| What is a Mandala? (0/1) |
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Subject: What is a Mandala? (0/1)
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Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 22:17:41 GMT
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What is a Mandala?
The Mandala, (Sanskrit for circle) is a traditional form of Tibetan
Buddhism. Mandalas are drawings in three-dimensional forms of sand. In
Tibetan, this art is called "dul-tson-kyil-khor", "mandala of colored
powder".
Millions of grains of sand are painstakingly laid into place on a flat
platform over a period of several days.
After spending days placing each grain of sand into intricate patterns
to form a beautifully detailed picture, the monks destroy their work
by sweeping up the colored sands and dumping them into a nearby source
of running water so that the healing energies can be spread throughout
the world. This ritualistic destruction is supposed to symbolize the
impermanence of all things.
Mostly made of colored sand, a mandala can also be created in powdered
flowers, grains or herbs. In ancient days, precious and semi-precious
gems were ground into a powder and used.
There is a ritual to creating a mandala that begins with an opening
ceremony. The monks consecrate the site as they call forth the forces
of goodness by chanting mantras while others play flutes, drums and
cymbals.
After the ceremony, an outline of the mandala is drawn on a wooden
platform, so that over the next few days, colored sand can be poured
into the pattern using tiny metal funnels called "chakpur." To get the
sand to flow through the chakpur, the funnel is scraped with a metal
rod to cause enough vibration for individual grains of sand to trickle
out of it. The two chakpurs symbolize the union of wisdom and
compassion.
All mandalas have three meanings an outer, an inner, and a secret
level of meaning. The outer level represents the world in its divine
form. On the inner level, the monks create a map by which the ordinary
mind is transformed into the enlightened mind. On the secret level,
the monks predict the primordially perfect balance of the subtle
energies of the body and the clear light dimension of the mind. Making
a mandala is supposed to cause purification and healing on all three
levels.
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