The Mandala in Tibetan Buddhism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Mandala in Tibetan Buddhism - Research Paper ExampleThe Sanskrit term mandala (dkhyl khor in Tibetan language) literally agent circle, both in the sense of a circular diagram and a surrounding retinue (Powers, 2007, p. 262). In Buddhist vocabulary, the term encompasses both contexts because it refers to circular diagrams that ofttimes incorporate illustrations of deities and their environs. Mandalas are a type of tantrik symbol, conveying a domain of sacredness, frequently portraying the celestial palace of a Buddha. They represent inherent philosophies with profound significance in Tibetan Buddhism. The symbols and images in a mandala describe features of the awakened psychophysical personality of the Buddha, and Buddhist themes and concepts (Powers, 2007, p.262). Generally, there are four types of mandalas two outmost mandalas made from powdered color in and created on a flat surface or painted on textiles, those formed in meditation, and the inner mandala depicting the cor pse of the guru/ teacher or that of the self (Brauen, 1992). Mandala is a Sanskrit word in which manda means essence and la means container thus the term translates into a container of essence (Fleming, 2006). The Tibetan term for mandala is dkhyl khor, with khor defined as that which encircles and dkhyl meaning around a center they can be two or three dimensional and constructed of various materials. The spine mandala is believed to have been transmitted to Tibet from India in the eleventh century (Fleming, 2006). Some who have studied the historical nature of the mandala have conjectured that the mandala diagram arose in Tibet or chinaware in pre-lamist times (Brauen, 1992). ... Thus, the mandala serves as a representation of an awakened mind that is free of all such obstacles (Powers, 2007, p.263). In the sphere of tantrik practice, it is a almighty symbol of the state that meditators attempt to achieve. Thesis Statement The purpose of this paper is to investigate the concept of mandala and the different types of mandalas. Their religious and philosophical meaning in Tibetan Buddism will be discussed, with an emphasis on the sand mandala. The Mandala in Tibetan Buddhism The four types of mandalas consist of two outer mandalas which are made from powdered colors or painted on textiles. The third are the mandalas formed in meditation, and finally the body is the fourth form of mandala. A further form of mandala exists in the three-dimensional type, which are difficult to understand because spatiality is the most striking feature of the basic structure of mandalas. The Dharmamandala Sutra conveys the existince of gold, silver, shell, stone, horn, wood and clay, besides those painted on material or made of colored powder (Buddhist Society, 1996, p.160). Three-dimensional mandalas have been discovered in numerous places where Tibetan Buddhism spread, including the Potala in Lhasa where there is a Kalacakra mandala the Xuguang Ge of Pule Si in Chengde, China and Zangdog Palri Monastery in Kalimpong, India. The intrinsic three-dimensionality of all mandalas is seen in the depiction of a three dimensional mandala. This is not a Kalacakra mandala, but a Zhi Khro mandala with one hundred and ten peaceful and wrathful deities of the intermediate state known as bar do. These are the deities that appear to the decedent immediately upon entering the sphere of death. Two-dimensional mandalas may either be painted