In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

There are Thirty-two Kings of Shambhala mentioned by Khedrup Norsang Gyatso in his Ornament of Stainless Light—an authoritative Tibetan exposition of the Kalachakra Tantra—composed in the fifteenth century.—The chronology starts at 961 B.C.E (The birth of Buddha); 933 B.C.E (Buddha leaves the palace); 927 B.C.E. (Buddha’s enlightenment); 881 B.C.E. (Kālacakra tantra taught. Mañjuśrī Yaśas prophesied to appear in 600 years); 881 B.C.E (Buddha passes away).

The following kings are mentioned:

1. 877 B.C.E—Shambhala king Sucandra, manifestation of Vajrapāṇi;
2. 877 B.C.E—Shambhala king Sureśvara, manifestation of Kṣitigarbha;
3. 777 B.C.E—Shambhala king Tejī, manifestation of Yamāntaka;
4. 677 B.C.E—Shambhala king Somadatta, manifestation of Sarvanivaraṇaviṣkambhī;
5. 577 B.C.E—Shambhala king Sureśvara, manifestation of Jambhaka;
6. 477 B.C.E—Shambhala king Viśvamūrti, manifestation of Mānaka;
7. 377 B.C.E—Shambhala king Sureśāna, manifestation of Khagarbha;
8. 277 B.C.E—First Kalkī, Mañjuśrī Yaśas, initiates the Ṛṣi and compiles the Condensed Tantra.;
9. 177 B.C.E—Second Kalkī, Puṇḍarīka;
10. 77 B.C.E—Third Kalkī, Bhadra;
11. 24 C.E—Fourth Kalkī, Vijaya;
12. 124 C.E—Fifth Kalkī, Sumitrabhadra;
13. 224 C.E—Sixth Kalkī, Ratnapāṇi;
14. 324 C.E—Seventh Kalkī, Viṣṇugupta;
15. 424 C.E—Eighth Kalkī, Sūryakīrti;
16. 524 C.E—Ninth Kalkī, Subhadra;
17. 624 C.E—Tenth Kalkī, Samudra vijaya.;
18. 806 C.E—Eleventh Kalkī, Aja.;
19. 1027 C.E—Twelfth Kalkī, Sūrya.;
20. 1127 C.E—Thirteenth Kalkī, Viśvarūpa;
21. 1227 C.E—Fourteenth Kalkī, Śhaśiprabha;
22. 1327 C.E—Fifteenth Kalkī, Ananta;
23. 1427 C.E—Sixteenth Kalkī, Mahīpalā;
24. 1527 C.E—Seventeenth Kalkī, Śrīpala;
25. 1627 C.E—Eighteenth Kalkī, Hari;
26. 1727 C.E—Nineteenth Kalkī, Vikrama;
27. 1827 C.E—Twentieth Kalkī, Mahābala;
28. 1927 C.E—Twenty-first Kalkī, Aniruddha;
29. 2027 C.E—Twenty-second Kalkī, Narasiṃha;
30. 2127 C.E—Twenty-third Kalkī, Maheśvara;
31. 2227 C.E—Twenty-fourth Kalkī, Anantavijaya;
32. 2327 C.E—Twenty-fifth Kalkī, Rudracakri;

Source: Google Books: Ornament of Stainless Light: An Exposition of the Kalachakra Tantra

The Thirty-two Kings of Shambhala reside in a mythical kingdom according to the Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist tradition.—The first notable king, King Suchandra, is reported to have requested teaching from the Buddha that would allow him to practice the dharma without renouncing his worldly enjoyments and responsibilities. In response to this request, it is said the Buddha gave him the first Kalachakra root tantra. By practicing the Kalachakra, the whole of Shambhala eventually became an enlightened society. King Suchandra was followed by an additional six Dharmarajas (Tibetan: chos rgyal); his eighth successor, Manjushrikirti, was the first of the 25 Kalki Kings (Tibetan: rigs ldan).

Source: WikiPedia: Tibetan Buddhism

The Thirty-two kings of Shambhala refers to a combination of “Seven Dharma Rulers” and “Twenty-five lineage holders (Kulikas)”.—The Tibetan mythic land, the kingdom of Shambhala is—according to the Tibetan written texts and oral recounting—a parallel world, invisible and inaccessible to common people. [...] Traditionally, the Tibetan myth of Shambhala is closely related to the teaching about the Wheel of Time (dus 'khor) and the relevant Tantric text (Kalachakra Tantra), which originated in northern India in the 10th or 11th century.

Lokesh Chandra states that the following seven Dharmarajas and twenty-five Kulikas are Shambhala rulers.

