"The previous kings of Tibet supported both the
Buddhists
and the Bon-pos.
Tarthang-Tulku-Mother-of-Knowledge-The-Enlightenment-of-Yeshe-Tsogyal
If we could construct such a temple, I would call it bSam-yas, 'Beyond Conception'.
"
"Great King, do not be small-minded! " the Guru replied. "There is no reason we cannot do this. You are the king of all Tibet! You have power over all who possess form, and I have power over all formless gods and spirits. What could be the problem? "
So they created bSam-yas, first completing the outer structure and then filling it with statues and texts and heart symbols, representing the body, speech, and mind of the Dharma. Next they brought
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together the practitioners who would make up the Sangha. At this time, Padmasambhava predicted that there would be 108 special lotsawas. From thirteen thousand Tibetans, three thousand would be selected, and from these three thousand, three hundred would be chosen to form the first Sangha. Santarak~ita would ordain them, Padmasambhava would teach them, and the lotsawas would translate.
But the Bon ministers resisted the Dharma. The rGyu-bon created obstacles so that a number oflotsawas had to be sent away several times, disrupting the continuity of their teaching three times.
Eventually, however, the Buddhists and Bon-pos each developed their own Sangha. The Bon decided to establish their seat at Yar-lung, and the king and ministers agreed to this.
The Buddhists invited twenty-one great Masters from India. The 108lotsawas who had dispersed to all comers ofTibet gathered again at bSam-yas. Now, three thousand of the thirteen thousand Tibetans sup- porting the Dharma were ordained as young monks. Even important Bon-pos were invited-seven learned scholars from Zhang-zhung and the surrounding area, and seven powerful Bon leaders from 'Om-bu.
At this time, Padmasambhava and his consort had been residing at 'On-phu Tiger Cave. The Dharma King sent the great lotsawa, Dran-pa nam-mkha', with three others to invite Padmasambhava to bSam-yas. They brought the Guru his great black nine-gaited garuda- horse, and leading pack horses and other animals, they all set out quickly for bSam-yas.
Padmasambhava predicted: "In a little while, I shall perform seven ceremonies for the foundation of the Mantrayana, which will center at lHa-sa. Sakyamuni himselfgave me this prediction. "
They travelled by stages, being welcomed first at the stone sepulchre at Zur-mkhar, and then at bSam-yas.
At bSam-yas, Padmasambhava sat upon a throne erected for him under the medicinal trees. The twenty-one scholars from India and the Tibetan lotsawas approached and bowed to him, and the great Master
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Vimalamitra, together with these learned ones, sang to him in one voice:
"Only now have we been able to meet the Orgyan Guru
in bodily form! Only now can we meet Padmasambhava! Merit accumulated through many ages has borne this fruit! "
Tears streaming down their faces, they gazed upon the wonderful face of the Guru.
Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra were especially pleased to meet one another; like long-lost father and son, they clasped each other's hands and sat together in the highest gallery.
The Dharma King, his nobles, and the scholars bowed to them from the middle level and sat down. Three times they repeated special consecratory blessings for the temple, praying for the propagation of the Dharma. Padmasambhava declared that three separate fire cere- monies were necessary to conquer the demonic forces, and he per- formed the first one, planning the others for later. But the king was distracted and did not ask for the others to be done, so Padmasambhava did no more. He predicted that though the Dharma would spread in the future, difficulties and demons would increase as well.
The king invited both Buddhists and Bon-pos to bSam-yas for the ceremonies at the last month of the year. Five learned Bon-pos came to participate in the ceremonies, but they did not understand the forms, sounds, or symbols of the Dharma. The images, texts, and religious implements meant nothing to them; nor did they comprehend the ten virtues. They did not join in the salutations or the circumambulations, but rather stood in a row at the back, leaning against the images of deities. They did not rejoice with the common people, the ministers, and the king.
The next day, the king and the Bon-pos met in front of the statue of Vairocana. The Bon-pos asked: "0 Lord, God-like One, here at the center of the topmost gallery is the figure of a completely naked lord surrounded by eight other naked men. What are they for? Where did they come from? Are these the Indian paQQitas? "
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The great Dharma King answered: "This master in the center is a representation of Vairocana. Surrounding him are eight Bodhisattvas. These are statues of the Buddha, and we pay homage to them. If you make offerings to them, you accumulate merit and counteract previous bad karma. "
The Bon-pos asked again: "Over there by the door are two very fierce and wrathful beings. What are they? Are they man-killers? Why were they made? Why do you need them? "
The Dharma King answered: "Those two by the door, like all wrathful forms, are beneficial-powerful and splendid and good. They are destroyers of evil and obstacles, and they aid all followers of the Dharma. They represent Mahakala and were made from many precious substances by great Indian artists. Padmasambhava and the learned Indian masters have blessed them. Their purpose is to spread and increase the Buddha's teaching and cleanse the obscurations ofsentient beings. That is why we need them. "
But the Bon-pos replied: "They are just made of day-some clever men have tricked you with fakes. They are nothing special. King, you have been cheated. Tomorrow we will show you some truly marvelous things! Our worship is indeed wonderful and complete; we Bon-pos have incredible power. We will delight you with our miracles, which are beyond belief. "
Then they all strolled outside to see the stiipa. "What is this-this sheath over the top, these wrinkles in the center, this bottom that looks like a pile of dog shit? What is this? " the Bon-pos asked.
