God Son Is Born in Ling and Zhaotoin Works Against Choru
The Ling area, also called Ling Garpo, lies in Torkang. It was a place with fertile land, wealthy people and beautiful mountains. Ling Garpo, which means a place where good deeds or white deeds were popular, was divided into the Upper Ling, Middle Ling and Lower Ling. Each was different from the others: Upper Ling was a broad and capacious grassland with beautiful landscapes of undulating hills; Middle Ling was usually foggy and misty; while Lower Ling was flat and plain. The tents of the different tribes dotted the Ling area like the stars in the sky and cattle and goats were raised there.
Rongcha Chageng, the old chief of Ling Garpo, lived in a small house in Upper Ling, named “Lotus Sun-rising”. In his preexistence, he had been a great monk with high status, reputed as “an old sage”. He was selected as the leader of the tribe by the local people.
One evening, Rongcha Chageng went to bed early. But not long after, he felt the day begin to become light. On the peak of the Magyipamri Mountain in the east emerged a golden sun, which lit up the whole land. Suddenly, a gold Diamond Club flew downward and stopped on the top of the Gyigyitari Mountain, a holy mountain in the Middle Ling area. While the sun was still hanging in the sky the moon appeared. It rose on the peak of Manlan Mountain. Surrounded by stars, it emitted a dazzling light.
The chief’s younger brother, Senglong, walked from the far horizon, holding a canopy. The canopy, with white silk as the top, green silk as the edge, yellow silk as the tassels and having a gold handle, overcast the broad snowland. The snowland was a neighbor to the Han land in the east where law and regulations had been put into force; the wealthy Dashi State to the west; the Buddhism populous India to the south and the Hor State to the north, which was rich in cattle and goats. A master appeared on a colorful cloud. He wore a lotus crown and rode a white lion and had a Diamond Club in the right hand and a trident in the left hand. Accompanied by lots of fairies, he talked to Rongcha Chageng as he walked,“Hurry on. Get up. The sun rises. Listen to my song if you want the Ling area to be full of sunshine and happiness.” After these words he started to sing:“In the early morning of the eighth day of the 1st summer month this year, a lucky sign will be seen in the Ling area. All the grand Masters and common people will gather in the temple of Marchaling to hold a grand religious ceremony for future happiness. A great event is just around the corner, one which can only happen once.”
Before Rongcha Chageng could ask for more details, the master and fairies disappeared, together with the sun and the moon. He shouted in anger but found it was just a dream.
On waking up with a start from the dream Rongcha Chageng felt very comfortable in his body and he also felt excited and clear. Every detail from the dream was still alive in his memory. He called his servant Gardain Taru to come in immediately. When Gardain Taru entered the room he found Rongcha Chageng dressed and sat up in his throne.
Gardain Taru felt puzzled. Normally the old chief would only get up after he had done many things, such as chanting the spell 50,000 times, reciting benediction 21 times, or finishing the ceremonies, like spraying water and burning incense. What was the different today? Was there anything important going to happen?
The chief talked before Gardian could probe deeper.
“Gardain Taru, listen to me. I had a very lucky dream just now. Something really big is about to happen. I would like the great scholar to come and interpret my dream. Can he come?”
“Of course, the Great Scholar will certainly come,” Gardian Taru answered.
“All right! Invite the Great Scholar immediately and invite Gyiwi Lhunzhub and Chalho Toinpa Gyaincain also. Do it immediately.”
A large group of messengers were immediately sent out by Rongcha Chageng to all of the big tribes in the Upper, Middle, Lower Ling areas and to some other tribes, including the Garzhuchiu Tribe, the 120,000-Household area in Dainma, the black and white Tongke Tribes and 18 tribes in Darong. He required all the chieftains of the tribes to meet in the council house of the Ling area on the 15th day of that month, when the sun and the moon would appear in the sky simultaneously.
On the 10th day, a Great Scholar came singing at the city gate:
“All the people in the Southern Continent,
if you don’t cultivate yourselves according to the doctrines of Buddhism
your lives are worthless and you will never achieve anything.
Wealth is like rotten wood to rich people who are not willing to share their wealth with people who need it.
Alms-giving is a good way to avoid disasters and gain happiness.
It can also increase your wealth and fame.
Please give me some food, who has abandoned the mundane life.
I will recite the doctrines and hold religious ceremonies for you to expand your luck.
I wish good luck on the Ling region.”
Rongcha Chageng, who was sitting quietly and worrying at not being able to find the Great Scholar, felt inspired when he heard the song. He looked through a hole in the window and he saw the singer who had long hair and a long beard flowing in the wind. He was dressed in a white cassock and a brown vest, and was holding a stick made of white vine. The man also wore a necklace tied with a green rope and had white sea conches on his ear. Rongcha Chageng liked him at first sight. He was certain that this was the Great Scholar he was looking for.
But for the sake of reliability, he sounded him out: “Great Scholar, as the old saying goes, if one can’t free himself from his own suffering it is impossible for him to benefit others. May I know where you are from and your career? What are your commandments, your knowledge and your wisdom to cultivate the people? Can you vanquish demons and monsters? Do you have superpowers to put down the world? Do you have a grand spiritual character? If you can answer these questions you can take whatever food you want.”
However, the Great Scholar maintained his composure. After Rongcha Chageng has asked many more questions, he said: