Vajradhatu (Diamond Realm) Mandala

The Buddha Vairochana, sitting at the center of this mandalic diagram of the heavens, is framed by the four other celestial Buddhas, each residing in the cardinal direction corresponding to their distinctive color. Amitabha presides over one of the most important of the celestial realms, the western Pure Land (at top), where a devotee can hope to be reborn. The square section takes the form of a multitiered palace, inhabited by one thousand bodhisattvas. Pronged vajra gateways stand at the four directions and, as they cross under the central image of Vairochana, mark a point of perfect stability. In the top register are Buddhist deities, mahasiddhas (tantric adepts), and monastic patriarchs, and along the base are protectors and other deities.