Mahasamvara Kalachakra, Seventy-three Deity Mandala. The painting was commissioned by Lhachog Sengge (1468-1535), the 9th abbot of Ngor Ewam Monastery.

Sanskrit: Kalachakra Tibetan: Du kyi kor lo

Kalachakra is surrounded by eight couples in embrace. Outside of that are six concentric weapon wheels, jnana, bhumi, vari, jvala, vayu and akasha. Each of these wheels has eight couples in embrace. The mandala palace is circular and has eight gates. Surrounding the palace is the ring of sixteen great charnel grounds unique to the Kalachakra Tantra.

The source text is the Paramadi-buddhoddhrta-srikalachakra-nama-tantraraja, Toh 362. Further information for this mandala can be found in the Ngor Mandala compilation of the 19th century rgyud sde kun btus, mandala #98, dus 'khor sdom chen lha bdun cu don gsum gyi dkyil 'khor. Also see The Ngor Mandalas of Tibet, Listings of the Mandala Deities. bSod nams rgya mthso. Bibliotheca Codicum Asiaticorum 4. The Centre for East Asian Cultural Studies, 1991. Again, Tibetan Mandalas (Vajravali and Tantra-samuccaya), Raghuvira and Lokesh Chandra, 1995.

Lineage Teachers: Buddha Kalachakra, Chandrabhadra and the Eight Kings, Manjushr-kirti and the Twenty-five Vidyadharas; Vidyadhara Shripala, Kalachakrapada the Greater, Kalachakrapada the Lesser, the Kashmiri Chandra Nata, Gompa Konchog Srung, Droton Namla Tseg, Yumo Mikyo Dorje, Se Dharmeshvari, Drubtob Namkha Ozer, Drubtob Semoche Namka Gyaltsen, Jamsar Sherab Ozer, Lama Choku Ozer, Choje Kunpangpa, Jangsem Gyalwa Yeshe, Lama Kunkyen Pagpa, Buton Rinchen Drub (1290-1364), etc. (rgyud se bkun btus, 2004 edition, vol. 30, pages 171-173).

Jeff Watt 7-2003 [updated 7-2009]