious purposes, as a symbol in rites and ( in the opinion of Carl Gustav Jung) as a representation of an archetype. With Buddhism, the mandala was starting out as a meditation object, India and Tibet, spread throughout East Asia.

Mandalas in Tibetan Buddhism

In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana mandalas show the view from above of a so-called mandala palace (see Kalachakra mandala), surrounded by a so-called Pure Land. In such a palace various Buddhas or entire assemblies of Buddhas are visualized by the practitioner. Mandalas are in Vajrayana so usually a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional mental object. These mandalas are used in Vajrayana to project the three-dimensional shape visually and spiritually. This leads, depending on the level of abstraction of the mandala for deeper spiritual concentration. The ego-clinging, in Buddhism the cause of all suffering is thereby reduced, since the boundary between spiritual body identification and experience of space is exceeded.

Elemental of sand mandala is the subsequent wiping the resulting in hours, sometimes even weeks of work stations. This is the transience of life and the ideal of delivery of the material world symbolize.

Due to the central importance of the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism, almost all Tibetan mandalas from this number four (or square ) and then form towards the edge multiples thereof (8, 16, etc. ). It involves a number symbolism with partly complex meaning, see also the eight-petalled lotus of the mapping of Garbhadhatu Mandala ( Japan).

Mandala representations in other Far Eastern cultures

Mandalas are found not only in the Vajrayana, in other Buddhist and Hindu cultures. Also in Indian cultures. The symbolism of a mandala is to aim directly at the unconscious, so that should be addressed and stimulates specific areas of the psyche by certain colors and shapes. A mandala can be both abstract forms and ornaments as well as depictions of animals and other things included, as well as all possible symbols of religion, mysticism or psychology. Even natural motifs can serve as a mandala.

Nagamandala, Ashlesha bali and Sarpam Thullal are ritual theater in the southern state of Karnataka, where the serpent god Naga is worshiped in a mandala and the player gets through the mandala in a state of obsession.

In the Sino- Japanese cultural area Mandalas are often designed with characters instead of images.

Use of the term mandala in Western culture

Colloquially says Mandala in western culture different, geared to a geometric center, plant or figurative motifs. Frequently the term is erroneously - for it is this is meditation images with mandala -like structure - on round coloring pages that are used in kindergartens and primary schools or in coloring books, applied. Occasionally pattern of objects that are found in nature, such as colored stones and plants ( Part ), mandala are called. Under these seasonal Mandalas are particularly popular, such as Herbstmanadalas, which are usually placed from colorful leaves or fruit.

More Mandala Examples

Tibetan mandala of the Naropa tradition with the tantric female deity Vajrayogini

Thangka in Vajrayana