Mandala Blueprint: The basics

source: mandala: Buddhist Tantric Designs

The central square is configured of walls and doors

The central circle within the central square is the residence of the deity

The four peaks at N, E, S, W are the gates

The 'two dimensional' form of the mandala eventually become colorfully shaded in. It is a blueprint for ritual and meditation and also serves, quite literally, as the blueprint for the 'three dimensional' form the mandala takes in the mind of the meditator. In the mind, it takes form.