© 1994 Manuel Bauer / Lookat Photos
Tibetan Buddhists believe it takes millions of rebirths to reach enlightenment. But the Kalachakra-Initiation promises a shorter way. Would one understand the tantric knowledge connected to the God Kalachakra it would be possible to escape the painful circle of birth and death to nirvana within a lifetime. These teachings attract huge numbers of devotees. In deep meditation they try to visualise themselves as an enlightened Buddha. To help with the visualisation monks from the Dalai Lama’s Namgyal Monastery in Dharamsala construct in many days of concentrated work a Mandala made from coloured sand powder.
In historical Tibet the secret Kalachakra-Initiation was given only a very limited number of times. But His Holiness the Dalai Lama decided to teach the knowledge more frequently to help the desperate situation Tibetan Buddhism is facing since the Chinese occupation of its homeland.
In 1994 His Holiness the Dalai Lama taught the Kalachakra in the remote village of Jispa in Lahul-Spiti in the Indian Himalayas. 30'000 pilgrims set up their camps around the Kalachakra-temple in hope of improving their Karma. Some of them had to travel several weeks to attend the teachings.
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