Namo Kalachakraya

Hail to Kalachakra

THE TENFOLD POWERFUL ONE

Note: much of below information is derived from "Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs" by Robert Beer.

The best known symbol for Kalachakra is the "Tenfold Powerful One" or "All-powerful Ten"(Namcu in Tibetan). The symbol represents the seven main syllables of the main Kalachakra mantra: HAM KSHA MA LA VA RA YA, which are represented as interlocking Lantsa characters. (Lantsa is an Indian Buddhist script devised from the Sanskrit alphabet.)

The all-pervading space element which is represented by the syllable A is not represented, but it is automatically present when writing any consonant in Sanskrit (and Tibetan). In the Kalachakra tantra, there is a profound symbolic relationship with the vowels and consonants (Ali and Kali) of the Sanskrit alphabet. In Tibetan Kalachakra texts, the syllables HAM KSHA MA LA VA RA YA are always written on top of each other, not normally from left to right.

The stylised syllables can be found on the left side of the logo, with vertical lines attached which form a mesh on the right side.

From bottom to top, there is the black YA, the red RA, the white VA, the yellow LA, multicolored MA, green KSHA, and blue HAM (which also includes the top horizontal bar).

Above the horizontal bar at the top are the white or red crescent moon (visarga in Sanskrit), the red, yellow or white sun disc (anusvara in Sanskrit) and the little blue, green or black flame (tilaka in Sanskrit) on top form the last three aspects of the ten symbols.

The intertwined characters stand on a lotus and the four discs on which the Kalachakra deity is normally depicted: white moon disc, red sun disc, black Rahu and yellow Kalagni discs. The Rahu and Kalagni discs are often combined into one yellow disc.

On the left and right of the ten syllables are the Lantsa characters for E and VAM, representing the union of respectively emptiness (E) and bliss (VAM), the lotus (Vishvamata) and the vajra (Kalachakra).

The symbol is placed on a lotus, which also symbolises the heart chakra.

Beyond the main symbol is a kind of frame made of flames, which corresponds to the outermost "Circle of Wisdom" of the mandala.

SYMBOLS	COLOUR	OUTER	INNER	MANDALA
A	not drawn	space		green outer space circle
Tilaka (flame)	blue, green or black	Rahu and Kalagni	central channel above and below navel
Anusvara (sun)	red, yellow or white	sun	right channel
Visarga (moon)	red or white	moon	left channel
HAM	blue	formless realms	bliss	enlightened wisdom deities
KSHA	green	desire realm and form realms	secret chakra	body, speech and mind deities
MA	multicoloured	Mount Meru	spinal column	mandala palace
LA	yellow	earth	earth	yellow earth circle
VA	white	water	water	white water circle
RA	red	fire	fire	pink fire circle
YA	black	wind	wind	grey/black wind circle

The symbol further symbolises amongst other things:
- the 10 main energy channels at the heart in Inner Kalachakra
- the 11 initiations, 10 meanings each in the generation stage and completion stage in the Alternative Kalachakra
- the 10 powers, 10 forces and 10 perfections (paramitas) in Resultant Kalachakra
- movement of 10 planets in Outer Kalachakra

More details of this symbol can be found on the IKN website.

 

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Last updated: March 12, 2001

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