Womb World Mandala (Taizōkai mandara) - Reflections of the Buddha

Womb World Mandala (Taizōkai Mandala) 2
came into contact with native elements, whilst simultaneously being brought into dialogue with older
designs and doctrines from the continent. This is an example of a Womb World Mandala (Japanese,
Taizōkai mandala 胎 蔵 界 ), originally one half of a pair, which illustrates active instantiations of the
absolute truth of Buddhism in the phenomenal world. This absolute truth is represented by the
meditative figure in the center, the Buddha Mahavairocana (Japanese Dainichi nyorai 大 日 如 来 ), while
the surrounding figures represent various aspects of that truth, all of which are manifestations of
Mahavairocana.
Originally constructed in three-dimensional form for the physical demarcation of space for a rite, ritual
contemplation or specific initiation ceremonies, 3 two-dimensional mandala such as this one maintain
the connection with physical space by serving as ground plans for three-dimensional architectural
structures - palaces - that can be constructed within the imagination. 4 Mahavairocana is placed in a lotus
flower in the central and uppermost level of a multi-tiered palace, and moving outwards and
downwards from his divine and unchanging presence we find an ordered hierarchical arrangement of
Buddhas and bodhisattvas before passing into more chaotic realms of progressively less enlightened
beings, until we reach, in the outer edges of the mandala, the occupants of the lower realms of
existence in the outer edges of the mandala, such as humans, animals, and hungry ghosts.
Once initiated into the proper use of these mandala a practitioner is able to use it as a guide to an
internal pilgrimage. Entering through the outer gates that indicate the transition from profane to divine
space, the initiate can mark milestones of spiritual progress by passing through its compartmentalized
3 Contemporary Tibetan Buddhists continue the ancient practice of constructing mandala out of colored sand for
the purposes of a specific rite, and destroying them after it has been completed, though both the ritual use and
the preparation of the mandala are acts of worship. See M. Brauen, The Mandala, Sacred Circle in Tibetan
Buddhism. London: Serindia Press (1997).
4 The visual dependence on a coherent architectural structure in the Womb World mandala is indicative of the
time in which it was produced. Though the seventh-century text on which the mandala is based, the
Mahavairocana Sutra 大 日 経 (Japanese, Dainichi-kyō), does give particular details, the displayed architecture of
gabled roofs and gateways are reminiscent of Tang period 唐 朝 (618 - 907) Chinese palace architecture of the
eighth century, when the iconography for the Womb World mandala was established (ten Grotenhuis 1999, p. 6).
Ideas for the composition of the mandala are drawn from chapter two of the Mahavairocana Sutra, which
had been translated into Chinese by Subhakarasimha 善 無 畏 (637-735) and I-hsing 張 遂 (683-727). Kūkai
introduced the sutra and its commentary in a version referred to as the Dainichi-kyō-sho and Ennin 圓 仁 or 円 仁
(793 - 864) introduced another version referred to as the Dainichi-kyō Gishaku. Shingon employs the former sutra,
and the Tendai 天 台 sect the latter.
The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts
Reflections of the Buddha