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General
Buddhism |
Namo Kalachakraya !
Hail to Kalachakra
OUTER KALACHAKRA - The Universe
CONTENTS
Time
The Universe
Bibliography
As can be expected, Kalachakra and the mandala contain many references to time. There are specific deities for each of the (rounded-off) 360 days of the year, for every half month etc. The year can be divided in six seasons (spring, hot season, monsoon, fall [harvest], early winter and late winter; 12 months, or 24 periods of waxing and waning moon. These periods can be found in the symbolism of the main figure of Kalachakra: 6 sets of arms, 12 arms and 24 is made up of all upper and lower arms. The 360 days are symbolised by the 3 parts of every one of the 120 fingers etc.
Within the Kalachakra system, also an extensive explanation on making a calendar exists. General information on the moon- or sidereal calendar can be found on the Magee site.)
#1: Terms like kali-yuga are referred to in the Kalachakra Tantra and in Hindu systems, but in the Kalachakra these refer to much shorter periods. In Kalachakra it is said that the Buddha's teachings will last 2 kali-yugas. The first kali-yuga is up to the war in 2424, the second is the "Golden Age", until 5,104 after the Buddha. In other descriptions, it is described as 5,000 years.
The "mandala of the universe", or the symbolic representation of the universe is based upon the elements. These are represented as elemental discs. At the bottom is air, above it is fire, then water and last comes earth. Similar to the arisal of the elements in a "new" universe. On top of this come Mount Meru, the mountains, oceans and continents. The sizes of the elemental mandalas are given in "yojanas". Yojanas are units of length related to body size. {Similar to "feet" in English.} One cubit is the length from elbow to finger tip, 4 cubits are an armspan (which equals the length of the body), 500 armspans is one krosha, 8 krosha is one yojana (ancient mile). Taking an armspan as roughly 2 meters, 1 yojana is 8 kilometres (5 miles).
#2: There are 6 rings of mountains and oceans around Mt. Meru, around this comes the greater southern continent as a ring consisting of 12 parts. The other continents are portions of this "Greater Jambudvipa". There are 4 major portions, with 2 smaller on either side. It looks like a doughnut cut into 12 pieces. (It refers to the 12 months and 12 signs of the zodiac). We now live on the "Smaller Jambudvipa", one of the divisions of the "Greater Jambudvipa". The "Great Jambudvipa" is the land of karma, and the continents within this ring are the "Lands of Luxury" (no experience of results of their karma in this life and all wealth is shared). In Jambudvipa, karma can be experienced in this lifetime, making them more receptive for Dharma practice, but in Kalachakra one can practice Dharma in all 4 continents and 8 subcontinents.
{Note the beautiful 3-dimensional pictures of the mandala in #3, which not only show the orbits of the planets, the elemental rings, but even the form and formless realms. Also a clear reference is given to the similarities between the universe in Kalachakra, the mandala palace and the human body.}
Mount Meru is possibly blue (KTR) or its' four sides have the same colours
as the mandala (#4 and #1).
Around Mt. Meru circle the 10 planets; Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter,
Saturn, Rahu (North node of the moon), Kalagni (South node of the moon) and
Ketu (a comet).
#5: The ultimate background of both the Oriental and the Occidental storied
heavens and pits of hell, with the world mountain between, is the Mesopotamian
concept of the architecture of the universe, where there is an axial cosmic
mountain symbolised by the ziggurat oriented with its sides to the quarters,
above which, in the highest heaven, sits a supreme god, An, amidst a brilliant
company of deities. ... And the seven heavens of the planets revolved below,
in stages, which were represented by seven terraced stories on the mountainside,
while beneath the earth, in the abyss, the terrible goddess Ereshkigal, of the
Land of No Return, was approached through the seven gates.
#5 The shape of the universe according to the Jains is of a colossal human form,
usually female, with the earth plane at the level of the waist; seven hells
beneath, in the pelvic area, legs and feet; fourteen celestial stories above,
in the chest cavity and shoulders, neck and head; while soaring above, in the
shape of an umbrella of luminous white gold, is a place of unalloyed perfection,
to which the soul ascends when the last least taint of a trace even of heavenly
attachment has been burnt away through the practice of yoga. {See pictures in
#3}
#6: The hells {taught in the Kalachakra} bear no resemblance to the hells taught
in standard Buddhist sources, such as Abhidharmakosa. Neither do they correspond
to those taught in standard Hindu sources .... But they do correspond to those
taught in standard Jaina sources.
#5: No one cares at all whether such a vision, competent to lure the mind and
heart away from earth, corresponds, as science, to earthly fact. The judgement
of its truth and value is pragmatic: if it works (upon the psyche), it is true
enough.
The
Kalagni disc represents the fire at the end of the aeon. In the Sakya tradition,
Rahu and Kalagni are separate; in the Gelugpa tradition, they are two aspects
of the same "dragon" (like in Chinese and Greek astronomy). Kalagni is the
head of the dragon, causing solar eclipses, and Rahu is the tail, causing
lunar eclipses. #1 : In the West, Rahu and Kalagni are called the north and
south nodes of the moon. When the sun and the moon are at these positions,
an eclipse occurs. .. Ketu in Kalachakra is a comet; unfortunately in the
Hindu system Ketu is the name for the south node planet.
#7: Rahu was an asura who disguised himself as a god and joined the line of
gods waiting to receive a portion of nectar after the great churning of the
ocean. The Sun and Moon revealed the fraud to Vishnu who cut off the demon's
head; but immortal he lives in the sky, intermittently wreaking vengeance on
the sun and moon by swallowing them. He is a dragon's head, the ascending node
of the moon, the eighth planet, an important luminary in the demonic sky.
#8: The elements are described in the Kalachakra system very much like in the
Vedic texts of ancient India, having 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 qualities. Many of the
Kalachakra practitioners were trainees in non-Buddhist systems, and there is
a sharing of names and categories that one cannot find in other Buddhist schools.
Still, there is much similar terminology. This helps people of other systems
to feel attracted to this practice. Different disciples require different Dharmas.
... The sizes of the elemental mandalas and the explanation of the universe
is different from the Abidharma literature. However, one should remember that
this presentation is written to suit specific individuals, and we should not
see the teachings as wrong.
#1: In Abidharma, the main purpose is to develop wisdom. ... But the Kalachakra
description {of the universe} is for a different purpose. The purpose here is
to have a description of the universe which is similar to the description of
the human body, so that you have the correlation of the macrocosm and the microcosm.
Then you can do a system of meditation similar to that. .. So for instance,
the proportions of the universe are the same as the proportions of the body,
and they are the same as the proportions of the mandala. .. And neither of these
two descriptions, neither Abidharma nor Kalachakra are for the purpose of of
being able to build a rocket to the moon. The Buddha never claimed they were,
did he? So there is no contradiction with the whole western scientific description
of the universe.
#1: Introduction to Kalachakra, commentary by Dr. Alex Berzin June 28 - 30,
1985 at Institut Vajrayogini, France
#2: Commentary given by Dr. Alex Berzin, Dharamsala 1992
#3: Das Mandala by Martin Brauen (Dumont 1992)
#4: Commentary given by Dr. Alex Berzin, Maitreya Institute Holland 1984
#5: Oriental Mythology by Joseph Campbell, Penguin 1962
#7: Masters of Mahamudra by Keith Dowman, Suny 1985. (See nrs. 22, 24, 27, 46,
52, 54, 77)
#6: Kalacakra Sadhana and Social Responsibility, David Reigle, Spirit of the
Sun Publications 1996.
#8: Commentary given by Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche December 1989, Bodh Gaya India
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Last updated: January 26, 2001
