SotDL - Adi Buddah

The Shadow of the Dalai Lama – Part I – 9.The ADI Buddha: The mandala principle and the world ruler © Victor & Victoria Trimondi 9. THE ADI BUDDHA: THE MANDALA PRINCIPLE AND THE WORLD RULER We have described how the “starry body” of the tantra master (ADI BUDDHA) indexes the time, but his mystic body likewise embraces all of space and everything we have said about the heavenly bodies is basically also true for the spatial arrangement of the universe. The ADI BUDDHA incorporates the entire Buddhist cosmos. This is to be understood most concretely in a tantric point of view, and means that the structural elements of the “great world” must be able to be found again as structural elements in the body (the “small world”) of the yogi (ADI BUDDHA). We thus begin with a look at the construction of the Buddhist cosmos. The Buddhist mandala cosmos As soon as we have gained some insight into the cosmography of Buddhism it becomes apparent how fundamentally different it is from our modern scientific world view. It is primarily based upon the descriptions of the Abhidharmakosa, a written record from the Mahayana scholar Vasubhandu (fifth century C.E.). The Kalachakra Tantra has largely adopted Vasubhandu’s design and only deviates from it at particular points. At the midpoint of the Buddhist universe rises Meru, the world mountain, which towers above everything else and on which heaven and earth meet. It is round like the “axle of a wheel”. In a passage in the Kalachakra Tantra it is compared to the vajra and described as a gigantic “thunderbolt” (Newman, 1987, p. 503). The Swiss mandala expert, Martin Brauen, sees in it a “dagger-like shape” and therefore calls it the “earth dagger” (Brauen, 1992, p. 127). According to Winfried Petri the world mountain has the form of the “inverted base of a cone”. All of these are phallic metaphors. Five circles of different sizes surround the gigantic “phallus” like wheels; they are each assigned to an element. Starting from the outermost they are the circle of space, the circle of air, the circle of fire, the circle of water, the circle of earth. Air and fire, however, permeate the entire cosmic architecture. “In all directions are wind [air] and fire”, the Kalachakra Tantra says (Newman, 1987, p. 506). These two elements are the spirit, so to speak, which blows through the entire construction, but they also form the two forces of destruction which shall obliterate the world structure at the end of time, exactly as the breath (air, wind) and the flames (fire, candali) together burn down the old bodily aggregates in the yogi’s mystic body. The circle of the earth consists of a total of twelve individual continents which swim on the circle of water like lotus blossoms. It thus forms a discontinuous, non-homogenous circular segment. One of these continents is our world, the “earth”. It bears the name Jambudvipa, which means “rose apple tree continent”. In Vasubandhu’s original account, Meru is not surrounded by the five elements, but rather by seven ring-like chains of mountains, which lie like wheels around the world axis. Huge oceans are found between these wheels. The last of these seas is also the largest. It is called Mahasa Mudra, the Great Mudra. Thus, in the Buddhist concept of the world Meru forms the vertical, which is divided into three segments — from bottom to top: (1) hell, (2) earth, and (3) heaven. At its roots, (1), the seven main hells are found, each more horrific than the last. In contrast to Western beliefs about the under world, in Buddhism there are “cold hells” in addition to the hot, where souls are tormented not with fire but with ice. Watery hells can also be found there, in others only smoke. The precise description of the torments in these dreadful places has been a favorite pastime of Tibetan monks for centuries. Above the underworld, at the foot of Meru, live the so-called hunger spirits (pretas),a restless horde of humanoid beings, who are driven by constant desire. In the middle segment of the mountain, (2), we encounter the twelve continents, and among them Jambudvipa, the earth. Since the continents are surrounded by ocean, there is no natural land bridge to the world axis. We humans live on the “rose apple tree continent” (Jambudvipa). This continent is also called the “land of karma”, since the beings who live there are still burdened with karma (stains as a consequence of bad deeds). But we inhabitants of Jambpudvipa have the chance to work off such karmic stains for good, by following the teachings of the Buddha. This is a great privilege which is not as readily available to the inhabitants of other spheres or the other continents. Above the earthly world rises the segment of the heavens, (3), and here we find ourselves in the realm of the stars and planets. Beyond this one can wander through various divine circles, which become ever more powerful the higher one goes. The “divine” ascent begins in regions inhabited by deities who have not yet freed themselves from their desires. Then we enter the victorious residences of the thirty-three deities of the “realm of forms”, which we can regard as “Forms” in the platonic sense, that is, as immobile, downward radiating energy fields. Among them are to be included, just as with Plato, Kalacakra II. p. 473. The Kalachakra Tantra has completely incorporated this model of the world from Mahayana Buddhism. in which the realm of the form gods and the even more powerful. where the realms of hell are situated. The parallel to the world axis (Meru) is formed. the world and the mystic body of a practicing yogi form a unity. pp. even a female louse hidden in the pubic hair of a Tantric has a “transcendent” significance: It counts as the dangerous vulva of a demoness from a particular region in hell (Grünwedel. rather. 1995. The forehead chakra and the throat chakra correspond to the residences of various of the thirty-three form gods (Forms) mentioned above. “Nothing greater”. 504. p. wind. which has names such as “Infinite consciousness “ and “ Nothing whatever” (Tayé. Now whether this way begins down in hell or from the middle of the continent of earth. and the cosmos are identical. p. it says in the Kalachakra Tantra: “Earth. Humanity lives in the heart of the yogi and below this it goes on to the genitals. We now leave behind Mount Meru as a geographically describable region and “fly” through a “zone of intersection”. The texts then also refer to it simply and straightforwardly as “Meru”. 115. Just as the realm of formlessness is to be sought above Mount Meru in the cosmos. Microcosm and macrocosm are congruent. “Great success”. From this staged symbolism of the world mountain we can easily recognize that it embodies not just a cosmic model. the veins the rivers. Stainless”. The ADI BUDDHA. 34). At the same time as the secret was exposed. everything is to be recognized amidst the body” (Grünwedel. so the yogi (ADI BUDDHA) experiences the highest bliss of the “emptiness of all forms” above his head in the “thousand-petaled lotus”. seas. and so forth.the higher entities which represent the pure essence of the five elements. gods. 472. by the middle channel (avadhuti) in the mystic body of the yogi. 1987. Hands and feet are islands and mountains. and more holy imperium of formlessness can be found. via a progression through various earthly and heavenly spheres. to the highest regions of the formless realm. but also. for example. Correspondingly. The cosmos and the energy body of the yogi As we have already indicated a number of times. a homology exists between the Buddhist cosmogram and the bodily geography of the yogi. 2). it should in any case lead.104.155). This bodily homology of the cosmos is the great secret which Buddha revealed to King Suchandra as he instructed him in the Kalachakra Tantra: “As it is without. more grandiose. the “simple” recipe with which the . so it is in the body. Even higher up we encounter a sphere.” (Newman. Kalacakra II. as the perfected form of the highest tantra master. All the parts of the “small” body correspond to the parts of the “great” body: The yogi’s (ADI BUDDHA’s) rows of teeth form the various lunar houses. they bear the names of general terms. the likeness of an initiatory way. "Everything is in the body” — this famous occult correspondence is of fundamental significance for Tantrism too. homologously. The Abhidharmakosa calls them “Without sorrow”. The “inhabitants” of this sphere are no longer personalities at all and cannot be visualized. 