The Epic of Gesar of Ling

by Robin Kornman

  Gesar’s Youth

  As a boy, Joru was always up to mischief, testing everyone and everything. A skillful magician, he could manifest countless likenesses of himself simultaneously engaging in various activities. This caused great confusion, but ultimately led to benefit, as was the case with all of his actions. As instructed by Padmasambhava, from the age of six Joru cultivated a savage air: he wore an antelope hat with horns as a headdress, a makeshift cloak made of raw yak-skin, and crude horsehide boots. His countenance would alter as needed, sometimes splendid, other times hideous. He pretended to be a hunter, robber, murderer, and virtually every kind of villain. These disturbing appearances were displayed in order to spread his enlightened activity ever farther, since all his seeming misdeeds were later proved to be illusory. From the relative perspective, his enlightened activity was expressed as every kind of crime, but from the point of view of the ultimate, the young Joru never performed any action that brought true harm. The final straw to effect his exile was to pretend to kill some of King Trothung’s men. Through this display of wickedness, Joru brought about his own banishment and thus was able to leave his birthplace and go to the Ma Valley, where he was destined to enact his principal enlightened deeds.

  When Joru and his mother arrived, the Ma Valley was a wilderness inhabited only by wild animals. Merchants would pass through when traveling between India and China, but otherwise there were no humans to be seen. Joru took possession of the valley, and he and his mother lived on wild yams and Himalayan pikas (a type of rodent) that he killed with his slingshot. He used a magical white willow staff as a horse and lived as a demon-hunter, capturing passing merchants and forcing them to build castles in the valley.

  At this time, the people of Ling lived in the Kham region. One winter a terrible blizzard blanketed the land and the people feared for their lives. The Ma Valley remained a paradise untouched by the snow. Joru’s elder brother, Gyatsha Zhalkar, a hero of the Ling people, requested that the people be permitted to stay on Joru’s land to wait out the winter. Joru agreed, and the people of Ling moved to the Ma Valley. Joru divided the land into thirty parcels and sang a beautiful song describing the qualities of each of his future thirty warriors as he granted them their piece of the land. Once the inhabitants of Ling had settled in their new home, the stage was set for all of Gesar’s subsequent enlightened activity to manifest.

  One night, Gesar’s jealous uncle Trothung had a dream, a false prophecy that if a horse race were held to determine the rightful sovereign of the land, he would win it himself, thus gaining the throne of Ling and the coveted Princess Drugmo. Joru’s brother, Gyatsha, insisted that Joru be allowed to join the contest. Joru won the race riding his magical horse, an emanation of Hayagrīva that only his mother and future wife were able to capture, based on their karmic connection.

  Gesar’s Reign

  Once the race was won, Joru became the king of Ling. At that time his outer presence was completely transformed from the strange, wild demeanor he had displayed as a child into that of a great being. Gesar’s form was breathtaking; his countenance was the most handsome of the handsome, so that all never tired of looking at his face. His enlightened body, speech, and mind were fully endowed with the energy of dralas and wermas.f His horse, too, appeared very differently. When first captured, the horse was awkward and graceless, its qualities hidden, but now the steed’s true appearance suddenly emerged in all its glory, much to the surprise of the onlookers. Gesar himself now appeared as a king with charisma and authentic presence, a true sovereign of dharma, fit to rule, and he spoke with unconditional, heartfelt loving-kindness toward each of his subjects. He confidently proclaimed himself to be an incarnation of Padmasambhava, an emanation of the great enlightened ones, and declared that his objective was to benefit all sentient beings and protect and spread all teachings based on virtue and wholesomeness.

  Further volumes tell of Gesar’s exploits once he was king. For example, he traveled alone to conquer the northwest land of Düd (land of the demons) and liberated their king, Lutsen Gyalpo. The demon king’s wife, Meza Bumkyid, gave Gesar a potion that caused amnesia, and he was trapped in Düd for nine years. While Gesar was away, the king of the northeastern land of Hor, Gurkar Gyalpo, invaded Ling, kidnapped Gesar’s queen, and destroyed Gesar’s palace. His army slaughtered many important warriors, including Gesar’s brother, Gyatsha. Gurkar Gyalpo was a poor leader, arrogant and foolish, and he sent his armies to attack against the advice of his ministers, who rightfully feared the power of Ling. When Gesar recovered from the demon queen’s potion and returned home, he revenged the attacks with many magical activities, pushing the people of Hor to the brink of defeat, and finally leading his army to conquer them. After that, Ling was never again successfully invaded.

