A mandala is a special picture built around a circle, often with a square and careful patterns inside. In Hindu and Buddhist practice it stands for the whole universe — an ordered world in one shape.

A mandala一個曼陀羅 is a special picture built around a circle是一種以圓形為中心構成的特別圖案 often with a square and careful patterns inside裡面常常還有方形和精細的圖樣 In Hindu and Buddhist practice在印度教和佛教的修行裡 it stands for the whole universe它代表整個宇宙 an ordered world in one shape把有秩序的世界濃縮在一個形狀裡

People may paint one, make one from coloured sand, or hold one in the mind while they sit still. Sand mandalas are often swept away when the work is finished; the making is the point, not keeping the picture.

People may paint one有人會把它畫出來 make one from coloured sand用彩色的沙做一個 or hold one in the mind while they sit still或是靜坐時在心裡觀想一個 Sand mandalas沙做的曼陀羅 are often swept away when the work is finished做完之後常常會被掃掉 the making is the point重點在製作的過程本身 not keeping the picture不是要把圖案留下來

In English today the word is also used more loosely for any circular, calm, “spiritual-looking” design — a yoga-studio wall, a colouring book — and that looser use is common, though it has drifted from the religious one.

In English today在現在的英文裡 the word is also used more loosely這個字也被比較鬆散地用來指 for any circular, calm, "spiritual-looking" design任何圓形、給人平靜、「看起來很靈性」的設計 a yoga-studio wall瑜珈教室的牆面 a colouring book著色本 and that looser use is common這種較寬鬆的用法很常見 though it has drifted from the religious one不過已經跟原本的宗教意義有點距離