The Dalai Lama himself attends to a series of rituals called "Kaalchakra empowerment initation" and the creation of the Kaalchakra mandala is used as a visual textbook for Buddhist practitioners.

 

The Kaalchakra initiation is based on the concepts of time (Kala) and cycles (Chakra) and, before approaching these rituals, the disciple should have acquired knowledge of the three principal aspects of the Mahayana doctrine: Samsara, Bodhichitta and emptiness.

 

First of all it is important to know how to display the Kaalchakra mandala correctly. The mandala must be orientated with the black side facing down. The outer ring is called wisdom circle or protective ring. It is decorated with golden flames and the combination of these colors create rainbow that symbolize the five aspects of the primordial wisdom and the five Dhyani Buddhas. After the space ring these are four inner rings representing the four main elements: air, fire, water and earth.

 

The central part of the mandala has 3 distinct inner layers called body, speech and mind mandalas. The geometric structure is the projection of a majestic place with four gates and five floors.

 

Inside the body Mandala are represented with syllables and symbols a total of 536 deities. Twelve animals are depicted inside the main gates and protecting the outer walls, representing the months of year.

 

The body mandala surrounds the speech mandala that has the same geometry and inside of which are represented 36 offering goddess and 80 yoginis.

 

The most inner part is called the mind mandala that occupy the last three floors of the palace and homes 80 deities. The lotus flower at the center is the symbol of the Buddha mind. There are several design of thangka paintings of the Kaalchakra mandala. In the most complex artworks two deities are depicted in the center of the mandala instead of the lotus flower.