Enter the Mandala – Dharma Documentaries

An introduction to a small, but significant, exhibition on the mandala at the Asian Art Museum.

This is a very informative introduction to a small exhibition of a five-Buddha mandala that was held at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco last fall (2014).

The intro is provided by the curator Jeff Durham, who comes over as very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the works on display.

The exhibition was itself built as a kind of mandala, with representations of four Buddhas at the four quarters (Aksobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha and Amoghasiddhi), with Vairocana presiding at the centre.

Jeff guides us through the exhibits, and gives an expert guide to the symbolism involved, and the way to interpret the mandalas and get the most from the paintings and sculptures on display.