Characteristics and Development of Tibetan Mandala

1. MANDALAand its symbolic Buddhist teachings

2. AGENDA
Part 1:
1.Origin of Mandala
2.How to use Mandala in
meditation?
Part 2:
3.Characteristics of Tibetan
Mandala
4.Diversity & Development in
Tibetan mandalas
Part 3:
5. Sand Mandala
6. Summarizing thoughts

3. ORIGIN
OF
MANDALA

4. WHY IS MANDALA ROUND IN SHAPE?
It is because the English word “circle” is translated from the Sanskrit
word mandala.
Mandala is an intricate geometrical pattern in a square or circular
shape.
To casual observer, a mandala may look like nothing but a series of
strange, swirling lines and colors.

5. MANDALA EXISTS IN EVERY ASPECT OF
LIFE
Mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Indian religions,
representing the universe.
Mandala also describes the material reality of life.
Mandala represents the non-material reality of life in the form of
celestial circles such as the sun, moon and earth.

6. MANDALA EXISTS IN EVERY ASPECT OF
LIFE
It also describes the material reality of life as represented by the
conceptual circles of family, friends and community.
The powerful circular form of the mandala is prevalent in Buddhist
and Hindu religions. You will notice four gates in the shape of a ‘T’
that extend from the center point in these pieces, showing the circle
of unity.

7. MANDALA EXISTS IN EVERY ASPECT OF
LIFE
Vajrayana is a Tibetan branch of Buddhism that offer total
enlightenment by creating their mandalas as sand paintings. Of
course, this is certainly not the only example of mandala used in
religion.
The concept of Mandala long existed in Eastern religions and has
lately found acceptance by Western and secular cultures also.

8. MANDALA EXISTS IN EVERY ASPECT OF
LIFE
Both Buddhism and Hinduism place great emphasis on the point of
self-realization when the mandala or yantra of external world leads
to the mandala of the individual. The symbols of the original
mandala are now arranged in a similar form within the body.
Mandala is also an external support for meditation; and it helps
provoke the feelings and visions by which man arrive at a sense of
unity within himself and with the universe outside

9. The greatest of mandalas is the
spiral or circle of life. Trusting in
your beliefs will give you the truest
meaning. These are the strong beliefs
that send you on an inner journey as
you observe and are surrounded by
the outer world, just as the mandala
began its journey in the Sanskrit
world.
Mandala has helped its practitioners
to achieve peerless levels of focus
and inner peace.

10. MANDALAS ARE AN IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF
MANY STRAINS OF BUDDHISM
Life is full of suffering, pains, great and small (dukkha)
These pains are aggravated by fearing that which is unpleasant, and clinging to
that which gives us temporary pleasure.
To relieve yourself of pain and suffering, you must seek to give up both your
fear, longing and desire.
You can achieve the cessation of pain and suffering through the Noble
Eightfold Path, which is the basis for most Buddhist ethics and behaviors.
Buddhism is based on four statements known as the Four Noble
Truths. One could spend a lifetime exploring the four Noble
Truths, but at their most basic, they are:

11. Division Eightfold Path factors Acquired factors
Wisdom (Sanskrit:
prajñā, P li: paññ )ā ā
1. Right view
9. Superior right
knowledge
2. Right intention
10. Superior right
liberation
Ethical conduct
(Sanskrit: la, P li:śī ā
s la)ī
3. Right speech
4. Right action
5. Right livelihood
Concentration (Sanskrit
and P li: sam dhi)ā ā
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right concentration
The Noble Eightfold Path is sometimes divided into three basic divisions,
as follows:
NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH

12. HOW TO USE MANDALA IN MEDITATION?
It can be done in the following ways ：
Display the mandala in front of you while you sit in a comfortable
position that you can maintain easily. Watch your breathing for a
few minutes and allow it to become restful and easy.
Let your gaze fall on the mandala and allow it to gradually focus on
the center. That is the still point of the mandala. Eventually, your
attention will begin to wander, and when this happens, contemplate
the outer layers of the painting or drawing.