The Dharma King responded: "The top is a symbol of the Tathagata lineage, representing the Dharmakaya. Should you want to know what it does not represent, it does not represent the Sambhogakaya. It is called a 'mchod-rten', support of worship, because it supports the worship of beings of the NirmaQakaya realm. The umbrella and ornaments around the pinnacle represent the thirteen parts of the Dharma wheel. The central part resembling a vase stands for the expanse of the Dharmakaya and represents the Four Immeasurables.
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The base is a richly decorated lion-throne holding a treasury of wealth-whatever one desires. "
"Ifyou practice the disciplines, what do you need with such images and structures? " the Bon-pos asked. "This is unbelievable! The brave cannot use them for fighting, the cowardly cannot use them for hiding. These Indians have very evil hearts-they are cheating our king. "
The king, ministers, and the rest did not believe a word of this. So the Bon-pos went to stay at Island Eight near the Third Continent of the Lady and prepared for the sacrificial ceremonies for the king. The paQqitas went to stay at the Continent ofHayagriva.
After a while, the Bon-pos sent a message to the king that they needed one thousand full-grown stags and does for their sacrificial ritual, as well as hinds in halters of turquoise, yaks, sheep, and goats. They requested a thousand of each, male and female, and also some of the king's clothing. The king quickly gave them whatever they asked for and whatever types of material substances they needed: clothing and the eight types of alcoholic beverages, the nine types of grain, and all else they wanted.
The Bon-pos then called the king and his retinue to come and meet with them. So the king and queens and lords and the rest of the retinue all went to see the Bon-pos.
Nine learned Bon-pos stood in a line in the center, flanked on the left and right by rows of nine strong men. Many men called 'Oblation Helpers' carried sharp knives. Those called 'Bathers' carried water in great golden ladles to wash the beings awaiting sacrifice. Those called 'Black Bon-pos' scattered all types of grain about the animals. Those known as 'Questioners' asked questions of the gods and spirits who surrounded them and received their answers.
Next, the 'Oblation Helpers' cut the throats of the stags and wild asses and offered the remains as sacrifices. They did the same with the yaks, sheep, goats, and other animals-three thousand were sacrificed at one time. They seized the does and cut off their legs as offerings. They took another three thousand female animals, yaks, sheep, and
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goats, and, after first cutting off their legs, skinned them alive for the sacrifice. They killed horses, oxen, cows, mules, dogs, birds, and swine, all in different ways. When they had finished, all bSam-yas was filled with the stench of burning flesh.
Then those called 'Separators' separated flesh from bone. The 'Dividers' divided up the remaining parts and spread them all over the place, and the 'Numbering Bon-pos' counted it all. Many kettles were filled with blood and covered with skins which were then heaped high with piles of flesh. At this point they chanted the Bon rites. Such was the Bon practice.
The king and queens and the ministers were not pleased at having to watch all this. Steam rose from the blood, and in the waves of steam they could see strange rainbows and hear noises unconnected with any form-evil sounds, sad sounds, screeches, and mad cries of HU SHU! and HA HA!
"These are the sounds of the svastika Bon gods, sounds of luck, sounds of prosperity! Wonderful sounds! " the Bon-pos cried. And they offered all the dripping red flesh and blood to the king, and asked him if he were happy with this evil ceremony. "Your Majesty, isn't this fine? Aren't you just a little pleased with the Bon? Great King, do you not feel faith rising up in your heart? Isn't this wonderful? "
But the king was not at all pleased in his heart. The others did not know what to think, and so, full of indecision, they went back inside.
The paQqitas and lotsawas had seen it all, and they said to the king: "You cannot have two doctrines where there should be one. If the East is low, then the West must be higher. To mix the Buddhadharma with the teachings of heretics makes no sense. Fire and water can never meet as friends-you must send these allies of evil far away! Not even for a moment can we associate ourselves with such misguided ones. This malicious teaching contaminates everything; we will not drink ofsuch impurity. If they stay, we will arrange to practice far from here, in bliss and peace. Should the king so desire, the Dharma can remain in the
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land of Tibet. But only if the Bon-pos are not allowed, even for a moment, an equal footing with us. "
Nine times they sent this strong message to the king. The last time, the king called together all his ministers and lords and said: "Lords and ministers of Tibet, hear me. The Bon-pos have one system of doing things-the Buddhists have another. They are like the palm of the hand and the back of the hand; like accepting and rejecting; like giving and receiving. Who could believe both at once? The learned Indians, the Tibetan lotsiwas, and the three thousand young lamas have made known to me their position. What is to be done? "
In reply, the Bon-po Zhang ministers said: "Lord, our god! It is best that the river and its bank be separate but equal. In the past, many lotsawas had to be sent away. But if the Bon-pos stay in their place, and the Buddhists keep to theirs, there will be peace. "
'Gos-rgan disagreed: "If the Bon spreads, the king will be very upset and disturbed. If the Dharma spreads, the ministers will not be happy. The king and ministers are being pulled in two different directions. If the Dharma and the Bon remain in one place on equal footing, they will be like fire and water, natural enemies. Therefore, the time has come to end this disruption. Let us disentangle truth from falsehood: Let us cast the die to resolve which is the truth. We need to distinguish the true teaching from the false. The one shall succeed, and the other shall end.
"Tomorrow we will hold a debate. The king will sit on the highest level; the ministers and lords will sit in front. The Buddhist monks will sit on the right and the Bon-pos on the left. There will then be a debate which will examine the distinguishing features of their philosophies. The king, ministers, lords, queens, and the rest must stand behind their own teaching. Each must support the teaching they feel is true.
