THE SAMKHYAS

Much of the symbolism of Kalachakra refers actually to the philosophy of other systems. To illustrate this, some aspects of the Samkhyas, Enumerators or Forders (living at the time of the Buddha).

"The father of the Buddha ruled the city where the sage Kapila once had taught {Kapilavastu}. Kapila was the founder of the so-called Sankhya philosophy, from which the Buddha took his departure. Like Jainism and Buddhism, the Sankhya is non-Vedic, and like Jainism, but not like Buddhism, it treats of two contrary principles: 1. matter, which it terms prakriti; and 2. the monad, which it terms purusha, "the person". In the Sankya view, there is no actual contact between the two."
Joseph Campbell [2]

Obviously, one of the major differences between Buddhist philosophy and others - like Samkhya - is the emptiness of the self, the monad, the person.
The Samkhyas accepted 24 suchnesses, or "causal powers of the creation":
[3]: The 5 sense organs, plus the 5 sense objects, plus the 5 action faculties, plus the 5 elements {or "forms of matter", the last being ether}, plus sense consciousness, Buddhi {discrimination}, citta {feeling/heart} and Ahamkara {"I"} are the 24 causal powers of the creation. These 24 basic principles, which complete the creation of Maya, are nothing but ignorance. As ignorance only consists of imagination, the creation has no real existence, but is just a mind-game of the highest being.
[2]: In the Samkhya system of Kapila, the five elements are linked to the five senses: respectively space or ether to hearing; wind or air to touch; fire to sight; water to taste; earth to smell.

In general, in the Kalachakra practice one purifies the 36 bases of purification, they are the:

6 aggregates; represented by the 6 male Tathagatas (the 6 Dhyani Buddhas)
6 elements; the 6 female Tathagatas (consorts of Dhyani Buddhas as main deities)
6 inner sources (sense organs and mental sense); 6 male Bodhisattvas
6 outer sources (forms, smell, tangibles etc.); 6 female Bodhisattvas
6 action faculties (mouth, arm/hand, leg etc.); 6 wrathful Males
6 actions of action faculties (speaking, taking  etc.); 6 wrathful Females

By practising the Path, one purifies these 36 bases into the 36 deities.

CONCEPTION, BIRTH AND GROWING UP

The following refers to the way in which one builds up the visualisation of Kalachakra in the sadhana.

(Freely translated from [4]):

A bardo being (symbolised by the subtle mind and energy as HUM and HI) is attracted by a couple making love. It enters the mouth or the crown of the man, and enters via the penis into the mother's womb. There, it mixes with the white bodhicitta (semen) and the red bodhicitta (blood/ovum), giving rise to a new being: the indestructible drop at the heart centre (symbolised by HAM).
During the maturation process, part of the white bodhicitta rises from the heart via the central channel to the crown chakra, from where it can spread into the rest of the body. Similarly, a part of the red bodhicitta sinks to the navel chakra, where it gives rise to the increase of the red bodhicitta. While the child is in the womb, it does not yet know the four states of being: awake, dreaming, deep sleep and ecstatic bliss. Only shortly before birth, when the body is fully developed, the baby is "awakened" by the songs of the four goddesses or female Buddhas (or Tathagatas). Now the winds {energies} of the four goddesses, and with that the four states of being, enter the foetus, activating the 10 main winds (of karma) in the foetus, causing birth. (Earlier, these 10 main winds did not move.)
The winds leave the blissful situation in the central channel via the navel into both side channels and through the nostrils. This is the moment that the new-born baby starts breathing. Simultaneously, the sense organs start functioning and the child attains the action faculties (speaking, walking etc.). Contrary to other tantric teachings, the Kalachakra Tantra teaches that also after birth certain winds flow through the central channel: the "winds of deep awareness".

 

DEATH

(Freely translated from [4]): The death process according to the Kalachakra tradition starts with the disappearance of the sense consciousnesses, and only mental consciousness and the life-sustaining wind remain.
The disappearance of types of consciousnesses causes the atoms of the individual elements to not hold together anymore. Like at the dissolution of a universe, fire dissolves into water, earth into water, water into air, air into space and space into consciousness. This gives rise to the visions of: smoke, mirage, fireflies and butter lamp during the death process.

[5]: The difference in dissolution of internal elements at death of Kalachakra and other Tantras, is because the Kalachakra teachings are for people with the elements in a certain order. Different disciples require different teachings; if the practice brings you realisations, Kalachakra is for you!

[4]: The mental consciousness and the life-sustaining wind enter the central channel at the heart chakra. The knots around the central channel loosen up and allow the white bodhicitta to flow down from the crown into the "indestructible drop" {indestructible during life} at the heart. During this flowing down, the dying person observes the "white vision". Next, the rising of the red bodhicitta from the navel to the heart, gives rise to the appearance of the "red increase". Now the white and red bodhicitta completely encapsulate the indestructible drop, which the dying person experiences as complete darkness.
 At this stage, the most subtle wind and mind manifest themselves as the "clear light of death". This clear light of death is similar to the "actual clear light", but not the same. The actual clear light can only be experienced by a highly realised yogi in the completion stage. This distinguishes the death process from enlightenment.
 After the appearance of the clear light of death, the most subtle mind and wind leave the indestructible drop and the body via one of the orifices, thereby entering the bardo state. At this stage, the white bodhicitta leaves the body via the sex organ, and the red bodhicitta via the nostrils. Rebirth occurs due to the karmic imprints or impulses that use the winds as mounts.

