The visit of Padma-Sambhava was followed by a period of religious activity which culminated in the ninth century under King Ralpachan, but it does not appear that the numerous translations from Indian works made in this reign did more than supplement and amplify the doctrine already preached.  But when after a lengthy eclipse Buddhism was reinstated in the eleventh century under the auspices of Atisa and other foreign teachers we hear of something new, called the Kalacakra[1020] system also known as the Vajrayana.  Pending the publication of the Kalacakra Tantra,[1021] it is not easy to make definite statements about this school which presumably marks the extreme point of development or degeneration in Buddhism, but a persistent tradition connects it with a country called Sambhala or Zhambhala, translated in Tibetan as bDe-hbyun or source of happiness.  This country is seen only through a haze of myth:  it may have been in India or it may have been somewhere in Central Asia, where Buddhism mingled with Turkish ideas.[1022] Its kings were called Kulika and the Tibetan calendar introduced by Atisa is said to have come from it.  This fact and the meaning of the word Kalacakra (wheel of time) suggest that the system has some connection with the Turkish cycle of twelve animals used for expressing dates.[1023] A legend[1024] states that Sakyamuni promulgated the Kalacakra system in Orissa (Dhanyakataka) and that Sucandra, king of Sambhala, having miraculously received this teaching wrote the Kalacakra Tantra in a prophetic spirit, although it was not published until 965 A.D.  This is really the approximate date of its compilation and I can only add the following disjointed data.[1025]

Tibetan authorities state that it was introduced into Nalanda by a Pandit called Tsilu or Chilu and accepted by Narotapa who was then head of the University.  From Nalanda it spread to Tibet.  Manjusrikirti, king of Sambhala, is said to have been an exponent of it and to have begun his reign 674 years after the death of the Buddha.  But since he is also the second incarnation of the Panchen Lama and since the fourth (Abhayakara) lived about 1075, he may really have been a historical character in the latter part of the tenth century.  Its promulgation is also ascribed to a personage called Siddha Pito.  It must be late for it is said to mention Islam and Mohammed.  It is perhaps connected with anti-mohammedan movements which looked to Kalki, the future incarnation of Vishnu, as their Messiah, for Hindu tradition says that Kalki will be born in Sambhalagrama.[1026] We hear also of a Siddha called Telopa or Tailopa, who was a vigorous opponent of Islam.  The mythology of the school is Vishnuite, not Sivaitic, and it is noticeable that the Pancaratra system which had some connection with Kashmir lays stress on the wheel or discus (cakra or sudarsana) of Vishnu which is said to be the support of the Universe and the manifestation of Creative will.  The Kalacakra is mentioned as a special form of this cosmic wheel having six spokes.[1027]