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According to Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the kingdom of Shambhala is a mythical place located somewhere in the Himalayas, supposedly between the material and spiritual worlds. Shambhala is a heavenly place, where the beings that inhabit it have reached enlightenment and live a life full of peace and happiness.
What is Shambhala?
Shambhala is the name used to describe the hidden and unknown spiritual realm mentioned in some ancient scriptures from India and Tibet. It is important not to confuse it with the name of a town in the Uyghur kingdom of Qocho, which existed in the 9th century AD. C., in part of the current territory of China.
Although the exact etymology of the term Shambhala is unknown , according to the oldest texts that have been found so far, it is a word that derives from Sanskrit, which means “place of peace” or “pure land”. In Tibetan, this term means “having the source of happiness.” Some sources also call it “the kingdom of the lotus”, referring to some descriptions of this place.
The kingdom of Shambhala is also known as “the lost city” or “the forbidden land”. Hindus call it Aryavartha , which means “the home of the Aryans”, in reference to the ancient Indo-Iranian people who called themselves that way. In Chinese mythology, it is the paradise of Hsi Wang Mu, the Western mother goddess.
Shambhala also sometimes appears under the name Shangri-La , which was popularized by English writer James Hilton in 1933, in his novel Lost Horizons . Shangri-La derives from some translations of ancient texts where Shambhala was mentioned.
Apart from a legend, Shambhala is also the final destination of the highest enlightenment and a prophecy that when evil reigns, there is great chaos and wars, the 25th King of Shambhala, Maytreya, will lead his formidable army, restore the order and peace in the world and a new golden age will begin.
Origin of the legend of Shambhala
The origin of the legend of Shambhala goes back to the roots of Hinduism and Buddhism in India, and later also to Tibetan Buddhism. Later, some Tibetan texts and teachings were passed down through different Indian sages and influenced Indian religions as well. Although these traditions arose at different historical moments, the essence of Shambhala and its characteristics in both cultures are very similar.
Shambhala in Hinduism
The first mentions of Shambhala appeared in the religious texts Mahabharata (3rd century BC) and the Vishnu Purana (4th century AD). These scriptures recount numerous myths about the creation and destruction of the world, historical events such as the succession of kings, and stories about the avatars of the god Vishnu.
The Vishnu Purana refers to the eighth reincarnation of the god Vishnu, who will be born in Shambhala, and describes four eras and a period of disputes, called the kalyuga . According to legend, Vishnu will be called Kalki and will arrive to confront invaders, bring order, restore peace and begin a new era of harmony. Kalki means “the unifier of the castes” and his goal is to unite people so that they cooperate with each other and can face destructive forces.
Shambhala in Buddhism
Shambhala also appears in later texts of Tibetan Buddhism. The oldest is Kalachakra , which means “the cycles of time.” This scripture is a teaching that comes from the Buddha. Legend has it that the Buddha went to India and there he taught the sacred knowledge of the Kalachakra to the first king of Shambhala, Suchandra. Later he went to Shambhala and transmitted it to the entire kingdom, where it was put into practice, resulting in a place of prosperity and peace.
The Kalachakra describes the external, internal and alternative cycles. According to this philosophy, everything that exists, including Shambhala, has three levels. The external cycles are related to the physical and the material; internal cycles with emotions, chakras, bodily processes and internal energy; and the alternate cycles are the spiritual part.
The outer level of Shambhala is the physical place where it is located and where the Kalachakra teachings are preserved. In this case, it can be a geographical space or a parallel plane. The internal level of Shambhala is related to the heart chakra, which is precisely the place from where happiness emanates. The alternate level is associated with spiritual practices and involves a struggle between the spirit and the energies of karma.
Another reference to Shambhala appeared in the Tibetan Bön tradition, which arose during the ancient kingdom of Zhangzhung around the 4th century BC, in the territories of present-day Tibet. This legend says that the Shenrab Buddha came from another dimension, known as the “Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring”, which was associated with Shambhala. After imparting his teachings, they spread across the continent, especially in India and Tibet, and later gave rise to the Vedic religion.
Shambhala in western culture
The existence of Shambhala had been known for centuries in some Asian cultures. However, in the western world nothing was known about this paradise until the 19th century AD. When the Hungarian linguist Sándor Kőrösi Csoma created the first Tibetan dictionary, he translated several ancient Tibetan manuscripts into English, and wrote an article on Kalachakra and Shambhala in 1833.
In 1860, the German explorer Hermann Schlagintweit published his book Buddhism in Tibet , in which this mythical kingdom is also mentioned.
In later years the Vishnu Purana was translated into English . These contributions allowed greater access to the religious literature of India and Tibet, and the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism.
In 1875, the Russian Helena Blavatsky, better known as Madame Blavatsky, created the Theosophical Society, which focused on reviving the ancient wisdom of the world’s religions. Blavatsky helped spread the esoteric meaning of Shambhala as a spiritual paradise and other Hindu and Buddhist concepts.
In the early 20th century, the Russians Nikolai and Helena Roerich made expeditions across India and Tibet to Shambhala, the place they believed to be the cradle of Indian Vedic teachings. Later, other Russians also set out in search of Shambhala. Even the Nazis had an interest in finding this perfect kingdom.
Another modern exponent of knowledge about Shambhala was Chögyam Trungpa (1939-1987), a Tibetan meditation master who had visions of the kingdom and since then dedicated himself to spreading his knowledge so that all people could reach that ideal place and achieve a state fullness.
