"The Meaning and Use of a Mandala\nAlexander Berzin, December 2003\nThe Meaning of a Mandala\n\nThe Tibetan word for "mandala," dkyil-'khor , literally means "that which encircles a center." A "center," here is a meaning, and "that which encircles it" - a mandala - is a round symbol that represents the meaning. Not all mandalas, however, are round.\n\nThere are many types of mandalas, used for various purposes in both the sutra and tantra practices of Buddhism. Let us survey some of them."
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