Mandala' means Esoteric Buddhism mandala in the narrow sense, but in Japan, there are many works called 'mandala' other than those of Esoteric Buddhism, such as 'Jodo Mandala' which expresses Saiho Gokuraku Jodo (Western Pure Land) where Amida Nyorai (Buddha of Paradise) resides and 'Suijaku Mandala' of Shinto Religion, and their contents and styles of expression are also so diversified that it is difficult to define in a word what should be regarded as 'mandala.'
「曼荼羅」はもっとも狭義には密教曼荼羅を指すが、日本においては、阿弥陀如来のいる西方極楽浄土の様子を表わした「浄土曼荼羅」、神道系の「垂迹（すいじゃく）曼荼羅」など、密教以外にも「曼荼羅」と称される作品がきわめて多く、内容や表現形式も多岐にわたり、何をもって「曼荼羅」と見なすか、一言で定義することは困難である。