Mandala understanding in Buddhism

Buddhism, BC. VI. It is a religion that was formed and developed within the framework of the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha, who was accepted to have lived in North India in the 16th century. Buddhism, which has gone through a long historical process of 2500 years, has encountered the local cultures of Central and Southeast Asia as well as the Indian culture it was born in, and has managed to become the dominant religion and culture in these lands. In this process, the interaction was not unidirectional. Buddhism has also been influenced and changed by other cultures. As a result, different schools of Buddhism emerged. This difference has caused the formation of various practices within religion or the change of existing religious practices. Mandala symbol is also a religious practice affected by this situation. Mandala is an ancient practice in the main Indian religions. When we look at the historical process related to the use of the mandala symbol, it is seen that it has been used in different ways in various religions and cultures until today. Mandala symbols in Buddhism are more common in areas where the Mahayana school is active. In Tibetan Buddhism, which is a sub-branch of it, the design and use of mandala symbols is quite remarkable and interesting. Gregorian VII. Tibetan Buddhism, which emerged in the 16th century, also influenced other Buddhist schools with its religious practices, especially the understanding of mandala. Mandala is closely related to other elements of tantrism, as it is a tantric practice. At this point, it is seen that the mandala is a basic instrument used in yoga and meditation practices. Mantras, also known as talismanic words, are often used together with mandala symbols. Yantra and chakra, which are other tantric practices, are very similar to mandala symbols both in form and in terms of usage. Although yantra and chakra have similar aspects with the mandala, there are also distinctive differences between them.