书城传记聆听史诗丛书-格萨尔王传:英文
15925200000003

第3章 Demons Emerge and the... (1)

Demons Emerge and the Goddess of Mercy Comes to the Rescue

Long, long ago, the Tibetan people led a happy life. Suddenly, demons appeared and the sky became dark, the grass became withered, and wars broke out in the region.

The people prayed to the deities, seeking their help to lift them out of the misery.

The deities were moved by their piety. In order to defeat the demons, these deities had to perform the ritual for conquering demons three times. But the treacherous court officials from the royal family tried everything to prevent this from happening. In the end the deities failed to complete the rituals.

A good opportunity to destroy these demons was missed. As a result, the demons grew more rampant, invading the hinterland, degrading the king to a commoner, eating human flesh, drinking human blood, chewing human bones and skinning people alive.

The people’s terrible sufferings aroused the pity of the Goddess of Mercy, so she asked the master of Paradise, Amitabha: “Please give out a ray of Buddha’s light to the suffering Tibetan people.”

Amitabha turned his neck slightly to make a ray of golden light which he immediately gave to with Goddess of Mercy the instructions.

Amitabha told the Goddess of Mercy: “Father Brahma Waytan Gar and Mother Manta Natse have a prince named Dechoi Ongya, whose wife will give birth to a son called Toipa Garwa in the Southern Continent of the earth. The boy is the Bodhisattva of the temporal world. He is the only person that can civilize all anew and help the Tibetan areas get rid of the evil demons and help people get back their past happy life. Please go to the Cow-Tail Continent to tell Master Padmasambhava what I have said. He will know what to do.”

The Goddess of Mercy swiftly flew to the Cow-Tail Contient.

Lying in the north part of the Southern Continent, the Cow-Tail Continent was home to the Raksasa people. A hall of the Palace of the Infinite Lotus Light stood in the Cow-Tail Continent. It was a place featuring majesty and tight security. Yama Raja or Brahma became fearful when they came to the palace and even the demon King Pina Yagar had to be careful when coming here as well. Thus, the common people had definitely no chance of getting in. However, for the sake of saving all humans from calamities the Goddess of Mercy was determined to get there. Using a disappearing trick she became a child of the Raksasa. She wore a clam shell on her head and had a ball shield of white light enveloping her. The auspicious Buddha ray prevented her from intrusion by evil.

When the Goddess of Mercy went to the east gate of the Cow-Tail Continent she was found by Richa Godun, a Raksasa official who was in charge of guarding the city gate. While looking at the incarnation of the Goddess of Mercy Richa Godun felt quite strange and asked himself: “Who is she?”

On the one hand, she looked like a Goddess; on the other hand, she looked like a Raksasa child. If she were a Raksasa, it would be amazing that she was covered with a white light featuring a propitious omen. Richa Godun felt confused because he couldn’t guess why she had come here and asked her:

“Where do you come from? You have not lost your milk teeth yet. What do you want?”

The Goddess of Mercy thought for a moment and answered:

“I have come from Techin Pazi on an important mission.”

Looking at the child, Richa Godun said in a supercilious manner:

“Just tell me!”

“I cannot tell you. Please go to King Bematu and tell him I must see him.”

The Goddess of Mercy did not want to tell him the reason.

Then, Richa Godun said:

“Our Cow-Tail Continent is prohibited to common people. If you want to see our King please tell me why. Do you have a hada scarf for pilgrimaging? Or do you have a donation for worshipping the Living Buddha? And do you have a tribute for visiting the senior officer? ”

The child replied without hesitation:

“Of course, I have 30 kinds of gifts: In regard to the tutor, I have the Six Syllable Prayer, I also have six means of passing to Nirvana in terms of Buddhist magic art…do you think these are qualified as tribute?”

Richa Godun could say nothing and went to the Palace to report.

Padmasambhava was the Longevity Buddha. He could transform himself into various images according to different demands. With a view to educating the ferocious Raksasa, Padmasambhava changed into a very dignified figure. Then he went to the Cow-Tail Continent and called himself King Bematu. He then sat on the throne, which was covered with beautiful cushions inlaid with golden ornaments. He was perfectly clear what had happened and what Richa Godun and the child had talked about. However, when Richa Godun entered he pretended to know nothing and asked:

“Hey, who sang a terrible song and talked nonsense this morning? Does he want something important?”

The Raksasa official turned this over in his mind: “Does the King know everything?” Instead, he answered honestly:

“There is a child who said she is eager to report something to you which will benefit all the people.”

“Really, with Buddha’s blessing!” King Bematu smiled and said: “Today is a lucky day. Please announce that anyone can come here no matter who they are!”

When the Raksasa official came back from the Palace the child had disappeared. At the original place where the child stood there was a golden lotus with eight petals. There was the word “Hum” in white on the pistil of this flower, with each of the On Mani Padme Hum term on the petals. Strangely, this beautiful lotus could speak and muttered these words.

The Raksasa official, Richa Godun, was surprised and thought inwardly for a moment: “How can I tell this to the King?” The child who appeared this morning might be an incarnation. This mysterious creeper was surely transformed by her but, should I take this flower to the king?” The Raksasa official considered this for a long time. He worked out 25 ideas for himself. He thought the king already gave the order that anyone could come no matter who they were, deity or ghost. Then he took the flower in both hands and went straight to King Bematu. Unfortunately, before he approached King Bematu, the supernatural flower suddently changed into a white ray and got into the chest of the King.