The Mandala of Compassion Click on a part of the mandala to learn about its symbolism. A mandala is generally recognized as a symmetrical geometrically arranged diagram concentrated about a single center. In Tibetan Buddhist tradition many different kinds of mandalas are carved from stone, cast in metal, painted on cloth or laid out in powdered pigments.
Many mandalas serve as guides for meditation.
Some of the most elegant of these are the sand mandalas, which are nearly always destroyed shortly after completion. There can be much variation in symbolism from one sand mandala to another, even within a single sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Such mandalas also have many layers of meaning related to Tantric doctrines that are traditionally kept secret. Some mandalas created for ceremonial use may not even be viewed by anyone who has not received the proper initiations and prepared for the experience for several days. It is interesting to note that certain precautions must be taken to differentiate a public mandala such as this one from a sacred ceremonial mandala.