"We will cut down what is false and accept the truth-which will show itself by miraculous signs. We will summon forth each other's skill. If the Dharma is true, we will support the Dharma and destroy the Bon down to its roots. If the Bon is true, we will destroy the Dharma and follow the ways of Bon. "
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The king and his retinue agreed to this, promising to comply with the final decision. Even the Bon-pos agreed to the debate, for they were convinced that the Dharma was no equal to the Bon in power and magic. The Dharma King then consulted the Indian paQqitas:
"EMaHo!
0 learned and Accomplished Ones,
God-like Lords, Enlightened Beings!
When the Buddhists and Bon-pos face each other they are like killers-neither will accept the other.
The king is distressed, as are the ministers and queens.
"Buddhists and Bon-pos alike
find this situation unacceptable.
Therefore, tomorrow they will engage in debate-
they shall vie with each other,
using philosophy, signs of true realization, magic powers.
The king and ministers will then decide which teaching is true. We will know which one to follow-
we will have confidence and faith.
The teaching which is untrue will be wiped out,
its supporters banished to the wild borderlands.
The king and ministers will know what laws to follow.
They will see what path to promote. "
The paQqitas were quite delighted and answered the king:
"Excellent, Formidable One, Lord of the Gods! This is indeed the proper way to proceed,
truly the way of a Dharma King.
Dharma will surely conquer non-Dharma,
and the demons and misguided ones will surely be subdued. Gathered here are all the learned and accomplished Buddhists- even in Bodh Gaya there were none higher.
Many times we have conquered heretics with the truth.
What have we to fear from these ones called Bon-pos? They shall be defeated and banished to other lands, and good laws will then be instituted. "
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This answer pleased the king enormously. He went immediately to explain the arrangement to the Bon-pos. They also agreed, saying: "If our nine learned leaders debate, we will surely win. They have great ability and power, and we will be victorious! " And so they gathered together to make preparations.
And so the New Year arrived. On the fifteenth day of the lunar month, on the plain surrounding the great hill of bSam-yas, a great throne was prepared for the king. A platform for the Buddhists had been built on the right where the lotsawas, pa~qitas, and Buddhist followers would sit, and a platform for the Bon-pos and their followers was constructed on the left. The ministers and lords sat in the front rows, surrounded by a large and diverse crowd of people from all parts of Tibet.
First the Dharma King spoke: "Listen well! I am lord over all the land of Tibet! I am lord over gods and men, Buddhists and Bon-pos. All are under my dominion. Ministers, queens, and nobles, listen to me.
"The previous kings of Tibet supported both the Buddhists and the Bon-pos. But since then, the Bon have spread. I myself, like my ancestor Srong-btsan sgam-po, would like the Bon and the Dharma to coexist. But they face each other like murderers. I have tried to be equitable, and so have the ministers, but our attempts have been frustrated. Now, we must decide between the tenets of these two systems.
"Whatever the outcome of this debate, all must accept it-he who does not will feel my wrath. I decree that whichever doctrine is deemed false, be it Buddhism or Bon, must be banished; even the sound of its name shall not be heard in the land of Tibet. The losers must accept defeat. The winners will be greatly praised, and all will follow them. "
Nine times the king made this proclamation, and also had it written down to be distributed far and wide. As the crowds of people settled down, waiting for the debate to begin, the Great One from Orgyan, Padmasambhava himself appeared, sitting in space at the height of a palm tree above the ground. "Listen well! " he said. "This is a great op- portunity to distinguish between the tenets of Buddhism and Bon.
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"First, there should be a light debate to begin the event; next, for edification and enjoyment, an explanation of religious customs and beliefs. We will turn them inside out! Finally, we will distinguish the systems by debate, examining basic philosophies and purported results. We will clarify what is true and what is false. Skill, wisdom, and psychic power will be tested until the king and ministers are convinced, and signs show themselves. "
When Padmasambhava once again seated himself, his body was the image of Sakyamuni, and the king and ministers were overcome by his majesty and beauty. His speech remained that of Padmasambhava, Lord of PaQqitas, and all the lotsawas and paQqitas took courage. His mind manifested as rDo-rje gro-lod, subduer of the erroneous and heretical, and even the Bon-pos who felt his remarkable power developed impenetrable faith and praised the one from Orgyan.
First, Acarya dPal-dbyangs and the Bon-pos engaged in a contest of wit as a prelude to debate. The Bon-pos won the play; they waved their flags and shouted praise to their gods. They received many great prizes, and when they were given drink by the king himself, the Bon-po min- isters rejoiced.
In his heart the king was not happy, but Santarak~ita said to him: "He who eats first is first to suffer-although the Bon-pos won the game, the Dharma is not lost. Now the nine learned Bon-pos will de- bate the teachings with the great paQqitas. "
The great and wise Vimalamitra rose and spoke:
"All things proceed from a cause.
The Tathagata has explained the cause, and he has explained its cessation also. These were the words of the great ascetic: 'Cease to do evil; perfect what is good. Completely train your own mind. ' "
As Vimalamitra spoke, he rose in space and sat cross-legged in a halo of light. Three times he snapped his fingers, and the nine learned Bon-pos were struck dumb and could give no answer.
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In a like manner, the twenty-five scholars from India and the 108 lotsawas each explained their understanding of the scriptures with acute perception. They held their ground in debate and manifested their realizations and the truth of their teachings. Again, the Bon-pos were tongue-tied. They could not manifest any signs of truth. They just sat there, dull and befuddled.
