These mandalas, abodes of the deities,
are not only aesthetically pleasing but their vivid colors and intricate
symmetry evoke primordial memories of a world of luminous perfection. Unlike
ordinary art, they are not a tribute to the creativity of an artist. Rather,
they originate in the natural mind and were introduced to the human realm
by enlightened beings. They have been passed down through the generations
with meticulous care.
For those who have been instructed in
the use of mandalas, they are said to be the best teachers because they
contain infinite meaning; and unlike human teachers they never become irritated.
Even without instruction, just to view them is said to transmit great blessings.
Rendering these mandalas was originally
a childhood dream of Kyabje Dodrupchen Rinpoche who is a leading expert
on Buddhist mandalas. Rinpoche recognized that this project is extremely
important to preserve Dharma for future generations. For many years there
seemed to be no possibility of doing it. Only recently with the auspicious
conjunction of recovered artwork and books which had been buried in Tibet
and the development of desktop publishing technology in the west has it
been made possible.
Rinpoche has thoroughly researched each
of these hundreds of mandalas to insure that they accurately reflect the
original descriptions. In most cases the content, arrangement, precise
proportions and colors are all described in minute detail in sacred texts.
Ancient artwork was examined for sample rendering style. May whoever sees
these mandalas fully receive their blessings and bring all sentient beings
to enlightment.
All are high quality laser prints printed
directly from electronic files to avoid loss of detail. They are laminated
on both sides to preserve them for years to come. Sets will come with a
short introduction written by Kyabje Dodrupchen Rinpoche.