The Epic of Gesar of Ling

by Robin Kornman

  A land where the supreme horse births twin foals,

  A land where, even if the white prosperity sheep are slaughtered, they continue to multiply.

  It is a land where a wealthy person should reside.

  This portion of land is for Kyalo Tönpa.

  At the vista of Dzachen Khujug in Ma

  Where the Golden Yak Pass in Hor meets the summit,

  Even though this is the winding path where the Hor bandits roam,

  In this land you can see them clearly from afar.

  This land is only for a swift-footed man.

  This portion of land is for Dongtsen Nang-ngu Apel [Mighty Youthful Glory of the Tribe].

  In the valley of Dzatri Ga’u-ser [Crag Throne Golden Amulet] in Ma,

  The high mountains are snow-covered and rocky.

  Below is the fortress of the forest, the tether of the earth.

  This is the land where a high-ranking man should reside.

  This portion of land will go to Michen Gyalwa’i Lhundrub.

  In Ma on the sunny side of Dragkar Gudril [United White Crag],

  This is a great plain spread out like a carpet

  And a great mountain that seems as though it is summoning guests.

  This is a place where a man of great decisiveness should abide.

  This is portion of land is for Gyapön Serghaṃ [Chief Sergyi Arghaṃ].

  In the upper valley of Ma called Darthang Chugmo [Wealthy Silken Plain],

  At the highest point are some three great valleys,

  And in the foothills, three great plains unite.

  Here is the land where the myriarchies barter, summer and winter.

  This is a land where a man with a great following should reside.

  This portion of land is for Tongpön Treltsei.

  At Datra Lungpa’i Sumdo [Colorful Silk Conjunction of Three Valleys] in Ma

  The high mountains are covered with great forests and musk deer reign,

  And the resounding call of the cuckoo can first be heard.

  The lower region is covered with lakes and plains.

  It is here that the first blooms of summer flowers can be seen.

  This portion of land is for the one who enjoys luxury.

  This portion of land is for Yuyag Gönpo [Protector of Excellent Turquoise].

  In Ma Dru-gu Gu-lung Tramo [Colorful Valleys of Ma],

  If one goes to the nomadic lands, the valleys and pathways are spacious.

  If one makes this their home, it is warm and close to the farmers.

  If one wants to build a house, the earth and stones are already there.

  This portion of land goes to Lingchen Tharpa.

  In Ma, at Nachen Damgyi Gongwa [Collar of Marshes and Bogs]

  Is the origin of the dense earth.

  This is the headwaters of the Ma River

  And the land where the fathers and uncles should abide.

  This portion of land goes to Namkha Serzhal73 [Golden Face of Space].

  In Ma, at Nyikhog Padma Lung [Sunny Lotus Valley],

  Is the route travelers take when they are upward bound, and

  When they return, it is the gathering place of wealth.

  It is a marketplace where judgments and reputations are made.

  This is the place where a handsome cavalier should abide.

  This portion of land goes to Tsangpa’i [Brahmā] Ngo-lug of Agê for one,

  Second, to Dar-’jam [Gentle Scarf] Ngo-lug of Mupa,

  And third, to Sintsha [Rākṣa Maternal Nephew] Ngo-lug of Tag-rong.

  This portion of land goes to all three Ngo-lugs.

  One, the junction of Tradong Sinpo [Falcon Face Rākṣa],

  Two, Dza-zelmo Gang [Spotted Crag Hill Spur] of Ma,

  And three, the shaded valley Lung-do[Royal Dark Lower Valley]—

  These three are sacred grounds in Ma Valley.

  Unless a man has great merit, he cannot reside here.

  This portion of land should go to those endowed with karmic power,

  Who are praised as three of the men named Victory Banner:

  Guru Gyaltsen of Denma, Nyima Gyaltsen of Kar-ru, and Tharpa Gyaltsen of Nag-ru.

  Buyi Phentag of Abar [Drawn Tiger Boy of Abar],

  And Ca-nag Pönpo Singsing [Chieftain Black Metal];

  Please take your seat on the land and join with the tribes of the Greater Lineage.

  Changtri Ngamchen [Great Awesome Myriad Jackles] of Ombu

  And the hero Nyima Lhundrub [Spontaneous Sun];

  Please take your seat on the land and join with the tribes of the Middle Lineage.

