The mandala, one of Himalayan Buddhism's most ubiquitous and complex symbols, is the focus of this fascinating exhibition. Mandalas are created as an artistic aid for meditation, so practice hard and maybe you'll reach enlightenment. Many of the paintings in this exhibition are from the collection of the Rubin Museum, with additional masterpieces from such renowned museums as the Musée Guimet, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), and Metropolitan Museum of Art. This exhibition will remain on view through January 11, 2010.

Try it yourself: go to http://explore-mandala.rma2.org/ to create your own mandala. Warning: it's addictive.