A diagram of the universe. (Looking & Learning).About the Art A mandala mandala (mŭn`dələ), [Skt.,=circular, round] a concentric diagram having spiritual and ritual significance in Hindu and Buddhist Tantrism. (MAHN-duh-lah) is a symbol of the universe. It is a diagram in which colors, lines, and forms all have meaning. In the Buddhist religion, mandalas are used in sacred ceremonies and meditation, to help people on their journey toward spiritual enlightenment. Mandalas have been made since ancient times. They can be painted on cloth or carved or, like this one, created from sand. This mandala is dedicated to the deity Yamantaka, Conqueror of Death, and represents his celestial palace. A meditating Buddhist proceeds from the outer rim inward, moving from the earthly world to various levels of spiritual growth and knowledge. The ultimate goal is to attain total enlightenment, or nirvana, at the center. There Yamantaka is represented by the blue vajra vajra Five-pronged ritual object extensively employed in the ceremonies of Tibetan Buddhism. It is fashioned out of brass or bronze, the four prongs at each end curving around the central fifth to form a lotus-bud shape. (VAHJ-rah), or thunderbolt, symbolizing compassion. In the mandala's outer corners, symbols of the five senses are reminders that true knowledge comes through spiritual enlightenment, not from our fleeting perceptions. Smell is represented by a perfumed elixir elixir /elix·ir/ (e-lik´ser) a clear, sweetened, alcohol-containing, usually hydroalcoholic liquid containing flavoring substances and sometimes active medicinal ingredients. e·lix·ir n. bubbling up from a conch conch (kŏngk, kŏnch, kôngk), common name for certain marine gastropod mollusks having a heavy, spiral shell, the whorls of which overlap each other. shell (upper left). A lute lute, musical instrument that has a half-pear-shaped body, a fretted neck, and a variable number of strings, which are plucked with the fingers. The long lute, with its neck much longer than its body, seems to have been older than the short lute, existing very early (lower left) stands for hearing, and a blue disc mirror (lower right) for vision. Peaches (upper right) symbolize taste. A flowing silk scarf, for touch, appears in all four corners. The circular rim's outermost out·er·most adj. Most distant from the center or inside; outmost. outermost Adjective furthest from the centre or middle Adj. 1. ring, representing the earthly world, shows eight burial grounds with images of suffering and decay: skeletons, floating limbs, scavenging scavenging of anesthetic. See anesthetic scavenging. animals, trees, mountains, and burial mounds called stupas, symbolic of the Buddha's life and teaching. Next comes a circle of flames in a rainbow pattern of bright colors, then a ring of vajras, and finally a band of lotus petals, signifying spiritual purity and representing various deities. Now we encounter the square walls of Yamantaka's palace, with gates at the four compass points. The palace is filled with symbols, including masked guardians, umbrellas, jewel trees, wheels, and deer. Within the innermost square, which is divided into triangular quadrants, is a circle containing symbols of nine Buddhist deities, with Yamantaka at the center. This is the realm of perfect enlightenment. All mandalas represent an invitation to enter the Buddha's awakened mind. Tibetan Buddhists believe that in each person's mind there is a seed of enlightenment that can be discovered by contemplating a mandala. The mandala's design denotes the order and harmony of an enlightened mind. Order is shown through symmetrical organization, tight structure, and the use of geometric forms such as the square and the circle. The complex symbols and calculated combination of primary colors those developed from the solar beam by the prism, viz., red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, which are reduced by some authors to three, - red, green, and violet-blue. These three are sometimes called fundamental colors. See under Color. See also: Color Primary express the principles of wisdom and compassion that underlie Tantric tan·tra n. Any of a comparatively recent class of Hindu or Buddhist religious literature written in Sanskrit and concerned with powerful ritual acts of body, speech, and mind. Buddhist philosophy Buddhist Teachings deals extensively with problems in metaphysics, phenomenology, ethics, and epistemology. Introduction From its inception, Buddhism has the appearance of having a strong philosophical component. . About the Artists The Buddhist monks who made this mandala spent a month in residence in Minneapolis and invited the public to watch them work. They had a mission. They wanted to educate people about their rich heritage and culture and about their plight since China established Communist rule in Tibet in the 1950s. The Dalai Lama Dalai Lama (dä`lī lä`mə) [Tibetan,=oceanic teacher], title of the leader of Tibetan Buddhism. Believed like his predecessors to be the incarnation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, 1935–, , Tibet's temporal and spiritual ruler, fled to India in 1959, and many Tibetan monastic groups joined him in exile there. During China's Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of Tibet's magnificent monasteries and temples were destroyed. Approximately 1.6 