Well painted with polychrome enamels, protected by two rings of flames and lotus petals is placed the square-shaped Palace with four towers that are the entrance. In the space inside the walls, divided into four sections of different colors, is inserted a circle composed of nine sectors, each with a lotus flower. Outside the palace, on a green background, you can see a myriad of small images of Buddha, ritual vases, various ritual objects, dancing monkeys, shells, fish, parasol umbrellas symbol of royalty.
Catalog notes:
For a similar mandala see the example in the collection of the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts in Ulan Bator, object number 50090.
The mandala is a tool to help meditation, the adept becomes one with the main object of veneration, usually a deity depicted in the center of the mandala. The meditator slowly approaches the center and transforms his body and mind into those of the deity. The mandala not only shows the outer cosmic universe, but also the inner psychic universe, revealing the path to a high state, that is, the buddhahood that dwells in every being waiting to be awakened. The iconographic rendering of this path is a palace, protected by guardian deities where you enter from the east (indicated with the color white or blue) after passing the outer circular barriers.
曼陀罗画,西藏 - 尼泊尔,十九世纪