Mandala

The Oxford Dictionary of Buddhism defines mandala as:

A sacred circle or circular diagram (also occasionally oblong as in Japan) having mystical significance. Mandalas are most commonly found in tantric Buddhism, where they are believed to represent the body, speech, and mind of a Buddha, and are used for initiatory neditational, and other purposes. Mandalas are said to exist in several planes of reality: the intrinsically existent mandala (svabhāva-mandala), not accessible to ordinary beings, which is the actual configuration of the qualities of enlightenment (bodhi); the meditational mandala (samādhi-mandala) as visualized by a tantric practitioner, and the representational mandala which is the mandala as depicted with colours and so forth. Mandalas are also subdivided according to whether they are Body Mandalas which embody the body-form of the deitites or aspects of enlightenment, Speech Mandalas which represent the speech aspect with seed-syllables (bīja-mantra), or Mind Mandalas which represent the mind aspect with symbols such as lotuses, vajras, or wheels.[1]

According to the Mongolian Dictionary of Buddhist Culture, the mandala consists of:

  1. The realm of the Buddha, place where Shakyamuni Buddha reached Enlightenment;
  2. The realm of meditation;
  3. The place of offerings;
  4. The place of prayer[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Keown, Damien. Oxford Dictionary of Buddhism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. pp. 171-172. ISBN 0-19-280062-0
  2. ↑ Ш. Чоймаа, Л. Тэрбиш, Д. Бүрнээ, Л. Чулуунбаатар. Буддын шашин, соёлын тайлбар толь (T.II). [Sh. Choimaa, L. Terbish, D. Bürnee, L. Chuluunbaatar. Dictionary of Buddhist Culture (vol. II).] Ulaanbaatar: National University of Mongolia, 2000. pp. 420.
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In commemoration of the legacy and teachings of
His Holiness Dulduit Danzanravzhaa
Fifth Wrathful Noble Xutagt of the Great Gobi (1803-1856)

I did not overbearingly sophize
Nor preach with pride and arrogance
But having found a sense in this world
Spoke the truth of my dear heart.
portrait of Danzanravzhaa, Fifth Wrathful Noble Xutagt of the Great Gobi  scorpion, symbol of wisdom as used by Danzanravzhaa
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