509). it follows that everything is possible. The Indian idea of the Kali yuga and the European one of the “iron age” are congruent in a surprising number of aspects. as Lingam (phallus). gave a clear and concise answer to all three questions: “Each of these cosmologies is perfect for the being whose karmic projections cause them to experience their universe in this manner. only the few “chosen” have this ability. The image naturally invites a comparison to the “iron age” to which in Greco-Roman mythology humanity is chained before its cyclical downfall. even the cosmology of the Abhidharmakosa. and war. the turbulence which he calls forth in his insides also shakes the external world through storms and earthquakes. more directly. Tibetan gurus claim. the Kagyupa guru. have they adopted it. killing. In the end only a war of all against all remains. Today. who died in 1989. on that scale he brings delight to the universe. 1992. The world has no existence outside of the consciousness which perceives it.yogi could attain and exercise absolute control over the whole universe was also revealed: in that he controls the energy currents within his mystic body he controls the cosmos. In both cases it comes to an increasingly rapid degeneration of the law. Therefore on a relative level every cosmology is valid. the world mountain. This iron crown must have a deep symbolic significance since the whole system is named after it. . the cosmos is an apparition of the spirit.. so Buddhist cosmography is also based upon a gender polarity. no cosmology is absolutely true. The great oceans which surround the masculine symbol represent — as a circle and as water — the feminine principle. Yet. We thus have to ask ourselves why the Buddhist universe is framed by a metal which is seen all over the world as a symbol of injury. If this consciousness changes then the world changes to the same degree. Meru. and morality. At a final level. Chakravala or the iron wheel Just as the androgynous body of the ADI BUDDHA or of the enlightened yogi concentrates within itself the energies of both sexes. It cannot be universally valid as long as there are beings in fundamentally different situations” (Brauen. For this reason the cosmography of Buddhism does not describe nature but solely forms of the spirit.. Kalu Rinpoche. Then a savior figure appears and the whole cosmic game begins afresh. According to his. its name is Chakravala ("iron wheel”). Modern and Buddhist world views The reader may have already asked him or herself how contemporary Tibetan lamas reconcile their traditional Buddhist cosmology with our scientific world view. p. But if nothing is final any more. cusstoms. Oddly. Everything happens in parallel: when the yogi burns up his body during the purification the very same procedure reduces the whole universe to rubble and ash. has a most obviously phallic character and is therefore also referred to as Vajra or. Such an extreme idealism and radical relativism helps itself to the power to undermine with a single dry statement the foundations of our scientific world view. on the scale in which he lets bliss flow through his veins (wind channels). the lamas argue. . only at the point in time where all of humanity have adopted the Buddhist paradigm can they also perceive the gigantic Meru mountain in the middle of their universe. the outermost chain of mountains within the cosmic model are forged from pure iron. or do they seek for a way to combine both systems? Someone who knew the Kalachakra Tantra well. 109). Do they reject it outright. so at the end of time the whole universe becomes the victim of a world fire. The downfall of the tantric universe The mystic bodily structure of the yogi (ADI BUDDHA) duplicates the cosmogram of the Chakravala.In the second part of our study. but in particular the young Dalai Lama. At the midpoint of the Chakravala we find Mount Meru. he called upon the famous Italian Tibetologist. This Sanskrit word originally meant ‘circle’ and is translated into Tibetan as kyl-khor. 1984. as he tried to explain to a group of Tibetan nobles at a party that our earth is round and is neither flat nor a continent. who was also present. Just as the fore woman in the form of the candali burns up all the coarse elements inside the tantra master step by step. There are round mandalas. the modern scientific world view. we shall examine the intensive and warm relationship between the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and modern Western scientists and show that the radical relativism of a Kalu Rinpoche is also distributed in such circles. Similar philosophical speculations by Europeans can be found. which finds its origin at the roots of Mount Meru in the form of Kalagni. who traveled extensively through Tibet tells in an anecdote of how Westerners readily — even if purely out of coquetry — take on the Tibetan world view. p. since in accordance with the Buddhist theory of perception the “map” and the territory it describes are identical. says Harrer. in the sphere of formlessness. Kalagni set the individual segments of the world axis aflame and arises flickering up to the region of the form gods (the Forms). will look exactly the same as the old one and share the same fate as its predecessor. Only in the highest heights. yet in all cases the . Thus. roughly ‘center and periphery’. following a Buddhization of our world there would be no need for the “converted” population of the world to do without the traditional cosmic “map” of the Abhidharmakosa. When there is nothing more to burn the flame is extinguished from alone. square mandalas. to be his witness and support his theory. the periphery is formed by the gigantic iron wheel we have already mentioned. ultimately prove themselves to be projections of one and the same spirit. In the year 1948. even from earlier times. Giuseppe Tucci. “To my greatest surprise”. and which. which means. in accordance with the law of eternal recurrence. the geography and its likeness in consciousness. two. Step by step. Correspondingly. 190). “he took the side of the doubters. Harrer was assigned to impart to the Tibetans. which provide the building blocks for the construction of a new cosmos. Both.and three-dimensional mandalas. Heinrich Harrer. That which remains of the whole of Chakravala are atomic elements of space ("galactic seeds”). the fate of his energy body proves to be identical to the fate of the universe. The mandala principle The Buddhist universe (Chakravala) takes the form of a mandala. since he believed that all sciences must constantly revise their theories and one day the Tibetan teaching could just as well prove to be right” (Harrer. does the destructive fire come to a standstill. (2) the tax office. a mandala-like prototype. the Jokhang. it is mentally projected into the infirm body of a patient so as to dispel his or her illness and the risk of death. This transcendent geometry is not visible to an ordinary eye and conceals itself on a higher cosmic level. 87). Every single monastery reiterates this political geometry with the . a palace. The four sides of a square diagram are often equated with the four points of the compass. it is “pulled over” a zone of protection as a solid fortification against storm and hail. a mandala structure. Of course. Likewise. as its midpoint. towns and shrines possesses an extraterrestrial archetype. whose earthly likeness it embodies. a mandala pattern impresses itself upon all levels of being and consciousness. 1985. a political structure. In order to seize possession of such regions of disorder and ethnic groupings or to put an end to chaotic disturbances (in the body of a sick person for instance). Hidden behind the geographical form we perceive. bodily sicknesses. This is imposed upon a “chaotic” territory through symbolic actions so as to occupy it. since he concentrates the entire worldly and spiritual power in his person. They are all aligned to the four points of the compass along the sides of a square which encloses the central figure of the Buddha” (Redwood French. They stand opposed to disorder. a temple. Like a stencil. The political structure of former Tibet also bore a mandala character. anarchy and chaos as contrary principles. the central figure of this political mandala is intended to be the Dalai Lama. “The government is founded upon four divisions”. Climatic turbulence. with the holiest temple in Tibet. rivers. seas. or a continent can thus as much have the form of a mandala as a thought. as from a platonic Form. which ultimately all lead to the construction of a mandala. A mandala is considered to be the archetype of order. The architectural design of the latter was similarly based on a mandala with the main altar as its center. a town. tremendous forces can flow out. wrote the Seventh Dalai Lama in a state political directive. In it the Dalai Lama formed the central sun (the mandala center) about which the other abbots of Tibet orbit as planets. barbaric peoples and realms of unbelief all belong to the world of chaos. an imagining. the lamas believe. desolate and wild stretches of land. In this view. Tibetan lamas perform various rites. p. the country of Tibet also has. (3) the treasury. A five-way concept is also characteristic for the tantric mandala form — with a center and the four points of the compass. the entire geography of a country with its mountains. Up until 1959 the Tibetan government was conceived of as a diagram with a center and four sections (sides). “These are (1) the court of law. The whole construction is seen as an energy field. the street plan of Lhasa is seen as the impression of a mandala.principle of midpoint and periphery is maintained. from which. The prototype of the highest Buddha and the emanations surrounding him was thus transferred to the state leadership and the various offices which were subordinate to it. and (4) the cabinet. with the capital Lhasa as its center and the surrounding mountain ranges as its periphery. A body. every geometric form. The “building materials” consist primarily of colored sand. The whole cosmic-psychic anatomy of the ADI BUDDHA (tantra master) is thus a universal mandala. which can easily be destroyed. The sand mandala of the Time Tantras can be deciphered as the visual representation of the whole Kalachakra ritual by anyone who understands the symbols depicted there. astonishingly — and as we shall see — is the final goal of the entire complicated procedure. and overlap each other. Such an interpreter would once again come across all the semantic content we have encountered in the above description of the tantric initiatory way. and this. include one another. Every line. gods and asuras (demons). and demons. they are encapsulated within one another. Since the mandala is built from sand. Quite rightly one aspect of the Buddhist/tantric mandalas has been compared in cross-cultural studies with the magic circles used by the medieval sorcerers of Europe to summon up spirits. It serves as an aid to meditation and as an imaginary palace of the gods in the tantric exercises. since these exist at different levels of being. every object inserted has its cosmic significance. On a microcosmic level the energy body of the yogi is seen as the construction of a three-dimensional mandala with the middle channel (avadhuti) as the central axis. in Buddhist culture it likewise determines the human psyche. The Kalachakra sand mandala Mandalas are employed in all tantric rituals. Specially trained monks — for the Dalai Lama a special unit from the Namgyal institute — are entrusted with its construction. Further.respective abbot in the middle. Then a mandala ("magic circle”) can also be used to conjure up Buddhas. angels. . yet in the Kalachakra Tantra it plays an extremely prominent role. But the mandala does not just structure the world of appearances. the spirit and all the transcendental spheres. Before the seven lower solemnities of the Time Tantra even begin a mandala –a very lavish one indeed — is constructed in the visible external world. every shading. lines and figures of which are applied to a sketch in a complicated process lasting several days. we are dealing with a very vulnerable work of art. For this reason we can comprehend Buddhist culture in general (not just the Tibetan variant) as a complicated network of countless mandalas. Vishvamata. The architecture of the Kalachakra palace encompasses five individual mandalas. In addition there are the supernatural entities who represent the five elements. Thus the Kalachakra mandala is also a . we must regard this external image in sand as just the visible reflection of an innerspiritual construction which (in another sphere) the yogi imagines as a magnificent palace built upon the peak of Mount Meru. Likewise the height and breadth of the palace are in their relation to one another a copy of the proportions of the cosmos. 360 days. [1] As the center and the two regents of the imagined temple palace we encounter Kalachakra and his wisdom consort. The fivefold organization of the building complex is supposed to reflect. This Buddhist “Versailles” is inhabited by a total of 722 deities. Segments which lie closer to the center (the divine couple) are accorded a higher spiritual evaluation than those which are further away. the four seasons. the five rings (the five elements) which lie around Mount Meru in Buddhist cosmography. twelve hours. the 28 phases of the moon and the twelve sensory regions. i. among other things.The Kalachakra sand mandala For this reason. and sixty minutes all dwell here.. then follow a number of Bodhisattvas. They are enthroned as the divine couple in the midpoint of the holy of holies. each enclosing the next. to the divine couple Kalachakra and Vishvamata. Very near to the center. the planets. the four meditation Buddhas can be found in union with their partners. twelve months.e. the majority of whom represent the individual segments of time: the gods of the twelve-year cycles. beneath this there is a blue layer. the detailed description of the Kalachakra sand mandala which now follows must also be regarded as the anatomy of the tantra master (ADI BUDDHA). Rahu. Directly beneath them a yellow layer of sand which represents Kalagni. Kalachakra and Vishvamata. but rather– in the official interpretation — we encounter the eight shaktis here. The anatomical “map” of the ADI BUDDHA thus exhibits a number of different images: on one occasion it possesses the structure which corresponds to that of the entire universe. symbol of the apocalyptic planet. However. and for a lotus flower follow. For this reason. already preprogrammed in the center of the sand mandala. We are thus dealing with eight female beings. the moon. Now these do not — as one might assume — represent eight further emanation couples. there was talk of ten Shaktis before. are in union. We reach the number “ten” by counting two feminine aspects of Vishvamata (the central goddess) in addition to the eight “sacrificial goddesses” (lotus petals). or rather of the palace of time. through the presence of Kalagni and Rahu. eight energy bearers (or eight “sacrificial goddesses”). is found. so too the Kalachakra palace is identical with his mystic body. on another it forms that of the Kalachakra palace. govern from the center of the Kalachakra palace. Layers for the sun. But seen from within. Just as the macrocosmic mandala of the universe with Mount Meru as its axis can be rediscovered in the microcosmic body of the yogi (ADI BUDDHA). The structure of the Kalachakra palace The primordial divine couple. Kalachakra and Vishvamata are surrounded by eight lotus petals (all of this is made from colored sand). the destructive fire. when we think back. . Together they signalize the ten chief winds (the dasakaro vasi) with which the tantra master controls all the microcosmic energies in his mystic body. Anyone entering the Kalachakra palace from outside progresses through a five-stage initiation which culminates in the inner sanctum where the primordial couple. We must never lose sight of this. or it corresponds to the complicated construction of the dasakaro vasi ("the Power of Ten”) described above. But in all of these models the basic mandala-like pattern of a center and a periphery is always the same. each of the individual mandala segments and the deities dwelling within them represents an outward radiation (emanation) of the divine first couple. They correspond to the eight karma mudras who surround the tantra master in union with his partner in the ganachakra.microcosmic likeness of the Buddhist universe. the twelfth level of initiation (the vase initiation). the time god Kalachakra and the time goddess Vishvamata. The destruction of the primordial couple is thus. They are depicted in the visible world of the sand mandala by a blue vajra (Kalachakra) and an orange dot (Vishvamata). proceed to the podium.The center of the Kalachakra sand mandala Thus. to the South. urine. manipulated and eradicated as autonomous individuals in the ganachakra ritual so that their feminine energies can be transferred to the tantra master. the white Amitabha with Pandara. who plays such a great role in this cult” (Wayman. These are filled with revolting substances like excrement. In the first precise description of a Kalachakra ritual by a Western academic (Ferdinand Lessing). p. This is the house of the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. since the ten shaktis (originally ten women) are. blood. the red Ratnasambhava with Mamaki.. reside here in close embrace with their consorts: to the East. as we have described in detail above. to the North. the kalashas correspond to the ten winds or the “Power of Ten” (dasakaro vasi) and thereby to the diamond body of the ADI BUDDHA. All the Bodhisattvas who dwell the in the “mandala of enlightened mind” are also portrayed in the yab-yum posture (of sexual union). The areas between the points of the compass are likewise occupied by Buddha couples. This third segment demonstrates most vividly that Tantrism derives the emanation of time from the erotic love of divine . human flesh. 1973. reference is made to the feminine symbolic significance of the vases: the “lamas . to the West. This central segment of the sand mandala bears the name of the “mandala of great bliss” (Brauen. the black Amoghasiddhi with Locana. These vessels symbolize once again the ten “sacrificial goddesses” or the ten mudras of the ganachakra. 133). 62). On our tour of the palace of time. 1992. Vairocana in the arms of Tara. the Dhyani or meditation Buddhas. The latter. adjacent complex is called the “mandala of enlightened wisdom”. the third segment with the name of “the mandala of enlightened mind” follows. The second. They are represented in the mandala by small piles of colored sand. They move it to and fro. It symbolizes the young lady of the initiation. which are transformed into bliss-conferring nectars during the ritual by the tantra master. In this part of the palace ten (!) vases ( kalashas) can also be found. Yet again. each with a large water pot (kalasha). Here there are sixteen pillars which symbolize different kinds of emptiness and which divide the space into sixteen different rooms. p. and so on. within the innermost segment of the palace of time the whole tantric sacrificial scenario is sketched out using only a very few symbols. The latter are occupied by couples who are in fact peaceful deities.. however. In addition we meet in the body mandala twelve pairs of wrathful deities and 36 goddesses of desire. Aside from this. live in this building complex. it must be associated with the “world fire” (Kalagni) which in the end burns down the palace of the time gods. There are twelve large lotuses. which we have already encountered in the center of the sand mandala. it still conceals behind it the frozen ornament of the sacrificial ritual of Tantrism. Each lotus thus exhibits 30 deities.couples. At the gates which lead out from the fourth segment into the third “mandala of enlightened mind”. Here too we encounter the basic pattern of the ganachakra. The fifth circle of space is represented by a chain of golden vajras. “daughters” of the mudras “sacrificed” in the ganachakra. multiplying by twelve we have the 360 day gods (five days are not calculated). depicted in the form of wheels. From a Buddhist point of view this “ring of the dead” signifies that only he who has surmounted his bodily existence may enter the mandala palace. each with 28 petals. is the bearer of the so . and space. There we meet the 360 deities of the days of the year. shells. is repeated in this bouquet. The whole mandala is surrounded by a circle of flames as a sixth ring. or a “sacrificial goddess”. As aesthetic and peaceful as the sand mandala may appear to be to a Western observer. each of which itself has eight petals. In the center of each flower a god and a goddess embrace one another. we are once again confronted with the symbolic representation of “sacrificial goddesses”. The five square architectural units already mentioned are namely bordered by six circular segments. water. fire. The large number of shaktis. Cemeteries are to be found on circles three and four. The five subsequent circles symbolize the elements in the following order: earth. In the imagination they are inhabited by ten horrifying dakinis with their partners. 8 female partners. mirrors. rest in the arcs (quadrants) which are formed between the last square and the first circle. The fourth “mandala of enlightened speech” follows. As the final and outermost segment of the mandala palace we enter the “body mandala”. if we further pursue the fate of the sand mandala. is an indicator of how fundamentally the idea of the tantric female sacrifice determines the doctrine of time and its artistic representation. According to a number of commentator this is supposed to represent the wisdom of Buddha. be she a dakini. all around them sit 28 goddesses grouped into three rows. This makes a total of eighty deities (64 shaktis. and so on. who represent the root syllables of the Sanskrit alphabet and thereby the building blocks of language. Within it are found eight lotus flowers. and 8 male deities). Numerous symbols of bliss like wheels. wish-granting jewels. Once again the pattern of the ganachakra. 36 further shaktis. Every single female figure which inhabits the palace of time. In the middle of each of the eight lotuses a couple sits in close embrace and on each of the eight surrounding petals we can discern a goddess. We have nonetheless not yet described all the grounds of the palace. shakti. wind. at the outset the latter makes the following appeal to the time god: “Oh. in which the local spirits and the earth goddess are violently forced to agree to the construction of the mandala. but the erotic couples as well. The Kalachakra palace is thus an alchemic laboratory for the appropriation of life energies. They are so to speak the assistants of the tantra master. the vajra master. lord of knowledge. I am making a mandala here out of love and compassion for my disciples and as an offering in respect to you. Therefore. measurements are taken. . The downfall of them all is preordained. please be kind and remain close to me. mantras and sutras are quoted. the so-called “purifying of the site”. I. In the ritual fate of the sand mandala we shall unmistakably demonstrate that it is a gigantic sacrificial altar. their fate is sealed. victorious Kalachakra. and please reside in the mandala” (quoted by Bryant. It is not just the shaktis who are sacrificed. Oh Kalachakra. am creating this mandala to purify the obstructions of all beings. Monks investigate the ground. who delight the temple with their untroubled pleasures of love. Subsequently it comes to a highly provocative scene. The construction of the Kalachakra sand mandala The construction of the Kalachakra sand mandala is a complex and multilayered procedure which is carried out by a number of specially trained lamas. Nonetheless. p. 141). The “master builder “ of the diagram and the spiritual leader of the Kalachakra initiation need not always be the same person. 1992. I prostrate myself to the protector and possessor of compassion. always be considerate of my disciples and me. The grounds sought out for the ritual are now subjected to a rigorous examination. indeed the time god (Kalachakra) and the time goddess (Vishvamata) themselves.sought after “gynergy” which the yogi has appropriated through his sexual magic practices so as to then let it flow as the power source of his androgynous mystic body. Now the tantra master solemnly circles the mandala location in a clockwise direction. This myth of the nailing of Srinmo played a central “national” role in the construction of Tibetan temples. urethra. Among these are found zombies. There are indications which must be regarded seriously that in the performance of the Kalachakra rituals it is not just the local spirits. and from an opening in the top of his skull. once they have been bound in chains. that is. eyes. As clothing he wears a tigerskin skirt. but likewise the earth mother (Srinmo) who embody the nailed down victims. this monster now drags in the impeding local spirits with iron hooks and. In the imaginations of the lamas who conduct the ritual. nails them down in the ten directions with ritual daggers. Vajravega is blue in color. mouth. has three necks and 24 hands. nostrils. After this the monks who participate in the ritual imagine in . He can evoke sixty wrathful protective deities from out of his inscrutable heart. He is considered to be the terrifying emanation of the time god Kalachakra. We shall come to speak of this in detail in the second part of our study. A further ten wrathful deities are projected into each of these daggers (phurbas). decorated with snakes and bones. he visualizes himself as this deity. vampires and dakinis with the heads of animals. which actually represent nothing more than three-dimensional mandalas. anus.Vajravega – the terrifying emanation of Kalachakra For this purpose one of the lamas takes on the appearance of Vajravega. who then storm out through his ears. and sprinkles it with various substances and holy water. the “procession of the ten vases” which are filled with nectars follows. In that the earth is transformed into a diamond by the tantric gesture of the Buddha. the scepter of phallic power. Afterwards there is a significant demonstration of power: The tantra master sits down on his own in the center of the mandala space. here Shakyamuni makes the gesture of stroking the earth with a vajra. These are carried by monks around the ritual table upon which the sand mandala will be built. . 1992. 77). As spiritually valuable a symbol as the diamond may appear to be. This dominating. But let us return to the script which describes the construction of the sand mandala. “This instrument is indispensable for the liturgy of the Great Path”. anew. the chief consort of the Kalachakra deity. but has added a small change. or — as the American Buddhist Ken Wilber would express it — the “noosphere” (the realm of the spirit) and the “biosphere” (the realm of nature). This centrally placed “thunderbolt” demonstrates yet again the masculine control of the earth. The time goddess is symbolized by a seashell which the monks lay in the middle of the ritual table and which is to be filled with the essences from all ten vessels (vases). Afterwards the place is occupied by the symbols of the five Dhyani Buddhas. who participated and were “sacrificed” in the highest initiation of the ganachakra ritual. nature is symbolically transformed into pure spirit and woman into a man. 97). the ten winds. faces the East and says the following: “I shall build on this place a mandala in the manner in which I have imagined it” (quoted by Brauen. Here the shell represents the feminine element at its highest concentration. the lama lays a lotus.their spirits that this location is covered in numerous small vajras. The tantra master evokes the terrifying deity. Further liturgical actions follow. Yet again the number ten! The ten vases. Giuseppe Tucci writes. On the table top. Between the vajra and the earth lies the opposition between spirit and life. patriarchal behavior has not always been present in the history of Buddhism. p. a wish-granting jewel. In a famous scene from the life of the historical Buddha. he calls upon the earth to bear witness to his enlightenment by touching it with his right hand (Bhumisparsha mudra). p. it is not just an image of purity but is also a metaphor for sterility. With this act of occupation he makes it unmistakably clear who the lord of the ritual action is. After the fixation of the earth spirits or the earth mother. He is so filled with wrathful deities that horror figures who are supposed to protect the mandala even emanate from out of the soles of his feet. a vajra. the ten powers. and once again drives potential disruptive spirits out of the mandala grounds. 1982. a wheel and. a sword. in the middle. Vajravega. All their energies flow into Vishvamata. Tantric Buddhism has preserved this scene among its Buddha legends. the ten shaktis — they are all variations on the ten mudras. “The earth transformed by the vajra becomes diamond” (Tucci. ending . To close. in which Kalachakra and Vishvamata are united. all the ritual objects are removed from the mandala. and there are even a number of drawings of figures to be rendered in sand. He thus commences at the inner sanctum. He puts the other end of the thread to his heart and then lays the “thunderbolt” with emphasis on the central shell. as if the sacrificial scenario concealed behind the sacred work ought to be masked. that is. Once the vases and daggers have been put in place. The monks commence with the “snapping of the wisdom string”. The sovereignty of the masculine principle (vajra) over the feminine principle (the shell) could not be demonstrated more unequivocally. within the imagination work also begins at the center of the mandala. This requires extreme precision. As in the real construction. since the sand must form hair-thin lines. the complete work is surrounded by ten (!) ritual daggers (phurbas) which act as protective symbols. Work begins in the middle and proceeds outwards. the center of the mandala is created first and one then works step by step towards the periphery. with. At the end. [2] After many recitations the monks now begin with the actual artistic work. Anyone who has up till now doubted whether the Kalachakra sand mandala concerns the visual portrayal of a sacrificial rite. Through a ritual “plucking” of these strings. is an ornamental demonstration of the “tantric female sacrifice” also described above. dakinis. The destruction of the mandala The sand mandala accompanies the seven lower levels of the public Kalachakra ritual as the mute and earthly likeness of a transcendental tantric divine palace. Likewise. and then imagines every mandala segment