CYCLES OF THE BREATH

[6]: The cycles of breath are in terms of which nostril it is going primarily through; because your breath does not flow equally through both nostrils most of the time. ... In the course of a day and a night, it shifts back and forth twelve times; like the twelve month of the year. Even within cycle within one nostril, it will sometimes go through the top of the nostril, to the right left, bottom or centre. Five for each twelve, that makes sixty, which is similar to the 60 year cycle that the calendar is based on. During each of the twelve cycles, one breathes 1800 times in and out. This adds up to 21,600 breaths per day.

THE MAIN THREE ENERGY CHANNELS

For a review of differences between the energy channels etc. as taught in the Guhyasamaya system and Kalachakra, see [7].

According to tantra, there are thousands of invisible channels (Nadi; rtsa) in a human body, through which the winds or energies (prana or vayu; rlung) flow. Two of the three main channels are at the left and right of the central channel. The central channel (dbu ma) leads from the brow-chakra (between the eyebrows), just under the skull to the crown-chakra; then it bends down just in front of the spine via the throat-chakra, the heart-chakra and the navel-chakra (actually 4 finger-widths under the navel). From there, it leads to the sexual organ, and a second part leads to the anus. The two side channels form a sort of knot around the central channel at the location of each chakras, hindering the free flow of energy in the central channel. The left channel turns clockwise and the right channel counter-clockwise around the central channel.
According to the tradition of the first Dalai Lama, the two side channels go left and right of the central channel, down to the navel-chakra. (According to [7], the side channels cross over the central channel at the navel). The top part of the central channel (Avadhuti) is green, and refers to the element space, the breath and Rahu. The right channel (Pingala, ro ma) is red, refers to fire, blood and sun; the left channel (Ida, rkyang ma) is white and refers to water, the production or holding of semen and the moon. Below the navel-chakra, the central channel (chön ma, "channel with conch") turns blue and refers to wisdom, (emitting) semen and Kalagni - and bends forward to the sexual organ. The right channel {seems to} bend to the back (but also to the left, acc to [7], turns yellow and refers to earth and faeces. The left channel {seems to} bend forwards (and to the right according [7], turns black and refers to air and urine. {Note that according to Ven. Thubten Lodroe the dividing point is the heart chakra} {See drawing [4].}
Note that according to [7], that in the Kalachakra system, winds already move in the central channel before death or practising tantra.

CHAKRAS

At the chakras, the side channels form knots around the central channel which hinders the free flow of air through the central channel. Also here, many different channels connect to the side channels {note differences between Kalachakra and other tantras}:
- at the brow chakra, Wheel of Wind; 16 channels branch off (16 Tathagatas of the Mind Mandala) It is strongly related to the crown chakra; in simplified explanations they are often taken as one chakra.
- at the crown chakra, Wheel of Great Bliss, 4 channels (Kalachakra, Vishvamata and 2 Shaktis who are absorbed in Vishvamata) It is the seat of pure consciousness.
- at the throat chakra, Wheel of Enjoyment, 32 channels (24 Bodhisattvas and 8 protectors of the Mind Mandala)
- at the heart chakra, Wheel of Phenomena, 8 channels (8 Shaktis of the Mind Mandala)
- at the navel chakra, Wheel of Emanation, 64 channels (64 goddesses of the Speech Mandala)
- at the sexual chakra, Wheel of Guarding the Bliss,  32 channels (protectors of the Body Mandala)

These above branch-channels, are just main branches, they split again into more channels. When the branches are visualised they resemble the spokes of an open umbrella. At the crown centre., the umbrella is "right-side-up", at the throat "upside-down", at the heart, "right-side-up" and at the navel "upside-down". The total number of nadis in the body varies from 21,600 to 72,000 in the various tantras. In Kalachakra each hair on the head also counts as a channel, then many millions are counted.

ENERGY-WINDS

The winds which pulsate through this system of channels are like mounts of consciousnesses, and allow the actual mental and physical processes. According to Kalachakra, there are 10 main winds, which are related to the elements and directions; these are represented by the 10 Shaktis.
 

Wind Name	Direction acc. to [4*]	Direction acc. to [9]	Shakti	Constituent
vitalizing / life sustaining	above navel	above heart	Jnanaparamita	space
downward voiding	below navel	below heart	Prajnaparamita	bliss
fire-accompanying / equally abiding	E	E	Dhyanaparamita	wind
upward moving	S	S	Upayaparamita	fire
pervasive	N	N	Pranidhaparamita	water
serpent / naga	W	NW (W?)	Balaparamita	earth
turtle	SE	SE	Danaparamita	wind
chameleon	NE (SW?)	SW	Shilaparamita	fire
devadatta; gods gift	NE	NE	Kshantiparamita	water
dhamnajaya; wealth victor	NW	NW	Viryaparamita	earth

[4]: In case 12 winds are counted, then the downward voiding wind is divided into 3.

