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Kalachakra
is the deity of Highest Yoga Tantra class, its initiation is
given to only selected disciples who are qualified and had a
foundation experience of renunciation, Bodhisattva and correct
view of Emptiness. In Nepalese tradition too, the initiation of
Kalachakra is performed very often by learned Vajracharya
priests. Receiving empowerment of this deity is a rare event
these days.
It is said
that one year after Shakyamuni Buddha attained Enlightenment, he
was requested by King Candrabhadra of Shambala to teach the
Kalchakra Tantra. Buddha then manifested himself in the form of
Kalachakra meditational deity in South India and gave the full
teachings and initiation of his tantra.
Kalachakra
teaching was then transmitted through a lineage of seven kings
and 25 propagators. The Kalachakra initiation session have been
performed several times by His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai
Lama at the present time also. Those who have received this
initiation may use this meditational deity for Yidam practice.
Kalachakra
has four faces, 24 arms and 2 legs. His front face is blue with
bear fangs; right face is red, left white and rear yellow each
with three eyes. His blue face expresses wrathfulness. The deity
is adorned with many jewels, ornaments, such as the earrings,
necklace, the crown, the bangles and anklets and so on. He is
dressed in a tiger skin.
Among his 24
arms, 12 arms are on either side. The first 4 arms black, the
middle red, and the last 4 arms are white. The first of the
black arms embraces the consort and holds a vajra in the hand,
the second a sword, third trident, and the fourth a cleaver. The
first of the right red hand holds an arrow, the second long
handled vajra hook, the third a damaru and the fourth a hammer.
Again, the first of the right white hands holds a wheel, the
second a sword, the third a stick, and the fourth an axe. The
first of the left black hands holds a bell, the second a shield,
third a khatvang, the fourth kapala i.e. skull cup. The first of
the left right hands bow, the second a lasso, the third a
precious jewel and the fourth a white lotus. The first of the
left white hands holds a white conch, the second a mirror, the
third an iron chain and the fourth the head of the deity Brahma
by the hair.
The
Kalachakra has two legs. The right one is red and the left one
is white symbolizing the right energy channels containing blood
and left energy channels containing white bodhicitta. The
consort of Kalachakra is called Visvamati. She is yellow in
color and has four faces, each with three eyes. The other three
faces are white, black and red. She has eight arms, 4 each on
the either side. First right hand embraces Kalachakra, the
second a vajra hook, the third a damaru and the fourth a rosary.
The first of her left hand embraces Kalachakra, holds a kapala
filled with blood, the second a lasso, the third a lotus, the
fourth a precious jewel. The consort wears a crown and is
adorned with five types of ornaments. She is in union with the
deity Kalachakra. |
