A CHRISTIAN APPRAISAL OF MANDALA SYMBOLISM IN TANTRICBUDDHISM AND IN THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CARL GUSTAV JUNG

Aug 21, 2026

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The paper investigates how mandala symbolism is understood within Tantric Buddhism and how these meanings resonate with, or can be interpreted through, the psychology of Carl Gustav Jung. It frames “Eastern” versus “Western” perspectives to explain differing attitudes toward the present and spiritual worlds, then traces mandala origins and the role of Tantrism in Tibetan Buddhism. Particular attention is given to parallels with Hindu Shaivism and the function of erotic cult practices, showing how mandalas relate to cosmic penetration and access to the center.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Eastern mandala

Tantric Buddhism

Mandala and interpenetration (cosmic center)

Access to the center

A CHRISTIAN APPRAISAL OF MANDALA SYMBOLISM IN TANTRICBUDDHISM AND IN THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CARL GUSTAV JUNGDonald Neiswender,B.D.

## Introduction

For the purposes of this paper,the titles “Eastern”and"Western”have beenchosen to designate the Mandala concepts of the Tantrists and C.G.Jungrespectively.One might perhaps just as well have termed them “Ancient”and"Modern."The chosen titles,however,are intended to point up the fact thatthere is a basic difference between the historical attitudes of the Oriental andOccidental man.Western man finds it difficult to see beyond this present world,while Eastern man has difficulty in giving proper attention to any world otherthan the spiritual.There are,of course,exceptions to this,but the generalizationholds.

The attempt is here made to understand what the Tantric Buddhist seesin the Mandala,as well as to perceive its meaning for Jung.This understandingthen becomes the background against which the Christian may approach theMandala to ask,“Is there a place in the Mandala for Jesus Christ?”

## I.EASTERN MANDALA

Tantric Buddbism

The Mandala of Buddhism is an artistic depictation of reality as a whole.It may be expressed in painting,in architecture or in colored sand or rice.But before describing a Mandala in more detail and speaking of the use towhich it is put by Buddhists,one must first consider its origin.

The Mandala is not a universal symbol in Buddhism.It seems to be totallyabsent from the Theravada(Hinayana)and even in the Mahayana it is foundprincipally in the Tantric sect of Tibet.

The name “Tantric”is derived from the name of the scriptures of thissect,which are called Tantras.Sometimes this entire school is also called theTantra.Tantrism is characterized by an exclusiveness which repudiates allother sects and by a strong stress upon invocations(mantras),ritual gestures(mudras),and other magical elements which are looked on as aids to enlight-enment.²

The entrance of these elements into Tibetan Buddhism cannot be pin-pointed in time with any degree of accuracy.This is due to the fact that theTantra was originally occult and esoteric.It is only after the year A.D.500,

1. Wm.Theodore de Bary(ed.),Sources of Indian Tradition(Vol.56 of the Recordsof Civlizations series,ed.J.T.Shortwell et al.;New York:Columbia University Press,1959),p.330.Hereafter:Indian Tradition.

2. Edward Conze(ed.),Buddbist Texts Tbrougb the Ages(New York:Philosophical

Library,1954),p.13.Hereafter:Texts.

when a more public phase began,that records begin to appear.³But even afterthis date,Tantrism remains somewhat obscure.For example,when EdwardConze,perhaps the leading Buddhist scholar of Europe,tries to date thecomposition of the Gubysamaja Tantra,an important scripture dealing withthe way to supreme enlightenment,he dates this Tantra about the year 500.4 Onthe other hand,Professor Susumu Yamaguchi,Professor of Mahayana Buddhismat Otani University,Kyoto,dates this Tantra after the year 900.5 This is saidby way of confession that historical sources for the study of the origin of thissect,which seems to be the cradle of the Buddhist Mandala,are very rare.

The question then is,can one make any suppositions as to_the origin ofthe Tantra which will have a significant degree of probability?The answer tothis question must be affirmative.The fact is that there are such strongparallels between Tantric Buddhism and a certain aspect of Hinduism that therecan be no doubt that the Tantrists borrowed from the older religion,

The parallels occur in the Hindu cult of the god Shiva.There are manyaspects to this god.He is,for instance,the supreme ascetic,the divine YogiBut for our purposes here the interesting factor is that Shaivism is also a fertilitycult.If space allowed,it could be shown here that Shaivism itself had borrowedfrom the Earth Mother rites of the pre-Vedic Indians.6 To this day Shiva isrepresented in his temples by a phallic symbol,usually quite large,which isknown as the Shiva Lingam.Su

FAQs

How does the paper define the difference in understanding between 'East' and 'West'?

The paper uses 'East/West' to refer respectively to the concept of the mandala in Tantric Buddhism and the corresponding ideas of C.G. Jung, emphasizing a fundamental difference in their historical attitudes: it is harder for Westerners to transcend the present world, while it is harder for Easterners to ignore the spiritual world.

Is the mandala considered a universal symbol in Buddhism?

The paper points out that the mandala is not a universal symbol in Buddhism: it is virtually absent in Theravada/Hinayana, and within Mahayana, it is mainly concentrated in the Tantric traditions of Tibet.

How does the paper explain the connection between the mandala and 'sexual/intercourse' practices in Tantric Buddhism?

The paper suggests that this connection can be expressed through 'interpenetration': the mandala presents the cosmic totality, and a person seeking to find the Buddha-center needs to be initiated, thereby achieving the 'penetration' required to enter the center and reach the core.

Aug 21, 2026

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