Nepal Mandala of Chakrasamvara, 1590 Opaque watercolor on cotton 46 x 34 5/8 in. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum Acquisition Fund, M.73.2.1 Photo ©2002  LACMA   [Click on image for larger view]
his is a mandala, a circular map used in meditation for visualizing the sacred universe. Worshipers in many religions—including Buddhists, Jains, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians—use mandalas. This example represents the Buddhist view of the whole universe, from the earthly world, where we live, to the spiritual world, where the deities reside.