On this page is a selection of epoch data for Tibetan calendars from various traditions. It should be borne in mind that, although the basic algorithms used by these different calendars are mainly the same, there are some small differences between them. No attempt is made here to describe these. Those sets of data that are from the same tradition are capable of being calculated one from another. For example, if you use the software TCG, select the first epoch "Generalised Phugpa", and then choose "Calendar cycle", if you enter "0 3 1687" the program will produce the epoch data given below for the "White Beryl"; if you enter "0 3 1927" it will produce the data for the "Essence of the Kalkī". Note, in that latter case that the western date given by the software is one ahead of the epoch date; this is because the calculated true weekday is one ahead of the mean weekday; epoch data are all mean figures. In order to understand more of how the calculations actually work, see this page.
This list will be added to from time to time as other data become available.
| The main epoch from the original Kālacakra Tantra. These data are directly coded into the software KCK |
| Source: Kālacakra Tantra and its commentary, the Vimalaprabhā |
| Epoch: Monday 23rd March 806. Julian day: 2015531 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;0 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50 + 2;30,0 | |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 5;112 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,2,10 + 26;58,0,0,0 (13) | |
| General day: | Not given, only relevant to Tibetan siddhānta calculations | |
| Mars: | 167 | |
| Jupiter: | 1732 | |
| Saturn: | 5946 | |
| Mercury: | 1674 | |
| Venus: | 2163 | |
| Rāhu: | 122 | |
| Epoch data from Śākya Śrībhadra. He effectively uses three different epoch days; these data are for the primary one. For more details see this page. |
| Source: Śrī-kālacakragaṇ(an)opadeśa (dpal dus kyi 'khor lo'i rtsis kyi man ngag), by Śākya Śrībhadra. |
| | |
| Epoch: Saturday 2 December 1206. Julian day: 2161884 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;0 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50 + 0;2,0 | |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 17;28 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,2,10 + 18;27,47,4,2 (13) | |
| General day: | Not given, only relevant to Tibetan siddhānta calculations | |
| Mars: | 189 | |
| Jupiter: | 797 | |
| Saturn: | 1575 | |
| Mercury: | 7563 | |
| Venus: | 1174 | |
| Rāhu: | 18 | |
| The earliest set of data for the Phugpa tradition available on this page. |
| Source: rtsis kyi man ngag nyin byed snang ba'i rnam 'grel gser gyi shing rta, commentary to rtsis kyi man ngag nyin mor byed pa'i snang ba, by smin gling lo chen dharma śrī |
| | |
| Epoch: Thursday 17th April 1681. Julian day: 2335140 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;1 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,480 + 5;55,9,0,522 (707) | |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 9;85 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,1,17 + 26;57,59,0,42 (67) | |
| General day: | 5,121 | |
| Mars: | 322 | |
| Jupiter: | 772 | |
| Saturn: | 2582 | |
| Mercury: | 3176 | |
| Venus: | 781 | |
| Rāhu: | 135 | |
| Data from the "The Garland of White Beryl", the most famous text on Tibetan calendars and arguably the most important in the Phugpa tradition. |
| Source: phug lugs rtsis kyi legs bshad mkhas pa'i mgul rgyan bai ḍūr dkar po'i do shal dpyod ldan snying nor, by sde srid sangs rgyas rgya mtsho |
| Epoch: Saturday 12th April 1687. Julian day: 2337326 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;15 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,480 + 0;10,57,2,692 (707) | |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 18;33 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,1,17 + 26;29,46,3,27 (67) | |
