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Seven Dharmarajas, Seven Shambala rulers, Seven Dharma Kings: 3 definitions

Introduction:

Seven Dharmarajas means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

[«𱹾dzܲ Ա»] � Seven Dharmarajas in Tibetan Buddhism glossary
: Google Books: The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems

The Seven Dharma kings (in Tibetan: chos rgyal bdun) are defined in the Kālacakra traditions as follows:

  1. Sucandra (d. 877 B.C.E ),
  2. Sureśvara (r. 877�777 B.C.E ),
  3. Tejin (r. 777�677 B.C.E ),
  4. Somadatta (r. 677�577 B.C.E ),
  5. Sureśvara (r. 577�477 B.C.E ),
  6. Viśvamūrti (r. 477�377 B.C.E ), and
  7. Sureśāna (r. 377�277 B.C.E ).
: MUNI Arts: Kalachakra and the twenty-five Kulika kings of Shambhala

The Seven Dharmarajas (in Tibetan: chos rgyal) refers to the first of the �Thirty-two kings of Shambhala�.—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 notes the following seven Dharmarajas.

  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),
: WikiPedia: Tibetan Buddhism

The Seven Dharmarajas (Tib. Chögyal, Wylie chos rgyal) form part of the thirty-two Kings of Shambhala.—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—thus forming the �seven dharmarajas�.

They are:

  1. Suchandra, or Chandrabhadra (Tibetan: Dawa Sangpo) (c. 900 to 876 BC),
  2. Devendra (Tibetan: Lhayi Wang) (876-776 BC),
  3. Tejasvin or Taji (Tibetan: Ziji Chän) (776-676 BC),
  4. Somadatta or Chandradatta (Tibetan: Dawä Jin) (676-576),
  5. Deveshvara or Sureśvara (Tibetan: Lhaji Wangchug) (576-476),
  6. Chitrarupa or Viśvamūrti (Tibetan: Natshog Zug) (476-376),
  7. Devesha or Sureśana (Tibetan: Lhayi Wangdän) (376-276),
Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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 (Բ) are collected indepently.

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