Toh 1357A Sādhana in Eleven Branches for the Stellar Constellation Maṇḍala of the Glorious Kālacakra

Exposition of the Sādhana Scripture in Eleven Branches for the Kālacakra Stellar Constellation Maṇḍala

Background

This scripture belongs to the Tengyur (Bstan Gyur), the commentarial canon of Tibetan Buddhism, and is composed in the form of a sādhana - that is, a practical method of cultivation based on the image of a deity (yidam) in Mahāyāna Tantric Buddhism. Specifically, this is a sādhana for Kālacakra (the Wheel of Time), a primordial Buddha (Ādi-Buddha) of foremost importance in the Northern Tibetan tradition, especially in the Gelug, Kagyu, and Sakya schools.

Kālacakra is venerated not only as a symbol of the endless cycle of time, but also as a manifestation of the wisdom of the Buddha - the all-pervading awareness of the universe and of the timeless laws of cause and effect. The stellar constellation maṇḍala (nakṣatra-maṇḍala) taught by this scripture is a representation of the space of mind, where each star and deity symbolizes different aspects of Awakening.

The structure of the "eleven branches" (ekādaśāṅga) reflects a comprehensive system of practice, from the preparation of the mind to the dedication of merit, following the traditional procedures of Tibetan Tantra.

Main Content

A sādhana in eleven branches commonly includes the following stages of practice: (1) preparing the mind through recollecting the empty nature of phenomena; (2) the presence of refuge and prayer; (3) constructing a protective circle; (4) mentally drawing forth the maṇḍala, in this case the stellar constellation maṇḍala with Kālacakra at the center; (5) summoning the deities; (6) purification and confirmation; (7) conferring blessings through the enlivening of the deity; (8) receiving and contemplating the vows; (9) meditation on the nature of the yidam; (10) completion and dissolution; and (11) dedication of merit.

The stellar constellation maṇḍala is not an ordinary astronomical map, but a schema of awakened mind, in which each deity corresponds to an aspect of phenomenology and universal wisdom. Through concentrating on this maṇḍala, the practitioner does not seek to change the external world, but transforms the way it is perceived and engaged.