  Gung-gi Marleb [Upper Red Plain] of Rongtsha

  And Shelkar Gyangdrag [White Crystal Far Famed] of Bumpa;

  Please take your seat on the land and join with the tribes of the Lesser Lineage.

  Bu-yag Drug-gyei [Handsome Royal Son Dragon] of Kyalo

  And Tshazhang Kyalo Trikor [Myriarchy of Nephews and Sons] of Kyalo

  Can have whatever portion of land makes them happiest.

  In the colorful valleys of Lower Ma, which are arranged like astrological charts,

  Are the naturally originating playing74 stones of the godly demons.75

  This is a land where a great magician should abide.

  This portion of land goes to Khache Migmar [Kashmir Red Eye].

  In the rich valley of Ja-shingnag Markhu Yölwa [Rich Rainbow Forest],

  Which is the central land of Upper and Lower Ma,

  If you look up, you can see all the way to the source of the Ma River, and

  If you look down you can see all the way down to the Turquoise Valley.

  This is a land where a man of great decisiveness should abide.

  This portion of land goes to the great arbiter Zuchen Werma.

  In the upper part of Ma at Di-yag Tagthang [Tiger Plain Knolls]

  Is the place where the people of the great provinces convene.

  Where the travelers from China and Tibet stop over to rest

  Is the one who is the guardian of the general wealth of the merchants

  As well as the one who makes arrangements for the meetings of the cousins and brethren.

  This is a land where one of great power should abide.

  This portion of land goes to Wangpo Darphen [Powerful Unfurled Silk].

  In Middle Ma at Lu-gu’i Tsera,

  Whatever plants grow here are medicinal flowers

  And the animals are permeated with the scent of medicinal herbs.

  This is a place where a doctor should reside.

  This portion of land goes to Künga Nyima [All-Joyful Sun].

  Upon the colorful ridged mountains of Ma,

  At the convergence of three great valleys and

  The confluence of the fords of three great rivers,

  Is the land where a diviner should reside.

  This portion of land goes to Künshei Thigpo.

  That mountain over there is Ab Mountain [Mole Mountain]

  And this mountain here is Ur Mountain [Bird Mountain].

  Where Ab and Ur merge

  The scurrying groundhogs come close enough to be prey

  And the neighboring grouse come close enough to be game.

  This is a place where a poor man should reside.

  This portion of land goes to Khyishi Gu-ru [Hunchback Dead Dog].

  At the lower valley of Ma, where three Turquoise Valleys merge,

  Is a land where there are more moles than lice

  And a place where the wild yams are more delicious than any other.

  The Chinese tea merchants go up the staircase, and

  The Ladakhi merchants come back down.

  If one is begging, this is where provisions for a journey will be acquired.

  If one waits, then the marks of success will come.

  This is a place where a beggar should reside.

  This portion of land goes to me and my mother Gogmo.

  Even though previously I was kicked out of Li
ng,

  Once again, I will stay in Lower Ma:

  Rather than having a belly full of undigested food,

  Don’t eat at all, keep an empty stomach.

  Rather than accepting wages to carry a backbreaking load,

  Wander the kingdom begging and enjoy inexhaustible food.

  Rather than fathers and uncles lacking in affection,

  Take delight in travelers who are free from love and hate.

  In the divine ranks of the great tribes of White Ling,

  I, the beggar boy, had no hope of staying.

  However, I am part of the paternal lineage,

  So my mind must turn with my clan.

  Those who are penniless but still obsessed with business

  Seem to have sold themselves out to debt.

  The beggar who is starving but still attached to his relatives

  Has sold out to their frank ridicule.

  Even though I know this, I can’t let the situation go.

  Joru’s welcoming gift for the six provinces

  Is not lacking wealth, for it is a fortress and a treasure trove.

  But saying it is great still does not mean that there is any way to divide it up individually.

  Why, there’s nothing to do but to let this be the general wealth of all.

  Well then, brothers of White Ling,

  For the Wishing Land of Ling with its prime dzo tea-bearers,

  There is the land of Ma abounding in the six grains.

  For the ancestral castle of Chöphen Nagpo

  There is a fortress for the nine tiger cubs of the Greater Lineage

  Called Kukhar Tazhi Zilnön [Fort that Quells the Four Borders with Its Splendor].

