Provenance:
Zimmerman Family Collection
Published:
Pratapaditya Pal, Art of the Himalayas: Treasures from Nepal and Tibet, American Federation of Arts exhibition catalogue, 1991, no. 77
Pratapaditya Pal, “Himalayan Mandalas in the Zimmerman Collection,” Orientations, February 1992, p. 123
Barry Bryant, The Wheel of Time Sand Mandala: Visual Scripture of Tibetan Buddhism, San Francisco, 1992, p. 62
Jackie Menzies, Buddha: Radiant Awakening, Gallery of New South Wales, 2001, no. 49
Exhibited:
“The Cosmos: An Enduring Mystery,” Museum Rietberg, Zurich, December 2014 – May 2015
The five-terraced pyramid at the center of this three-dimensional metal mandala represents Mount Meru (or Sumeru), the cosmic mountain that serves as the axis of the universe and the dwelling place of the gods in Indian cosmology.
The concept of Mount Meru is shared by both Hinduism and Buddhism, though their cosmographies differ. In Buddhist tradition, each world system is a vast disc (cakravala) containing seven concentric golden mountain ranges encircling Mount Meru. Four continents, each distinct in shape, are positioned equidistantly around Meru within the waters of the heavenly lake Anavatapta, known for its association with immortality. These continents are represented in this mandala: Jambudvipa in the south, triangular in shape; Aparagodaniya in the west, circular like a full moon; Purvavideha in the east, crescent-shaped; and Uttarakuru in the north, depicted as trapezoidal squares. The mandala’s border is adorned with luxuriant floral motifs interspersed with Buddhist auspicious symbols.
Three-dimensional mandalas such as this serve a primarily ceremonial function. They are traditionally used to welcome distinguished visitors to a monastery, often presented with multicolored ribbons attached to the ring. Symbolically, the mandala may signify the recipient’s connection to the cosmic mountain. For a comparable example see Beguin, G., Les mandalas himalayens du Musée Guimet, 1981, no. 33.
