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'''Kalpa''' (Skt.; Tib. [[བསྐལ་པ་]], [[Wyl.]]'' bskal pa'') — an aeon, a vast period of time related to the different phases of a great universe (or [[trichiliocosm]]), according to [[Abhidharma]] literature. There are many different types of kalpas corresponding to different lengths of time such as [[great kalpa]]s, [[intermediary kalpa]]s, [[small kalpa]]s, [[incalculable kalpa]]s, [[bright kalpa]]s, [[dark kalpa]]s, [[kalpa of formation]], [[kalpa of duration]], etc. | '''Kalpa''' (Skt.; Tib. [[བསྐལ་པ་]], [[Wyl.]]'' bskal pa'') — an aeon, a vast period of time related to the different phases of a great universe (or [[trichiliocosm]]), according to [[Abhidharma]] literature. There are many different types of kalpas corresponding to different lengths of time such as [[great kalpa]]s, [[intermediary kalpa]]s, [[small kalpa]]s, [[incalculable kalpa]]s, [[bright kalpa]]s, [[dark kalpa]]s, [[kalpa of formation]], [[kalpa of duration]], etc. | ||
According to the Glossary of Terms in 84000 a kalpa, or aeon, is a cosmic period of time, sometimes equivalent to the time when a world system appears, exists, and disappears. According to the traditional Abhidharma understanding of cyclical time, a great aeon (''mahākalpa'') is divided into eighty lesser aeons. In the course of one great aeon, the universe takes form and later disappears. During the first twenty of the lesser aeons, the universe is in the process of creation and expansion; during the next twenty it remains; during the third twenty, it is in the process of destruction; and during the last quarter of the cycle, it remains in a state of empty stasis. A fortunate, or good, aeon (bhadrakalpa) refers to any aeon in which more than one buddha appears.<ref>84000 Translating the Words of the Buddha.</ref> | |||
==Note== | |||
*Aeon is the English spelling, and eon is the American spelling. | |||
==Further Reading== | ==Further Reading== | ||
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*[[Patrul Rinpoche]], ''[[The Words of My Perfect Teacher]]'' (Boston: Shambhala, Revised edition, 1998), pages 25-26. | *[[Patrul Rinpoche]], ''[[The Words of My Perfect Teacher]]'' (Boston: Shambhala, Revised edition, 1998), pages 25-26. | ||
*[[Khenpo Ngawang Palzang]], ''[[A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher]]'', Shambhala, 2004, pages 55-57. | *[[Khenpo Ngawang Palzang]], ''[[A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher]]'', Shambhala, 2004, pages 55-57. | ||
==References== | |||
<small><references/></small> | |||
[[Category:Key Terms]] | [[Category:Key Terms]] | ||
Latest revision as of 14:00, 9 April 2025
Kalpa (Skt.; Tib. བསྐལ་པ་, Wyl. bskal pa) — an aeon, a vast period of time related to the different phases of a great universe (or trichiliocosm), according to Abhidharma literature. There are many different types of kalpas corresponding to different lengths of time such as great kalpas, intermediary kalpas, small kalpas, incalculable kalpas, bright kalpas, dark kalpas, kalpa of formation, kalpa of duration, etc.
According to the Glossary of Terms in 84000 a kalpa, or aeon, is a cosmic period of time, sometimes equivalent to the time when a world system appears, exists, and disappears. According to the traditional Abhidharma understanding of cyclical time, a great aeon (mahākalpa) is divided into eighty lesser aeons. In the course of one great aeon, the universe takes form and later disappears. During the first twenty of the lesser aeons, the universe is in the process of creation and expansion; during the next twenty it remains; during the third twenty, it is in the process of destruction; and during the last quarter of the cycle, it remains in a state of empty stasis. A fortunate, or good, aeon (bhadrakalpa) refers to any aeon in which more than one buddha appears.[1]
Note
- Aeon is the English spelling, and eon is the American spelling.
Further Reading
- Kangyur Rinpoche, Treasury of Precious Qualities (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2001), 'Appendix I'.
- Patrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher (Boston: Shambhala, Revised edition, 1998), pages 25-26.
- Khenpo Ngawang Palzang, A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher, Shambhala, 2004, pages 55-57.
References
- ↑ 84000 Translating the Words of the Buddha.