King Gesar: The Complete Epic (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Jampel Gyatso
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The boy heard the words of the Raksha minister and replied without hesitation, "Of course, I have thirty kinds of gifts: in terms of teachings, there are the Six Syllables; in terms of the path, there are the Six Perfections; externally, there are the six objective realms; internally, there are the six subjective cognitions; and in the middle, there are the six sense doors. Do you think these can serve as a proper greeting?" The Raksha minister saw that the boy showed no fear in his words but instead exuded a righteous aura, and he grew greatly displeased in his heart. "To pay homage to Mount Kailash, one must rely on the nine-jointed cane! To traverse the of Jara, one must offer silver ingots. What are your gifts worth, after all?" "They are not great, for my body is merely as long as an arrow. Yet it is a precious human life. They are not small either, for if one knows how to think, it is an endless wealth and sustenance for this life and the next, granting whatever one desires—it is a rare. But if one does not know how to think, it is the foundation of the three poisons' cycle (Note 10), the root of joy and sorrow, and a bag of filth and impurities." "Very well, you wait here while I go report to the king." The Raksha minister had no further words and had to enter the palace to report. The Master Padmasambhava is the Buddha of Long Life, who for the sake of saving beings and spreading the Dharma can transform into various forms according to different needs. To teach the fierce Rakshas, he took the form of a formidable figure and came to the Isle of Ox-Tail, becoming known as King Padmakumara. At this moment, he sat upon a throne adorned with luxurious cushions and gold decorations, his eyes slightly closed, meditating on the significance of the Dharma-nature for people. He knew clearly what was happening outside—his conversation with Rechagorjun and the boy. Yet when Rechagorjun entered, he pretended not to know and asked, "Hey, who was singing unpleasant songs and speaking meaningless words this morning? Was it someone trying to entrust something important to someone?" The Raksha minister thought to himself, "As the saying goes, 'When the king sits on his throne, his two small eyes can see all directions; when the sun moves through the sky, its light shines on the world; when thick clouds cover the sky, sweet rain falls on the earth.' If that's the case, the king already knows everything, yet he still asks me to answer his question honestly: 'O mighty king of all, at the entrance of the compassionate hall in the outer city of Deqingbunzhuang in Raksha City, there is a child who is neither human nor demon. If you say he's not a god, there's a halo of white light around his back; if you say he's a god, he looks like a Raksha child. He claims to have a great task for the benefit of all beings and wishes to report to you.'" "Oh, well done!" King Padmakumara's face broke into a smile. "As the saying goes, 'An enlightened master who guides others finds greater joy in their followers' repentance than in receiving a hundred kinds of offerings; a ruler who commands a land finds greater happiness in his people's loyalty than in receiving a hundred kinds of gifts; a leader of a blessed enterprise finds greater joy in auspicious signs than in gaining a hundred kinds of wealth.' Today is a lucky day, and this is a auspicious omen. Go and proclaim: 'All beings of the Dragon Land and the eight divisions (Note 11), whoever you are, may you come here immediately!' When the Raksha minister left the palace gates, where was the boy's shadow? Where the boy had stood, there remained only a golden lotus with eight petals, and on the center of the lotus was a white