which follows. Afterwards. surrounded by numerous containers filled with the colored sand. The time has now come to begin with the preparatory sketches of the sand mandala. the mandala site becomes occupied by these five supreme beings. yoginis) of the ganachakra ritual described above. ten (!) vases which are supposed to represent the ten shaktis are arranged around the mandala. the texts tell us. the whole artwork is hidden behind a curtain. It takes another five days before the artwork is completed. the monks perform another dance. the mandala. the initiand visualizes step by step the construction of the whole palace of time with its 722 gods. This is carefully applied to the preliminary sketch with a type of funnel. Here we are dealing with five different threads which symbolize the five Dhyani Buddhas with their consorts.The tantra master now ties a golden vajra to a thread. It is supposed to help the initiand create a corresponding architectural work with all its inhabitants within his imagination and to thus give it a spiritual existence. It is called the “ritual dance of the sacrificial goddesses”. Since all the tenfold symbols in the Kalachakra Tantra stand in a homologous relation to the “sacrificed” mudras (shaktis. Starting from there. actually ought to be convinced by the name of this dance.we repeat — its numerous sequences of ten. and gives a further mini-portion to his pupils. ties his hands up. he thrusts a hook into the navel of Kalachakra. symbol of his diamond masculinity. as we have described above. the initiand is suddenly required to imagine an extremely puzzling scene which we would like to examine more closely: “Out of the syllable HUM”. Brauen also indirectly concedes this when he compares the aggressive emergence of Vajravega with the activation of the “middle channel” (avadhuti) in the mystic body of the yogi and the associated destruction of both energy streams (the sun and moon). At the end of the whole performance the tantra master recites a number of prayers and certain mantras. Kalachakra. The whole impressive work dissolves into colorful heaps and is later swept together. which blazes around the entire architectural construct. and likewise. 114). The same procedure is also regarded to be the chief task of Rahu. But an important gesture is still to come. During the imaginary construction of the mandala. the wrathful emanation of the time god. What is happening? Vajravega. vajra and bell in his hands. who destroys the sun and the moon in the Kalachakra Tantra so as to claim power over time in their stead. At the same time he imagines that they enter his heart. 1992. the wrathful form of Kalachakra — grinning and with gnashing teeth Vajravega stands upon a chariot drawn by a fabulous being. The master sprinkles a little of this in his head. “Vajravega emanates in the heart of the medititator [the initiand]. it says in the Kalachakra Tantra. He thus absorbs all the time energies and transforms them into aspects of his own mystic body. removing with his fingers the 722 gods who were scattered across it in the form of seeds and laying them on a tray. p. in whose heart he finally dissolves himself” (Brauen.with the periphery of the ring of flame. Be that as it may. suddenly turns against his own “emanation father”. The tantra master returns to the site of the mandala and with water washes off the white basis lines remaining on the site. He then circles the sand mandala. He then grasps a vajra. Then he removes the ten ritual daggers. During the seven lower solemnities of the Kalachakra Tantra. Facing the East he now seats himself on the cleansed mandala site. the . the middle channel bears the name of the dark planet (Rahu). the mandala artwork is left standing. The monks tip the colored mixture into a vase. the destructive arrival of Vajravega heralds the fate of the whole sand mandala and of the palace of time hidden behind it. With prayers and song a procession carries the sandy contents of the vase to a river and surrenders it there to the nagas (snake gods) as a gift. and begins to destroy the sandy “divine palace” with it. which is indeed also associated with pain? Such an interpretation does not seem convincing to us. In this scene a distinction is thus drawn between Kalachakra and Vajravega. Is this — as Martin Brauen suspects — to be interpreted as the symbolic repetition of the act of birth. threatens him with weapons and drags him before the meditator. It seems far more plausible to recognize a somewhat obscure variant of the dark demon Rahu in the Vajravega figure. and brutally drags him before the meditating adept. But this forgets that the palace of time is only destroyed as an external construction and that it continues to exist in the interior of the highest tantra master (as ADI BUDDHA). Kalachakra and Vishvamata live on as the two polar currents of time. are nonviolent. would soon bear an enlightened one (a Buddha) or a world ruler (Chakravartin). In Mahayana Buddhism this distinction between a dominus mundi and an enlightened being increasingly disappears.E. O mighty king. p. yet the Chakravartin possesses exclusively peaceful characteristics. They bow down before him and say: “Welcome. In his mystic body. The Time Tantra thus reveals itself to be a means of “conquering” the world. depending upon which this son would as a young man later decide to be. in the person of the Fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682).. This destruction of the sand mandala is usually seen as an act which is supposed to draw attention to the transience of all being. Everything belongs to you.absolute lord of both sexes (Kalachakra and Vishvamata). which could first be realized. as the reincarnation of a divine savior. albeit under his absolute control. Boundlessly expanding energies are accumulated here in a single being (the “political” ADI BUDDHA). who during his initiatory phase hangs around cemeteries and with prostitutes like an outlaw has become a radiant king whose commands are obeyed by nations. Hence we can read in the legends of Buddhism’s origins how a holy man prophesied to Shakyamuni’s father that his wife. however. The “asocial” yogi. a “universal sovereign”. Maya. The eminently political character of the Indian Chakravartin makes him an ideal for Tibetan Lamaism. especially in the Kalachakra Tantra. an “emperor of the universe”. the arch-abbots of the individual Lamaist sects — whether . not just spiritually but also in power political terms. He is mostly incarnated as an avatar. Then his microcosmic body has become identical to the Kalachakra palace. the Chakravartin is the successful result of the sexual magic rites we describe above. Before the “Great Fifth” ascended the throne. who should lead humanity out of its earthly misery and into paradise. in the end the imperial idea of a Chakravartin includes the whole universe. The early Buddhists still drew a distinction between a Buddha and a Chakravartin. At the end of the ritual. 21). a Chakravartin. n. The world ruler: The sociopolitical exercise of power by the ADI Buddha In his political function the ADI BUDDHA is a world ruler. All his “conquests”. the yogi (ADI BUDDHA) has transformed himself into a divine palace. Gautama chose the way of the “spiritual” Buddha and not that of the “worldly” Chakravartin. reports the scholar Vasubandhu (fourth or fifth century C. In Vajrayana Buddhism. we can now rediscover all the symbols which we encountered there as forces within his energy body.). who in the customs of his time also had to act as military leader alongside his political duties.d. of time and of the universe. O mighty king!” (quoted by Armelin. a “world king” (dominus mundi). The potentates of the world voluntarily and unresistingly subject themselves on the basis of his receptive radiation. A Buddhist world ruler grasps the “wheel of command”. symbol of his absolute force of command. 