What's
a mandala ?
Mandala
comes from the Sanskrit word which means circle.
Sacred work, the mandala thrusts its roots deep
into the religions like Tantrism and Buddhism.
Some wonderful examples can be notably seen in
Tibet.
At first sight, the mandala, which represents the cosmos, is a kaleidoscope of
geometric designs executed in vivid colors. A closer look reveals a multilayered
world of meaning.
For instance, the basic shape of a mandala is a square, representing palacewalls
with four gates corresponding with the compass points. In the center is a circle
in which the sacred figure (or figures) that are the subject of the painting
may be depicted.
The center is often blue, a color signifying ignorance, a quality which when
transcended becomes wisdom. The four quadrants of the square also have special
meanings.
In many mandalas, east is white, which means anger or, transcended, insight;
south is yellow, which means pride or, transcended, equanimity; west is red,
which means greed or, transcended, compassion; north is green, which means jealousy
or, transcended, achievement. Circles of lotus leaves surrounding the center
and the square signify purity, as does an outer rim of five-flamed fire. The
mandalas, which originally often were painted as murals, are mainly used as a
means to meditation.