  The stories of Gesar are exciting in their own right as fine tales, but to understand them as they are intended, it is crucial to keep in mind that King Gesar’s every word and deed was an expression of his ultimate wisdom, compassion, and power. Gesar was an enlightened being, sent by the buddhas and bodhisattvas at a time of crisis and terror to bring peace not only to the land of Ling but to the hearts and minds of humanity worldwide. This is particularly important to recall when considering the many stories of battle. The wars Gesar waged were not holy wars to overpower or convert countries of other faiths. He was not fighting to conquer others because of their color, race, religion, or politics. Gesar’s every deed was motivated by compassion; his purpose always to help all beings discover the causes of true happiness and well being. He possessed the power and skillful means of all the buddhas, so he could manifest in whatever way was necessary for that purpose. Although he is well known for his combat, in fact he engaged in all kinds of activity depending on what was most effective for his purpose. Mipham Rinpoche explained that Gesar tamed his subjects—that is, those beings who by their own predilections could and would follow his teachings, not necessarily just those living in his kingdom—through the three activities of peaceful, enriching, and powerful methods. He tamed those who saw him as an enemy—that is, malevolent beings bent on harm and incapable of following his teachings or voluntarily enacting any virtue—through wrathful means.

  Even the beings that he seemed to kill were not slain in an ordinary sense but, rather, by that appearance their harmful and malicious behavior was brought to an end and their consciousnesses were sent to higher states. This method was used on those whose habits of malice and wrongdoing were so strong that all other means were ineffective. Such beings pursued their own short-term interests single-mindedly, without any thought for others or even for their own long-term benefit. As a result they brought nothing but destruction and torment to all, themselves included, and were immune to any peaceful method of ending their madness. Whatever his display, it is certain that Gesar acted only from immeasurable loving-kindness, with infinite skillful methods so that his reign and his life, as recorded in the stories of the epic from start to finish, were the fulfillment of the buddhas’ enlightened wisdom intent.

  OTHER PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS

  The scriptures leave no doubt that, like King Gesar, each of the main characters, male and female, came to this world of their own accord in order to bring benefit to the planet, rather than wandering in the world as ordinary beings compelled by their negative karma. Moreover, in their clairvoyant wisdom they already knew the plots of the epic before they transpired. But, seeing how Padmasambhava’s deeds could most effectively manifest, and the lessons that needed to be taught and learned, they pretended to have no foreknowledge of events and feigned the deluded motivations of ordinary beings. In truth, they were always acting deliberately to support and display Padmasambhava’s miraculous activity.

  The women of the epic are the keys to its precious treasure. They are the matriarchs and maidens, known far and wide for their beauty and warmth, and said to be vidyādhara ḍākinīs of the four classesg who entered this world in the form of human women.

  The Thirty Mig
hty Warriors of Ling were also sent by Padmasambhava as part of his miraculous display, and along with them were the seven great champions (the Seven Super Warriors), and the three mightiest (the Ultimate Warriors) who were Falcon, Eagle, and Wolf. All were said to be incarnations of the eighty mahāsiddhas of the noble land of India, and in the future they will manifest as the Rigden dharma kings in Shambhala. In the snow land of Tibet they were the warriors of Ling, who numbered thirty at the opening of the epic and grow to eighty as the story unfolds. Not only these warriors themselves but their horses and weapons are legendary, and their names are still well known. Their mounts were magical steeds that could speak, traverse any terrain, and fly. They were manifestations of awakened beings, and the epic includes tales of them assisting their riders, even saving their lives. The warriors’ weapons are also renowned. For example, Gesar gave a magical arrow to each of his warriors, which they could use in their darkest hour to save themselves or perform a great deed.

  These archetypal warriors can be understood from both an outer and inner point of view. The outer warrior is exemplified throughout the epic as being fearless when it comes to subduing enemies and so forth. The inner warrior incorporates those same qualities and activities when the battle is joined with his own negativity rather than an external adversary. A warrior must have wisdom and skillful methods in order to be victorious. Likewise, these same qualities of wisdom and method are the only way to defeat one’s own passions and mental afflictions. The warrior must be fearless and assured, ready to act without hesitation or hampered by doubts. Likewise, one must be ready to engage with mental poisons—our true foes that appear every day—and deal with them immediately and resolutely. Thus the warriors are still models for us today, as our battle with negative emotions is far from over.

