Traditional mandalas are maps of the cosmos used in meditation.
The painting, sculpture or architectural construction of the mandala is an artistic achievement, but for the practitioner it is both visual text and aid to a meditational journey toward liberation. The mandala would be accompanied by an explanatory essay, demonstrating that the work has proceeded from an understanding of mandala theory and practice. To do this students would draw on knowledge from various class readings, including Martin Brauen's book The Mandala. To view and learn about a classical Tibetan Buddhist mandala, go to the Kalachakra site. To see the syllabus for the course, click here .