was a sign that the light of compassion and wisdom would shine brightly in Gling; the thunderbolt represented a warrior who would descend from Heaven to be born in the area under the old steward’s jurisdiction. The warrior would found a powerful country called Gling. Senglon had appeared in the dream with a vast umbrella: he would sire the warrior from Heaven. The ground shaded by the umbrella would be the territory his son would claim.
After he had listened to the Supreme Master’s interpretation, brightness replaced the cloud before the old steward’s eyes.
As they had been speaking, the leaders of all the Gling tribes and their retinues were gathering at the old steward’s castle, which rose up in the crook of a mountain range shaped like a bow. The waters of the Yarlung river surged from the north-west, then turned and passed by the crook, straight as a taut bowstring. Between the bow and the bowstring, a grassy plain was covered with flowers, and it was on this plain that the tribespeople were gathered, their horses whinnying, surrounded by pennants fluttering from tents. The people were dressed in their best. Their tents faced the river in a wide semicircle with a meeting tent in the middle that soared like the glistening peak of a snowcapped mountain, its golden dome as bright as the morning sun. Gold and silver seats were arrayed inside, the warriors’ seats draped with tiger or leopard skins.
One of the tribesmen climbed to the top of the castle and blew a conch to summon the leaders to a meeting. They took their seats in the tent. The elders, who enjoyed high prestige and commanded great respect, sat in the seats of honour, while the young and brave were below them. As the saying goes, humans have heads, necks and shoulders; oxen have horns, backs and tails; the earth has mountains, rivers and valleys.
Once they were seated, the steward began to recount for them the auspicious signs in his dream and the interpretation of the Supreme Master, Thangtong Gyalpo. The good news spread, like a bolt of lightning, from the tent to the people of Glingkar, as they sometimes referred to their homeland, and they cheered with joy.
As his bright eyes swept over the faces of those in the tent, the old steward grew sober. ‘You have all heard that people beyond Glingkar, to the north, the south, the east and the west, have founded their own nations, with magnificent palaces and an orderly life, where sages spread the seeds of their meditation to scholars, where abundant fruit and vegetables grow in the fields and where milk flows across the pastures in eternal sweet springs. But here in Glingkar the people eat the raw flesh of animals and drink their blood. We struggle under the evil spells of demons, and we suffer because our deeds do not deserve the attention of the deities. Today the people of Glingkar, especially those of us seated here, must examine ourselves carefully.’
All present nodded before bowing their heads to begin their contemplation. But some, such as Khrothung of the Tagrong tribe, disagreed. ‘Then the leader of the leaders must bear primary responsibility,’ he muttered. ‘If I were the steward of Glingkar . . .’
‘Hush!’ the others hissed.
‘Do not speak to me thus. I am not a beast of burden.’
‘No, you are human, so you should follow the old steward’s advice and reflect upon yourself.’
The members of the tribes, unaware of the surging debate inside the tent, cheered at the news that the deities would help them at last to end the chaos and suffering in their lives. The chorus of wild cheers from tens of thousands of people was heard even in the celestial court, blowing open the cloud curtains at the entrance.
The Supreme Deity said, ‘It is time for Thosba Gawa to go down.’ He sent a messenger to fetch him so he could witness the celebration in Glingkar. ‘Young son of the deities, the suffering below aroused your compassion. You shall soon be born into their midst and become their king.’
Thosba Gawa was moved to tears as he gazed down. ‘I see it.’
The Supreme Deity’s face became grave. ‘Perhaps you see only the outside, not the inside.’
‘Inside? Does the Supreme Deity mean the evil spirits and demons hiding in shadows and caves?’
‘Not only those. There are more demons inside the meeting tent, in the leaders’ hearts.’
Thosba Gawa had never felt the weight of his own body as he floated in the celestial world. His sorrow was born of seeing the suffering of another world, and now the Supreme Deity’s words had planted the seeds of doubt in his heart.
‘Perhaps I should not have told you. I should simply ask those with greater powers to bless you so that you will be ready to face the tests of the human world. My son, when there is a plague in the human world, the medicinal plants have no right to be idle. Sit still, close your eyes and do not look down. Imagine yourself as a container into which magical powers are poured.’
Before he closed his eyes, Thosba Gawa saw that all the Buddhas of the west were gathered round him.
A light from Vairocana’s forehead shone down on all corners of the world, transforming the origin of all thoughts – Om – into an eight-spoke golden wheel that spun above Thosba Gawa, then entered his body through his forehead. With this blessing, no matter how filthy or ugly his surroundings, he would remain pure in mind and body. That was essential for any deity descending to the human world.
The Joyful Buddha stepped forward now, a bright light shining from his bare chest. For a moment the light remained suspended in mid-air, then turned into a thunderbolt that pierced the chest of the son of the deities. Sprites flew up to wash his body with celestial dew, to protect him from contamination by the evil in the world below.
Then the Buddha of Blessings and Dignified Treasures, light pouring from his navel, cast blessings into the navel of the son of the deities; they would lead him to hidden treasures in the human world and endow him with the power to use them to build a prosperous nation in which the people would live in peace. It was exactly what he would need as the future king.
Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Qualities, shone a light from his throat that could transform the energy of all languages into a red lily. Any who accepted the light gained the right to use the world’s sixty musical tones. Then he placed a thunderbolt that held all the deities’ promises for the future in the right hand of the son of the deities. ‘Take this, my dear young man, for it represents your vow that you will not forget to save the suffering masses.’
‘How could I forget?’
‘Once you are below . . .’
Then Amoghasiddhi, the Buddha of Unerring Performances, came to him and said, ‘If this young man remembers his vow and does great deeds, then some of the frivolous and ambitious members of the masses will envy you.’ The deity, an odd-looking figure, sent a light from his loins that entered the same spot on the son of the deities. ‘This, my son, is a power that will shield you from the fire of jealousy, and will inspire your work.’
Om! Now the body of the son of the deities had accumulated all kinds of blessings, virtues and magical powers. He stood up, expecting to feel heavy with all that had been poured into him, but instead he felt light and springy, and his feet nearly flew off the jade step. He could not help a tinge of regret that he had received blessings from the Buddhists only when the celestial court was filled with immortals of innumerable abilities and beliefs. But, glancing at the Supreme Deity, he swallowed what he was about to say. The Supreme Deity smiled. ‘Even deities have their rightful domains. Glingkar is predestined to bathe in the light of Buddhism.’
‘It is only that . . .’
‘Tell me.’
The son of the deities spoke in a low voice. ‘I thought the other deities might offer more fun.’
The Supreme Deity laughed as he turned to the Buddhas, who were resting on the jade steps. ‘He said that you are too serious.’
The Buddhas brought their palms together and, without moving their lips, uttered in a deep voice, Om –
The Supreme Deity said, ‘Now return to your parents and elder sister. This will be a long separation, and we still have work to do. We must