Items related to The Epic of Gesar of Ling: Gesar's Magical Birth,...
The first and only English translation of the centuries-old Tibetan spiritual allegory of King Gesar, a tale on a par with The Arabian Nights or the King Arthur stories.
For hundreds of years, versions of the Gesar of Ling epic have been sung by bards in Tibet, China, Central Asia, and across the eastern Silk Route. King Gesar, renowned throughout these areas, represents the ideal warrior. As a leader with his people's loyalty and trust, he conquers all their enemies and protects the peace.
The example of King Gesar is also understood as a spiritual teaching. The "enemies" in the stories represent the emotional and psychological challenges that turn people toward greed, aggression, and envy and away from the true teachings of Buddhism.
The epic of Gesar is the longest single piece of literature in the world canon, encompassing some 120 volumes; here the first three volumes are translated, telling of Gesar's birth, his mischievous childhood and his youth spent in exile, and his rivalry for the throne with his treacherous uncle.
For hundreds of years, versions of the Gesar of Ling epic have been sung by bards in Tibet, China, Central Asia, and across the eastern Silk Route. King Gesar, renowned throughout these areas, represents the ideal warrior. As a leader with his people's loyalty and trust, he conquers all their enemies and protects the peace.
The example of King Gesar is also understood as a spiritual teaching. The "enemies" in the stories represent the emotional and psychological challenges that turn people toward greed, aggression, and envy and away from the true teachings of Buddhism.
The epic of Gesar is the longest single piece of literature in the world canon, encompassing some 120 volumes; here the first three volumes are translated, telling of Gesar's birth, his mischievous childhood and his youth spent in exile, and his rivalry for the throne with his treacherous uncle.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
CHAPTER ONE
In this time of the five degeneracies of the dark age,9 it is difficult to liberate savage sentient beings from evil karma through the sūtrayāna, the causal vehicle of characteristics, alone. It is even difficult to ripen them through tantra, the fruition vehicle of the secret mantra.10
For their minds are dry as a piece of rock; If you do not carve its hard surface with a chisel, Even if you soak it in a stream, it will not give way. Even if you work it with butter and oil, it will not become flexible. They are too stiff to be bent by the teachings on this life and the next. They will not submit to the restraint of the monastic law.
* Avalokiteśvara.
† One of the epithets of Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava.
‡ The five buddha families.
§ One of the epithets of Gesar.
Formerly, during the lives of the three ancestral dharma kings, when the land of Tibet passed from Bön to Buddhism, in order to naturally pacify11 the envy of the vicious gods and demons of Tibet, Padma Tötreng [Lotus Skull Garland] the Mantra Holder bound them by oath. If he had managed to make them swear their oaths of fealty to the buddhadharma three times, then the dharma kings would have been long-lived and their subjects would have enjoyed bliss and happiness. However, powerful demon ministers took control over the subjects and, faced with this opposition, Padma was able to tame and bind the spirits of Tibet only twice, not thrice. This caused war in the four directions and the auspicious coincidence of the glorious gateway, the perfect astrological conjunction,12 was missed. The foreign borderland demons wandered into central Tibet and the dharma kings fell down to the level of commoners.
The whole world in general and in particular the land of Tibet, indeed all lands, changed and became oppressed by suffering. The compassionate mind of the Noble Excellent Great Compassionate One could not bear this, and so he supplicated Amitābha, Lord of Sukhāvatī.13
[Avalokiteśvara supplicates Amitābha to intercede in Tibet.]14
OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ ḤRĪḤ I bow to the refuge, chief of the vast pure realm, Amitābha,15 Lord of Sukhāvatī, in the west. Although compassion is truly unbiased, Look down on this impure place of saṃsāra.
In the ocean of saṃsāra’s suffering, You know how to kill the sea monster of sin. How terrifying are the waves of the five poisons! Minds blinded by obscurations Circle endlessly in saṃsāra, how pitiful! Please compassionately reveal supreme skillful means.16
With these words he reverently supplicated. The blessed one Amitābha answered with these words:
Good, good, O son of noble family; For sentient beings confused by ignorance, If they are not fortunate disciples, it is difficult to guide them.
Thus, if beings in the age of the five degeneracies Have no iron ring of faith,17 Even the teacher who guides beings out of the three worlds Has no way of catching them with the iron hook of
compassion.