  For the eight warriors of the Middle Lineage

  There is Tsendzong Nyima Khyilwa [Shining Sun Secure Fortress].

  For the seven brothers of the Lesser Lineage of Bumpa,

  There is Kukhar Khyugtrug Tagtse [Garuḍa Chick Tiger Peak Fort].

  Inwardly, erect the three supports,c

  Outwardly, maintain the integrity of protection, and

  Place the golden spirals at the peak.

  All of this must be upheld just as sons must follow in the footsteps of their fathers.

  Concerning Ngulchu-tro Dzong [Ormolu Fortress] of the Bumpas,

  Trakhar Namdzong of Chipön,

  Uncle’s Be’u-tag Dzong [Tiger Gem Fortress] and others,

  You must not squander the outer or inner wealth of these three.

  From among the twelve myriarchies of the districts of Ling,

  Here we will have fifty neighborhoods of a thousand families each.

  The leaders will be the Thirty Brethren.

  The Super Warriors, who are the seven holy men,

  And the Ultimate Warriors, who are Falcon, Eagle, and

  Wolf, must take their seats.

  In their own districts, fortresses, and political affairs, and so on,

  They must have total sovereignty, as vast as the sky.

  They must be as great and steadfast as the support of the earth.

  When the bandits of Yellow Hor pass through here,

  The people of the six provinces of Ling have no reason to confront them

  Because, first, the owner of the land is Joru.

  The origins of the dispute are connected to me;

  I, Joru, will stand up and face them.

  If you understood this story, it’s sweet to your ears.

  If not, there is no way to explain it.

  White Ling, bear this in mind.

  Thus he sang. All the people of Upper, Middle, and Lower Ling who were sitting there declared, “Well, then, it’s like that! Joru is of the ancestral lineage of the Mukpo Dong!” Trothung of Tag-rong did not take much pleasure in this. But Aten, Dongtsen [his sons], and others had been given very special portions of land. Though Trothung himself let a vulgar expression flit across his face, in fact his portion of land had a lower narrow defile76 and an upper open range, so that the nine hundred tent dwellers of Tag-rong would be able to relocate in the summer and winter, and it was known that everyone was very contented. From that day onward, the worldly zodors of the land of Ma protected the Lingites, and the poor became wealthy, while the meek became mighty.

  Then, on the fifteenth day, below the treasure portals of Magyal, Joru said he was going to open the gates to the treasure fortress. All the people of the six districts gathered. Flowers rained down from the sky; the sky became a dome of rainbow clouds. On the earth a delicious fragrance permeated everywhere, accompanied by countless wondrous signs. The treasure keeper came and offered him the key to open the lower treasure portal of Sheldrag. Opening the lower treasure portals, he revealed a golden Śākyamuni, a conch Avalokiteśvara, a self-originating Yuyi Drölma [Turquoise Tārā], Trim-dung Karmo Gyangdrag [White Conch of the Law Resounding Afar], Trim-nga Selwa’i Ödden [Drum of the Law Radiating Light], Silnyen Nyima Drugdrag [Hand Cymbals Sun Dragon Thunder], Trimdar Drala Tendung [Banner of the Law Drala-Gathering Lance], and the key to open the upper treasure portal of Sheldrag along with the treasure code. These seven precious treasure objects were escorted to Sengtrug Tagtse [Lion Cub Tiger Peak]d Castle, primarily by the Tag-rongs of the Greater Lineage and all the mighty warriors. He specifically asked the Tag-rongs of the Greater Lineage to escort the seven precious treasure objects to Sengtrug Tagtse Castle as the inner supports. These were the general gifts for the six tribes.

  Then Joru mounted his staff and instantly arrived in Lower Ma, where the three Turquoise Valleys merge. All the Lingites were in a state of inconceivable delight, and they selected one man from each circuit of the great districts to become a servant of the fortresses. Two knowing, mighty warriors were chosen to head each group of twenty men, and they stayed there, diligently making prostrations, offerings, and circumambulations. Not only that, concerning the general wealth of Ling, the nāga vase and the twelve-volume Prajñāpāramitā Scripture of the nāgas written in gold, the blue nāga tent with nine partitions, a bronze statue of black Mahākāla, a black scarf with a self-originating protector, and other objects had been placed as general supports.

