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Maṇḍala Wheel

Supplies

To prepare the Maṇḍala Wheel, you'll need the following:


Instructions

1. Prepare the sweet paste offering

Mix honey, butter, and sugar together. Combine this with gemstone powders and red and white sandalwood to create a fragrant, sacred paste.

2. Join the Jambhala and Vasudhārā maṇḍala wheels

Use the sweet paste to stick the Jambhala and Vasudhārā maṇḍala wheels together - symbolically as if they are embracing.

  • Jambhala should be placed on top, facing downward.

3. Mark the outer surface

After joining them, mark the outside of the maṇḍala wheels to identify:

  • Which one is Jambhala
  • The direction of the heads of the deities

This ensures correct orientation when placing them inside a statue or stupa. The heads of the deities should face the back of the statue/stupa - so if they were "standing up", they would face the same direction as the statue.

4. Layer the remaining maṇḍala wheels

Beneath the Vasudhārā wheel, add the following in order:

  1. Ganapati maṇḍala wheel - facing up
  2. Aṣṭamaṅgala maṇḍala wheel - facing up
  3. Viśvavajra maṇḍala wheel - facing down, toward the base (like Jambhala)

Use the sweet paste offering to stick each layer together.

5. Wrap the entire set

Once assembled, wrap all the maṇḍala wheels together with a nice cloth - preferably cotton or silk in saffron or deity-specific colors.

This completes the preparation of the Maṇḍala Wheel.