But in the divine buddha field of the thirty-three18 The father, the great god, Ödden Kar [White Luminosity] And the supreme mother Mandā Lhadzei [Celestial Flower
Divine Beauty] Have a son, Demchog Karpo Ngangyag [White Supreme
Bliss Good Nature]. He and Gyuma Lhadzei [Illusory Divine Beauty] Will unite as E and vam19 and give miraculous birth Through their light rays of unfabricated compassion20 To the child Döndrub [Accomplisher of Benefit], an
emanation of their blessings.21 He is Joyful to Hear and delightful to see. If he were to transfer into a human body in Jambudvīpa, That heroic bodhisattva would tame untamable disciples. Sentient beings in the land of Tibet would experience bliss
and happiness. There is no doubt they would be liberated from birth in the
lower realms. Therefore, you must go to the continent of Cāmara. Supplicate and repeat these words to Padma Tötreng. Strive for the benefit of beings, supreme warrior of the mind. Remember this, E ma ho! *
He graced and honored Avalokiteśvara with these words of prophecy and confirmation.
[Avalokiteśvara visits Padmasambhava to request that he cause the emanation of Gesar.]
* E ma ho! is a Tibetan exclamation of wonder and jubilation.
Then, in a single instant, Avalokiteśvara, the greatly compassionate Lord of Skillful Means, went to Padma Ödkyi Zhalyei Dechen Lhundrub kyi Potrang [Celestial Palace of Lotus Light—Spontaneously Present Exaltation] on the subcontinent of Cāmara. There he found a magnificently terrifying city of rākṣasas, a place so terrifying that it frightens even the death gods and makes the Lord of Life himself, Brahmā, withdraw. A land so terrifying that even the vināyakas shun it, not to mention ordinary men, who cannot even bear the sight of it.
In this place, in order to effect measureless benefit for beings, Avalokiteśvara manifested as a demon cub, wearing a crown made from mother of pearl, enveloped in a halo of glimmering white light. Arriving at the eastern gate of Jampei Künkyab Lingchen [Great Garden of All-Pervading Mercy],22 there a demon minister rākṣasa with seven heads saw the child and said:
What a wonder! What a sight I am seeing this morning!
I would say you are a god, but you look like a demon rākṣasa cub.
I would say you are a demon, but for your aura of light.
Within the walls of Padma Barwei Rawa [Garden of
Blazing Lotuses],
We sentient beings, confused by ignorance,
Have never seen and would be lucky even to hear of
The coming of such an unfamiliar child.
What is the great aim, the great matter that caused you to
journey here alone like this?
Then he sang this song of interrogation:
Lu Ala,23 the song begins. Thala is the melody of the song. These are the demon lands of Cāmara, The country of the impure rākṣasas and demons And the pure land of the vidyādharas and ḍākinīs.
This morning, young child, you suddenly arrived here. Where do you come from, what kind of place? What aim could you have that is of such great import?
If you do not have in mind great matters, Then there is no great reason [don] for coming so far.
If you haven’t been possessed by an evil spirit [gdon], Why would you drown yourself in a river? Only a very serious court case Could put a wealthy man in jail.24
In Cāmara’s Blood Lake of Sin25 The bite of the jaws of the cannibal demons is hotter than fire. The reach of the arms of the cannibal demonesses is longer
than a river. The tramens on the hunt race around faster than the wind.
What’s your reason for coming here? Who are your father and mother, their race and religion? Don’t you keep any secrets, tell me straight out.
Honest speech brings success to the monastery. Straight arrows strike the target yonder. If your path is straight, the road between central Tibet and China is
not long.26 One sign is enough for a superior man to understand. If not, it is like whipping an old ox.
If that’s what you need, then look to your precious life. If you understand, I have explained my words. If not, I’m not going to sing them again.