The Bon ministers countered: "Yes, you have won the debate, but the contest of magic is still to come. The Bon-pos will make such magic that all Tibetans, gods and men alike, will be filled with wonder! We will present sweet and wonderful discourses-we will amaze you all! We will manifest gifts to delight you! We will transfix you all! We will show such signs of realization, such power, such dark mantric abilities, that you will quickly withdraw! "
The Bon-pos burned inside and spoke harsh words born of their wrath: "These Indian barbarians are so ignorant that they create a dense obscuring cloud which hurt our Bon svastika gods. We will not debate the paQQitas now. After we restore our power, we will kill them. For now, we will debate only with the lotsawas, not with foreigners. "
The Dharma King, after offering each of the great paQQitas a measure of gold dust and a beautiful silk robe, praised all of them highly. Buddhist banners waved, music played, and Rowers fell from the sky. Deities appeared high in the air singing with joy. Thoroughly amazed, the Tibetan people developed such great faith in the Dharma that they were moved to tears.
But on the Bon side, hail fell like stones. "The gods have spoken! " they said, and the Bon ministers had to bow to the Dharma. They showed deference to the paQQitas and apologized to the lotsawas. Maiijusri manifested to the Dharma King, who now knew in his heart what was Dharma and what was not. At once most of the Tibetans cried out: "The Dharma has won! The Dharma is great and wonderful! Now all will follow the Dharma! "
The Dharma King spoke: "Now the lotsawas and Bon-pos must de- bate with each other. " The great lotsawa Vairotsana debated with the
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Bon-po Thang-nag, and Nam-mkha'i snying-po debated with sTong- rgyus. Each lotsawa debated with a Bon-po, but none of the Bon-pos were a match for the lotsawas. After each contest, the Dharma King gave the winner a white 'truth' stone and the loser a black stone.
When Vairotsana had accumulated nine hundred white stones, and Thang-nag one thousand and five black ones, all the lotsawas waved flags of victory and cheered. When sNubs Nam-mkha'i snying-po had won three thousand white stones, and sTong-rgyus thirty thousand black ones, again the lotsawas waved their flags. Even mTsho-rgyal and the Bon queen Cog-ro-bza' debated. mTsho-rgyal won, for the Bon lady was unable even to speak. But we will explain the miraculous things
that occurred later.
So the 120 lotsawas won, and the nine learned Bon leaders lost. Completely tongue-tied, they could not even reply. Their mouths became twisted, their faces perspired, and their knees shook, but words would not come.
Then the time came for the contest of signs of realization. Vairotsana held all three realms in the palm of his hand; Nam-mkha'i snying-po rode the rays of the sun and manifested many fine and wondrous deeds. Sangs-rgyas ye-shes drew demons together on the tip of a dagger and killed them by impalement. Then he thrust the dagger into a rock. rDo-rje bdud-'joms flew as fast as the wind and circled all four conti- nents in a moment. To prove he had done it, he gave the king seven types of stone found only at the ends of the earth.
rGyal-ba mchog-dbyangs manifested Hayagriva on the crown of his head-Hayagriva then neighed three times, filling all the three thou- sand realms with the sound. Beings of the three realms, the heaven realms and others, were instantly subdued. As a sign of proof, he offered the nine-spoked golden wheel of Brahma.
rGyal-ba'i blo-gros walked upon water. lDan-ma rtse-mang com- pletely subdued the Bon-pos by his exposition of the Dharma. He could present all the translations of the Buddha's teachings from memory; he even was able to show the very vowels and consonants in space.
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sKa-ba dPal-brtsegs brought demons under his control, and '0-bran gzhon-nu moved underwater like a fish. Jiianakumara removed nectar from rocks, and rMa Rin-chen-mchog ate rocks as if they were bread. dPal-gyi rdo-rje moved freely back and forth through stone. Sog-po lha-dpal forced the tigress of the south to come to him, merely by using
his iron hook mudra, command mantra, and meditative concentration.
Dran-pa nam-mkha' called the wild ox from the far north, and Cog-ro Klu'i rgyal-mtshan invited the Lords of the Three Families to appear in the sky. Lang-gro dKon-mchog 'byung-ldan brought down thirteen thunderbolts at one time, and directed them where he chose, like arrows. Khye'u-chung attracted qakinis to him and held them by the power of his meditation. rGyal-mo gYu-sgra snying-po subdued everyone by means of grammar and logic. Ting-nge-'dzin rtogs-sa-pa outshone all others with many poetic translations. rGyal-ba byang- chub sat cross-legged in the sky, and Ting-nge-'dzin bzang-po flew through the air, and was able to see four continents and more at one
time.
The twenty-five great siddhas from mChims-phu, the one hundred powerful psychic ones from Yer-pa, the thirty mantric practitioners from Shel-brag, and the fifty-five with understanding from Yang rdzong, as well as others, each showed different signs of realization such as these. They turned fire into water, and water back again into fire. They moved in the sky and penetrated rocks and mountains. They stayed afloat on water, made many things into few, and few things into many-these are just some of the marvelous deeds they performed.
The Tibetans couldn't help but have faith in the Dharma. And the Bon-pos couldn't help but give in. The Bon ministers were speechless.