| General day: | 52,220 | |
| Mars: | 447 | |
| Jupiter: | 2958 | |
| Saturn: | 4768 | |
| Mercury: | 1851 | |
| Venus: | 171 | |
| Rāhu: | 209 | |
| Another text from the Phugpa tradition, the "Essence of the Kalkī". |
| Source: bstan bcos bai ḍūr dkar po dang nyin byed snang ba'i dgongs don gsal bar ston pa rtsis gzhi'i man ngag rigs ldan snying gi thig le, by mkhyen rab nor bu. |
| Epoch: Friday 1st April 1927. Julian day: 2424972. |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;55 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,480 + 6;57,53,2,20 (707) | |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 13;103 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,1,17 + 25;9,10,4,32 (67) | |
| General day: | 2,178 | |
| Mars: | 157 | |
| Jupiter: | 3964 | |
| Saturn: | 6286 | |
| Mercury: | 4639 | |
| Venus: | 301 | |
| Rāhu: | 187 | |
| Another variant on the Phugpa tradition, developed by Yeshe Paljor: the "New Genden Calculations". |
| Source: rtsis kyi bstan bcos kun gsal me long gi bu gzhung zla bsil rtsis sbyor dge ldan rtsis gsar, by sum pa mkhan po ye shes dpal 'byor |
| | |
| Epoch: Sunday 9th April 1747. Julian day: 2359237 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;10 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,45,345 + 1;55,13,3,31,394 (67,707) | Equivalent to: M × 1;31,50,0,480 + 1;55,13,3,333 (707) |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 24;22 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,1,17 + 26;39,51,0,18 |
| General day: | 5,65 | |
| Mars: | 375 | |
| Jupiter: | 3213 | |
| Saturn: | 5147 | |
| Mercury: | 2518 | |
| Venus: | 1329 | |
| Rāhu: | 32 | |
| Another variant on the Phugpa tradition, developed by Lozang Chokyi Nyima. Note the different way of describing the data for the planets. "d" represents the general day count. |
| Source: rtsis kyi bstan bcos mkhas pa'i snying nor, by thu'u bkwan blo bzang chos kyi nyi ma. |
| Epoch: Thursday 7th April 1796. Julian day: 2377133 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;16 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,480 + 5;24,44,1,565 (707) | |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 8;52 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,1,17 + 26;27,45,4,2 (67) | |
| General day: | 37,433 | |
| Mars: | d × 0;2,21,2,208 + 16;2,5,4,134 (229) | Equivalent to 408 |
| Jupiter: | d × 0;0,22,2,226 + 23;33,34,2,154 (361) | Equivalent to 3780 |
| Saturn: | d × 0;0,9,0,918 + 3;48,25,0,4710 (5383) | Equivalent to 1518 |
| Mercury: | d × 0;18,24,5,4687 + 19;20,43,1,3977 (8797) | Equivalent to 6303 |
| Venus: | d × 0;7,12,3,345 + 6;16,20,3,33 (749) | Equivalent to 522 |
| Rāhu: | 178 | |
| The first of the three main sources for the Tsurphu tradition, the "Excellent Flask of Essentials". |
| Source: gtsug lag rtsis rigs tshang ma'i lag len 'khrul med mun sel nyi ma nyer mkho'i 'dod pa 'jo ba'i bum bzang, by si tu dbon karma nges legs bstan 'dzin. |
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| Epoch: Wednesday 26th March 1732. Julian day: 2353745 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;59 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,8,584 + 4;14,6,2,2,666 (13,707) | Equivalent to: M × 1;31,50,0,480 + 4;14,6,2,160 (707) |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 14;99 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,1,3,20 − 1;29,17,5,6,1 (13,67) | Equivalent to: M × 2;10,58,1,17 + 25;30,42,0,36 (67) |
| General day: | 11,695 | |
| Mars: | 377 | |
| Jupiter: | 2050 | |
| Saturn: | 10414 | |
| Mercury: | 7406 | |
| Venus: | 321 | |
| Rāhu: | 75 | |
| The second of the three main sources for the Tsurphu tradition, by the 14th Karmapa. |
| Source: gtsug lag rtsis kyi lag len gsal bar byed pa legs bshad nor bu'i phreng ba blo gsal mgrin rgyan, by karma pa theg mchog rdo rje. |
