By Laurence W. Howe

According to tradition, King Chandrabhadra of Shambala requested Shakyamuni Buddha for a teaching that would enable him to attain enlightenment in this life without having to renounce his throne and become a monk. He felt that as a king he would have a greater opportunity to benefit sentient beings. In response, Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Kalachakra tantra.

Although the annutarayoga tantras are all equally profound, the Kalachakra tantra is said to be unique in many respects. For instance, in the generation stage yogas, three Kalachakras are taught: external, internal, and alternative. External Kalachakra refers to the planet Earth, internal to the stars and planets of the heavens, and alternative to the actual yogas of the generation and comple­tion stages.

Another unique aspect lies in its clear presentation of the illusory body and the resultant presentation of emptiness. In most other tantras, these are implied or taught in an obscure way.

Thirdly, rather than being given to small groups, the Kalachakra initiation has tradi­tionally been given to large groups, often numbering 300,000 or more.

Most people receiving the Kalachakra ini­tiation have received it as a blessing in order to establish a karmic connection with Kalachakra and Shambala. Now that the Kalachakra initiation has been given a num­ber of times in the West by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ven. Kalu Rinpoche, and oth­ers, many sincere practitioners have expressed the wish to benefit sentient beings by receiv­ing commentary and performing the prac­tices of Kalachakra, as well as doing the Kalachakra retreat.

In response, a number of the centers of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) around the world will make available a broad series of Kalachakra teachings and a Kalachakra re­treat. At the request of Ven. Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, the FPMT Spiritual Direc­tor, Ven. Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche will be touring the world presenting a series of teachings and commentaries on Kalachakra. His student Gelong Thubten Lodroe (Hermes Brandt) will also be touring in order to teach and also to lead a Kalachakra retreat.

Ven. Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche is one of the primary holders of the Kalachakra tradi­tion. He has received the Kalachakra initia­tion three times in Tibet and five times in exile. In addition, Ven. Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche is the sole holder of the lineage of the Kalachakra commentary, the Stainless Light, a text written in Shambala by Pundarika.

Ven. Gelong Thubten Lodroe is a Dutch monk who has studied the practices of Kalachakra extensively with Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche and with senior monks of the Namgyal Monastery at the request of Ven. Lama Zopa Rinpoche. He has completed the “La Rung” approximation retreat and is fully qualified to lead Kalachakra retreats, as well as to teach all aspects of the Kalachakra sadhana and fire puja.