The Epic of Gesar of Ling

by Robin Kornman

  gandharva (Tib. ’dri za). Literally, “smell eater.” A spirit that feeds on fragrances as if they were food. These refined beings are celestial musicians.

  Gangkar Tsesum [Three-Peaked White Snow Mountain] (Tib. gangs dkar rtse gsum). A mountain near the land of Ma.

  garuḍa (Tib. khyung). A gigantic divine bird that was initially prominently mentioned in the first book of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. In Hinduism, he is the mount of Viśṇu; in the Tibetan religion, he is the king of the birds and a divine principle of a mythical warrior’s impeccability and vastness.

  Ga’u Ser Dzong. See Golden Amulet Fortress.

  Gekhöd (Tib. ge khod). A category of Bön deity.

  generation and completion stages (Tib. bskyed rim and rdzogs rim). According to vajrayāna Buddhist practice, these are the two meditation stages: In the generation stage, one produces a mental image of a deity and his or her palace. In the completion or fulfillment stage, this visualization is resolved into emptiness, and one meditates formlessly without an objective focal point.

  genyen (Tib. dge bsnyen; Skt. upāsaka). A class of wrathful, local Tibetan protector deities. The Tibetan word is a translation of Sanskrit upāsaka, a lay devotee who has taken certain vows. The name indicates the fact that these particular native Tibetan spirits are now committed to the buddhadharma as a result of oaths to Padmasambhava. Often they are depicted wearing a crystal mala or other explicitly Buddhist ornaments in order to indicate their status as genyens. Along with Nyenchen Thanglha and Machen Pomra, they are still called upon today during vajrayāna rituals in order to guard the doctrine of the Buddha, elevate the status of the practitioners, expand the community of the sangha, increase the life and splendor of the practitioners, raise the banner of fame, blow the conch of renown, and increase prosperity.

  ghosts (Tib. ’byung po; Skt. bhūta). A class of pathetic invisible spirits of the same order as pretas (Skt.), or hungry ghosts. They are sometimes called elementals, which follows the meaning and the fact that this class of deities includes deities of fire, earth, water, and the like.

  Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain [Zangdog Pelri] (Tib. zangs mdog dpal ri). The mountain on the subcontinent of Cāmara. Padmasambhava resides here on its peak in the palace called Lotus Light.

  glorious gate of good fortune (Tib. rten ’brel dpal kha). A moment in which astrological and karmic forces combine to offer the perfect conditions for the occurrence of a fortunate event, such as an event of some historical or political importance. At such moments, group rituals, sometimes carried out in unison by the entire political community, must be executed in order to take advantage of the “glorious gateway” and allow the supernatural energy to manifest. It might be better to say that the rituals performed during these perfect junctures stimulate these events to occur. The right conjunction is usually understood in terms of the four or five elements and the Chinese twelve roots and ten branches—a moment when heaven and earth may be united.

  gods of the chase, thirteen (Tib. mgul lha). Literally, the “shoulder gods.” The principal local gods in Tibet.

  Gog (Tib. ’gog). The country of Kyalo Tönpa Gyaltsen, which neighbors Ling. Since Gesar’s mother lived in Gog, she is known as Gogmo, the woman from Gog; and as Senglön’s younger wife, she is Gogza, the wife from Gog.

  Golden Amulet Fortress (Tib. ga’u gser rdzong). The palace of Chief Michen Gyalwa’i Lhundrub. Later in volume 2, Gesar gives Michen an area of land near modern Derge called Golden Amulet Valley (Tib. ga’u gser lung).

  Golden Provinces of Upper Ling, Eight (Tib. stod gling gser pa ched brgyad). Upper Ling is the highland area where Chöphen Nagpo’s elder wife, the matriarchal founder of the Ser (or Golden) family of the Elder Lineage, found her totem, which was a golden yoke.

  great encampment (Tib. sgar chen po). The great gatherings called garchen, which included semipermanent accommodations for a large number of people, were a particular feature of traditional Tibetan life. The encampment might serve as a monastery, or a village on the move, or a place for trade and business connections. Gar is also the name for a temporary encampment for disciples who are gathering around the guru for teachings and practice. It is also used in the context of military encampments.

  Great Power (Tib. dbang chen lha mchog). One of the epithets of the yidam Hayagrīva. Another epithet is Lotus Great Power (Tib. pad ma dbang chen). See also Lotus Great Power.

  Greater Lineage of Ling (Tib. gling che rgyud kyi gdung rgyud). The Elder Lineage of the three lineages of Ling, the Serpa clan. Their divine prince is Nyibum Daryag.