  King Senglön (Gesar’s Father)

  Senglön was born to King Chöla Bum and his third wife, Muza. In India he incarnated as the mahāsiddha Āryadeva and the Rishi Legjin, and it is said in Shambhala he will be the dharma king Zijid Thaye. He was light-skinned, his body well-proportioned, and he wore his salt-and-pepper hair and beard moderately long. He dressed in full battle regalia, perfectly fitted and studded with the finest jewels. He had a gentle heart and manner; his form blazed with majesty; his voice was as sweet as a flute, and his mind was like a mandala of clear light. He was famous for the accuracy of his arrow divinations. Respected by all, the richness of his merit and charisma made his body a castle for the dralas, a fortress for the wermas, and a life-force stone where the protectors dwelled. Senglön married Gyaza Lhakar Drönma,h and on an excellent day in the twelfth month of the Female Water Ox year, their son Gyatsha Zhalkar was born amid many wonderful signs.

  Later, when Gog and Ling were at war, it was Senglön who received the girl called Gogza, who was the nāginī princess Yelga Dzeiden, as the first spoils of the battle. Their firstborn son was Joru, who grew up to be King Gesar. Senglön’s third wife, Rongza, bore Gesar’s younger brother, Rongtsha Marleb.

  The Nāginī Princess (Gesar’s Mother)

  In order to bring the nāginī princess Yelga Dzeiden to the human realm, where she was destined to bear the child who would become King Gesar, Padmasambhava arranged for an invitation from her father, the nāga king Tsugna Rinchen. Padmasambhava first sent a plague to the nāga realm, and then through the influence of his magic, all the mirror divinations consulted by the nāga king revealed that Padmasambhava was the only master who could bring an end to the epidemic. Thus he came to the nāga realm at the king’s invitation, conferred his blessing to end the plague, and accepted Tsugna Rinchen’s youngest daughter, Yelga Dzeiden, as an offering along with other precious gifts.

  This is the method by which Padmasambhava brought the nāginī princess to the middle realm of humans,i where he asked the king of Gog, Ralo Tönpa Gyaltsen, to care for her. Ralo Tönpa Gyaltsen raised her as his adopted daughter until she was grown. When Ling and Gog were at war, as karmic destiny took its course, she came into the hands of the Ling soldiers. At this time she also became known as “Gogza” or “Gogmo”—the girl of Gog. Senglön Gyalpo took her as his wife, and to them was born the divine child, Joru.

  Yelga Dzeiden’s physical beauty is elaborated upon in the epic when the soldiers of Ling suddenly find her in the wild. The epic portrays her beauty to be so magnificent that all those who encountered her were awestruck. Her skin was luminous like the flowers on the shores of a lake or like the sun reflected off a lotus petal. Her eyes were clear and fine, her bearing as straight as a bamboo stalk in summer and as graceful as when it wafts in the breeze, her form as smooth and supple as a white silk scarf. The strands of her long, flowing hair were like silk. Her exquisite beauty brought joy to all.

  Queen Drugmo (Gesar’s Wife)

  Drugmo’s father was Kyalo Tönpa Gyaltsen, the wealthiest man in Ling and patron of many festivals. On the day of Drugmo’s birth, a snow lion appeared, posed on a snow mountain, and a dragon roared in the sky; thus her name combined the two terms: Sengcham Drugmo, meaning Lion Sister Dragoness. She had both a sister and brother; Drugmo and her sister were considered to be emanations of White and Green Tārā. Drugmo constantly displayed all the qualities of White Tārā, proving that she was truly an emanation of this goddess and not just an ordinary person. Occasionally she displayed the characteristics of an ordinary woman, so that ordinary men and women could relate to her. In general, though, she is considered to be a superior model of the feminine principle, just as Gesar is considered the ultimate model of the masculine, and she is admired and emulated to this day.

