According to Joru’s design all this will certainly come to be;
The Wild Kyang who is wise
Together with Joru who possesses authentic presence,
Even from here I can see over there that you have this potential.
He said if I call you, you would understand human language.
Therefore, Wild Kyang, please come here.
To just stay there and feed yourself
Would merely be surviving like a desperate animal.
But if you come and accomplish the benefit of others,
Then consider the uncommon benefit of illusory beings.
Help magnetize White Ling
And help bind the four māras by oath.
Help establish the world in bliss.
Wild Kyang, hold this in your heart.
Having offered this song, she moved toward him, and all the other kyangs ran away. But the divine steed showed Gogmo that he was slightly interested and felt some affection for her. Then he raised this song to Gogmo, in the melody of a Modulating Long Neigh:
The song is Ala Ala Ala.
Thala is the melody of the song.
If you don’t recognize this place
It is Penne Ritra of Tibet.
This is the pasture land of thousands of white-mouthed kyangs.
If you don’t recognize me,
I am the messenger of the gods above.
I am the karmic treasure trove of the nyen of the middle space.
I am the karmically destined god of the horses.
My full name is Lord of Steeds Ever-Increasing Wild Kyang.
Now then, Gogmo, listen to me:
It’s hard to domesticate an animal you’ve neglected.
It’s hard to get what you really want without trying.
It’s hard to have prosperity without merit.
It’s hard to have children without karmic fruition.
I am the Supreme Steed, Lord of Horses, Wild Kyang.
I’ve stayed in Red Wetland Pastures54 for three years,
I was on the Crag Mountain of Gu-ra for three years,
I stayed on the slopes of Yutse three years more,
And now I’ve been in Penne Ritra for three more years.
In the three months of summer, I roamed and grazed
With no shelter to protect me from the rains;
In the three months of winter I was tormented by the icy winds
With no blanket to cover my flanks.
In the three months of spring, when my stomach was growling,
There was no one to feed me even three bites of grass.
I am a stallion twelve years old;
It’s too late for me to be saddle-broken.
All through these twelve long years:
First, a great horse like me had no owner;
Second, I had no saddle or bridle to show off to others;
Third, no warm stall for sleeping and no horse blanket,
And no food to fill my stomach.
How I wished and wished for these things, but this stallion wished in vain.
What I wished for never came.
So, first, I’ve never heard of anyone called Joru,
And since I’ve never seen the one called Gogmo,
Now that this Great Steed has grown old,
I would not even think of accepting the bridle.
I just won’t accept the mandate of the gods above.
Even if I tried there would not be enough time left in my life to do this.
The bit will never fit this square mouth.
The saddle blanket will never cover my broad back.
Sister Drugmo means nothing to this horse.
If you don’t sow seeds in the three months of spring,
It’s hard to get the six grains in the three months of fall.
If cows are not fed in the three months of winter,
It’s hard to get milk in the three months of spring.
If the steed is not regularly fed,
When an enemy raids, it is too late to capture him.
I will not stay here now for I am going off to the pure land.
I will not serve the purposes of beings in the intermediate human realm.
Since the boy Joru doesn’t care about this horse,
Rather than surviving on my own as a horse, a mere animal,
I had better wander in the ranks of the gods above.
If you understand this song, it is sweetness to your ears.
If not, there’s no way to explain it.
Thus he sang and then began to fan his vulture wings as if preparing to take to flight.55 Meanwhile Gogmo sat there and prayed to the gods with one-pointed devotion. Then in the sky, from within the white clouds, appeared elder brother White-Conch Garuḍa, younger brother Little Light Nāga Serpent, and sister Completely Luminous, surrounded by a great company of gods, nāgas, and nyen sparkling like motes in the rays of the sun. They threw the ring of the lasso around the divine horse’s neck and gave the other end of the rope into Gogmo’s hand. The assembly of gods showered them with auspicious flowers; rainbow light tents were pitched. Many wondrous signs showed forth as she captured the horse. She led him down a little bit, thinking, “The real ones who captured this horse are the gods, nāgas, and nyens, and the lasso itself is a magical lasso. This supreme horse knows how to speak and understand. He has six broad wings to fly across the sky and other features unique even among the karmically destined horses of White Ling. So I must praise him and expound his sublime qualities.”
Turning toward them she said, “Ya, Sengcham Drugmo of Kyalo, among the herds of wealthy Kyalo and even the thirty karmically destined horses of White Ling, there is no horse that could possibly compare with this one.” She was on the verge of singing a song, but since the time had not yet arrived for Drugmo to open his great secret and explain the qualities of the horse, the horse bolted and took to flight like a vulture soaring into the sky.56 As he flew, Gogmo was in tow, grasping her end of the lasso like a protection cord. As they flew higher up in space, they could clearly see the countries of China, India, Persia, Mongolia, Jang, Mongolia, and the land of the māras. It was then that the supreme horse broke into song, singing to Gogmo in the melody of a Modulating Long Neigh.