  From the start, Father Senglön and Kyalo Tönpa Gyaltsen were entrusted as the first two leaders in charge. This set up the auspicious connection for the future, when the Lesser Lineage would be the principal guardian of Drugmo and the owner of Kyalo’s wealth.

  This has been the episode called The Settling of Ma, or The Knotted White Scarf.

  At this time, most of the warriors built fortresses in Ma Valley using the examples and names of those from their respective clans. Readers should not get confused thinking that these castles are the same as the originals. It is evident that even though Chipön and the other elders may have built as many as six castles, most of them carry the same name, such as Trakhar Namdzong.

  Among the accounts of the Great One Gesar Norbu Dradül, the episode of The Settling of Ma called The Knotted White Scarf is now complete.

  a. Wrathful Chieftain.

  b. Mountain peaks streaked with snow.

  c. The three supports are statues, scriptures, and stupas.

  d. Same as Sengdrug Tagtse.

  AFTERWORD

  The lord of the world Gesar Norbu Dradül

  Is known as the Enlightened Divine One who brought peace and well-being to the land of Tibet.

  May this praise, like the melodious strumming of a guitar,

  Be laden with the express purpose that brings benefit and happiness.

  Sengchen Norbu Dradül is the embodiment of the enlightened activity of the victorious ones

  Whose smiling youthful moon of compassion

  Beams exceptional loving-kindness upon the people of Tibet,

  Causing the night-blooming flowers to blossom

  With the stainless dharma of scriptural learning and realization;

  Whose kindness even gives the fortunate bees cause to delight freely in the nectar of the siddhis.

  The life sto
ries of this Sublime One are as vast and deep as the ocean.

  Although it is impossible for this rabbit of low intelligence to cross such an ocean,

  This excellent account, which is like the moon, has arisen from the churning of my devotion to the ancestral lineage

  To vividly appear in my mind, like the crown ornament of Shiva.

  The corpus of this flowing biography

  Is like the stainless body of the Sita River,a

  Carrying silt as it bends and turns.

  Whatever faults may have occurred through twisting the meaning, like the activities of the king of Lanka,b

  Are released through the blessings of the Lord of the Family, Hanumanta,c

  And through the threefold scrutiny,d the intelligence of King Ramana.e

  This accumulation of virtue is like the radiant moon that holds the rabbit,f

  Shining on the minds of beings, which are like the great treasury of water [the ocean].

  May this bring pure white waves of benefit and well-being that are ever-increasing,

  And may this world be beautified by the doctrine of scriptural understanding and realization.

  The dense darkness of the suffering of all beings

  Is completely dispelled by the buddha activity of the jewel of the sky [sun].

  May the youthful lotus of the glorious age of perfection

  Be free to smile.

  In this and all my future lifetimes

  May the lotus feet of the Great Lion of Men,

  Be placed on my crown like a flower diadem

  And may I become a guide for limitless sentient beings.

  Editor’s note [by Gyurmed Thubten Jamyang Dragpa]:

  Even though it may be that there are many different traditional biographical accounts of the great Lord Gesar, this account represents the unbroken ancestral lineage of Bumpa Zhalkar from the kingdom of Dokham Ling. What is clearly expressed here has arisen from the authentic ancient manuscripts of the ancestors of earlier generations. Based on that, in this version all illogical information as well as any scribal spelling errors have been eliminated. Then, by comparing this version with the Trung Ling documented by Bu-lha Norbu, I was able to complete this text. In particular, according to this text, the recognition of [King Gesar’s] birthplace is Kyidsö, which is in harmony with the uncommon wisdom intent of the Great Tertön Chog-gyur Lingpa, the Venerable Guru Mipham Jampel Gyepei Dorje, the vidyādhara Drodül Pawo Dorje, the Great Tertön Lerab Lingpa, and others. Even though this recognition can be proven through scriptural authority, and confidence is thereby established, now is not the time to elaborate upon this; it will be discussed elsewhere. Not only that, I was also able to personally take in the following sites, like nectar for my eyes, such as Gyaza’s tent site, Joru’s footprint, the spring of his life lake, Amnye Gompa Raja’s cave at the lower valley of Drag-nag [Black Crag], Kyigyal Tagri, and the thirteen streams and valleys of Kyi [Kyidsö].g