Shakyamuni Buddha Mandala

A mandala is a magic circle and sacred realm, created by the artistry of enlightened compassion in order to nurture beings' development toward enlightenment. It is used as a visualization tool during Deity Yoga to realize the practitioner's identity with the fully enlightened Buddha. In all cultures, human have tried to order their relationships with the cosmos and to systematize nature and the natural phenomena around. Relationships with the cosmos can be most clearly seen in a mandala. It is a blueprint for Buddha-hood conceived as the attainment not only of an individual's ultimate liberation and supreme bliss but as the attainment of such release and bliss by the individual-fully integrated with their field of associates and environment.

The Buddha Shakyamuni is seated in the centre of the mandala. His right hand is in bhumisparsha-mudra and the left hand, held in meditation position, holds a pindapatra. The inner circle of the Buddha is surrounded by eight lotus petals, symbolizes eight-fold path of Buddha's teachings, the way to freedom, consisting of the three spiritual educations – moral, meditative, and intellectual. The bhumisparsha-mudra of the Buddha symbolizes his victory over evil and the attainment of enlightenment at Bodhgaya. Buddhists meditate on this mudra of the Buddha mainly for protection from evil and also for the removal of obstacles in material and spiritual life. Outside the lotus circle there is a square divided into four triangles. The walls of square are decorated with geometric and floral designs. There are four gates in square in cardinal directions. Over the gates are houses in which live the protector deities. A Dharma Wheel flanked by deer is depicted in the upper centre. Vases with plants in them, treasure vases with banners stand on either side of the gate outside the wall. Over each corner of the square there is an umbrella. The square is surrounded by three circles. The inner most is a red circle, followed by circle of lotus petals. The outer circle is of fire fence.

In the row across the top, Amitabha Buddha is in the centre. Either side of him is sun and moon, respectively. Goddess White Tara is seated on his right. She is seated on moon disk on lotus flower on clouds. She is the goddess of long-life. Goddess Green Tara is seated on the left of Amitabha Buddha. She is also seated on moon disk on a lotus throne in clouds. Goddess Green Tara helps devotees overcome dangers, fears and anxieties. Moreover she helps one cross over from danger to safety or from suffering to happiness. On the lower register, Arapachana Manjushri is seated in the left corner; Manjushri is the Bodhisattva of Transcendent wisdom. His right hand holds a flaming wisdom sword and left holds a lotus flower over which is scripture of divine wisdom. With his flaming sword, Manjushri ensures that humans will gain knowledge and insight. He cleaves the clouds of ignorance with it but also uses it in the morning to chase away the demons of night and thus brings light into the darkness. This darkness-ness a double meaning, is thus spiritual darkness, ignorance. The bottom centre depicts brown Tara, who is seated in Lalitasana on moon-disk on lotus throne. Her hand is in Varada-mudra and the left hand is in vitarka-mudra and holds a slight bigger lotus flower. Wrathful Vajrapani, a celestial Bodhisattva, who represents the concentrated power of all Buddhas is standing in alidha posture on a yellow disk on lotus throne against wisdom fire aureole. His left hand holds a vajra, the indestructible weapon and his left hand is in threatening gesture (tarjani-mudra). The extended silk brocade is decorated with stylized vishva vajra and lotus.

This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma. His Doctorate thesis being: "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".

Click Here to View the Thangka Painting along with its Brocade

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