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In January this year, 2006, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave the Kalachakra initiation in Amaravati, a small town in Andhra Pradesh, central India, to 90,000 people from 47 countries. Tibetans living in exile in India were joined by peoples of the Himalayan region and 9,000 new arrivals from Tibet who came with visas issued by the Chinese government. There was a strong European and American presence, and many Mongolians, Russians, overseas Chinese and some mainlanders.
Amaravati is significant because of its legendary association with the first teaching by the Buddha of the Kalachakra tantra. This was said to be given by the Buddha in a mystical form, or tantric aspect. The legend goes to ideas of different levels of Buddhist experience, outer, inner and secret. The legend points to the establishment of the Kalachakra tantra as something non-ordinary, not historical in a materialist sense.
All day a loudspeaker announced the names of people seeking their friends and relatives. The Kalachakra serves as a meeting place â marriages are arranged, families are re-united. The element of coming together is one of the most significant parts of the Kalachakra experience. Very few see the Dalai Lama very closely, his image was relayed back through the initiation area via video, but that is not important, because everybody is in his presence.
Diana Cousens attended the Kalachakra from Melbourne and wrote a report of her observations for ATC. Download or read Diana’s report.
View Diana’s photos |