The culmination came when the Lady mTsho-rgyal debated with the Bon-pos, and the Bon-pos lost. At that point, they cast murderous spells, demonic black magic spells, using weasels and dog meat, butter lamps and blood. They cast nine such evil mantric spells, and nine young monks suddenly died. But with mTsho-rgyal's blessing, the monks all came back to life. In fact, the nine she saved became even sharper and wiser, so the Bon-pos were thoroughly confounded. Mak-
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ing the great and powerful Finger-pointing Mudra at the nine men, mTsho-rgyal said PHAT nine times, and they fell down unconscious. Then she said HUM nine times, and again they rose up. They gained such control over the five elements that they could sit in the sky in the lotus position, and do other wondrous things.
She brought forth flames of different colors from each of the five finger tips of her right hand, each colored flame spinning like a wheel. The Bon-pos were terrified. Five different colored streams of water poured forth from the five fingers of her left hand and flowed together into a lake. She cut the great boulders at mChims-phu with her hand as if they were butter and made the rocks into different shapes. Such wonderful things mTsho-rgyal did! She even made twenty-five mani- festations of herself, each performing a different extraordinary feat.
The Bon-pos said: "We will not associate with this woman; any Tibetan of breeding considers her beneath contempt. " And the next day, when nine powerful men were struck down at once, the Bon-pos threatened to turn bSam-yas into dust. They climbed the hill of Has-po-ri and threw thunderbolts down upon the temple. But
mTsho-rgyal caught them on the tip of her finger, and threw them all to 'Om-bu, the land of the Bon, where they caused great devastation.
The Bon hurled thirteen more thunderbolts at bSam-yas, but mTsho-rgyal sent them all back to fall upon the Bon-pos. Thus, the Bon lost both the competition and their power. By rights, they should have been banished, but sTag-ra and Glu-gong and the others were such powerful ministers that they could not be eliminated so easily. They went to 'Om-bu where they threatened to destroy all Tibet by casting many powerful spells-the nine cycles of the Power Goddess, the nine cycles of Great Deeds, as well as fire spells, water spells, earth and air spells.
The Dharma King asked the lotsawas and paQqitas for advice on what means were available to control the Bon-pos. But in reference to this, Padmasambhava merely told mTsho-rgyal: "Lady, you protect the king. " mTsho-rgyal meditated at the highest gallery of bSam-yas, opening and practicing the Vajrakila mandala. For seven days she prac-
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ticed, beholding large numbers of deities and developing the signs of great power.
She then caused the force of the Bon-po spells to tum upon itself so that the Bon gods of vengeance attacked their own supporters, in one stroke killing sTag-ra, Klu-gong, and five other Bon ministers who despised the Dharma. O f the nine most powerful Bon-pos, eight were now dead; only one remained. The ranks of Bon-pos were decimated and their power weakened.
Immediately the Dharma King called all the Bon-pos together at bSam-yas and made certain laws concerning them. Padmasambhava advised him: "The Inner Bon are in harmony with the Dharma, so let them be. But these perverse Bon are no different from the most evil and wrong-minded heretics. You cannot kill them, for if you do, peo- ple will hear of it-but you can send them out of the country. "
The Dharma King did as the Guru advised, treating the Inner and Outer Bon differently. The Outer Bon texts he burned in a fire, but the books and such of the Inner Bon he treated as treasures, putting them away for safekeeping. The Outer Bon were banished to Mongolia, the country of the monkey-faced men, while the Inner Bon were sent to Zhang-zhung and the border countries surrounding Tibet.
Under laws instituted later, it was decreed that those under the sovereignty of the Dharma King (including ministers, nobility, Ti- betans, and non-Tibetans) should follow the rule of the Dharma and not that of the Bon. The king declared:
"The Tibetan realm from China to Khri-sgo will be filled with the Buddhist doctrine, with the Sangha, and with adepts who will teach the Dharma. "
To celebrate this decree, the king had the great Dharma bell rung at bSam-yas. The Dharma conch shell was blown, Dharma flags waved, and the Dharma throne was made ready. The Great One from Orgyan, Padmasambhava, along with the most learned Zahori Bodhisattva S:intarak~ita, and the wise Kasmiri Vimalamitra, sat on great golden thrones. The twenty-one scholars from India and the great lots:iwas
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Vairotsana and Nam-mkha'i snying-po sat on seats formed of nine brocade pillows piled one upon another. The other lotsawas were given seats formed of two or three cushions.
The king offered everyone many gifts of gold and other precious substances. Each of the great Indian masters received nine bolts of brocade, three gold ingots, three measures of powdered gold, and a mountain of other gifts. The three masters from Orgyan, Zahor, and Ka5mir were given mandalas of gold and turquoise, bolts of fine silk, and innumerable other wonderful things. Then, as a special request, the king urged these three masters to remain in Tibet and spread the scriptures of both Siitra and Mantra throughout the land. All of the pa~qitas were most pleased at this request, and exclaimed: "Wonderful! Wonderful! " At this time Santarak~ita,Padmasambhava, and Vimalamitra each promised to remain in Tibet and give Dharma
teachings for as long as the king wished.
Training then began at bSam-yas for seven thousand scholar monks and at mChims-phu for nine hundred practitioners. One thousand students studied at the scholastic center of Khra-'brug and one hundred at the practice center of Yang rdzong; three thousand studied at the scholarly center of lHa-sa and five hundred at the practice center of Yer-pa. In one year's time, the students at the three main Dharma centers at lHa-sa, bSam-yas, and Khra-'brug, as well as at the six sec- ondary centers, had finished the course of instruction.
