The Matrix Mandala Garden originates in the Garbhadhatu Mandala, one of the most complex Buddhist mandalas used in meditation, containing an image of every prominent buddha and bodhisattva in the Buddhist tradition, as well as major deities from the classical Indian pantheon.  As such, it is an emblem of religious diversity and syncretism from the Eastern world. 

The Garbhadhatu Mandala was first discovered hidden inside a large iron stupa in the south of India by a Buddhist monk named Nagarjuna sometime just before or after the dawn of the Common Era. Legend has it that the ritual instructions for how to recreate the Mandala, and a scripture describing its origin and use, were bestowed upon Nagarjuna by an emanation he encountered inside. Nagarjuna, who is considered the foremost expositor of Buddhist thinking after the Buddha himself, passed this revelation on to his followers, and use of the Mandala spread north to Nepal and Tibet, and south to Indonesia and eventually China.

In the year 800 CE a Japanese Buddhist pilgrim named Kukai sailed to China seeking instruction in Sanskrit and information regarding the Garbadhatu Mandala. By the time Kukai discovered a teacher, use of the Mandala had been combined with a second, even more complex mandala, called the Vajradhatu, and he was initiated into a secret order of Buddhism through an elaborate ritual using both mandalas. Kukai returned to Japan in 806 and founded his own school of Buddhism, called Shingon (True Word), based on the ritual use of these two mandalas for performing baptismal rites. The Shingon have been the most diligent preserver of the Garbhadhatu Mandala, and they are the only Buddhist group still using the mandala today. 

View the Matrix Mandala.

The ultimate goal of MMG is to build, maintain, and protect a meditation park and sculpture garden in North America that will invite sentient beings to journey and enjoy a peaceful environment for meditation and relaxation, while providing a unique experience of viewing and learning about the history of Asian Religion.  
 
As an architectural structure and permanent art installation, the garden is designed in the image of the Garbhadhatu Mandala, containing over 300 wood, metal, and stone statues based on the buddha and bodhisattva figures found within this painting.   
 
To reflect the ecological and interdependent awareness of the Buddhist tradition, the park is intended to be built and used in the most sustainable way possible, using only the most environmentally sound techniques and renewable energy sources.      
 
The purpose of the park is to ensure a peaceful refuge from the world of suffering and to provide resources for the development of wisdom and compassion in all sentient beings throughout the world.

View the Garden