Shambhala Features
According to legend, Shambhala is a realm where only the pure of heart can live, a place where there is no pain or disease and where there is only love and peace.
The appearance of Shambhala depends on the karma of each being, on their spiritual strength. According to that, each person will see it differently. However, there are some descriptions of the main characteristics of the kingdom of Shambhala, which were immortalized in some thangkas , illustrations of Tibetan Buddhism embroidered on silk tapestries.
The geography of the kingdom of Shambhala is described as a giant lotus flower, with eight petals, which is surrounded by eight snow-capped mountains. Between the petals there are hills and through them flows the river of Shambhala. Above the petals is the capital city of Kapala, made up of numerous palaces built with metals and precious stones, such as gold, silver, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and pearls. The palaces also have mirrors that reflect the rays of light and glass skylights that allow one to observe the sky.
The king of Shambhala is in charge of transmitting the knowledge that Buddha imparted to him. His royal court is made up of various queens, princes and princesses, ministers, generals, soldiers, and elephant trainers. The palace also has the images of the bodhisattvas or people who are on the path to enlightenment, and a large forest of sandalwood trees.
Where is Shambhala located?
In the last centuries, the kingdom of Shambhala was located in different places. Although expeditions were made to the places mentioned in the scriptures and many people set out in search of Shambhala, its exact location has not yet been located. Each of the cultures associates it with a different site. For example, for Hindus, Shambhala is beyond Nepal; for Nepalis, it is in Tibet; for Tibetans, it is in the northern deserts. For others it is beyond Sibera, or even at the North Pole.
In addition, many people claimed to have been to Shambhala or received items from Shambhala, but no one has yet been able to map their location.
One of the theories is based on the geographical descriptions that appear in the Kalachakra. There a journey is described through various regions in a northerly direction until reaching a valley surrounded by mountains, through which a river passes. Because of this, Shambhala has been associated with Mount Kailash, one of the sacred mountains of Hindus and Buddhists, which is part of the Gangdise chain, located in the Himalayas. There is the valley of Srinagar, which is the capital of the Kashmir region, which is located north of India and west of China.
Other versions suggest that Shambhala is located in Dhauladhar or in McLeod Ganj, in Himachal Pradesh, India; or in the region of Makalu Barun, in Nepal.
For this reason, the most accepted version is that Shambhala is located somewhere in the Himalayas, either in a physical place or in a spiritual plane.
Other interesting facts about Shambhala
In modern culture, there are many mentions of Shambhala and fun facts about this spiritual realm. For the most part, its existence is an enigma that has sparked the popular imagination.
Is there Shambhala?
Shambhala is a mysterious place that, over the years, many have said they have visited and others believe they have seen in dreams or visions. However, there is no concrete evidence of its existence, but rather many questions.
Some notable people have made comments that leave open the possibility that Shambhala is real and accessible one day. For example, in the eighteenth century AD. C., the sixth Pachen Lama, Losang Palden Yeshen, second religious authority in the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism said that: «A person who travels the world looking for Shambhala does not find it. But that does not mean that he cannot be found ».
The 14th Dalai Lama, who is the highest authority on Tibetan Buddhism today, commented: “If many of the Kalachakra teachings are supposed to come from Shambhala, how can it be mere fantasy?” On another occasion, in 1985, he also described Shambhala as follows: «[…] it is not a physical place that we can find in reality. I can only say that it is a pure land, a pure land within the human realm. And unless one has merit and the real karmic association, one cannot really get there.”
Shambhala in other realms
Outside of the religious and philosophical sphere, Shambhala also appears in different novels, animes, video games, among others, and served as an inspiration for other similar worlds:
Books :
- Shambhalla, the resplendent (1928), by Nikolai Roerich.
- Lost Horizons (1933) by James Hilton.
- Alonzo Typer’s Diary (1938), by HP Lovecraft.
- Shambhala. The Sacred Path of the Warrior (1984), by Chogyam Trungpa.
- Ami 3: Internal Civilizations (1998), by Enrique Barrios.
- Path to Shambhala, the sacred journey to liberation (1998), by Jeremy Hayward.
- The Secret of Shambhala: The Eleventh Revelation (1999), by James Redfield.
- My strange journey to the world of Shambhala (2013), by Mario Mendoza.
- Shambhala, Oasis of Light (1976), by Andrew Tomas.
Video game:
- Indiana Jones and the Hell Machine (1999)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)
- Lost Horizon (2010)
- Far cry 4 (2014)
Manga and anime:
- Full Metal Alchemist (2001-2010)
Music:
- Concert The Himalayas Suite , by Josu Ortiz Delgado.
- Shambhala (1973), from Three Dog Night. The lyrics of the song say: «[…] Wash away my pain, wash away my shame / With the rain in Shambhala… / Everyone is lucky, everyone is kind / On the way to Shambhala / Everyone is happy, everyone is so kind / In the way to Shambhala… / How does your light shine in the corridors of Shambhala?»
Sources
- Trungpa, C. Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior. (1986). Spain. Editorial Kairos.
- Mipham, S. The Shambhala Principle: Uncovering Humanity’s Hidden Treasure . (2016). Spain. The key.
- Alvarez, J. (2016, October 7). The Soviet-sponsored expedition in search of Shambhala, the mythical Tibetan lost kingdom . The green compass. Available here .
- Berzin, A. (2010). Shambhala: myths and reality . Studybudhism.com. Available here .
- Brahm, L. Shambhala Sutra: Himalayan Trilogy Book III. (2017). USA. Ibis Press.
