Dark kalpa

A dark kalpa (Tib. བསྐལ་པ་ངན་པ, Wyl. bskal pa ngan pa) is a kalpa during which no perfect Buddha appears to teach sentient beings. A kalpa during which a buddha does appear is called a 'bright kalpa'.

Alternative Translations

• An evil aeon (Rangjung Yeshe)
• A dark age (Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche)

Further Reading

• Patrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher (Boston: Shambhala, Revised edition, 1998), pages 25-26.