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This is the text of Ven. Ngawang talking about the meaning of colors in the mandala (as told through his translator), recorded June 26, 1998 by Michael Kline in Washington, D.C. 

Each and every symbols design and colors has meaning. For example, about the color, there are five main colors. These five colors are the five colors of Buddha families. And each Buddha has a different color. And these are the purification of each of the dilutions [?]. And also these five colors represent the purification of five impure elements.

Like for example, yellow is the purification of the air [?] element. White is the purification of the water element. Green is the purification of the space element. Blue is the purification of the wind element. And red is the purification of fire element. So, we believe that as long as you have five impure, dilutions [?], impure mind, impure consciousness inside, and five impure elements externally, then as a result of these two impure subject you will have to suffer a problem.

So, through the meditation it is important for you to purify five kind of dilutions, five impure minds. And together it is important to purify five external elements. We are like a slave of these five elements – We are under the control of wind. We are under the control of fire, water and [?]. If we don’t have water, we cannot survive. If we don’t have air or wind, we cannot survive. If you are able to control these five elements then you can have free. You can born anywhere, you can die anytime. You don’t need to be hungry at all. So this is the meaning of those colors.

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