Image title: Dharmadhatu Vrata Ritual

English text:

At the ritual called Vrata (oath), a mandala printed in stone-powder is used. For example, at the Dharmadhatu Vrata, each participant has his/ her Dharmadhatu Mandala printed on a red cloth.
Here on a square wooden block the central part of the symbolic Dharmadhatu Mandala is depicted. At the time of the Dharmadhatu Vrata Ritual one spreads white stone-powder on the wooden block so that the powder remain in the engraved line of the mandala. The wooden block, having been turned over, is placed on a red cloth. Then the wooden block is struck a few times with a small piece of wood. When the wooden block is removed, the Dharmadhatu Mandala in its symbolic form appears.

Further details shown:

Dharmadhatu Mandala printed on a red cloth, which is placed in front of each participant in the ritual.—Svayambhunath temple, Kathmandu, August 2001.

Gallery information:

The Northern Himalayan region in Nepal offers a wide variety of Buddhist objects such as paintings, scriptures, sculptures, ritualistic objects, etc. Buddhism once entered Tibet from Nepal and has blended in its own way there, resulting in Tibetan Buddhism which is divided into many schools. The items found here are exhibited in the National Museum of Nepal (Rashtriya Museum).