  Grimacing One (Tib. khro gnyer can ma). Also known as Wrathfully Grimacing One. A wrathful form of Tārā.

  Gu-ra, the Crag Mountain of (Tib. gu ra rdza). A mountain in Ling that was determined to be the finish line for the horse race.

  gyalgong (Tib. rgyal ’gong). Literally, “king demon,” this is a kind of spirit with a characteristic combination of tyrannous pride and sectarian aggression who some worship, but others regard as a pest. Those who worship gyalgongs may feel bliss at first, which is the gift of that spirit. But if they try to break off the relationship, the spirit becomes their enemy, chasing them in their dreams and inflicting diseases such as paralysis. The gyalgong has a wrathful quality, and if there is a hotheaded schism or angry rebellion, some Tibetans will say it is the result of an infestation of gyalgongs or kingly demonic forces. Hence it has been said that the destructive behavior of the Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution had the appearance of an attack of gyalgongs.

  habitual patterns (Tib. bag chags; Skt. vāsanā). Patterns of conditioning that exist in the subconscious mind, which are the cause of ego fixation.

  Hara Hurthung [Short and Impetuous] (Tib. ha ra hur thung). A style of melody used by Trothung for his songs.

  Haughty Turquoise Dragon Fortress (Tib. g.yu ’brug ’gying rdzong). Chipön’s palace.

  Hayagrīva (Tib. rta mgrin). A horse-headed tantric Buddhist yidam, or tutelary deity. Hayagrīva is a wrathful form of Amitābha, the Lotus family Buddha. He is especially revered as a deity that should be supplicated for the removal of obstacles and the liberation of demons. He is the personal deity of Trothung and the Tag-rong.

  heart cakra of dharma (Tib. snying kha chos kyi ’khor lo). The network of wisdom channels located at the heart center. See also cakra.

  heruka (Tib. khrag ’thung). A wrathful male yidam, or tutelary deity, in the sambhogakāya aspect of enlightenment. The Tibetan khrag ’thung translates as “blood-drinker,” and in vajrayāna symbolism, the heruka drinks the blood of ego-clinging and dualistic thinking.

  hidden lands, four (Tib. sbas yul bzhi). Theoretical secret lands that are similar to the notion of Shangri-la.

  hocks (Tib. sgyid pa). The hamstring.

  Hor (Tib. hor). A kingdom to the east of Ling, ruled by demons who are enemies of Ling as well as enemies of virtue. A later volume of the epic is devoted to the war between Ling and Hor. The Hor are divided into three tribes, each governed by a king: King Gurkar [White Tent]; King Gurnag [Black Tent]; and King Gurser [Yellow Tent].

  horse gods (Tib. rta lha). Horse spirits, or the forces that accompany a horse in order to assist it in various ways.

  hundred-syllable mantra. The mantra of Vajrasattva. See also Vajrasattva.

  hungry ghost (Tib. yi dwags; Skt. preta). The realm of the hungry ghosts is one of the three lower realms in the six realms of rebirth in saṃsāra. Hungry ghosts have huge stomachs and tiny mouths; they are always hungry and thirsty, but can never be satisfied. They are often depicted with fire spewing from their mouths, since whatever they try to ingest turns into molten fire.

  interpretable meaning (Tib. drang don; Skt. neyārtha). Literally, “leading to the meaning.” The teachings of the Buddha and the commentaries written based on these teachings will either directly introduce the definitive nature of reality, or implicate that nature. The scriptures that emphasize the latter are referred to as scriptures with “interpretable meani
ng,” because they will implicate the truth but not point it out directly.

  Jachen Yölmo Corners (Tib. ’ja’ chen yol mo gru khug). Literally, “great rainbow in the alcove of Yölmo.” A solitary place known as Great Rainbow Alcove, near Ma.

  Jambudvīpa (Tib. dzam bu gling). The southern continent in the cosmology of the Buddhist world-system. It is named after the jambu (rose-apple) tree. Jambudvīpa is the world populated by human beings, so it is roughly equivalent to planet Earth in the Western cosmological system.

  Jang (Tib. ’jang). A country south of Batang, ruled by King Sadam. Gesar conquers this country in later volumes of the epic.

  Jowo Buddha (Tib. jo bo). A famous statue of Amitābha Buddha in Lhasa.

  Jowo Namri [Lord Sky Mountain] (Tib. jobo gnam ri). A mountain in the kingdom of Düd, the Demon of the North.

