Kalachakra is believed to be a manifestation of Buddha out of his compassion for all beings to deliver the specific teaching at the request of Shambala's king, King Suchandra. Dalai Lama believes that this manifestation of Buddha must occur near the end of Shakyamuni's physical life. At the initiation Buddha manifested as Kalachakra with his consort Vishvamata and the entire mandala of Kalachakra. The palace with its full three-dimensional form manifested on top of the mythical Mr. Meru in snap. In addition, the Glorious Constellation Mandala or Great Integration Mandala consisting of ten different mandalas is projected like a canopy of stars at the ceiling of the stupa within which the Kalachakra Mandala was constructed.

Mythical Shambala kept the teaching alive in its hidden haven within a ring of snowy mountains. Many detail descriptions of the location of Shambala exist in Tibetan literature. Shambalans are believed to have extraordinary power and advance technology. All these are used to fulfill spiritual realization. Reaching Shambala is not only a physical challenge but also require a certain depth in the path and practice of meditation.

Kalachakra returned to India at least 1500 years later. There are many versions of this transition. One is that Shripala, the seventeenth ruler of Shambala brought it back himself by initiating a young man who desire the teaching so much as to venture the treaturous terrain. The young man known as Kalachakrapada, return to India and was considered as the emanation of Manjusri.

Another version is a highly regarded scholar Tsilupa in the 11th century of India went search for Shambala for the secret doctrine. He came across Manjusri and recognized Manjusri by immediate prostrated himself before the deity. He was then given the teaching.

In 12th century, Buton, a Tibetan scholar consolidated the translation of Kalachakra teaching. It is later transmitted to the Seventh Dalai Lama and become part of the Gelug teaching.

References

1. "The Wheel of Time Sand Mandala" by Barry Bryant