13. HOW TO USE MANDALA IN MEDITATION?
Let your mind dwell on the meaning or design motif. As you appreciate it, your
attention will naturally gravitate back toward the center, deepening your
meditation. Allow your gaze to cycle between the center and outer parts of the
mandala in a way that is comfortable.
Bring your gaze to the center, which is called the bindu -- then allow it to
encompass the triangles and squares that open from there to create the pattern.
They may remind you of a flower. Watch your mind as it forms conceptions of
what the pattern might represent.
Close your eyes when it's no longer comfortable to keep them open. Re-create
the mandala and its symbolism in your mind's eye. Try to remember as much
detail as possible, then forget the whole thing, focus on your breath and bring
your awareness into the present moment.

14. Characteristics of Tibetan Mandala

15. DEITY YOGA &
MANDALA
Mandalas are used as an aid in
realizing the inner ground
Visualizes himself or herself as
the meditation Buddha or Yidam
Yidam generally appears in a
mandala
Goal: Practice compassion and
wisdom

16. A CENTRAL DEITY IS HOUSED IN A CIRCLE OR FLOWER-SHAPED CENTER

17. Terrifying Yidam - Hevajra
The mandala is a symbolic
representations of sacred
enclosures, sacred architecture
that house and contain the
uncontainable essence of a yidam
Practice of Hevajra Tantra
Lady of emptiness
Wisdom & Compassion

18. Terrifying Yidam - Chakrasamvara
The tantric manifestation of
Buddha Shakyamuni
The union of skill in means and
wisdom
Four face = symbolizing the four
enlightened activities
The 12 arms holding various
ritual objects represent the twelve
interdependent links in the "wheel
of life"
The twelve powers.

19. BRILLIANT COLORED, COMPLICATED PAINTINGS

20. THE “PALACE-ARCHITECTURE” COMPOSITION
The Kalachakra Mandala

21. THE “PALACE-ARCHITECTURE” COMPOSITION
It is the celestial mansion, the pure residence of the deity
Image of
Tibetan
Monastery
Image of
Tibetan
Monastery

22. ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY A LARGE, MULTITIERED CIRCLE
Aspire to Buddhahood by establishing himself

23. ADDITIONAL DEITIES, FAMOUS PRACTITIONERS, MONKS

24. Diversity & Development in Tibetan mandalas

25. 12th to early 14th centuries
The ornamentation of the
architectural structure is
less complicated in
paintings
Fewer figures in the sides
and borders

26. 14th and 15th centuries
More complex
architectural
configurations
Much more deities &
figures
Produced in sets or
series, multiple mandalas
grouped into one
painting
Four mandalas in a single
thang ka
Four Chakrasamvara Mandalas from
a Vajravali Set

27. Four Chakrasamvara Mandalas from a Vajravali Set
Chakrasamvara
blue-colored body, four faces,
and twelve arms
Mother Vajravarahi
Female Dakini attendants

28. Four Chakrasamvara Mandalas from a Vajravali Set
Indian scholar
Tibetan Monk

29. 16th century & onwards
Mandala composed of symbols (Yama and Chamunda Symbol Mandala)
Geluk order, 18th Century

30. Yama and Chamunda Symbol Mandala
Yam ntaka is seen as a angry manifestation of Mañju r , the bodhisattva of wisdomā ś ī
Yam ntakaā

31. 16th century & onwards
Designed as depiction of the
cosmos
Four major continents
Geluk order, 18th century
Mount Meru
Seven fold rings of mountains
We are here
Fierce protector deities

32. The Sand Mandala
Mandalas constructed from sand are unique to Tibetan
Buddhism and are believed to effect purification and
healing

33. Outline
A great teacher chooses the specific mandala to be created. Monks then begin
construction of the sand mandala by consecrating the site with sacred chants
and music.
They make a detailed drawing from memory and fill in the design with millions
of grains of colored sand.
At its completion, the mandala is consecrated. The monks then enact the
impermanent nature of existence by sweeping up the colored grains and
dispersing them in flowing water.