The song is Ala Ala Ala.
Thala is the melody of the song.
The assembly of deities of Cakrasaṃvara in my body,
And all the ḍākas and ḍākinīs who abide in my channels,
The absolute deities of the three kāyas are my awareness.
Lovingly look upon this supreme horse.
Grant your blessings that I may accomplish the purpose of beings.
If you don’t recognize this place,
It is the middle path of the birds in upper space.
Look down and there’s a spectacle to be seen:
That mountain, which looks like a vulture is perched upon it,
Is Vulture Peak Mountain in India.
That mountain, which looks like a great sleeping elephant,
Is Posing Elephant Mountain in China.
That one great mountain with five peaks,
Which looks like a ḍākinī wearing the crown of the five families,
Is Five-Peaked Mountain in China.
The mountain that resembles a pure crystal vase
Is the supreme site for meditation practice, Mount Kailash.
These are the four supreme sacred mountains in the south of Jambudvīpa.
That mountain over there that resembles a guru wearing his initiation hat
Is Yarlha Shampo [Flowing Silk of the Upper Gods] in central Tibet.
That mountain, which looks like a curtain of white silk,
Is Nyenchen Thanglha in Dam [in central Tibet].
That mountain, which looks like a crouching white lion cub,
Is Kulha Rigyal in the south.
That mountain like a colorful tigress cuddling her cub
Is called Öddei Gung-gyal [Radiant Heavenl
y King] in the east.
Those are the four great mountains of Tibet.
Look down there, there’s more to see:
The square earth is covered with clouds and mist.
Where it seems that the happy day is flooded by darkness
Is the mountain pass in the darkness of the north called Chu-drug [Turbulent Waters].
The mountain that resembles a man’s dark fell of hair
Is Jowo Namri [Lord Sky Mountain] of the far north.
That which resembles a black iron stake driven in the ground
Is the castle of the māras, Sharu Namdzong [Stag Horn Sky Fortress],
Also known as the nine-storied castle Bangkhar Naro [Castle of Muck].
This is the land to be tamed by the boy Joru;
This is the place where this horse will accomplish the benefit of beings.
This is the meditation place where an inexhaustible accumulation of the merit of samādhi will be accomplished.
If you want to remember this, Gogmo, hold it in mind.
The mountain that looks like a white torma offering for the gods
Is Gurkar of Hor’s Palo Tsegyei [Wide-Peaked Mountain].
That castle that resembles a crimson Chinese knot
Is Yazi of Hor’s Karmo Tsegtong [Thousand-Storied White Castle].
That is the place where boy Joru and I must go.
This is the place where Sister Drugmo’s marriage will first go awry.
This is the place where all sorts of wise and skillful emanations will be produced.
If you want to remember this, Gogmo, hold it in mind.
Look down there, there’s more to see:
The black mountain that looks like a woman dressed in black
Is Khasha Nyug-ri [Deer Bamboo Mountain] of Mön in the south.
The land that resembles an iron vajra thrust in the ground
Is Zhuyi Zhoro Trabtsen [Mighty White Armor of Zhu].
That red crag mountain resembling an angry cannibal demon
Is Sogkya Relpa [Braided White Grass Canyon].
That castle that looks like a mass of molten rock
Is the kāya castle of King Shingtri in the south.
Some call it Pang-ra Yu-dzong [Fenced Meadow Turquoise Fortress],
Some call it Samdrub Lingdzong [Fortress That Fulfills All Wishes],
And others call it Tong-ri Namdzong [Thousand Mountains Sky Fortress].
It is the place where the black demon casts down his Mu cord.
This is a field the boy Joru will tame.
This is the place where this horse will travel through the skies.
If there is an arrow with white feathers, it will be useful in this place.
If you want to remember this, Gogmo, hold it in mind.
Look down there, there’s more to see:
That black lake, which resembles boiling poisonous waters,
Is the poison lake of Beri.
The black castle that looks like a pillar between heaven and earth
Is the ancestral castle of King Sadam of the land Jang.
It is also called the ancestral kāya castle of Zimtri.
The mountain that looks like an old man sneaking out to spy
Is Mi-gen Jatri [Old Man Leading a Bird] in Ding-ri.b
That mountain, which resembles a cuckoo perched on a rock,
Is Colorful Tiger Nose Soul Mountain [La-ri Tagna Trawo].
This is a field the boy Joru will tame;
This is the place where this horse will bring the benefit of beings.
That is a valley of sin where the dharma does not flourish.
That is the place where the wishes of the White Fish Belly57 will be accomplished.
If you want to remember this, Gogmo, hold it in mind.
Beyond these, we are unable to even count the mountains.
If the qualities of this horse were to be expounded,
Then it must be the people of White Ling who sing my praises,
If not them, then not you, Mother Gogmo, for that would embarrass me.
