Universal monarch

A universal monarch (Skt. cakravartin or cakravartirāja; Tib. འཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་, Wyl. 'khor los bsgyur ba'i rgyal po) is someone who has the power to overcome, conquer and rule all inhabitants of a four-continent world system. In the Buddhist teachings this is considered an example of the most powerful rebirth possible within samsara. Rebirth as a universal monarch can occur only when the lifespan of the human beings of the four continent world system ranges from eighty thousand to a countless number of years. Universal monarchs are in possession of three sets of seven emblems:

1. the seven precious emblems of royalty,
2. the seven secondary possessions, and
3. the seven types of jewel insignia.

Further Reading

• Jamgön Kongtrul, Myriad Worlds (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1995), pages 134-138.
• Robert Beer, The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols (Boston: Shambhala, 2003), pages 36-48.