Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a (Buddhist) Mandala?
Mandala (Sanskrit mandala "circle", "completion") is of Hindu origin and is also used in most Dharmic religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, to refer to various tangible objects. In Vajrayana they have been developed into sandpainting. In practice, mandala has become a generic term for any plan, chart or geometric pattern which represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the universe from the human perspective.
A mandala, especially its center, can be used during meditation as an object for focusing attention. The symmetrical geometric shapes tend to draw the attention towards their center. Psychiatrist Carl Jung saw the mandala as "a representation of the unconscious self," and believed his paintings of mandalas enabled him to identify emotional disorders and work towards wholeness in personality.
The visualization and concretization of the mandala concept is one of the most significant contributions of Buddhism to religious psychology. Mandalas are seen as sacred places which, by their very presence in the world, remind a viewer of the immanence of sanctity in the universe and its potential in his or her self. In the context of the Buddhist path the purpose of a mandala is to put an end to human suffering, to attain enlightenment and to attain a correct view of Reality. It is a means to discover divinity by the realization that it resides within one's own self.
2. So what is Bodhi Mandala?
Bodhi Mandala (
www.bodhimandala.net) takes on the concept of the Buddhist Mandala and adapts it into a Virtual Reality.
The idea is simple. Like real sand mandalas, we invite people to construct the virtual mandala, block by block (we prefer to use the term 'grain by grain'). Bodhi Mandala can only happen in cyberspace. Anyone from anywhere with an internet connection can participate in the construction.
The mandala is divided into 8,400 blocks or grains. You can adopt as many grains as you like, as long as there are some available (see the live stats in the top right corner of the page). For practical reasons, the minimum for adoption is (one) 1 grain. Each grain cost US$ 10.00.
When you adopt the grains, an image/ad/logo of your choice will be displayed in the space you have purchased. When someone "mouses over" your logo, a pop up message will appear. The message must not be more than 200 characters long, and it is encouraged that you use a positive message to greet your visitor (such as "Peace on earth, permeating the fragrant Dharma with www.BuddhistSound.com"). Visitors will also be able to click through via the image to your website (if you have one). However, no obscene or offensive images or messages are allowed.
Once all the grains in the mandala are adopted, the project is deemed as completed.
3. Who's behind the project?
While this project is initiated by the Buddhist Channel (
www.BuddhistChannel.tv), the concept of Bodhi Mandala was created by Lim Kooi Fong, founder and publisher of the Buddhist Channel and Oliver Georgi, the brain behind one of the world's best Content Management System,
PHPWCMS. The Buddhist Channel - established since May 2001, the world's only media aggregator for Buddhist news, is also one of the world's biggest Buddhist website. Please click
here for more information.
4. What is Bodhi Mandala's purpose and intention?
When you adopt a few blocks or grains in Bodhi Mandala, you become a part of a virtuous Dharma cycle. This is the first step for you to help real people and make a difference in their lives. What more, it opens a door for people - millions of them - to get to know you, and for you to know others within the mandala. However, your participation is what that will make the difference. Here's how you can play a role and what you will benefit in return:
a) A Chance to say your peace
We request that you write some words of aspiration when you adopt the grains. These words (not more than 200 characters long) will appear when someone "mouses over" your logo/ad/image. Through these words of aspirations, we hope to create a vibrant mandala which emanates positive emotions with every "mouse over", bringing up messages of love, peace and hope. A living, breathing mandala of spirituality in the most beautiful sense is what we intend to achieve.
c) An opportunity to bring one to come and see (your website)
The grains that you have adopted will be covered by a logo/ad/image of your choice (stored in GIF of JPEG format). It is an invitation for one to "come and see" (ehipassiko [pali]). The image will be hyperlinked to your website or blog (if you have any). A click through will bring a visitor to your site. Through the Buddhist Channel, Bodhi Mandala is expected to receive more than 175,000 unique visitors a month. So this could be an avenue to bring major traffic to your site. For a minimum of 3 grains, there is no time limit access to your website as long as Bodhi Mandala is online.
