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Shambhala
Shambhala (Skt., obscure: ‘happiness giving’? Tib., bde.ʾbyung, ‘source of happiness’). A semi-mythical kingdom in Tibetan Buddhist cosmology; ‘the only Pure Land which exists on earth’ (Birnbaum). While playing an important part in the Kālacakra cycle of tantras, Shambhala is also a popular myth in its own right. Located ‘somewhere north of Tibet’, Shambhala is governed by a line of thirty-two wise and powerful kings—who guard the true doctrine of Buddhism through a period of world history which sees a decline in religious values. When this decline is at its lowest depth, the final king of Shambhala, Rudra Cakrin, will emerge from his kingdom with a great army, subdue the forces of evil, and establish a golden age. See also SHANGRI-LA.
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JOHN BOWKER. "Shambhala." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Shambhala." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Shambhala.html JOHN BOWKER. "Shambhala." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Shambhala.html |
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Shambhala
Shambhala. A mythical kingdom, especially associated with the Kālacakra Tantra, whose precise geographical location is uncertain but popularly thought to be located somewhere to the north of Tibet, though there is some evidence that would place the land that was the source of the myth in western Orissa. With the rise of Islam in India, it was thought that the kingdom of Shambhala became invisible and will remain so until a future king leads forth his armies to vanquish the Muslims and inaugurate a new golden age.
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Cite this article
DAMIEN KEOWN. "Shambhala." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAMIEN KEOWN. "Shambhala." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-Shambhala.html DAMIEN KEOWN. "Shambhala." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-Shambhala.html |
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