- The vitalizing or life-sustaining wind abides at the heart and it forms the link between life (vital force) and the body.
- The downward-clearing wind is located at the genital area controls the movement of the red and white bodhicitta (female and male "drops" - blood/ovum and semen), urine and feces. A malfunctioning of this energy can cause f.i. diarrhea.
- The fire-accompanying wind, abiding at the navel - the fire refers to the gastric heat -, separates nutriments from the waste in one's food and drink.
- The upward-moving wind, abiding at the throat, causes all vocal activity and swallowing.
- The pervasive wind, pervades the entire body and causes walking, leaning etc. However, in [10], it says that .."the pervasive wind in the Kalachakra system, mainly flows through the nostrils"; opposite to above general description.
- The Damnajaya wind (also called norlegyal), causes the body to change from one moment to the next and thus is said to be present even in a corpse.

THE FOUR DROPS

Free from [9]:
Basic to the process of utilizing pivotal states and cleansing transformation of them is a presentation in the Kalachakra system, of the four drops that are the bases of potential and of defilement, and hence bases to be utilized and purified. The drops themselves are material, the size of a mustard seed and composed of the basic white and red constituents.

There are two sets of four drops {note that usually only the first set is mentioned}:
The first set is located at:
(1) the forehead (or crown)
(2) throat
(3) heart
(4) navel

The second set is  located at:
(1) the navel
(2) secret place (the base of the spine)
(3) center of the sexual organ
(4) tip of the sexual organ.

The two sets are coordinated in that:
(1) the drops at the forehead and the navel produce the state of wakefulness
(2) the drops at the throat and the base of the spine produce the state of dreaming
(3) the drops at the heart and the center of the sexual organ produce the state of deep sleep
(4) the drops at the navel and the tip of the sexual organ produce the state of absorption (bliss).

One drop at the navel contains within it two different predispositions producing the waking state as the fourth of the upper set of drops and producing the state of absorption as the first of the lower set of drops.
At the time of wakefulness, the winds - upon which consciousness is mounted as on a horse - of the upper part of the body collect at the forehead, and the winds of the lower part of the body collect at the navel. Due to the collection of winds in those places and due to each drop's containing pure and impure potencies, mere appearances of objects and appearances of impure objects are respectively produced. ... Through cleansing, that is, removing, the capacity in the drops at the forehead and the navel to produce the appearance of impure objects, the mere appearances of objects can be utilized in the path, whereby there come to be appearances of empty forms. ... the material of the drops does not constitute the obstructions and does not serve as the basis for the karmic infusion of the obstructions. Rather, the very subtle wind and mind that are located in these two sets of four places are the bases infused by our deeds with karmic potencies. (See also [7].)

 The rest of the above description is summarized in the following table:
   

Upper Drops	Lower Drops	State	Producing	Purifying	Into
brow	navel	awake	mere appearances	body impure objects	appearance of empty form vajra body
throat	secret area	dreaming	sounds	speech mistaken speech	invincible sound vajra speech
heart	center sex organ	deep sleep	non-conceptuality	mind unclarity	non-conceptual vajra mind exalted wisdom
navel	tip sex organ	absorption	bliss	absorption	immutable bliss emission of vajra exalted wisdom bliss

It should be noted that similar four states are found in the Mandukya Upanisad of pre-Hindu origin, and there the following, similar relationship is intended (see also Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism by Lama Anagarika Govinda):

Awake: the subjective consciousness of the external world, i.e. our 'ordinary awareness'.
Dreaming: the consciousness of our inner world, i.e. thoughts, feelings, desires and aspirations, which can be called our 'spiritual consciousness'.
Deep sleep: consciousness of undifferentiated unity; in Buddhism this would be 'unqualified emptiness'.
Absorption (turya): deathless, sorrowless and ego-less state; in Buddhism this would be Nirvana.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1]: Kalacakra Sadhana and Social Responsibility, David Reigle, Spirit of the Sun Publications 1996.
[2]: Oriental Mythology by Joseph Campbell, Penguin 1962
[3]: Kaibalaya Darschanam by Priya Nath Swami (Publication data unknown)
[4]: Das Mandala by Martin Brauen (Dumont 1992) (Later appeared in many languages.)
[5]: Commentary given by Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche December 1989, Bodh Gaya India
[6]: Introduction to Kalachakra, commentary by Dr. Alex Berzin June 28 - 30, 1985 at Institut Vajrayogini, France
[7]: Highest Yoga Tantra, Daniel Cozort, Snowlion 1986
[8]: Kalachakra Tantra by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey (Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1983)
[9]: The Kalachakra Tantra, Rite of Initiation. Tenzin Gyatso the Dalai Lama and Jeffrey Hopkins (Wisdom, 1985)
[10]: Bridging the sutras and the tantras, Dalai Lama I, Glenn Mullin