Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism were largely unknown in the West prior to the beginning of the 20th century. Thereafter, Buddhism would survive another 1,800 years.

This final battle is prophesied for the year 2424 or 2425 (in the 3304th year after the death of Buddha). The Kalachakra tantra prophesies that when the world declines into war and greed, and all is lost, the 25th Kalki king Maitreya will emerge from Shambhala, with a huge army to vanquish Dark Forces and usher in a worldwide Golden Age. Detail from 'A Sorceress from Tungusy' 1812–1813 by: E. In 59 BC he abdicated his throne to his son, Puṇḍārika, and died soon afterward, entering the Sambhogakaya of Buddhahood. Manjuśrīkīrti initiated the preaching of the Kalachakra teachings in order to try to convert those who returned and were still under his rule. Those who did not return are said to have set up the city of Shambhala. He is said to have expelled 20,000 people from his domain who clung to Surya Samadhi (solar worship) rather than convert to Kalachakra (Wheel of Time) Buddhism.Īfter realizing these were the wisest and best of his people and how much he was in need of them, he later asked them to return and some did. In the narrative, King Manjuśrīkīrti is said to have been born in 159 BC and ruled over a kingdom of 300,510 followers of the Mlechha religion, some of whom worshiped the Sun.

The oldest known teachers of Kalachakra are Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen (d. Kalachakra Buddhism was presumably introduced to Tibet still in the 11th century, the epoch of the Tibetan Kalachakra calendar. The Shambhala narrative is found in the Kalachakra tantra, a text of the group of the Anuttarayoga Tantras. Shambhala is ruled by the future Buddha Maitreya.

Shambhala sitting still like a frog