mandala
Americannoun
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Oriental Art. a schematized representation of the cosmos, chiefly characterized by a concentric configuration of geometric shapes, each of which contains an image of a deity or an attribute of a deity.
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(in Jungian psychology) a symbol representing the effort to reunify the self.
noun
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Hindu & Buddhist art any of various designs symbolizing the universe, usually circular
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psychol such a symbol expressing a person's striving for unity of the self
Etymology
Origin of mandala
First recorded in 1855–60, mandala is from the Sanskrit word maṇḍala circle
Explanation
A mandala is a symbol of the universe for many Buddhists and Hindus. Most mandalas have colorful, detailed geometric patterns or designs. Mandalas are a type of religious and spiritual art with a deep significance for many people. As a symbol of the cosmos or universe, a traditional mandala is a square containing a circle, and the entire design is symmetrical and balanced. Some spiritual traditions use mandalas for meditation or for marking a spiritual space. The word mandala itself simply means "circle" in Sanskrit.
Vocabulary lists containing mandala
South Asia - Middle School and High School
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History of India - Introductory
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History of India - Middle School and High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The activities included things like drawing a tree or a mandala, writing haikus, mindful walking, talking about cycles of life and death in nature, and so on.
From Science Daily • Nov. 15, 2024
A man draws an eight-point mandala — an intricate, geometric design used in spiritual practice — to the vibrating hum of a Khmer chant.
From New York Times • Dec. 15, 2023
Referring to a circle in the ancient Sanskrit language, the mandala represents the universe in Hinduism and Buddhism and is often used for sacred rites, meditation, colour therapy and henna designs.
From BBC • Aug. 12, 2022
Usually, the colored sand is arranged into a mandala: a symmetrical design that serves as a tool for spiritual guidance.
From Washington Post • Nov. 16, 2021
“Or have you ever seen a Buddhist sand mandala? They use these different colors of sand—it’s incredibly cool—and then they destroy it. On purpose.”
From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
