## What is MANDALA?

     There are two major mandalas of esoteric Buddhism in Japan.
    One is Kongohkai(vajra-dhatu, the diamond world in English) MANDALA.
    The other is Taizoukai(garbha-dhatu, the womb-store world in English)MANDALA.
    You can appreciate and purchase the second one in our MANDALA page.

     According to one theory, this MANDALA is supposed to symbolize the body,
    speech, and mind of the Buddha, which are revealed to the unenlightened so that
    they may put themselves in harmoney with Buddha. Another theory holds, however,
    that this MANDALA symbolizes the teachings of the Mahavairocana-sutra(Dainichi-
    kyo).

     The one generally used in Japan is based upon the MANDALA brought by Kukai from
    China and belongs to the school of Pu-k'ung. It consists of 12 divisions, which are
    assigned to three major categories - butsu-bu, renge-bu, and kongo-bu.

                  (An extract from "Japanese-English Buddhist Dictionary", DAITO-SHUPPANSHA)

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