Thus he sang and the boy cub answered, “Oh yes, sir, I understand.27
If the secret pith of the proverb does not emerge, Even though the meaning is profound the secret words will be mute. If you can’t have the results in your hands, All those words are just bubbles of spit. If earth and water do not burgeon in early spring Then the southern turquoise dragon is just a silent venomous snake.28 In the sky Mount Meru is circled by the sun and the moon. If they do not benefit the plains of the four continents Then Meru is neither of benefit nor harm. The sun and the moon would just spin like the heads of brainless dupes
And the people of the four continents would have no appreciation for the virtues of the sun and the moon.29
My cause, on the other hand, is great.30
The continents of black earth come to an edge31 But no one can find the measure of the white clouds above. If my cause is great, I’ll go to China and back in one day32 And I’ll repeat my words again and again.
Of course, I have many stories I could tell, but only to the leader, majestic Padma Tötreng. Take me up the staircase to the imperial assembly hall of the Great Minister. There is no reason to casually explain this great cause to a public gathering. Just as the proverb says:
If you throw the six grains in a meadow, there will be no sprouts. If you plant seeds in a plowed field, then you get results.
So the tale I must tell is like this,” and he sang this song:
OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ HRĪḤ
I supplicate the transcendent dharma.33 May I hold to the natural state of ultimate emptiness.
In case you do not recognize the likes of me, I am the beloved child Künphen Nyinje [All-Benefiting Compassion]. My father is Jangsem Künkyab Gön [Compassionate
Sovereign Lord]. My mother is Tongnyid Chödrön [Emptiness Dharma Torch]. This morning I came from the Plain of Great Bliss. The goal I seek is the benefit of self and other;34 My destination is the isle of Cāmara; My request is to master Skull Garland. Thus, as the ancient proverb says:
Though merchandise from China is essential to central Tibet, It is not that the farmers of central Tibet are lacking in wealth,
It is that this sustains the mental link between China and Tibet. Though empowerments and teachings are essential between master
and disciple, Passing them down does not mean the teachings are not precious, It is that this sustains the samaya link between aspiration and path. Though the great minister is essential to the district and its chief, It is not that without the minister the system is unable to function, It is that this is the way the status of both the government and
monasteries is displayed.
The real meaning of my words I offer to you. Please intercede on behalf of my humble self. When you make your request to the leader, bare your heart. The extent of his compassion will depend on karma.
My import is not small; it is of great importance. Of great import is the general welfare of beings. If it were unimportant, why would I have come?
Futile wandering in borderlands, Buying famine itself, Those who suffer not, yet throw themselves into deep gorges, Have let their life force be carried away by demons. The wealthy who carry their goods on their heads35 Are just asking for their wealth to be squandered. The mighty who oppress the many Will cast themselves down in self-humiliation. The humble who presume to utter proud words Will just close themselves off from receiving any benefit.36
Things such as these are indeed pointless.
But into the hall of Lord Rākṣa Skull Garland I had no choice but to enter. May you deeply consider and seize me with your compassion. I offer this narrative story; Please let my words enter your mind and heart.
Thus he requested and the demon minister replied, “Hey, you!37 Since ancient times our demon king Rākṣa Skull Garland’s royal lineage has had terribly strict rulers. Their law strikes hot as lightning bolts. Their sovereignty covers the country, vaster than the blue sky. Their clout is mightier than Rāhu.38 What can a little gypsy kid the likes of you hope for? Even when we who are the interior ministers stand before such kings, we are just waiting to be punished even if we have done nothing wrong. They are ready to jump on us for no reason or arrest us for no real cause. They are ready to gobble up the flesh of a living man and gulp down the blood of a live horse. In this lineage there have been such men. This king’s guts seem to have broadened and his mind, which is empty in nature yet full of mercy, unites all three temperaments: peaceful, wrathful, and relaxed.39In recent generations they have all been the same that way:
Like sleeves cut from the same pattern or beads chosen from the same
rosary.
In the strictness of our monastic law and the law of the land
‘Roots and sticks are not to be mixed!’ 40
I am ready to ask whether you will be well received. Otherwise we both will be like an old ox leaping into the river when it is thirsty, or an old cow heading for grass, or an old donkey driven by rain. No one has ever dared to informally barge in on him.
Generally when you visit a temple, you offer the guru there a white scarf. If you are able to greet him, what do you have as a presentation offering?”
Avalokiteśvara answered: “I have the thirty varieties of formal presentation offerings. If you want to count them, they are: as dharma the six-syllable maṇi mantra, as path the six perfections along with the six objects of outer appearance, the six consciousnesses of inner knowing, and the six gates of the sense faculties that lie in between. Are these suitable presentation offerings?”41
When he had said this, the minister answered, “I can’t really say if that will be acceptable.