45). (5) the minister.E. The Fifth Dalai Lama. The leaders of the tribes and nations are subordinate to him. As “king and politician”. the Chakravartin is a sovereign who reigns over all the states on earth. We shall come to speak in detail about whether such cosmocratic images still excite the imagination of the current Fourteenth Dalai Lama in the second part of our study. Already at birth a Chakravartin bears a signum in the form of a wheel on his hand and feet as graphic proof of his sovereignty. In the older texts the stress is primarily on his military functions. p. Such restraint was a part of the diplomacy of the Tibet of old. or rather. Of his followers he demands passionate devotion to the point of ecstasy. (2) the wishgranting jewel.). gods. who combined in his person both worldly and spiritual power for the first time in the history of Tibet. even the kingdoms of other kings” (quoted by Armelin. The Tibetan hierarchs themselves “only” claimed the role of a Buddha. since the Dalai Lamas were during their enthronement handed the highest symbol of universal rule — the “golden wheel” — they were the “true”. This could have provoked his Mongolian allies and the “Ruler on the Dragon Throne” (the Emperor of China). to individual Mongolian Khans. p. Later. the Kalachakra Tantra which he has placed at the center of his ritual politics contains the phased initiatory path at the end of which the Lion Throne of a Chakravartin rears up. and (7) the princess. Bodhisattvas. animals and spirits. rulers of the world. whom they nonetheless considered superior to the Chakravartin. The Chakravartin was referred to as the “King of the Golden Wheel”. His epithet is “one who rules with his own will.voluntarily or by necessity aside — accorded the title of world ruler only to the mighty Chinese Emperors or. This is the title given to the “Emperor of Peace”. Sometimes. (6) the general. He is thus also known as the “king of kings”. but likewise over Buddhas. n. who set the “wheel of Dharma” in motion by distributing his truths among the people and among the other beings. the golden wheel already indicated “The Great Circle of Power and Rule” (Simpson.d. which when translated from Sanskrit means “wheel turner”. depending on the political situation. In any case. but is also a name which the Dalai Lama acquires when the “golden wheel” is presented to him during his enthronement.C. masculine and feminine deities. The “golden wheel” (chakra) is regarded as the world ruler’s coat of arms and gave him his name. He is the supreme commander of his superbly armed forces. nagas (snake gods). [3] . an enlightened being. after he had united India and with great success converted it to Buddhism. at least in the minds of the Tibetan clergy. His aegis extends not just over humanity. In Buddhism the wheel symbol was originally understood to be the “teaching” (the Dharma) and the first “wheel turner” was no lesser than the Buddha himself. 8). the judge and the minister of finance are also mentioned. The worldly potentates of neighboring states were at any rate accorded the role of a protector.. 1991. Ashoka (273–236 B. (4) the elephant. The seven “valuable treasures” which are available to a Chakravartin are (1) the wheel. (3) the wonder horse. was also still careful about publicly describing himself as Chakravartin. in Mahayana Buddhism. demons. wrathful kings. albeit hidden. ). This corresponds to the Indo-European division of the ages of the world in which these become increasingly short and “worse” nearer the end. The circumference is formed by unscaleable chains of mountains made of pure iron. also makes reference to the destructive power of the wheel. 14a). war-like aspects of the “wheel turner” known from Hinduism became current once more. or iron wheel depending upon the eon (Simpson. 1979. This is — as we have already shown — described in the Abhidharmakosha. that is. 270). For this reason. In the revolutionary milieu of the tantras (since the fourth century C. in memory of the famous sermon by the historical Buddha in the deer park of Benares. as a gigantic wheel with Meru the world mountain as its central axis. 25). The Chakravartin also represents the Kalachakra deity. he is the bearer of the universal “time wheel” and hence the “Lord of History”. He therefore also appears at the intersection of two eras (the iron and the subsequent golden age) and represent both the downfall of the old and the origin of the new eon. Sometimes he “only” controls our earth. i. As a consequence. the Buddhist writings nominate varying lengths of reign for the Chakravartin. 1978. as a symbol of control the supreme regent carries in his hand a golden. the world ruler governs likewise as “protector” of the cosmic and of the sociopolitical order. p. In one text. As a universal guru he sets the “wheel of the teaching” (Dharmachakra) in motion. 13. the political. As cosmic “wheel turner” he has overcome the “wheel of life and death” through which the unenlightened must still wander. Destruction and resurrection are thus equally evoked by the figure of the Chakravartin. writes the religious studies scholar. from whence the name of this cosmic model is derived — Chakravala. 1991. p. where the “first turning of the Wheel of the Word” took place (Coomaraswamy. and is both a Buddha (or at least a Bodhisattva) and the glorious leader of an army in one person. Coomaraswamy (Coomaraswamy. silver. sometimes — as in the Kalachakra Tantra — the entire universe with all its suns and planets. The “lord of the wheel” thus displays clear military political traits. This army conquers and subjugates the entire globe and establishes a universal Buddhocracy. copper. world rulers of the golden age reign many millions of years longer than the ruler of the iron age. p. n. Buddhocratic ones. “He is the incarnate representation of supreme and universal Law”. Like the discus of the Hindu god Vishnu. the Chakravartin is the supreme world teacher and therefore also holds the “wheel of truth” in his hands. Coomaraswamy. In terms of time.e. it can shave off the heads of the troops of entire armies in seconds. The Chakravartin is thus sovereign of an “iron wheel” of astronomical proportions. The Indian religious scholar. to then reach — as we shall see — their most aggressive form in the Shambhala myth of the Kalachakra Tantra. This gives him marked apocalyptic and . As a consequence. ‘iron wheel’. The Chakravartin now leads a “just” war..E. As the emblem of control the “wheel” also symbolizes his chariot with which he leads an invincible army. As lawmaker. the Buddhist cosmology.Opinions differ from text to text about the spatial expansion of power of the Chakravartin. he monitors that human norms stay in keeping with the divine. 1982. “The monarchy is entitled to precedence over the priesthood. the masculine passive or contemplative. just as they did the Italian Julius Evola. 