34. Healing Power
Sand mandalas transmit positive energies to the environment and to
the people who view them.
While constructing a mandala, Buddhist monks chant and meditate
to invoke the divine energies of the deities residing within the
mandala. The monks then ask for the deities' healing blessings.
A mandala's healing power extends to the whole world when it is
swept up and dispersed into flowing water — a further expression of
sharing the mandala's blessings with all.

35. Blueprint
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is drawing the first lines
of the sand mandala using string dipped into liquid
white chalk
It takes two days for all the lines to be drawn

36. Filling in the sands
Starting in the middle and
working outward
Just memorising the hundreds of symbols in the
mandala design and learning how to apply the
sand takes at least two years of intense study.

37. Chakpur
The sand, colored with vegetable dyes, is poured onto the mandala
platform with a narrow metal funnel called a "chakpur" which is
scraped by another metal rod to cause sufficient vibration for the
grains of sand to trickle out of its end.

38. Video

39. At the centre, it is the
Tibetan “ ཏཏཏ”
representing T r ,ā ā
known as the Buddha
of enlightened activity.

40. Three-dimensional
You can imagine that when you are looking down at a sand mandala, you
are getting a bird’s eye view of multi-level palace being viewed from
directly overhead.

41. Path of enlightenment
The first level of the palace  enlightened body
The second level of the palace  enlightened speech
The third level of the palace  enlightened mind
Halfway inside the mind mandala is a square platform that represents the
enlightened wisdom mandala
The highest level of the palace  the enlightened great bliss
mandala. Within it is the eight-petalled lotus, at the centre of which
stands the deity symbolising full enlightenment, the union of wisdom
and compassion.

42. Eight Auspicious Symbols
In clockwise direction:
- Endless knot
- Victorious banner
- Treasure vase
- Golden fishes
- Wheel
- Lotus
- Right turning conch shell
- Parasol

43. Endless knot
- the Buddha’s mind
representing endless
wisdom and compassion
- the continuity of the
twelve links of dependent
origination (the cyclic
existence)

44. Victorious banner
- the Buddha victory over
the four destructive forces
(aggregates, emotional
defilements, death, and
desire)

45. Treasure vase
- long life, wealth and
prosperity and all the
benefits of this world
and liberation
- a sign of the
inexhaustible riches
available in the
Buddhist teachings

46. Golden fishes
- the sea in Tibetan Buddhism is
associated with the world of
suffering, the cycle of samsara
- signify fearlessness and
happiness as they swim freely
through the oceans without
drowning, freely and
spontaneously (have complete
freedom in the water)

47. Wheel
- A wheel with eight spokes
symbolizes the Noble
Eightfold path, and the
transmission of these
teachings towards the eight
directions
- Speedy turning (rapid
spiritual change)

48. Lotus
- Grow from dark water but
unstained (symbol of purity
and renunciation)
- Complete purification of the
defilements of the body,
speech and mind, and the full
blossoming of wholesome
deeds in blissful liberation

49. Right-turning conch shell
- represents the beautiful sound
of the spread of the
Buddhadharma
- Its sound is deep, far-reaching
and melodious, and hearing it
awakens beings from the deep
slumber of ignorance, urging
them to accomplish their own
and others' welfare

50. Parasol
- the coolness of its shade
symbolizes protection from
the heat of suffering, desire,
and other spiritually
harmful forces

51. Summarizing thoughts
Mandalas, in their colourful complexity and variety in forms, have a
profoundly symbolic value and is regarded sacred by the Tibetans.
They represent basic aspects of the Buddhist path, including a strong
wish to put an end to suffering, a strong wish to attain
Enlightenment for the sake of others, and a correct view of Reality.
The vast number of Tibetan Buddhist deities and their symbolic
attributes are an summary of visual expression of the entire path of
the Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana teachings.

52. Thank you