Nobody really knows all the good qualities this horse possesses
Except for Sister Drugmo,
So Mother Gogmo, don’t stay here, return to Ling,
And I, the horse Kyang-bu, will not stay here but go to the land of the gods.
If you understand this song, it is sweetness to your ears.
If not, there is no way to explain it.
Thus he sang, and within an instant, like magic, he landed at the Five-Peaked Mountain of China. It turned out that Joru was already there. He whipped the horse three times, and it flew across the sky like a meteor, landing back at Mount Penne.
Gogmo was delighted. She led the horse down to Sengcham Drugmo, who said to her, “Since we’ve caught the horse, it’s time to leave. Once we’ve given the horse to Joru, we will have accomplished our mutual goal.” Accordingly, they hurried to lead the horse to Joru. The horse started trying to break away from them. Just when they couldn’t hold him any longer, they called out, “Joru! Joru! We’re losing the horse!” Joru replied, “Just let him go, Mother. Today we two, the karmically destined horse and Joru, chosen by the gods, have finally met.”
After all of the ups and downs Gogmo had been through, she came to this conclusion, “The only kind of person who could handle this horse would be a sorcerer endowed with the magical strength of the power of karma. Surely I cannot be the one to pull this horse back.” She threw her end of the rope back to the horse and let him loose. Like an affectionate son going up to his mother, the horse pranced up to Joru and stood close to him. Joru lovingly stroked him for a long time, and then, taking the rope, he said “Ah, Sister Sengcham Drugmo, I, Joru, have finally acquired Wild Kyang as a gift from the gods. Now it’s okay to go to Ling. We, mother and son, have no wealth that is greater than this horse. You, girl from Kyalo, are the owner of many herds of horses, and you have experienced the quality of the brethren’s thirty karmically destined horses. So tell me if my horse is superior, inferior, or equal and whether he belongs in the ranks of the brethren’s karmic horses. What are the qualities of horses in general, and, in particular, what are the good and bad points of this Wild Kyang? Please expound on the subject of horses.” Then Drugmo sang this song, giving the history of horses and explaining the good qualities of the divine horse in the melody called Six Modulations in Nine Pitches:
The song is Ala Ala Ala.
Thala is the melody of the song.
I supplicate the Supreme and Rare Three Jewels.
Please remain inseparable as my crown ornament
And befriend me today.
No matter how many songs I sing, may they be imbued with the dharma.
Now then, Gogmo’s divine son,
Listen, I have some things to tell you.
According to the worldly Tibetan proverbs:
If you don’t know the good qualities of the divine gurus,
Rendering them reverence is like rubbing oil into a stone.
If the teachings of the Buddha, whether sutra or tantra, are not mixed with the mind,
Then reading dharma scriptures is like the chanting of a parrot.
If humans do not know their ancestral lineage,
They are like wandering monkeys in the endless jungle.
If you do not know the value of something
You are like a stranger who has lost his way.
If you don’t understand what distinguishes a noble steed,
You can’t just go around calling every horse a thoroughbred.
In the classes of noble horses there are four types:
The Dowa [Noble Steed] itself, the Begto, and the Mu-kheng, these three,
And the Gyiling steed, make up the four types.
Of the Dowa breed the long-torsoed ones are the best.
Of the Begto breed, the white ones are the best.
Of the Mu-kheng breed, the bulky ones are the best.
Of the Gyiling breed, the light ones are the best.
The larger noble steed is like the sun shining in the sky.
In all four directions it has perfect proportions.
The cross-breed resembles a taut silken thread,
Supple on the outside, firm on the inside.
The smaller noble steed is like an iron flute,
Its coat is fine and its body long.
There are three kinds of frontlets [the face] for a horse.
The superior horse must have a garuḍa frontlet,
The middling horse must have a goat frontlet,
And the horse with the frontlet of a deer is inferior.
There are also three varieties of hocks,58
The bull hock, deer hock, and goat hock,
Which correspond to the superior, mediocre, and inferior horses.
There are seven types of horse teeth:
The kyang type is big and concave,
The bull type is like pennycress,c
The sheep type is small and pearly white.
These three are the best teeth of all.
First, the teeth are mighty like a tiger’s;
Second, the teeth jut out like a camel’s;
Third, the teeth are snaggle-toothed like a pig’s.
These are the three worst types of teeth.
The kyang teeth with their small concavity are of intermediate quality.
There are five different types of coats.
First, the long coarse fur, like that of a deer;
Second, the short coarse hair of a tiger;
These two are the superior coats.
First, the long and smooth fur, like that of a fox, and
Second, short and smooth like that of a grizzly bear, are the two worst coats.
The donkey coat, which is neither smooth nor coarse,
Belongs to horses of middling breed.
There are seven kinds of hooves.
A hoof that is high and attractive like a fine cup made from rhino horn,
A hoof that is worn down with a rim like ridged copper petals,
A hoof that is short and straight down like iron fangs.
These are the three superior types of hooves.
The Epic of Gesar of Ling Page 47