Explanation of Kal Chakra
Kal Chakra means the wheel of time according to the Sanskrit texts. Kalachakra is the name of the foundational Buddhist tantric treatise of this tradition, composed in Sanskrit and later translated into Tibetan. It originated during the 11th century CE. It falls under the tantric teachings of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. The tradition’s origins are in India and its most active later history and presence has been in the monasteries of Tibet. Buddhists believe that this was taught by Buddha. It is today an active Vajrayana tradition, and has been offered to large public audiences. The most interesting fact in this is its relationship with modern science. Let’s begin.
History: The main book dedicated to this is Kalachakra-Tantra. Kalachakra is a patron deity of both Hinduism and Buddhism. Some Buddhist masters assert that Kālacakra is the most advanced form of Vajrayana practice; it certainly is one of the most complex systems within tantric Buddhism. The Kalachakra is based on the idea of time cycle. It also refers to the cycle of planets to the cycles of human breathing, it teaches the practice of working with the most subtle energies within one’s body on the path to enlightenment. Since time is everything, Kalachakra knows all. It also refers to Vishnu’s Sudarshan chakra. The Kalachakra deity resides in the centre of the mandala in his palace consisting of four mandalas, one within the other the mandalas of body, speech, and mind, and in the very centre, wisdom and great bliss. The Kalachakra sand mandala is dedicated to both individual and world peace and physical balance. The Kalachakra Tantra deals with the physical world and the calendar the birth and death of universes, our solar system and the workings of the elements. Kalachakra is also related with human gestation and birth, the classification of the functions within the human body and experience, and the Vajra-kaya; the expression of human physical existence in terms of channels, winds, drops and so forth. In Kalachakra Tantra a divine prophecy is also made about the abolition of the Islamic sect at the hands of Kalki forces. This is also symbolic of the war between mentally and emotionally. Humans are related to the Cosmos directly. The Kalachakra texts based on lunar Calendars exactly determine the location of planets. According to the Ka-tan system of time calculation in the Kalachakra tradition, Buddha is believed to have died about 833 BCE. The Kalachakra tradition vanished in India with the awake of Islamic tradition. It also stretched to Tibet during the 10th century. Today it is practiced by all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, although it appears most prominently in the Gelug lineage. It is also related to peace. There were many other influences and much cross-fertilization between the different traditions. The successors of the Tibetan Buddhism travel around and give spiritual knowledge about the Kalachakra throughout the world. Tantric iconography including sharp weapons, shields, and corpses similarly appears in conflict with those tenets of non-violence but instead represent the transmutation of aggression into a method for overcoming illusion and ego. The deity Kalachakra holds a sword and shield in both the hands. According to Hindu religion, Kalachakra is the time wheel and no-one is greater than it. Even Tridevas and Goddess Adishakti are bound to it. Heaven has a different Kal Chakra than earth and there time goes on slowly. Kalachakra destroys everyone’s ego and equally rewards or punishes everyone for their good deeds or sins.
Modern science: The mythological view of the Kalachakra can be traced down to the modern connotations of the time wheel. Time is the supreme of all whether science or mythology. Modern science mentions that time goes on differently on various plains of existence. Time goes on slowly in space. Human one year is equal to one day in space. If one goes beyond Sun, then the time goes on more slower. This is due to the lack of gravitational force in space. Anyone staying in space would live much longer as compared to earth. This view was the main focus of the ancient mythologies. They were indeed great cosmologists. The location of planets is exactly similar to modern science as mentioned in the Vedas. Similarly the concept of Kalachakra is analogous to the modern scientific theories. The Puranic calculations are exactly similar to the present day scientific calculator. So Kalachakra or time wheel never ceases to spin and all beings on this universe are bound to it.
So we must truly take pride in our ancestors who were unbelievable scientists. Stay tuned for more interesting facts. Keep following us to stay updated. Take care and never stop digging for knowledge.