Studies in the Kalacakra Tantra

Abstract

Kiilacakra means "The wheel oftime", and in some ways it is a philosophy oftime. At the beginning of the basic text it is mentioned that everything in the cosmos has its origin ih "time".l The basic extant texts are the relatively short Srf-Kiilacakra-tantra-riija (KCT) and its canonical commentary Vimalaprabhii (VP). It is said that there exists a root-tantra, which is much longer, but of which only a shorter text and various quotations are known. There are also many other texts translated from the Sanskrit into Tibetan in the Tibetan canon, the bKa '-gyur and the bsTan- 'gyur. Finally, there is a voluminous literature of commentaries written in Tibetan from later centuries. The great number of texts is a measure of the importance of the Kiilacakra Tantra in Tibet. Only parts of this literature are translated into western languages. According to their own tradition, the basic texts were written by kings in the mythic land of Shambhala.