Mandalas: Their Nature and Development

Book excerpt: Maṇḍalas – Their Nature and Development This book deals with the question of what exactly constitutes a ‘cell’ metaphysically. The cell is viewed as a unit of consciousness that interrelate with other cells to form maṇḍalas of expression. Each such cell can be considered a form of ‘self’ that has a limited, though valid, body of expression. It is born, sustains a form of activity, and consequently dies when it outlives its usefulness. This mode of analysis is extended to include the myriad forms manifest in the world of phenomena known as saṃsāra including the existence and functioning of chakras. A Treatise on Mind Outline Volume 1 The “Self” or “Non-self” in Buddhism Volume 2 Considerations of Mind—A Buddhist Enquiry Volume 3 The Buddha-Womb and the Way to Liberation Volume 4 Maṇḍalas: Their Nature and Development Volume 5 An Esoteric Exposition of the Bardo Thödol Volume 6 Meditation and the Initiation Process Volume 7 The Constitution of Shambhala Whilst the numbers of Buddhists are growing in the world, the techniques and discourses of Buddhism have not changed to meet the radically different conditions of the contemporary world. Thus Buddhism needs a true restorative flowering to rival that of the renaissance of debate and innovative thinking of the early post-Nāgārjunian era. In order to achieve this it must synthesise the present wealth of scientific knowledge, alongside the best of the Western world’s philosophical output – this is the primary task of this seven volume treatise. The treatise investigates Buddhist ideas concerning what mind is and how it relates to a concept of a ‘self’. It is principally a study of the complex interrelationship between mind and phenomena, from the gross to the subtle—the physical, psychic, supersensory and supernal. This entails an explanation of how mind incorporates all phenomena in its modus operandi, and how eventually that mind is liberated from it, thereby becoming awakened. Thus the treatise explores the manner in which the corporeally orientated, concretised, intellectual mind eventually becomes transformed into the Clear Light of the abstracted Mind; a Buddha-Mind.