What is a mandala, anyway?
Different sources give elusively varying definitions of what a mandala is: a portrayal of the Buddhist conception of the cosmos, or of just the realm of a particular Bodhisattva? From a mystic significance, the combination of basic geometrical design with baroque exhuberance has given the genre a wider appeal, particularly in New Age circles.
These puzzles all appear to be modern drawings on the traditional theme, but in most cases there is no indication of the identity or location of the artist. Some of the themes are well-known in Japan, so for the Kannon and Shaka mandalas, the title is written in Chinese characters; Chakrasamvara, for example, is not so well known, and is transliterated into katakana.
A web search for "Mandala" will show lots of relevant sites...
- Wikipedia article
- Lots of information and pictures in Mark Schumacher's Buddhist Corner pages
- Clare Goodwin's mandala page includes a comprehensive set of links
For reference: you can view all the mandala puzzles that are out of print in the Attic.