The more the poor man values food,
The more the rich man tightens his stomach for him.
The more the rich man values a horse,
The more stubborn-headed the merchant is on his selling price.
The way it is, the dzomo of a poor person is like a horse,
But for a great band of robbers it is nothing but a quick snack on the
road.42
The jackal that usually eats horses
Sometimes wonders ’perhaps this sheep would do?’
Who knows what will be satisfactory as a presentation offering? At the same time I cannot say that these presentation offerings would not do.
The sacred symbol, the souvenir of a pilgrimage to Tsari Mountain,
Is really nothing but a nine-node bamboo stick.43
To import chao hsi tea,* you must transport across hill and dale,
But anybody with money can have a pinch of it if they want.
Indeed the worth could then exceed a nugget of silver the size of a
horse’s hoof.
Are these things you bring of great value or tiny and insignificant?” The boy responded, “Indeed, they are not great, for this is just the precious jewel of being free and well-favored,44 the two spans and four cubits of the human body. On the other hand, they are not meager, because if you possess the power of analysis, you can see that they are the inexhaustible provisions for this life and the next, the karmic wealth that fulfills all wishes in saṃsāra, the wish-fulfilling gem, so difficult to acquire.”
[The demon minister continues] “But if you do not possess an analytical mind,45 then these things are the anchor of the three poisons in the ocean of saṃsāra, the stick that drives us with happiness and sadness,46 a sack full of filth. Well now, whoever you are, I will request that you be received into his presence. Wait here for a moment,” he said, and he entered the palace.
[Padmasambhava and Avalokiteśvara finally meet, but in a mystical
way.]
There on top of a wrathful seat of corpses,47 on a dazzlingly beautiful throne of gold, sat Lotus Rākṣa Skull Garlan...
ROBIN KORNMAN (1947-2007) is best known for his work as a Tibetan Buddhist scholar, as well as for being a founding member of the Nalanda Translation Committee. Up until his death, he spent many years working on this translation of the epic of Gesar. A longtime student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, he earned his PhD from Princeton University and was a professor of comparative literature at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. SANGYE KHANDRO has translated many important Tibetan Buddhist texts. She is a cofounder of Light of Berotsana, a nonprofit organization for translators of Tibetan texts. LAMA CHÖNAM is a Tibetan teacher who received twenty years of traditional training as a monk in Tibet. He is a translator and adviser to the Nalanda Translation Committee and a cofounder of Light of Berotsana.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:
CHAPTER ONE
In this time of the five degeneracies of the dark age,9 it is difficult to liberate savage sentient beings from evil karma through the sūtrayāna, the causal vehicle of characteristics, alone. It is even difficult to ripen them through tantra, the fruition vehicle of the secret mantra.10
For their minds are dry as a piece of rock; If you do not carve its hard surface with a chisel, Even if you soak it in a stream, it will not give way. Even if you work it with butter and oil, it will not become flexible. They are too stiff to be bent by the teachings on this life and the next. They will not submit to the restraint of the monastic law.
* Avalokiteśvara.
† One of the epithets of Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava.
‡ The five buddha families.
§ One of the epithets of Gesar.
Formerly, during the lives of the three ancestral dharma kings, when the land of Tibet passed from Bön to Buddhism, in order to naturally pacify11 the envy of the vicious gods and demons of Tibet, Padma Tötreng [Lotus Skull Garland] the Mantra Holder bound them by oath. If he had managed to make them swear their oaths of fealty to the buddhadharma three times, then the dharma kings would have been long-lived and their subjects would have enjoyed bliss and happiness. However, powerful demon ministers took control over the subjects and, faced with this opposition, Padma was able to tame and bind the spirits of Tibet only twice, not thrice. This caused war in the four directions and the auspicious coincidence of the glorious gateway, the perfect astrological conjunction,12 was missed. The foreign borderland demons wandered into central Tibet and the dharma kings fell down to the level of commoners.