  Kailash, Mount (Tib. gangs ti se). Located in southwest Tibet, this mountain has been a pilgrimage point for Buddhists and Hindus for centuries. In Hindu mythology, it is said to be the home of Śiva.

  kalavinka bird. A kind of Indian cuckoo known to Tibetans through their study of Indian poetry. Sometimes called a kalapinka bird, this is an allegorical, sweet-voiced bird of immortality.

  Kaling Temple of Ma (Tib. rma ka li lha khang). A gathering place in Ling. Although it is not an actual temple, it is called one because of its divine beauty.

  kalpa (Skt.; Tib. kal pa or bskal pa). An extremely long period of time; an aeon or an age.

  Kar and Nag tribal wards (Tib. dkar nag stong skor tsho pa). A place in Ling. Although the expression makes Kar and Nag seem to be two separate places, they are always mentioned together as if they were a single unit.

  karmically destined horses of White Ling, thirty (Tib. gling dkar po’i las rta sum bcu). Most of these horses can fly, and possess the power of speech. Each has a name and is specially destined to belong to its particular warrior.

  kāya (Tib. sku). The Tibetan honorific term for “body” is sku. Throughout the text, the Sanskrit word kāya is used as the translation for “body” in order to indicate the word’s esoteric meaning as the Enlightened Body of the Buddha. See also bodies of the Buddha, three.

  kāyas, four (Skt.). This refers to the three bodies of the Buddha plus the swavavivakāya, which is the enlightened body of the nature as it is. See also bodies of the Buddha, three.

  khaṭvāṇga (Tib. khat wang ga). A tantric scepter in the shape of an ornamented iron pole, which is adorned with three heads at the top and a three-pronged fork like a trident. This is one of the important hand emblems held by tantric yogis such as Padmasambhava. This emblem often indicates the consort.

  Khenlung Ridrug [Six-Peaked Sage Valley] (Tib. mkhan lung ri drug). A valley in the curve of the upper Yellow River, near Ma. An unpopulated region inhabited mainly by pikas, the Yellow Hor robbed passing merchants here until the area was settled by Gesar’s kingdom.

  ki and so (Tib. ki and bsvo). Part of the warrior’s cry. In full, the cry is: ki! ki! so! so! lha gyal lo! (“ki! ki! so! so!” means “Divine victory!”). This is also a mantric sound in native Tibetan religion. This sound originates with the Bön, a shamanistic sect of the indigenous people of Tibet. When invoking the gods and trying to incite their deeds, Bönpo utter this sound along with other syllables. This sound will uplift the windhorse for a situation, and once offerings are made, it ensures success. See also windhorse.

  know me (Tib. mkhyen or mkhyen no). An expression that calls out to one’s object of devotion, such as a god, guru, or buddha, in order to ask for blessings and support. This expression is used particularly in the practice of guru yoga, or devotion to the guru. This is one of the most common practices in vajrayana Buddhism. For example, in the practice of Calling the Gurus from Afar, one might invoke a guru by repeating the refrain “Guru, know me” several times over. (Tib. bla ma mkhyen no).

  Knowing Steed [Changshei] (Tib. cang shes). An epithet for Gesar’s horse, meaning “allknowing.” Refers to the fact that the horse possesses a human intelligence and complete knowledge of the future of the epic. The horse is also called Noble Steed (Tib. rta mdo ba), an elegant term for a special horse.

  Kukurīpā. One of the eighty-four mahāsiddhas who taught Marpa Lotsawa the Mahāmāyā Tantra. He was famous for his eccentric association with dogs.

  kumuda (Skt.). A kind of lotus flower that opens in moonlight.

  Kyalo Wealthy Pasture Land (Tib. skya lo phyug gi mtsher sa). Homeland of Kyalo Tönpa. The word wealthy (Tib. phyug) in this context tends to mean “livestock,” since the wealth of a family is often indicated by how many heads of yak, dru, and sheep they have in their family herds.

  kyang (Equus kiang). The Tibetan wild ass. Unlike Westerners’ negative notions about the ass, this is an exceptionally impressive and noble creature who wanders the high plains and mountains.

  Kyang-bu (Tib. kyang bu). Gesar’s horse; the name means “kyang colt.” See also Wild Kyang.

