The Kālacakratantra emerged in the early 11th century in Northern India and soon entered Tibet through multiple transmission lineages and translations. There, its teaching and practice flourished, leading to various and often conflicting philosophical interpretations. In particular, the Jonangpas, who became a distinct school during the 14th century, explain Kālacakra literature as supporting its doctrine of a buddha nature that is ever-present and empty of other, that is, empty of adventitious stains but not of its intrinsic essence. Moreover, the Jonangpas hold the completion stage practice of Kālacakra, that of the six yogas, as the chief means to actualize their view. As the six yogas give rise to elaborate visionary experiences, even the instruction manuals composed by Jonang scholars to guide the practitioner are not merely prescriptive but often provide philosophical digressions about the nature of such experiences, which eventually lead to the direct realization of emptiness.

Khentrul Rinpoche Jamphel Lodrö is a Tibetan Buddhist Master of the Jonang tradition. Born in the Golok region of Eastern Tibet, he was trained in the Nyingma, Gelug, and Jonang schools. Since he found his main guru in Jonang Losang Thrinle, Khentrul Rinpoche has come to identify himself most closely with the Jonang tradition and its Kālacakra lineage. He left Eastern Tibet in 2000 and finally settled in Australia, where he later established the Rimé Buddhist Institute, in 2003. Since then, Khentrul Rinpoche has devoted his efforts to traveling and teaching Buddhism and the practice of Kālacakra. He has authored several books including “Demystifying Shambhala,” in which he details the history of the Jonang tradition. In 2016, Khentrul Rinpoche was a Visiting Professor for three months at the Department of South Asian, Tibetan, and Buddhist Studies of the University of Vienna.