The whole world in general and in particular the land of Tibet, indeed all lands, changed and became oppressed by suffering. The compassionate mind of the Noble Excellent Great Compassionate One could not bear this, and so he supplicated Amitābha, Lord of Sukhāvatī.13
[Avalokiteśvara supplicates Amitābha to intercede in Tibet.]14
OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ ḤRĪḤ I bow to the refuge, chief of the vast pure realm, Amitābha,15 Lord of Sukhāvatī, in the west. Although compassion is truly unbiased, Look down on this impure place of saṃsāra.
In the ocean of saṃsāra’s suffering, You know how to kill the sea monster of sin. How terrifying are the waves of the five poisons! Minds blinded by obscurations Circle endlessly in saṃsāra, how pitiful! Please compassionately reveal supreme skillful means.16
With these words he reverently supplicated. The blessed one Amitābha answered with these words:
Good, good, O son of noble family; For sentient beings confused by ignorance, If they are not fortunate disciples, it is difficult to guide them.
Thus, if beings in the age of the five degeneracies Have no iron ring of faith,17 Even the teacher who guides beings out of the three worlds Has no way of catching them with the iron hook of
compassion.
But in the divine buddha field of the thirty-three18 The father, the great god, Ödden Kar [White Luminosity] And the supreme mother Mandā Lhadzei [Celestial Flower
Divine Beauty] Have a son, Demchog Karpo Ngangyag [White Supreme
Bliss Good Nature]. He and Gyuma Lhadzei [Illusory Divine Beauty] Will unite as E and vam19 and give miraculous birth Through their light rays of unfabricated compassion20 To the child Döndrub [Accomplisher of Benefit], an
emanation of their blessings.21 He is Joyful to Hear and delightful to see. If he were to transfer into a human body in Jambudvīpa, That heroic bodhisattva would tame untamable disciples. Sentient beings in the land of Tibet would experience bliss
and happiness. There is no doubt they would be liberated from birth in the
lower realms. Therefore, you must go to the continent of Cāmara. Supplicate and repeat these words to Padma Tötreng. Strive for the benefit of beings, supreme warrior of the mind. Remember this, E ma ho! *
He graced and honored Avalokiteśvara with these words of prophecy and confirmation.
[Avalokiteśvara visits Padmasambhava to request that he cause the emanation of Gesar.]
* E ma ho! is a Tibetan exclamation of wonder and jubilation.
Then, in a single instant, Avalokiteśvara, the greatly compassionate Lord of Skillful Means, went to Padma Ödkyi Zhalyei Dechen Lhundrub kyi Potrang [Celestial Palace of Lotus Light—Spontaneously Present Exaltation] on the subcontinent of Cāmara. There he found a magnificently terrifying city of rākṣasas, a place so terrifying that it frightens even the death gods and makes the Lord of Life himself, Brahmā, withdraw. A land so terrifying that even the vināyakas shun it, not to mention ordinary men, who cannot even bear the sight of it.
In this place, in order to effect measureless benefit for beings, Avalokiteśvara manifested as a demon cub, wearing a crown made from mother of pearl, enveloped in a halo of glimmering white light. Arriving at the eastern gate of Jampei Künkyab Lingchen [Great Garden of All-Pervading Mercy],22 there a demon minister rākṣasa with seven heads saw the child and said:
What a wonder! What a sight I am seeing this morning!
I would say you are a god, but you look like a demon rākṣasa cub.
I would say you are a demon, but for your aura of light.
Within the walls of Padma Barwei Rawa [Garden of
Blazing Lotuses],
We sentient beings, confused by ignorance,
Have never seen and would be lucky even to hear of
The coming of such an unfamiliar child.
What is the great aim, the great matter that caused you to
journey here alone like this?
Then he sang this song of interrogation:
Lu Ala,23 the song begins. Thala is the melody of the song. These are the demon lands of Cāmara, The country of the impure rākṣasas and demons And the pure land of the vidyādharas and ḍākinīs.
This morning, young child, you suddenly arrived here. Where do you come from, what kind of place? What aim could you have that is of such great import?
If you do not have in mind great matters, Then there is no great reason [don] for coming so far.
If you haven’t been possessed by an evil spirit [gdon], Why would you drown yourself in a river? Only a very serious court case Could put a wealthy man in jail.24
In Cāmara’s Blood Lake of Sin25 The bite of the jaws of the cannibal demons is hotter than fire. The reach of the arms of the cannibal demonesses is longer
than a river. The tramens on the hunt race around faster than the wind.
