Introduction to the Kalachakra Initiation

by BERZIN, ALEXANDER

• ISBN13: 9781559393737
• ISBN10: 1559393734
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2011-03-16
• Publisher: Snow Lion

Summary

Kalachakra is a system of highest tantra practice for overcoming the limitations imposed by historical, astrological, and biological cycles so as to become a Buddha for the benefit of all. In recent years, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other great Tibetan teachers have been conferring the Kalachakra initiation in the West, empowering prepared practitioners to engage in its meditations. Large numbers of people also attend this initiation as interested observes and gain inspiration for their spiritual growth.

Author Biography

Alexander Berzin lived in India for twenty-nine years, studying under his main teacher, Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpochey, and other lamas, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Widely published, Berzin has taught in over seventy countries.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. 11
Preface	p. 13
Introduction to Tantra	p. 17
The Need for a Realistic Approach	p. 17
What Is Tantra?	p. 18
Deity Yoga	p. 18
Training the Imagination	p. 19
Using Visualization to Expand Our Capacities	p. 21
Generation and Complete Stage Practice	p. 22
The Role of Receiving Empowerment and Taking Vows	p. 23
Commitment	p. 25
Choosing a Tantra System	p. 26
Overview of Kalachakra
Cycles of Time and Karma	p. 27
Liberation from Cycles of Time	p. 30
The Spread of Kalachakra	p. 30
Kalachakra and the Line of Dalai Lamas	p. 32
Kalachakra and World Peace	p. 33
Shambhala	p. 34
Assessing Our Preparation for Receiving Empowerment	p. 34
Overview of the Initiation	p. 36
External Kalachakra	p. 39
Kalachakra: The Clear Tantra	p. 39
The Textual Tradition	p. 40
Description of the Universe	p. 41
Space Particles and the Origins of a Universe	p. 42
The Location of Shambhala	p. 43
The Threat of Invasion	p. 44
Barbaric Hordes	p. 45
Levels of Meaning of Shambhala	p. 46
The Use of Hindu Images	p. 47
The Prophesy of a Future World War	p. 48
Preventing War through Sharing Technology	p. 49
Karma and Astrology	p. 50
Kalachakra Astrology	p. 51
Techniques for Predicting the Future	p. 52
Wartime and Peacetime Technology	p. 53
The Golden Age of Kalachakra and the Age of Aquarius	p. 54
Internal Kalachakra
The Four Manners of Rebirth	p. 55
What Continues from One Lifetime to the Next	p. 56
Subtlest Creative Drops and Space Particles	p. 57
Devoid Forms	p. 58
Human Rebirth	p. 59
The Subtle Body	p. 60
The Four Subtle Creative Drops	p. 61
Correlation with Descriptions of Subtle Body in Other Systems	p. 62
Kalachakra and Tibeto-Mongolian Medicine	p. 63
The Correlation of Internal and External Cycles	p. 64
The Life-spirit Cycle and Good Health	p. 65
Alchemy	p. 66
Alternative Kalachakra	p. 69
Qualifications of a Kalachakra Master	p. 69
Improper Teachers	p. 71
Qualifications for Receiving Empowerment	p. 71
Deciding Whether to Attend the Empowerment	p. 73
The Mandala Used for Conferring Empowerment	p. 74
The Three Levels of Empowerment	p. 75
Approaching the Complexity of Kalachakra Practice	p. 77
Refuge Commitments and Bodhisattva Vows	p. 79
Studying the Commitments and Vows	p. 79
Actions to Adopt after Formally Taking Refuge	p. 79
Actions to Avoid and Ways to Show Respect	p. 81
General Refuge Commitments	p. 82
Taking Refuge and Following Other Religions or Spiritual Paths	p. 83
Actions for Never Losing Bodhichitta Resolve	p. 85
Root Bodhisattva Vows	p. 86
Maintaining Vows	p. 90
The Four Binding Factors for Losing Vows	p. 91
Weakening Vows	p. 92
Strengthening Weakened Vows	p. 93
Secondary Bodhisattva Vows	p. 94
Tantric Vows	p. 97
Overview	p. 97
Common Root Tantric Vows	p. 98
Kalachakra Root Tantric Vows	p. 104
Selected Points from the Secondary Tantric Vows	p. 107
Tamed Behavior and Closely Bonding Practices	p. 111
Modes of Tamed Behavior	p. 111
Overview of Closely Bonding Practices	p. 116
Common Practices for Bonding Closely with the Buddha-family Traits	p. 117
Practices Specific to Kalachakra for Bonding Closely with the Buddha-family Traits	p. 118
Six-session Yoga	p. 120
The Preparation Ceremony	p. 123
Keeping Our Level of Participation Private	p. 123
How to Visualize	p. 124
The Clear Light Basis for Visualization	p. 125
Confirming Our Ability to Visualize	p. 126
Visualizing the Mandala and Keeping Our Directional Orientation	p. 127
Textual Traditions of the Empowerment Ritual	p. 128
Entering the Site for the Ceremony	p. 129
Transforming Our Self-image with the Inner Empowerment	p. 130
Gender Issues in Visualization	p. 132
Concluding Procedures and Significance of Receiving the Inner Empowerment	p. 133
Taking Vows and Transforming the Elements of Our Body	p. 134
Purifying Body Speech and Mind and Determining Future Attainments	p. 135
Receiving Materials for Examining Our Dreams	p. 136
General Advice	p. 138
The First Day of the Actual Empowerment	p. 139
Preliminary Steps	p. 139
Visualizing Ourselves as a Couple and Taking Vows	p. 140
The Yoga Encompassing Everything	p. 142
Confidentiality	p. 143
Entering the Mandala Blindfolded	p. 144
Making Our Visualization More Firm	p. 146
Invoking Deep Awareness Beings	p. 147
Final Procedures Before Receiving the Main Empowerments	p. 148
The Second Day of the Actual Empowerment	p. 151
Theoretical Basis for Empowerment	p. 151
The Relation Between Buddha-nature and Empowerment for Purifying Obstacles	p. 152
Causal and Foundational Seeds	p. 153
Application to Kalachakra Empowerment	p. 154
Experiencing Blissful Awareness of Voidness During Empowerment	p. 155
Generating an Understanding of Voidness	p. 156
Theoretical Basis for the Seven Empowerments of Entering like a Child	p. 157
The Common Structure of the Seven Empowerments	p. 160
Final Appended Procedures	p. 162
Concluding Remarks	p. 164
Outline of the Initiation	p. 167
The Preparation Ceremony	p. 167
The First Day of the Actual Empowerment	p. 170
Entering Blindfolded, Remaining Outside the Curtain	p. 170
Entering Blindfolded into the Mandala Palace	p. 171
Entering as Someone Who Can See the Mandala	p. 174
The Second Day of the Actual Empowerment	p. 174
Bibliography	p. 191
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