KALACHAKRA
Kalachakra Thangka Painting: Kalachakra is the main deity of Sambara which is semi wrathful in appearance and blue in color. Kalachakra has four heads, with three eyes in each head. His hair is tied up in a double knot. He has twenty-four arms and each hand holds a different symbol. His two main arms are crossed around the waist of his consort, and each of his main hand holds a vajra. The Wheel of Time Kalachakra is a yidam of the Highest Tantra. In the hidden kingdom of Shamballa, it is said the inhabitants practice Tantric Buddhism based on the Kalachakra system. He fuses time and timelessness into a non-dualistic view of absolute reality. This Tantric practice is most important to the Gelukpa sect with whom it is most closely associated. Kalachakra refers to a vast system of spiritual exercises said to be taught by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago in India, and also is the name of the principal yidam in this system. Kalachakra is part of wider system of practices in Tibetan Buddhism called tantra.
GESTURE AND ATTRIBUTES
Kalachakra is semi – wrathful in appearance, blue in color. He has four faces, twenty – four hands and two legs. The main face is blue, right red, left white and the back face is yellow. Each has three eyes and an open mouth with slightly bared fangs. The first pair of hands holds a Vajra and bell crossed at the heart embracing the consort. The remaining right hands hold a sword, curved knife, trident, three arrows, Vajra hook, Damaru drum, hammer, wheel, spear, club and axe. The left hands hold a shield, Khatvanga staff, skull cup, bow, lasso, jewel, lotus, conch shell, mirror, Vajra chains and the four – faced yellow head of Brahma. Kalachakra an enlightenment aspect of Buddha ship, which embodies the highest insights of all six elements: the zodiac signs as well as the planets of our solar system (including the moon – nodes Rahu and Ketu). This astrology related Buddha – aspect (divided into the ‘inner’, secret Kalachakra and the ‘outer’ Kalachakra of more exoteric interpretation) is seen as the highest Tibetan Tantra deity with the subtlest accompanying teachings. The Lord wears a long scarf and a tiger skin as a lower garment. The consort, Vishvamata, is yellow, with four faces and eight hands. They are both adorned with crowns, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and various ornaments. The right leg of the Lord is straight, standing atop the figure of Kamadeva. The left is bent, standing atop Rudra. Above the layered discs of a white moon, red sun and dark blue Rahu (eclipse) they stand on a multi-colored lotus blossom seat wreathed by the circular orange rays of pristine awareness fire.