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| Epoch: Tuesday 30th March 1824. Julian day: 2387351 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;57 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,8,584 + 3;2,35,0,10,678 (13,707) | Equivalent to: M × 1;31,50,0,480 + 3;2,35,0,596 (707) |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 3;103 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,1,3,20 + 25,34,43,5,3,46 (13,67) | Equivalent to: M × 2;10,58,1,17 + 25,34,43,5,19 (67) |
| General day: | 24,192 | |
| Mars: | 320 | |
| Jupiter: | 1000 | |
| Saturn: | 956 | |
| Mercury: | -1245 | Equivalent to +7552 |
| Venus: | -669 | Equivalent to +1578 |
| Rāhu: | 63 | |
| The later of the three main sources for the Tsurphu tradition, the "Compendium of Practical Astronomy" by Jamgon Kongtrul. |
| Source: rtsis kyi bstan bcos nyer mkho bum bzang las skar rtsis kyi lag len 'jug bder bsdebs pa legs bshad kun 'dus, by 'jam mgon kong sprul |
| Epoch: Monday 19th April 1852. Julian day: 2397598 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;14 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,8,584 + 2;9,24,2,5,417 (13,707) | Equivalent to: M × 1;31,50,0,480 + 2;9,24,2,304 (707) |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 0;72 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,1,3,20 + 0;1,22,2,4,18 (13,67) | Equivalent to: M × 2;10,58,1,17 + 0;1,22,2,22 (67) |
| General day: | 15,704 | |
| Mars: | 262 | |
| Jupiter: | 2583 | |
| Saturn: | 437 | |
| Mercury: | 3003 | |
| Venus: | 686 | |
| Rāhu: | 180 | |
| "Combined siddhānta and karaṇa" (byed grub zung 'grel): also given by Kongtrul in his "Compendium of Practical Astronomy". The planetary data are the same as with his general Tsurphu system, above. |
| Source: rtsis kyi bstan bcos nyer mkho bum bzang las skar rtsis kyi lag len 'jug bder bsdebs pa legs bshad kun 'dus, by 'jam mgon kong sprul |
| Epoch: Monday 19th April 1852. Julian day: 2397598 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 – 0;51 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,30 + 2;9,46,1,10 (44) |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 – 27;54 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,2,20 + 0;16,51,3,18 (38) |
| The semi-reformed Tibetan calendar as prepared by the late Kojo Tsewang Namgyal (go 'jo tshe dbang rnam rgyal). This calendar is currently published by Sherab Ling monastery, the Indian seat of Tai Situ Rinpoche. |
| Source: oral and email communications |
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| Epoch: Sunday 29th March 1987. Julian day: 2446884 |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;38 (1,65) | |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,0,480 + 1;42,47,3,465 (707) | |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 19;111 (28,126) | |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,2,564,5546 + 25;41,58,2,25,6655 (707,6811) | |
| General day: | 18,250 | |
| Mars: | 94 | |
| Jupiter: | 4105 | |
| Saturn: | 6867 | |
| Mercury: | 6104 | |
| Venus: | 1561 | |
| Rāhu: | 8 | |
| Main data for the Bhutanese calendar. |
| Source: rtsis gzhung gdan dus thun mong gi nges pa gsar du bkod pa dang bcas pa'i lag len lhan thabs gsal ba'i sgron me, by lha dbang blo gros |
| | |
| Epoch: Monday 22nd April 1754. Julian day: 2361807 |
| |
| True month: | m × 1;2 + 0;2 (1,65) |
| Mean weekday: | M × 1;31,50,80 + 2;4,24,552 (707) |
| Anomaly: | M × 2;1 + 3;30 (28,126) |
| Mean Sun: | M × 2;10,58,14 + 0;24,10,50 (67) |
| General day: | 59,207 |
| Mars: | 197 |
| Jupiter: | 1448 |
| Saturn: | 7710 |
| Mercury: | 447 – there are some doubts about the interpretation of this figure |
| Venus: | 65 |
| Rāhu: | 118 |
Last updated 7 September 2013.
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