  At the horse race sponsored by Trothung to decide the ruler of Ling, Drugmo and a dowry of all the wealth and connections of her family was the prize. Drugmo was the loveliest of women, like a summer flower, sought after by all throughout the land. Her beauty and grace were known far beyond the borders of Ling. Her voice was sweet as a nightingale’s, and her mind held all the wisdom and compassion of the goddess Tārā. When swathed in the silks and jewels of a queen, she was as magnificent as the multicolored peacock.

  When Gesar was preparing to manifest in the human realm, he specified that he would need a queen who possessed the qualities of Drugmo. Gesar’s relationship with the coveted Drugmo brought conflict and incited the jealousy of many kings who desired her hand in marriage. This in turn gave Gesar the opportunity to benefit those suitors in myriad ways. Drugmo was utterly loyal. Even when taken and imprisoned by Gurkar, the king of Hor, she never forgot nor betrayed her king or country. She never gave her heart to Gurkar, but instead she had him build a castle just like Gesar’s to remind her of her homeland. Finally, although captive in Hor, she sent Gesar a letter carried by three cranes who were her la-ja, the birds of her life force. Although at first the birds meant nothing to him because of his amnesia, they skillfully caused Gesar to begin to remember his country and identity. In this and many ways, Drugmo was an important figure in many of the Gesar tales, not only as Gesar’s wife but as a loyal citizen of her country.

  Chipön Rongtsha Tragen (Gesar’s Uncle)

  The chief or chipön, named Rongtsha Tragen, was the son of Chöla Bum and his first wife, Rongza. Chipön Rongtsha Tragen was the reincarnation of the mahāsiddha Nāgārjuna and the paṇḍita Sergyi Dogcan from India. He was also prophesied to be the dharma king of Shambhala, Dawa Zangpo. The picture that comes to mind when reading of him is the image of an elder gentleman, a white hat upon his head, a spray of wrinkles across his brow, his hair and beard whiter than a conch, and his manner as warm and kind as the most loving of grandfathers. His majestic form was clothed in exquisite garments and adorned with jewelry. A genuine dharma practitioner, his diligence was such that his recitation of the six syllables OṂ MAṆI PADME HUNG/HŪṂ poured forth day and night like a river.

  His characteristics are described in volume 2, here titled Gesar’s Birth and Childhood in the Land of Ling:

  His wisdom is like the sky at dawn; his skillful compassion like the spring warmth that t
haws both earth and water. His ethics are as straight as a ruler; he distinguishes true actions from false like splitting a shaft of bamboo. He puts the mighty under his yoke; like a mother and father he cares for the humble; he is head of the family, the ultimate authority consulted at gatherings and the commanding officer when defeating enemies. He belongs specifically to the younger brother lineage, but he is respected as the chief of the whole of Ling.

  The epic also shows that this great being was universally respected and relied upon as the senior chief among Ling’s leaders. Chipön married a maiden from Tibet, Metog Tashi-tso. They had four children: the older son was named Yuphen Tag-gyal, the middle son was Lenpa Chögyal, the younger son was Nangchung Yutag, and their daughter was called Lhamo Yudrön.

  King Trothung (Gesar’s Uncle)

  While in the upper pure lands, before Gesar emanated into this world, he asked for a foil who would invoke his enlightened deeds. Consequently, his uncle manifested as a turncoat, a spiteful adversary, and a manipulative gossip who would play upon others’ emotions. Trothung had a malicious mind and was jealous of Gesar from the beginning of the epic to the very end. According to the general descriptions found in the epic, Trothung’s appearance had no trace of the greatness or splendor that marks the bearing of a leader, nor the fierce and assured manner of a hero; it showed only the traits of an old man. His dark face was filled with wrinkles; half of his long gray hair hung over his shoulders, the other half was pulled up in a knot; his beard hung down long and was streaked with white. His every thought, word, and deed were abrupt and inappropriate, and he could not sit still. He relished a high seat to lord over others and was a master of bragging and flattery. He was always conceited and proud, lustful and envious, pretentious, boastful, deceitful, and hypocritical. Because of these qualities, he was scorned by most everyone. Trothung appeared in this way in order for Gesar’s miraculous activities to manifest, yet in actuality he was an incarnation of the Indian mahāsiddha Naropa. In Shambhala he will manifest as the dharma king Lhayi Wangpo. He is inseparable with the wisdom deity Hayagrīva, and as such, he came to be a dharma protector in both the Bön and Buddhist traditions.