d) Your adoption of the mandala grains actually gives hope and love to real people
When you make a payment to adopt the mandala grains, part of the contribution will be used to support selected charities, the needs of noble minded groups and Sangha members (please see 5 below). These groups or organizations are selected based on any one or a combination of the following criteria:
-
Difficulty in obtaining continuous funds for operating expenses
-
Goals and objectives of the group which are noble and has a notable track record
-
Those who provide humanitarian relief work
-
Those who provide social support initiatives for the "socially disengaged" (youth, the aged, prison chaplaincy etc)
-
Those not supported by "large" organizations and are currently depending mainly on adhoc donors
-
To provide Sangha support especially in areas where such tradition is non-existent (which are mainly in western countries)
5. What will you do with the amount collected?
Parts of your contribution will be used to fund support for groups who face difficulties in their Dharma practice or humanitarian work. For Bodhi Mandala, we have identified the following 11 groups which will receive US$ 5,000 each (for 2007):
1) Campaign Against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) [Kenya]
2) Kasih Hospice [Malaysia]
3) Dhamma Aid Cambodia [Cambodia]
4) Shelter [South Korea]
5) Dhamma Moli [Nepal]
6) Australian group (to be confirmed)
7) Nalanda [Brazil]
8) Angulimala [Organisation representing Buddhism in the prison service - UK]
9) Buddhist Peace Fellowship: "Coming Home" initiative for ex-prisoners [USA]
10) Ashoka: The e-Dharma University [USA]
11) Engaged Zen Foundation [USA]
We admit that a major portion of the contributions will be used to maintain the Buddhist Channel. As a free to view community service, we do not, have not and will not charge any fees to anyone who wishes to access the site. However, as the site supports more than one million readers a year, we need funds for our continuous operations.
With your support, the channel shall expand on its news development team. This means more "original" articles will be coming your way soon. Your support will also enable us to continue highlighting good work done by compassionate people, such as those listed on Bodhi Mandala.
As a Right Livelihood project, we sincerely believe that this is a meaningful and creative form of sustenance in the long run, apart from seeking donation, which is currently our main source of funding.
6. Why can't I adopt just one grain?
For practical reasons, it would not be effective to display anything meaningful in just one block or grain. Another reason is that people may not be able to easily click on just one grain. However if you really want to own a single grain, there is always the option of clubbing together with your friends/family/colleages and adopting the minimum 3 grains.
7. What kind of messages can I put up (for the mouse over pop ups)?
Any verses of aspiration or those that promotes peace, that gives hope and those that generate positive emotions. Our only request is that it should not be more than 200 characters long. Here are some examples:
- "May all beings be well and happy - www.JohnDoe.com".
- "Be on your way. You are the very first. Go on and on - Ko un."
- "Loving kindness to all - May all beings be calm, peaceful and wise".
- "My religion is Loving Kindness - Dalai Lama"
- "Peace on earth, permeating the fragrant Dharma with
www.BuddhistSound.com"
8. What happens if I don't have a website or blog?
You can still adopt the grains and submit your message. When no images or links are provided in your application, we will deem that you do not have a website or blog. In this case, we will create a logo encased with your name or identification which you have provided. When someone "mouses over" your image, your message will still pop out, but the visitor will not be able to click through.
9. Can I adopt the grains but submit somebody else's website?
Why not? This is an "act of generosity" (dana) in a true sense because by adopting the grains, you will help bring traffic to the site which you believe deserves support. Remember, the whole aim of this project is to encourage "positive motivation to serve" and to remind ourselves that "the only honest kind of thinking is the well-being of others".
10. How long will Bodhi Mandala be online?
Bodhi mandala will be treated like any sand mandalas: It will be dismantled once all the grains are adopted. This is done in line with keeping to a core teaching of Buddhism, that in the spirit of "impermanence" nothing last forever.
What is a (Buddhist) Mandala?