Jhado Rinpoche in front of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Australia, September 2025. Photo courtesy of the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion.

On September 14–15, 550 people received the Kalachakra initiation from His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo, Australia. Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised Ian Green, Director of the Great Stupa, that this initiation should occur once a giant Kalachakra mandala was completed on the ceiling of the Great Stupa. Following the initiation, a Kalachakra Mind Mandala retreat  began with 50 participants on September 16 with Jhado Rinpoche conducting the preliminary rites and leading the first three days of the retreat. This retreat will continue through October 19. On October 17, a public talk and consecration of the Kalachakra Mandala ceiling will occur, followed by a concluding fire puja for the retreat and long life puja for Jhado Rinpoche on October 18.  

Please read more on the history of Kalachakra at the Great Stupa along with details on the impressive mandala on the 65.5 ft x 65.5 ft (20 meters x 20 meters) ceiling of the Great Stupa. 

“Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche first talked about a Kalachakra mandala on the ceiling of the Great Stupa during his 2014 visit,” Great Stupa of Universal Compassion Director, Ian Green explains. “In 2018 we spoke to Rinpoche about various ways of making the ceiling which included radical ideas such an illuminated LED ceiling or even a stained-glass window. No decision was made at that time, but we continued to explore options until a decision was made in 2021 to create the mandala out of a polycarbonate that offered rigidity, longevity, lightness of weight, precision of colors, affordability, and low maintenance as well as meeting fire regulations. We made Lama Zopa Rinpoche aware that we had started work on the ceiling which made him happy that this project was underway.” 

Kalachakra ceiling mandala at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion. Photo courtesy of the Great Stupa.

Associated with the promotion of world peace, the Kalachakra—or “Wheel of Time”—tantra is one of the most detailed and encompassing systems of theory and practice within Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lamas have had a strong interest in Kalachakra over the centuries and carry on the initiation lineage of the Gelug tradition. All the main traditions of Tibetan Buddhism practice Kalachakra. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has given the Kalachakra initiation 34 times throughout his life, with the first initiation occurring in 1954 in Lhasa, Tibet, and the most recent  in 2017 in Bodhgaya, India. 

“Lama Zopa said that this [Kalachakra mandala] ceiling would be very important for world peace and that we should have a Kalachakra initiation as soon as the ceiling was complete,” Ian shared. “Rinpoche requested His Holiness the Dalai Lama to lead a Kalachakra retreat on two or three occasions but, on each occasion, His Holiness responded that Australia was too far for him to travel especially as the preparations for a Kalachakra initiation were very involved. Rinpoche then requested Kyabje Jhado Rinpoche to conduct the Kalachakra initiation inside the Great Stupa. Jhado Rinpoche said during the recent initiation that Lama Zopa spoke extensively to him about the Great Stupa and about the Kalachakra initiation. Jhado Rinpoche said that by holding the Kalachakra initiation on September 14–15 inside the Great Stupa he was very happy that he had fulfilled his commitment to Lama Zopa.”

An estimated 25,000 hours of collective work over three years was required to complete the Kalachakra Mandala Ceiling. “The project has been advised by Jhado Rinpoche, Karma Phuntsok, and Andy Weber,” Ian said. “It was led by Artistic Supervisor Garrey Foulkes, Project Manager Guy Lawson, and Works Manager Finn Mathews. Lead artists Garrey Foulkes, Krissie Foulkes, and Guy Lawson were supported by resident artist Lucy Wang and a team of 60 volunteer artists. Panels were the responsibility of Raph Venn, printing by Mike Korsos, and computer art by Michael Gardner.” 

What an unbelievable achievement due to the effort of so many! We truly rejoice in this accomplishment which was an expressed wish of Lama Zopa Rinpoche!

The FPMT  organization invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to confer the Kalachakra initiation in Sydney, Australia in 1996. This was Australia’s first elaborate Kalachakra initiation. Please read the story from the 1996 Mandala archives, “Beyond Extraordinary: His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Australia” written by Ven. Robina Courtin. 

New Kalachakra Sadhana Available

We are also very happy to share a new sadhana related to the practice of Kalachakra.

The Excellent Vase of All Siddhis: A Mind Mandala Sadhana of Glorious Kalachakra, composed by the Seventh Dalai Lama, Lozang Kalzang Gyatso is a sadhana of the Kalachakra Mind Mandala, complete with the very extensive protection circle and complemented with the ritual texts and prayers that are useful for engaging in the mind mandala retreat.

We also have made updates to The Kalachakra Six-Session Guru Yoga together with An Extensive Review of the Three Vows and An Extensive Prayer and the Six-Session Guru Yoga.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.