Many other Dharma centers were now built: at Glang-thang in Khams, Rab-gang in Me-nyag, rGyal-tham in Jang, Bya-tshang in sMar, and all through the four eastern valleys and the six eastern mountains. mDong-chu was built in sPo-bo, Rong-lam in Bar-lam, Bu-chu in Kong-po, and mChims-yul and Dvags-lung in Dvags-po; temples were erected in the four central regions: Jo-mo nang sTag-gdan in gTsang, at I. . a-phyi, gTsang and gTsang-rong, in mNga'-ris-man, and so forth. So the Dharma spread widely throughout Tibet.
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How the Lady Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal Continued to Protect the Sangha and Benefit Beings
The doctrine of the Buddha, the community of the Sangha, cantric study centers, and the practice of the Dharma spread without friction throughout Tibet. The learned masters from India, China, Nepal, and ocher lands were filled with satisfaction. Showered with kindness and agreat deal ofgold, they chen returned to their respective homes.
But Santarak~ica, Padmasambhava, and Vimalamicra remained co turn the Wheel of the Siicra and Mantra Dharma, bringing joy co the heart and mirid of the great Dharma King. The king's power and might reached unsurpassed heights. The perverse Bon were conquered, and the king's enemies in all four directions were subdued-all he wished was accomplished, even his slightest whim. So King Khri- srong lde'u-bcsan gave over control of the country co his son Mu-ne bcsan-po.
Not the lease hint of emotional turmoil remained co trouble the Dharma King, not the lease bit of pain or sickness. He went from bliss to bliss. Then, one evening, he called together his wives and sons, nobles and ministers-of-state, and gave them various instructions. At midnight he performed a ceremony in the temple and made offerings of flowers. Early the next morning he attained high spiritual realization, and at dawn he merged with a ray of light and was absorbed into the heart of Mafijusri, never co be seen again.
Some time Iacer the new king, Mu-ne bcsan-po, was poisoned by one of his father's wives, and another of Khri-srong lde'u-bcsan's sons, Mu-khri bcsan-po, cook the throne co become ruler over Tibet.
At chat time, the queens still resented the Dharma, and were at- tempting to create divisions between the two religious communities by encouraging competition and contention. But the Lady mTsho- rgyal, using all her compassion and skillful means, eventually recon- ciled them so chat such disorder did not arise again.
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Near bSam-yas, at Has-po-ri, lived the Inner Bon queen known as Cog-ro-bza' or Bon-mo-mtsho. She had been acquainted with mTsho-rgyal since they were both quite young, but, inspired by jealousy, she now gave mTsho-rgyal some nectar containing poison. Though mTsho-rgyal knew this, she took the drink anyway, saying to Cog-ro-bza':
"KyeMa!
Listen dear friend, this nectar is wonderful,
the very essence of goodness;
my body is the Vajra Body, unsullied and indestructible. It has transmuted this nectar
into the wondrous essence of immortality.
Though this purpose of yours has not been fulfilled,
I have turned it to great fulfillment.
"Because I have not developed jealousy,
I have cleared away the discord
between the Buddhists and Bon-pos.
You should pray to the gods and yidams,
develop pure intentions toward spiritual brothers and sisters, feel compassion toward the helpless,
and humble devotion toward the teacher. "
Then mTsho-rgyal's body became filled with many rainbows; shim- mering and moving lights extended even to the tips of her hair: She became of the Vajra essence.
Cog-ro-bza' was very much ashamed; she would not stay anywhere dose by and left for another country. The Tibetan queens were very upset at this incident and banished mTsho-rgyal to gTsang.
First mTsho-rgyal went to Kha-rag gangs where about three hun- dred disciples gathered to practice with her. (Later this place became known as the Kha-rag of the Lady. ) Thirty-nine of these disciples de- veloped remarkable magic powers and signs of realization; twenty became great teachers; seven became equal to mTsho-rgyal herself; and they all benefitted beings in immeasurable ways.
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Then mTsho-rgyal practiced at Jo-mo nang, named in her honor. There, one thousand and one nuns gathered; one hundred became great teachers able to help others; five hundred developed remarkable powers; and seven became equal to mTsho-rgyal herself.
"Great King, do not be small-minded! " the Guru replied. "There is no reason we cannot do this. You are the king of all Tibet! You have power over all who possess form, and I have power over all formless gods and spirits. What could be the problem? "
So they created bSam-yas, first completing the outer structure and then filling it with statues and texts and heart symbols, representing the body, speech, and mind of the Dharma. Next they brought
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together the practitioners who would make up the Sangha. At this time, Padmasambhava predicted that there would be 108 special lotsawas. From thirteen thousand Tibetans, three thousand would be selected, and from these three thousand, three hundred would be chosen to form the first Sangha. Santarak~ita would ordain them, Padmasambhava would teach them, and the lotsawas would translate.
But the Bon ministers resisted the Dharma. The rGyu-bon created obstacles so that a number oflotsawas had to be sent away several times, disrupting the continuity of their teaching three times.
Eventually, however, the Buddhists and Bon-pos each developed their own Sangha. The Bon decided to establish their seat at Yar-lung, and the king and ministers agreed to this.
The Buddhists invited twenty-one great Masters from India. The 108lotsawas who had dispersed to all comers ofTibet gathered again at bSam-yas. Now, three thousand of the thirteen thousand Tibetans sup- porting the Dharma were ordained as young monks. Even important Bon-pos were invited-seven learned scholars from Zhang-zhung and the surrounding area, and seven powerful Bon leaders from 'Om-bu.