  Kyidsö Yag-gi Khado [Conjunction of the Excellent Joyful Spring] (Tib. skyid sos yag gi kha mdo). A region of Upper (western) Ling. This is now recognized as a place near Shechen Monastery, and close to the monastery built by Tshabsha Kuchen (Tib. tshab tsha sku chen). A temple in honor of Gesar and the Thirty Mighty Warriors has been erected on the site. Many scholars of Gesar also claim that the place known as Sengdrug Tagtse Palace (Tib. seng ’brug stag rtse) in Golog, where the Dar River merges with the Yellow River, is also the site of Kyidsö Yag-gi Khado. Both positions are openly accepted.

  Kyigyal Tag-ri [Tiger Mountain King of Joy] (Tib. skyid rgyal stag ri). A place in Ling. This name has many variants, including spyi rgyal (general king); skyi rgyal (sparkling king); and lci rgyal (king of Ci).

  Lesser Lineage of Ling (Tib. gling chung rgyud kyi gdung rgyud). One of the three lineages of Ling, the Muchang clan; the lineage that comes from the youngest of the heirs, also sometimes referred to as the Cadet Lineage, or the Younger Lineage. Their divine prince is Rinchen Darlu.

  Lha Downs [Divine Downs] (Tib. lha dis). A group of hills in Ling where the spectators observed the horse race. Drugmo was positioned there, and this is the place from which she described the qualities of each of the warriors.

  lhasang. See smoke offering.

  life duration (Tib. tshe). A kind of force or energy that a person possesses at birth as the result of his or her previous karma. A person’s longevity depends on the amount of life duration they possess, because short of extraordinary interventions, a person dies when their allotted life expectancy is exhausted. See also life force.

  life essence (Tib. srog). The life energy that is possessed by every living being, which is responsible for health and a general sense of physical well-being. If a person has an illness associated with their life essence, they will become weak, depressed, and frequently ill. Often this term is presented as part of a triad: tshe, life duration or expectancy; bla, the life force; and srog, the life essence.

  life force (Tib. bla). A kind of entity or nexus located in the human heart center that functions like a soul. It is responsible for the sense of identification with the body. If the life force should journey away from the body and not return, death will soon follow. The life force can exit the body if an individual is suddenly frightened, and this can lead to the shortening of life. See also life duration.

  life stone (Tib. bla rdo). Literally, “soul stone,” the life stone is a kind of soul that dwells in a person. When the life force leaves a person, they will die soon after. Some people believe they can keep part of their life force locked safely in a material object, such as a stone or a mirror, or in the famous Russian fairy tale of Koschei the Deathless, an egg. The Tibetans have ceremonies for locking a portion of the life force in a token stone, usually turquoise, which is then worn around the neck for security and protection.

  Limitless Palace of Lotus Light (Tib. pad ma ’od kyi gzhal yas). Padma’s palace on Cāmara on the Copper-Colored Mountain.

  Lion Cub Tiger Fortress [Sengtrug Tagdzong]
(Tib. seng phrug stag rdzong). A castle built for Gesar by Gedzo and Machen Pomra. It is one of the prizes given to the winner of the race. In modern times, this place was honored through the rebuilding of a temple at the original location, which was identified by the great twentieth-century lama Khenpo Jigmed Phuntsog Jungney. The site is in Golog, close to the place where the Yellow and Dar Rivers merge. Also known as Lion Dragon Tiger Peak [Sengtrug Tagtse] (Tib. seng ’brug stag rtse).

  Ling, epithets for (Tib. gling). Ling is a country presumably in eastern Tibet or Amdo Province that has several epithets in the Gesar epic: it is called White Ling (meaning “Ling, the good”); Sparkling Ling; Multicolored Ling (meaning “Ling, the beautiful”); and Wishing Land Ling (meaning that Ling is such a wonderful place that everybody wishes they were there).

  Lingtsang (Tib. gling gtsang). A tribe or a small kingdom in northeastern Tibet (or northwestern China), also known as Derge. This tribe is said to be associated with Ling.

  Long-Life Queen of Siddhi Liquor (Tib. grub pa’i rgyal mo’i tshe chang). The name of a liquor, blessed by the goddess of longevity named Drubpa’i Gyalmo. This is the long-life liquor that Drugmo has with her in order to offer it to Joru when she meets him.

  Lord of Secrets. See Vajrapāṇi.

  Lord of Steeds [’Dorje Kyang Göd] (Tib. ’do rje kyang rgod). Epithet for Wild Kyang, also referred to by his full name, ’Dorje Kyang Göd Phelpo [Lord of Steeds Ever-Increasing Wild Kyang] (Tib. ’do rje kyang rgod ’phel po).

  Lord of the World (Skt.; Lokeśvara Tib. ’jig rten dbang pyhugs). An epithet of Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassion.