For the newly awakened, Bodhicitta is like a seed. In respect to the mandala (circle), the mandala is it said gives birth to the Buddhas when the Bodhicitta, like a seed, is planted in the earth of the mind. In this respect, the mandala represents the growth of Bodhicitta to Buddhahood.
One almost gets the sense that the mandala is more like a spiritual womb in which the Bodhicitta seed lies being progressively matured and developed until it eventually overcomes Mara (the Five Aggregates).
Using a slightly more down to earth analysis, with the first arising (utpada) of the mind (citta) that is bodhi, hereafter Bodhicitta, it must overcome the temporal world, which includes the psychophysical, wherein lies suffering. Absolute spirit cannot cower allowing itself become a simple thrall of ignorance bewitched by all that it sees. It's light and power must be increased. It must raise itself to totality. In this respect, the circle or mandala also symbolizes "everywhere" and "completeness" (much like vidya can also mean completeness).
Needless to say, Bodhicitta is all but ignored in modern circles of Zen so that the mandala remains an oddity. It is only taken up in the Shingon and Tibetan traditions.
There is a curious thing called "DMT" - it is a chemical that is said to be released upon death by the brain, and in dreams.
Interestingly, people who take DMT report seeing something like a inter-dimensional mandala. And they talk of a "centre of the mandala" which they say is the Absolute.
There is an interesting documentary that talks about this, called The Spirit Molecule; and it's not just hippies, it has scientists in.
Posted by: Undead Priest | February 27, 2012 at 02:50 PM