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Ritual Thangka

Ritual Thangka

Boudha, Nayabasti, Kathmandu, Nepal
Last Updated : Nov 29, 2021

Related Categories : Handicrafts- Thanka

MANDALA TYPES, HISTORY, SYMBOLISM AND USES HISTORY OF MANDALA Mandala is a Sanskrit-derived word. This ancient Indian word means CIRCLE or CENTRE. The circle is one of the primitive and most natural shapes known to humankind. This shape is found throughout nature and it’s the most basic structure of creation. The milky-way galaxy, the earth, the moon, the sun, they all have a circular structure. A mandala is a geometric configuration of symbols, shapes, and patterns that begin at a central point and work their way outwards. They are intended to visualize the universe from a human point of view. The principle for this design is the balance, be it inside our individual bodies, or with the cosmos as a whole. Mandalas often have a radial balance radiating out from a central point. The pinpoint date for the history of mandalas can’t be traced out exactly. The initial traces can be seen from the very first century but it might have been started way before that. There are certain assumptions that Tibetan Buddhists, monks were the beginners of practicing and spreading this art form while disseminating the word of Gautam Buddha. During their travel monks used to make mandalas which slowly got recognized worldwide. It is the geometric configuration of the symbols in various spiritual traditions. It symbolizes the notion that life is never-ending and how everything is connected to each other. The symbolism of a mandala isn’t limited to only one culture, religion, or particular symbolism. It is that sacred circle embodying some sacred essence within. Mandalas may be employed for focusing the attention of the practitioners, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing sacred space, aid to meditation, trans-induction, and so on. Some religions have even symbolized the mandala as paradise. Originally, a mandala is meant to represent the wholeness, higher level of spiritual thoughts, and the model of the organizational structure of life itself. It is a cosmic diagram that shows the relation to the infinite and the world that exists beyond the world and within the mind and bodies. MANDALA IN HINDUISM The term mandala appears in Rig Veda in Hinduism. A basic mandala is called a yantra which is similar to a mandala overall but smaller and limited with the use of a few colors only. The yantra takes the form of a square with four gates containing a circle with the center point each gate is in the general shape of a T. Yantras can be two or three-dimensional geometric composition which is often seen to be used in sadhanas, pujas, and meditation by pandits and purohits. Mandala in Hinduism incorporates mantra in its design that can be OM, Swastik, holly spells, etc. Each yantra is individually unique and composes of a central deity. It’s the representation of one’s communication with a higher power and is considered to be sacred. The central dot of the mandala in Hinduism is called a BINDU that represents the universe. The lotus flower is shown in the mandala to represent purification. The Lotus flower is commonly used in most pieces of art in Buddhism as well. Triangles are frequently used in the yantras. The upward-facing triangle represents feminine energies while the downward-facing triangle represents masculine energies. They also represent action, energy, and creativity, the pursuit of knowledge respectively. MANDALA IN BUDDHISM The mandala in Vajrayana Buddhism has been developed into sand painting. They are the key part of tantra meditation practices in Buddhism for centuries now. In Buddhism, the mandala represents the nature of pure land and an enlightened mind. Siddhartha Gautam was the founder of Buddhism who’s known as the Buddha. The idea of mandala sits properly with the principles and teachings of Buddha. Tibetan monks are the initiators of practicing a mandala for religious, spiritual, ritual, and healing purposes. Before even writing tools and canvases were made, the monks used to draw mandalas by using sand on horizontal surfaces. The sand mandalas were one of the most ancient types of mandalas that are practiced to date. SYMBOLISM Mandala is an ancient science geometric figure compilation that explores and explains the energy patterns. It creates, unifies, and symbolized all the things and reveals precise ways that the energy of creation organizes itself. It’s a very intricate, vibrant form of art but its meaning is beyond the artistic side. This word actually has two meanings to it: one is the center and its surrounding and the other is an essence, extracting the essence. The center represents the central deity and its surrounding can be other deities or the environment itself. The mandala represents the realm, the land of Avalokitesvara. The mandalas also can be popularly seen as a visual, 2D representation of an aerial, 3D view of the palace, the top-down view of the realm of Avalokitesvara. Mandalas need to be intellectually understood and also something to relate to our lives. The use of symbolism in Buddhism may also be attributed to the fact that Buddha used to visualize certain images during his meditation. And this is how Buddhism symbols became common worldwide with the spread of the religion itself. The circles are endless and connectivity of all things. The squares represent the start, stop birth to death, past, present, and future nature of our apparent reality. Each quadrant is a metaphor for human perceptions on the physical and metaphysical levels. TYPES OF MANDALA Kalachakra Mandala The Kalachakra term means Wheel of time. It is one of