Khan Academy: Mandala of the Buddhist Deity Chakrasamvara

A mandala is a schematic diagram that portrays the sacred environment of a particular deity. The mandala is used by practitioners as a guideline for meditation. It helps people visualize the way in which they will restructure the world in a manner to bring about universal salvation. Mandalas can be three-dimensional, but the most common form is painted in colored sand or pigments in two-dimensions. They consist of a complex of circles, enclosures, auspicious signs, and a vast central platform, from which the deity sends forth his powers of salvation. The center of this mandala shows Cakrasamvara in a militant pose, firmly embracing his partner, Vajravarahi.