101). Evola wrote (Evola. this dispute is regarded in both the Occident and in Asia as a gender conflict and the two sex roles are transferred onto the two pretenders to power. was much more strongly attracted to Buddhist Vajrayana than to the Hindu tantras. Alfred Rosenberg. This long-running topic of the “political battle of the sexes” was picked up by the intellectual elite of European fascism in the thirties of this century. Thus we find here the conception. and that control can be exercised through meditation (such as through holding the breath). Sometimes the king represented the masculine and the priest the feminine. and the regnum and the woman the active elements in what should be literally a symphony” (Coomaraswamy. are ‘united in the performance of the rite’. is shaped by the clash between spiritual and worldly power. however. as universal exterminator and universal savior. the battle between sacerdotium (ecclesiastical rule) and regnum (kingly rule) was also a recurrent political topic in the India of old. just like that of medieval Europe. who for a time acted as “spiritual” advisor to Mussolini. then. who has condensed within himself the masculine and feminine principle. for whom the heroic masculine principle is entitled to the royal throne. God and his kingdom. But when the sacerdotium unites with the regnum in one person. as in the case of the Dalai Lama.messianic characteristics. He is incarnated as both world destroyer and world redeemer. The Indian philosopher of religion. Ananda Coomaraswamy has emotionally described this exceptional situation with the following words: “It is. the human representatives of sky and earth. p. on other occasions it was the reverse. depending on which political party currently had the say. 6). widespread in India. Such warriorfriendly views of history influenced the national socialist mythologist. In this we are confronted with the view that the practice of yoga is transferable to politics. Profane and spiritual power The history of India. only when ‘thy will is done on . “Pope” and “Emperor” also opposed one another on the subcontinent in the form of Brahman and King. and is thus capable of exercising supreme control. worldly and priestly power. p. only when the priest and the king. For this reason the fascist. The powers of the two forces flow together in a great current out of which a universal “wheel turner”. Julius Evola. In Tantric Buddhism. answers him with a counter-thesis: originally the king was “unquestionably feminine” and the priest masculine: “The sacerdotium and the man are the intellectual. 1978. The fascists had an ideological interest in conceding the primary role in the state and in society to the warrior type and thus the monarchy. the order is reversed. then the two celebrate a “mystic wedding”. Such a conception is in fact characteristic of Hinduism. Ananda Coomaraswami. It was a widespread belief at that time that the hypocritical and cunning priestly caste had for centuries impeded the kings in their exercise of control so as to seize power for themselves. Interestingly. a Chakravartin arises. exactly as in the symbolism [where] the sun has precedence over the moon and the man over the woman “. Both believed the masculine principle to be obviously at work in the “king” and the inferior feminine counterforce in the “priest”. as it is in the West: the goddess is passive and the god active. that the feminine is active. shows the Chakravartin to be an androgyne. For this reason. a bisexual superhuman. a Completely Awakened [One] or a King World-Conqueror [Chakravartin] may embody: such a case does not occur. alike are destroyed and disorder prevails. p. and in the case of the ‘mating’ of the sacerdotium and the regnum. not indeed an equality but a true reciprocity. if the King cooperating with and assimilated to the higher power is thus the Father of his people. whether in the outer realms or within you. 172) Footnotes: . which here forms the foundation for absolute political power. For ‘verily. the King and the Kingdom. that there is both a giving and a taking. the desire of the two partners are for ‘good’ here and hereafter” (Coomaraswamy. the ‘enemy’” (Coomaraswamy.earth as it is in heaven’. it is none the less true that satanic and deadly possibilities inhere in the Temporal Power: When the Regnum pursues its own devices. when Might presumes to rule without respect for Right. 1992. then these lethal possibilities are realised. when the ‘woman’ demands her ‘rights’[!]. That the role of the Chakravartin is reserved exclusively for men must be a self-evident assumption in the light of what has been said above. (quoted by Herrmann-Pfand. and as such may never rule alone. Peace and prosperity. In a very early Buddhist text we already find this succinct formulation: It is impossible and can not be that the woman a Holy One. p. The marriage of the masculine and the feminine principle. the patriarchal power visions of Tantrism are as obvious in the two authors’ interpretations of history as they otherwise only are in the original Tibetan texts. 1978. the religious philosopher considers the autonomous power of the kings to be the origin of evil: “But. p. 69). then each achieves the other’s desire’. It was by an assertion of his independence and a claim to ‘equal rights’ that Lucifer fell headlong from Heaven and became Satan. and fullness of life in every sense of the words. 1978. Since for Coomaraswamy the feminine is incarnated in the “king”. when a mating is effected. the family and the house. Neither Coomaraswamy nor Evola appear to have the slightest doubts about according feminine energies to masculine individuals and institutions in their theories. are the fruits of the ‘marriage’ of the temporal power to the spiritual authority. who interprets our “unhappy” age as the result of a “gynocracy” which was prepared by the priests of the various religions. when the feminine [!] half of the Administration asserts its independence. The equation of the feminine with the epitome of evil is here no less clear and crass than it is in the work of the fascist. just as they must be of the marriage of the ‘woman’ to the ‘man’ on whatever level of reference. 69). Julius Evola. because from the moment of his possessing it. (6). The body of the princess. (4) a robe impenetrable for any weapon and immune against fire. is obedient and represents the workforce among his subjects. (6) a sleeping place which repels all false emotions and dreams and produces a clear awareness. the actual marking up of the diagram is carried out with a cord coated in chalk powder. p.[1] As we have already seen . has no ulterior motives and stands by him with moral and tactical support. (3). “This wheel has a thousand rays. (3) a palace full of goddesses playing music. 136). The general. smells of sandalwood and from her mouth comes the scent of the blue lotus. p. When her husband is absent (she maintains chastity) and never succumbs to the pleasures of the five senses” (Tayé. (5). (2) a tent which withstands any weather. all the lines sketch the pattern of the sand mandala foundations. 269). the world mountain itself with its surrounding cosmic circles possesses the form of a huge mandala. With a brief pluck upon this cord the powder is transferred to the surface and forms a line there. 1995. THE AGGRESSIVE MYTH OF SHAMBHALA Index | Contents | References | Buddhism Debate | Glossary | Home . [3] Where his golden wheel.. The monarch who possesses it is called ‘the Holy King who causes the wheel to turn’. and (7) a pair of seven league boots with which any point in the universe can be reached in a flash. the wheel turns and traverses the universe according to the thoughts of the king” (Simpson. . She performs the functions of a royal mother: “Contact with her provokes no passions. 19). The elephant. (4). (2). which defends the king’s laws. (1). has the power to defeat all enemies. The minister. which is placed in particular directions on the ritual table. Next Chapter: 10. transports him anywhere in next to no time. (7). all men regard her as their mother or sister. She gives birth to many sons [!]. Thanks to the wish-granting jewel. [2] However. — With the following seven “semi-valuable” treasures it becomes even clearer how the magic political objects of the Chakravartin coincide with those of the tantric Maha Siddha (Grand Sorcerer): (1) the sword. 1991.. 1979. (5) a garden of paradise full of wondrous plants and animals. appears on the horizon the Buddhist teaching is spread. fig. Together. The wonder horse. the world ruler need only raise his hand and gold coins start to rain down (Coomaraswamy. have to be obtained by written permission from the authors. All further rights.© Copyright 2003 – Victor & Victoria Trimondi The contents of this page are free for personal and non-commercial use. provided this copyright notice is kept intact. including the rights of publication in any form. .