At this time, Padmasambhava and his consort had been residing at 'On-phu Tiger Cave. The Dharma King sent the great lotsawa, Dran-pa nam-mkha', with three others to invite Padmasambhava to bSam-yas. They brought the Guru his great black nine-gaited garuda- horse, and leading pack horses and other animals, they all set out quickly for bSam-yas.
Padmasambhava predicted: "In a little while, I shall perform seven ceremonies for the foundation of the Mantrayana, which will center at lHa-sa. Sakyamuni himselfgave me this prediction. "
They travelled by stages, being welcomed first at the stone sepulchre at Zur-mkhar, and then at bSam-yas.
At bSam-yas, Padmasambhava sat upon a throne erected for him under the medicinal trees. The twenty-one scholars from India and the Tibetan lotsawas approached and bowed to him, and the great Master
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Vimalamitra, together with these learned ones, sang to him in one voice:
"Only now have we been able to meet the Orgyan Guru
in bodily form! Only now can we meet Padmasambhava! Merit accumulated through many ages has borne this fruit! "
Tears streaming down their faces, they gazed upon the wonderful face of the Guru.
Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra were especially pleased to meet one another; like long-lost father and son, they clasped each other's hands and sat together in the highest gallery.
The Dharma King, his nobles, and the scholars bowed to them from the middle level and sat down. Three times they repeated special consecratory blessings for the temple, praying for the propagation of the Dharma. Padmasambhava declared that three separate fire cere- monies were necessary to conquer the demonic forces, and he per- formed the first one, planning the others for later. But the king was distracted and did not ask for the others to be done, so Padmasambhava did no more. He predicted that though the Dharma would spread in the future, difficulties and demons would increase as well.
The king invited both Buddhists and Bon-pos to bSam-yas for the ceremonies at the last month of the year. Five learned Bon-pos came to participate in the ceremonies, but they did not understand the forms, sounds, or symbols of the Dharma. The images, texts, and religious implements meant nothing to them; nor did they comprehend the ten virtues. They did not join in the salutations or the circumambulations, but rather stood in a row at the back, leaning against the images of deities. They did not rejoice with the common people, the ministers, and the king.
The next day, the king and the Bon-pos met in front of the statue of Vairocana. The Bon-pos asked: "0 Lord, God-like One, here at the center of the topmost gallery is the figure of a completely naked lord surrounded by eight other naked men. What are they for? Where did they come from? Are these the Indian paQQitas? "
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The great Dharma King answered: "This master in the center is a representation of Vairocana. Surrounding him are eight Bodhisattvas. These are statues of the Buddha, and we pay homage to them. If you make offerings to them, you accumulate merit and counteract previous bad karma. "
The Bon-pos asked again: "Over there by the door are two very fierce and wrathful beings. What are they? Are they man-killers? Why were they made? Why do you need them? "
The Dharma King answered: "Those two by the door, like all wrathful forms, are beneficial-powerful and splendid and good. They are destroyers of evil and obstacles, and they aid all followers of the Dharma. They represent Mahakala and were made from many precious substances by great Indian artists. Padmasambhava and the learned Indian masters have blessed them. Their purpose is to spread and increase the Buddha's teaching and cleanse the obscurations ofsentient beings. That is why we need them. "
But the Bon-pos replied: "They are just made of day-some clever men have tricked you with fakes. They are nothing special. King, you have been cheated. Tomorrow we will show you some truly marvelous things! Our worship is indeed wonderful and complete; we Bon-pos have incredible power. We will delight you with our miracles, which are beyond belief. "
Then they all strolled outside to see the stiipa. "What is this-this sheath over the top, these wrinkles in the center, this bottom that looks like a pile of dog shit? What is this? " the Bon-pos asked.
The Dharma King responded: "The top is a symbol of the Tathagata lineage, representing the Dharmakaya. Should you want to know what it does not represent, it does not represent the Sambhogakaya. It is called a 'mchod-rten', support of worship, because it supports the worship of beings of the NirmaQakaya realm. The umbrella and ornaments around the pinnacle represent the thirteen parts of the Dharma wheel. The central part resembling a vase stands for the expanse of the Dharmakaya and represents the Four Immeasurables.
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The base is a richly decorated lion-throne holding a treasury of wealth-whatever one desires. "
"Ifyou practice the disciplines, what do you need with such images and structures? " the Bon-pos asked. "This is unbelievable! The brave cannot use them for fighting, the cowardly cannot use them for hiding. These Indians have very evil hearts-they are cheating our king. "
The king, ministers, and the rest did not believe a word of this. So the Bon-pos went to stay at Island Eight near the Third Continent of the Lady and prepared for the sacrificial ceremonies for the king. The paQqitas went to stay at the Continent ofHayagriva.
After a while, the Bon-pos sent a message to the king that they needed one thousand full-grown stags and does for their sacrificial ritual, as well as hinds in halters of turquoise, yaks, sheep, and goats. They requested a thousand of each, male and female, and also some of the king's clothing. The king quickly gave them whatever they asked for and whatever types of material substances they needed: clothing and the eight types of alcoholic beverages, the nine types of grain, and all else they wanted.
The Bon-pos then called the king and his retinue to come and meet with them. So the king and queens and lords and the rest of the retinue all went to see the Bon-pos.