What’s your reason for coming here? Who are your father and mother, their race and religion? Don’t you keep any secrets, tell me straight out.
Honest speech brings success to the monastery. Straight arrows strike the target yonder. If your path is straight, the road between central Tibet and China is
not long.26 One sign is enough for a superior man to understand. If not, it is like whipping an old ox.
If that’s what you need, then look to your precious life. If you understand, I have explained my words. If not, I’m not going to sing them again.
Thus he sang and the boy cub answered, “Oh yes, sir, I understand.27
If the secret pith of the proverb does not emerge, Even though the meaning is profound the secret words will be mute. If you can’t have the results in your hands, All those words are just bubbles of spit. If earth and water do not burgeon in early spring Then the southern turquoise dragon is just a silent venomous snake.28 In the sky Mount Meru is circled by the sun and the moon. If they do not benefit the plains of the four continents Then Meru is neither of benefit nor harm. The sun and the moon would just spin like the heads of brainless dupes
And the people of the four continents would have no appreciation for the virtues of the sun and the moon.29
My cause, on the other hand, is great.30
The continents of black earth come to an edge31 But no one can find the measure of the white clouds above. If my cause is great, I’ll go to China and back in one day32 And I’ll repeat my words again and again.
Of course, I have many stories I could tell, but only to the leader, majestic Padma Tötreng. Take me up the staircase to the imperial assembly hall of the Great Minister. There is no reason to casually explain this great cause to a public gathering. Just as the proverb says:
If you throw the six grains in a meadow, there will be no sprouts. If you plant seeds in a plowed field, then you get results.
So the tale I must tell is like this,” and he sang this song:
OṂ MAṆI PADME HŪṂ HRĪḤ
I supplicate the transcendent dharma.33 May I hold to the natural state of ultimate emptiness.
In case you do not recognize the likes of me, I am the beloved child Künphen Nyinje [All-Benefiting Compassion]. My father is Jangsem Künkyab Gön [Compassionate
Sovereign Lord]. My mother is Tongnyid Chödrön [Emptiness Dharma Torch]. This morning I came from the Plain of Great Bliss. The goal I seek is the benefit of self and other;34 My destination is the isle of Cāmara; My request is to master Skull Garland. Thus, as the ancient proverb says:
Though merchandise from China is essential to central Tibet, It is not that the farmers of central Tibet are lacking in wealth,
It is that this sustains the mental link between China and Tibet. Though empowerments and teachings are essential between master
and disciple, Passing them down does not mean the teachings are not precious, It is that this sustains the samaya link between aspiration and path. Though the great minister is essential to the district and its chief, It is not that without the minister the system is unable to function, It is that this is the way the status of both the government and
monasteries is displayed.
The real meaning of my words I offer to you. Please intercede on behalf of my humble self. When you make your request to the leader, bare your heart. The extent of his compassion will depend on karma.
My import is not small; it is of great importance. Of great import is the general welfare of beings. If it were unimportant, why would I have come?
Futile wandering in borderlands, Buying famine itself, Those who suffer not, yet throw themselves into deep gorges, Have let their life force be carried away by demons. The wealthy who carry their goods on their heads35 Are just asking for their wealth to be squandered. The mighty who oppress the many Will cast themselves down in self-humiliation. The humble who presume to utter proud words Will just close themselves off from receiving any benefit.36
Things such as these are indeed pointless.
But into the hall of Lord Rākṣa Skull Garland I had no choice but to enter. May you deeply consider and seize me with your compassion. I offer this narrative story; Please let my words enter your mind and heart.
Thus he requested and the demon minister replied, “Hey, you!37 Since ancient times our demon king Rākṣa Skull Garland’s royal lineage has had terribly strict rulers. Their law strikes hot as lightning bolts. Their sovereignty covers the country, vaster than the blue sky. Their clout is mightier than Rāhu.38 What can a little gypsy kid the likes of you hope for? Even when we who are the interior ministers stand before such kings, we are just waiting to be punished even if we have done nothing wrong. They are ready to jump on us for no reason or arrest us for no real cause. They are ready to gobble up the flesh of a living man and gulp down the blood of a live horse. In this lineage there have been such men. This king’s guts seem to have broadened and his mind, which is empty in nature yet full of mercy, unites all three temperaments: peaceful, wrathful, and relaxed.39In recent generations they have all been the same that way:
Like sleeves cut from the same pattern or beads chosen from the same
rosary.