1. Chogyal Dawazang (Wylie: chos rgyal zla ba bzang), (Sanskrit: Dharmaraja Suchandra),
2. Chogyal Lhaiwang (Wylie: chos rgyal lha yi dbang), (Sanskrit: Dharmaraja Devendra, Sureshvara),
3. Chogyal Zijicen (Wylie: chos rgyal gzi brdzhid can), (Sanskrit: Dharmaraja Tejasvin),
4. Chogyal Dawechin (Wylie: chos rgyal zla bas byin), (Sanskrit: Dharmaraja Chandradatta or Somadatta),
5. Chogyal Lhaiwangchug (Wylie: chos rgyal lha’i dbang phyug), (Sanskrit: Dharmaraja Deveshvara or Sureshvara),
6. Chogyal Natshogzug (Wylie: chos rgyal sna tshogs gzugs), (Sanskrit: Dharmaraja Chitrarupa or Vishvamurti),
7. Chogyal Lhaiwangden (Wylie: chos rgyal lha’i dbang ldan), (Sanskrit: Dharmaraja Devesha (Sureshana),
8. Rigden Jampal Dragpa (Wylie: rigs ldan ‘jam dpal grags pa, or ‘jam dbyangs grags), (Sanskrit: Kulika Manjushrikirti or Manju Yashas),
9. Rigden Pemakar (Wylie: rigs ldan padma dkar), (Sanskrit: Kulika Pundarika),
10. Rigden Zangpo (Wylie: rigs ldan bzang po), (Sanskrit: Kulika Bhadra),
11. Rigden Namgyal (Wylie: rigs ldan rnam rgyal), (Sanskrit: Kulika Vijaya),
12. Rigden Shenyenzang (Wylie: rigs ldan bshes gnyen bzang), (Sanskrit: Kulika Mitrabhadra or Sumitra),
13. Rigden Rinchenchag (Wylie: rigs ldan rin chen phyag), (Sanskrit: Kulika Ratnapani/ Raktapani),
14. Rigden Khyabjugbelwa (Wylie: rigs ldan khyab ‘jug sbal ba), (Sanskrit: Kulika Vishnugupta),
15. Rigden Nyimadrag (Wylie: rigs ldan nyi ma grags), (Sanskrit: Kulika Suryakirti or Arkakirti),
16. Rigden Shintuzangpo (Wylie: rigs ldan shin tu bzang po), (Sanskrit: Kulika Subhadra),
17. Rigden Gyatsho Namgyal (Wylie: rigs ldan rgya mtsho rnam rgyal), (Sanskrit: Kulika Samuda Vijaya),
18. Rigden Gyalka (Wylie: rgyal dka’), (Sanskrit: Kulika Durjaya, Aja),
19. Rigden Wonang Nyima (Wylie: rigs ldan ‘od snang nyi ma), (Sanskrit: Kulika Surya),
20. Rigden Dawa’i Wo (Wylie: rigs ldan zla ba’i ‘od), (Sanskrit: Kulika Chandraprabha or Shashi),
21. Rigden Natshogzug (Wylie: rigs ldan sna tshogs gzugs), (Sanskrit: Kulika Chitrarupa or Vishvarupa),
22. Rigden Sakyong (Wylie: rigs ldan sa skyong), (Sanskrit: Kulika Parthiva or Mahipala),
23. Rigden Thayenyen (Wylie: rigs ldan mtha’ yas gnyen), (Sanskrit: Kulika Ananta),
24. Rigden Sengge (Wylie: rigs ldan seng ge), (Sanskrit: Kulika Singha/ Simha or Harivikrama),
25. Rigden Pelkyong (Wylie: rigs ldan dpal skyong), (Sanskrit: Kulika Shripala),
26. Rigden Namparnon (Wylie: rigs ldan rnam par gnon), (Sanskrit: Vikranta),
27. Rigden Tobpoche (Wylie: rigs ldan stobs po che), (Sanskrit: Kulika Mahabala),
28. Rigden Magagpa (Wylie: rigs ldan ma ‘gags pa), (Sanskrit: Kulika Aniruddha),
29. Rigden Misengge (Wylie: rigs ldan mi’i seng ge), (Sanskrit: Kulika Narasimha),
30. Rigden Wangchug (Wylie: rigs ldan dbang phyug), (Sanskrit: Kulika Mahabala),
31. Rigden Thaye Namgyal (Wylie: rigs ldan mtha’ yas rnam rgyal), (Sanskrit: Kulika Anantajaya),
32. Rigden Dragpo Khorlochen (Wylie: rigs ldan drag po ‘khor lo chan), (Sanskrit: Kulika Rudra Chakrin),

Source: MUNI Arts: Kalachakra and the twenty-five Kulika kings of Shambhala

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches (+0): King, Sambhala.

Full-text (+270): Thina, Citrarupa, Arkakirti, Suryapada, Durjaya, Surya, Samudravijaya, Anantavijaya, Suryakirti, Parthiva, Sumitra, Aja, Vishnugupta, Natshog zug, sna tshogs gzugs, Raktapani, Narasimha, Vishvarupa, Shashiprabha, Pundarika.

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