the most explicit kinds of modern mandala which is the discovery of the Dalai Lama himself. It represents the external as well as microcosm substances of the cosmos. The mandala is the mirror of the cosmos, not only in its external form but also in the microcosm. It is based on the assumption of a very close relationship between the universe, the mandalic circle, and human beings. The Kalachakra mandala is derived from the Kalachakra tantra founded by Shakyamuni Buddha. This highest yoga tantra offers an ontological understanding of existence. Mantra Mandala Mantra mandala comprises the chants, words, mantras. These mandalas are encircled by the chanted mantra of Buddhism “OM MANE PADME HUM”. This is the most famous Buddhist mantra which means praise to the jewel in the lotus. Having or practicing a mantra mandala will help in opening the doorway into creation and developing the psychological structure of individual beings. Sand Mandala Sand mandalas are the representation of the divine of the heavenly form. It takes a handful of time to create a sand mandala. Buddhist monks create sand mandalas for religious reasons. Sand mandalas are destroyed after the fulfillment of reasons. These mandalas represent ritual text and also symbolize empowerment. The destruction is a very important part of a sand mandala. This symbolizes that in life nothing is permanent, nothing is set in stone. Sand mandalas are made with hours and days of effort just to destroy it, it’s the nature of life: impermanence. Healing Mandala Tibetan medicine and healing have always been crucial to the Buddhist path. The creation of a healing mandala is one way of healing the community, environment, or the whole of humankind as well. Healing mandalas are the sacred circles, a compilation of symbols of peace and harmony with the earth and all living beings. There are many sorts of mandala designs and interpretations all around the world. The circles represent the sun, moon, life cycle, or the cycle of nature itself. It denotes the cycle of death to rebirth. This sacred circle represents wholeness, health, unity, and harmony of life. These pieces of artwork are used in thangka paintings to evoke healing, spiritual development, and meditation. It symbolizes being one with the universe and directs the positive high level of energies in our lives. The power of using mandalas in your daily life evokes a deep state of relaxation and healings. It has the capacity to make an impactful therapeutic benefit in our day-to-day lives. Some other types of mandalas are: Architectural mandala: Architectural mandalas are the 3D replicas of a deity mandala. Bodhi mandala: These mandalas usually refer to the geographical locations where ordinary people are converted to Buddhists. These mandalas are made for worshipping, protection and blessing purposes. Cosmos mandala: Cosmos mandala generally represents the continents or the universe. Deity mandala: Deity mandala comprises of one central deity or many deities and is generally used for healing purposes. Element mandala: These mandalas represent the four basic and yet most important elements i.e. water, fire, air, and earth. BENEFITS/USES OF MANDALA This sacred geometry, mandala holds a series of patterns representing human beings in the form of geometric figures. These figures help the brain to develop the potential to tap into its own realm in a more precise and penetrative manner. If you look at the sacred geometric figures commonly found in all mandalas, it has border-lined figures which can be interpreted as a protective layer to prevent negative entities to come in. The mandalas prevent the practitioners from getting affected by any negative entity generated from the environment or any negative energy held within their own consciousness. One when gazes into a mandala, tries to identify the gods, goddesses, and mantras embodied in the mandala he/she will get absorbed in the geometric art. They feel apart from the whole world around them, their concentration level increases. The squares, circles, rectangles, semi-circles of the mandala represent certain power of consciousness. Focusing on the dots, deities and any figures within the mandala will help you tap into the deepest parts of your brain. In recent years, people’s interest in mandalas has been increasing in all parts of the world. People of all regions have been fascinated by eastern Asia culture and spirituality. The initial uses and purpose for creating and practicing of mandalas were for spiritual and healing purposes. The intricate designs of mandalas help for spiritual healings. They were used in monasteries, stupas, rituals, and religious ceremonies as worshipping tools. The whole process of making and destroying a sand mandala is itself a lengthy ritual. In today’s date, it’s not uncommon to see mandalas being around home, offices, and any other places as home décor items, for purification of the surrounding, in healing institutes, and so on. A mandala is pleasing to the eyes and it helps you to get caught in its detail and beauty. As a result, it will help you get your mind off the things that cause stress and create negativity. In the modern era, the mandala is a diagram, geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically and symbolically. Sacred geometry is more of a new age phenomenon created by people studying esoterism. The point of all these systems is to get the brain conscious into one point of focus, a point of space of stillness. These mandalas can also be said as maps that help our mind to transform it in a way of meditation. With the practice of mandala, one can transform an ordinary mind into the enlightened one.

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