In the strictness of our monastic law and the law of the land
‘Roots and sticks are not to be mixed!’ 40
I am ready to ask whether you will be well received. Otherwise we both will be like an old ox leaping into the river when it is thirsty, or an old cow heading for grass, or an old donkey driven by rain. No one has ever dared to informally barge in on him.
Generally when you visit a temple, you offer the guru there a white scarf. If you are able to greet him, what do you have as a presentation offering?”
Avalokiteśvara answered: “I have the thirty varieties of formal presentation offerings. If you want to count them, they are: as dharma the six-syllable maṇi mantra, as path the six perfections along with the six objects of outer appearance, the six consciousnesses of inner knowing, and the six gates of the sense faculties that lie in between. Are these suitable presentation offerings?”41
When he had said this, the minister answered, “I can’t really say if that will be acceptable.
The more the poor man values food,
The more the rich man tightens his stomach for him.
The more the rich man values a horse,
The more stubborn-headed the merchant is on his selling price.
The way it is, the dzomo of a poor person is like a horse,
But for a great band of robbers it is nothing but a quick snack on the
road.42
The jackal that usually eats horses
Sometimes wonders ’perhaps this sheep would do?’
Who knows what will be satisfactory as a presentation offering? At the same time I cannot say that these presentation offerings would not do.
The sacred symbol, the souvenir of a pilgrimage to Tsari Mountain,
Is really nothing but a nine-node bamboo stick.43
To import chao hsi tea,* you must transport across hill and dale,
But anybody with money can have a pinch of it if they want.
Indeed the worth could then exceed a nugget of silver the size of a
horse’s hoof.
Are these things you bring of great value or tiny and insignificant?” The boy responded, “Indeed, they are not great, for this is just the precious jewel of being free and well-favored,44 the two spans and four cubits of the human body. On the other hand, they are not meager, because if you possess the power of analysis, you can see that they are the inexhaustible provisions for this life and the next, the karmic wealth that fulfills all wishes in saṃsāra, the wish-fulfilling gem, so difficult to acquire.”
[The demon minister continues] “But if you do not possess an analytical mind,45 then these things are the anchor of the three poisons in the ocean of saṃsāra, the stick that drives us with happiness and sadness,46 a sack full of filth. Well now, whoever you are, I will request that you be received into his presence. Wait here for a moment,” he said, and he entered the palace.
[Padmasambhava and Avalokiteśvara finally meet, but in a mystical
way.]
There on top of a wrathful seat of corpses,47 on a dazzlingly beautiful throne of gold, sat Lotus Rākṣa Skull Garlan...
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- PublisherShambhala
- Publication date2015
- ISBN 10 1611800951
- ISBN 13 9781611800951
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages680
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The Epic of Gesar of Ling: Gesar's Magical Birth, Early Years, and Coronation as King [Paperback ]
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The Epic of Gesar of Ling (Paperback)
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. The first and only English translation of the centuries-old Tibetan spiritual allegory of King Gesar, a tale on a par with The Arabian Nights or the King Arthur stories.The first and only English translation of the centuries-old Tibetan spiritual allegory of King Gesar, a tale on a par with The Arabian Nights or the King Arthur stories.For hundreds of years, versions of the Gesar of Ling epic have been sung by bards in Tibet, China, Central Asia, and across the eastern Silk Route. King Gesar, renowned throughout these areas, represents the ideal warrior. As a leader with his people's loyalty and trust, he conquers all their enemies and protects the peace.The example of King Gesar is also understood as a spiritual teaching. The "enemies" in the stories represent the emotional and psychological challenges that turn people toward greed, aggression, and envy and away from the true teachings of Buddhism.The epic of Gesar is the longest single piece of literature in the world canon, encompassing some 120 volumes; here the first three volumes are translated, telling of Gesar's birth, his mischievous childhood and his youth spent in exile, and his rivalry for the throne with his treacherous uncle. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781611800951
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