million Tibetans were killed or imprisoned im·pris·on tr.v. im·pris·oned, im·pris·on·ing, im·pris·ons To put in or as if in prison; confine. [Middle English emprisonen, from Old French emprisoner : en- in labor camps, and many were driven into permanent exile. The monks' Minneapolis visit also called attention to a resettlement Re`set´tle`ment n. 1. Act of settling again, or state of being settled again; as, the resettlement of lees s>. The resettlement of my discomposed soul. - Norris. program that brought many Tibetan refugees to Minnesota. Technique Tibetan monks from the Gyuto Tantric University in northern India created this sand mandala The Sand Mandala (tib: kilkhor) is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition which symbolises the transitory nature of things. As part of Buddhist canon, all things material are seen as transitory. at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is a comprehensive art museum located in Minneapolis, Minnesota on a campus that covers nearly 8 acres (32,000 m²). It does not charge an entrance fee (although it does charge for some special exhibitions), and allows photography of its permanent in 1992. After a ceremonial blessing, the monks began the process of making the mandala. First they drew an outline of the design on a wooden platform. Then, using metal funnels and various tools, they poured, sprinkled, and arranged millions of grains of colored sand in a complex design. The work took almost four weeks. Traditionally, when a mandala sand painting is finished, it is swept up and deposited in the nearest body of flowing water, as a metaphor of life's impermanence im·per·ma·nent adj. Not lasting or durable; not permanent. im·per  ma·nence, im·per . But through a unique collaboration
between the monks and scientists from the 3M company, this sand mandala
became the first in the world to be preserved for future generations.
On the Web The ArtsConnectEd website (www.artsconnected.org) puts you and your students in touch with images, information, and educational resources from the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. You can access thousands of works of art through the Art Gallery section of the site. Did you know that the Yamantaka Mandala was actually made at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts by monks of the Gyuto University? You can view a QuickTime video of this amazing process on ArtsConnectEd! 1. On www.artsconnected.org click on the Art Gallery icon. 2. In Art Gallery enter the key words "Yamantaka Mandala" and click on GO to find the record for this artwork. Click anywhere on the image for more information. 3. Scroll down to the bottom of the information page to "Selected Highlights." 4. Click on "Yamantaka Mandala: The Creation of a Sand Painting" to view the QuickTime video. OR In the "For Your Classroom" icon search the educational database with the keyword "Tibet." Open the Minneapolis Institute of Arts' "Arts of Asia" online activity for more information about arts from Japan, China, and Tibet. Look Does anything in this mandala remind you of architecture? Point to the architectural features and describe them. Is the design of the mandala symmetrical or asymmetrical? What effect does that have? Imagine that the design is not symmetrically balanced. What difference would that make? Mandalas help Buddhist monks to meditate med·i·tate v. med·i·tat·ed, med·i·tat·ing, med·i·tates v.tr. 1. To reflect on; contemplate. 2. To plan in the mind; intend: meditated a visit to her daughter. . Look at this mandala carefully. What do you see that would help someone meditate? Think about the color, line, shape, symmetry, and composition. The goal of meditation is to reach nirvana, at the center of the mandala. How does the design draw your attention to the center? Discuss This mandala contains lots of symbols. Many are recognizable objects. Point out the ones you recognize. What symbols would you use in your personal diagram of the universe? What is the purpose of making a mandala? What was the goal of the Tibetan monks who made this one? Think about the qualities of wisdom and compassion and what they might have to do with this mandala. At the center of the mandala is a vajra, a symbol of compassion. Do you think compassion is important to Buddhists in their quest for Verb 1. quest for - go in search of or hunt for; "pursue a hobby" quest after, go after, pursue look for, search, seek - try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of; "The police are searching for clues"; "They are searching for the enlightenment? Do you think it is important for all people to show compassion? Why? Think about times when you have shown compassion and how that affected other people. Explore A mandala is a diagram symbolizing the universe. In the ancient Sanskrit language of India, mandala means circle. How are circles important in our universe? Investigate the use and meaning of the circle in various cultures. After studying the mandala's design and meaning, do you see any similarities with other cultural icons such as Native American sand paintings, Japanese rock gardens, or Northwest Coast totem poles? Susan Rotilie is the associate director of School/Tours/Family Programs at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. susan.rotilie@walkerart.org. |
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