Nine learned Bon-pos stood in a line in the center, flanked on the left and right by rows of nine strong men. Many men called 'Oblation Helpers' carried sharp knives. Those called 'Bathers' carried water in great golden ladles to wash the beings awaiting sacrifice. Those called 'Black Bon-pos' scattered all types of grain about the animals. Those known as 'Questioners' asked questions of the gods and spirits who surrounded them and received their answers.
Next, the 'Oblation Helpers' cut the throats of the stags and wild asses and offered the remains as sacrifices. They did the same with the yaks, sheep, goats, and other animals-three thousand were sacrificed at one time. They seized the does and cut off their legs as offerings. They took another three thousand female animals, yaks, sheep, and
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goats, and, after first cutting off their legs, skinned them alive for the sacrifice. They killed horses, oxen, cows, mules, dogs, birds, and swine, all in different ways. When they had finished, all bSam-yas was filled with the stench of burning flesh.
Then those called 'Separators' separated flesh from bone. The 'Dividers' divided up the remaining parts and spread them all over the place, and the 'Numbering Bon-pos' counted it all. Many kettles were filled with blood and covered with skins which were then heaped high with piles of flesh. At this point they chanted the Bon rites. Such was the Bon practice.
The king and queens and the ministers were not pleased at having to watch all this. Steam rose from the blood, and in the waves of steam they could see strange rainbows and hear noises unconnected with any form-evil sounds, sad sounds, screeches, and mad cries of HU SHU! and HA HA!
"These are the sounds of the svastika Bon gods, sounds of luck, sounds of prosperity! Wonderful sounds! " the Bon-pos cried. And they offered all the dripping red flesh and blood to the king, and asked him if he were happy with this evil ceremony. "Your Majesty, isn't this fine? Aren't you just a little pleased with the Bon? Great King, do you not feel faith rising up in your heart? Isn't this wonderful? "
But the king was not at all pleased in his heart. The others did not know what to think, and so, full of indecision, they went back inside.
The paQqitas and lotsawas had seen it all, and they said to the king: "You cannot have two doctrines where there should be one. If the East is low, then the West must be higher. To mix the Buddhadharma with the teachings of heretics makes no sense. Fire and water can never meet as friends-you must send these allies of evil far away! Not even for a moment can we associate ourselves with such misguided ones. This malicious teaching contaminates everything; we will not drink ofsuch impurity. If they stay, we will arrange to practice far from here, in bliss and peace. Should the king so desire, the Dharma can remain in the
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land of Tibet. But only if the Bon-pos are not allowed, even for a moment, an equal footing with us. "
Nine times they sent this strong message to the king. The last time, the king called together all his ministers and lords and said: "Lords and ministers of Tibet, hear me. The Bon-pos have one system of doing things-the Buddhists have another. They are like the palm of the hand and the back of the hand; like accepting and rejecting; like giving and receiving. Who could believe both at once? The learned Indians, the Tibetan lotsiwas, and the three thousand young lamas have made known to me their position. What is to be done? "
In reply, the Bon-po Zhang ministers said: "Lord, our god! It is best that the river and its bank be separate but equal. In the past, many lotsawas had to be sent away. But if the Bon-pos stay in their place, and the Buddhists keep to theirs, there will be peace. "
'Gos-rgan disagreed: "If the Bon spreads, the king will be very upset and disturbed. If the Dharma spreads, the ministers will not be happy. The king and ministers are being pulled in two different directions. If the Dharma and the Bon remain in one place on equal footing, they will be like fire and water, natural enemies. Therefore, the time has come to end this disruption. Let us disentangle truth from falsehood: Let us cast the die to resolve which is the truth. We need to distinguish the true teaching from the false. The one shall succeed, and the other shall end.
"Tomorrow we will hold a debate. The king will sit on the highest level; the ministers and lords will sit in front. The Buddhist monks will sit on the right and the Bon-pos on the left. There will then be a debate which will examine the distinguishing features of their philosophies. The king, ministers, lords, queens, and the rest must stand behind their own teaching. Each must support the teaching they feel is true.
"We will cut down what is false and accept the truth-which will show itself by miraculous signs. We will summon forth each other's skill. If the Dharma is true, we will support the Dharma and destroy the Bon down to its roots. If the Bon is true, we will destroy the Dharma and follow the ways of Bon. "
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The king and his retinue agreed to this, promising to comply with the final decision. Even the Bon-pos agreed to the debate, for they were convinced that the Dharma was no equal to the Bon in power and magic. The Dharma King then consulted the Indian paQqitas:
"EMaHo!
0 learned and Accomplished Ones,
God-like Lords, Enlightened Beings!
When the Buddhists and Bon-pos face each other they are like killers-neither will accept the other.
The king is distressed, as are the ministers and queens.
"Buddhists and Bon-pos alike
find this situation unacceptable.
Therefore, tomorrow they will engage in debate-
they shall vie with each other,
using philosophy, signs of true realization, magic powers.
The king and ministers will then decide which teaching is true. We will know which one to follow-
we will have confidence and faith.
The teaching which is untrue will be wiped out,
its supporters banished to the wild borderlands.
The king and ministers will know what laws to follow.
They will see what path to promote. "
The paQqitas were quite delighted and answered the king:
"Excellent, Formidable One, Lord of the Gods! This is indeed the proper way to proceed,
truly the way of a Dharma King.
Dharma will surely conquer non-Dharma,
and the demons and misguided ones will surely be subdued. Gathered here are all the learned and accomplished Buddhists- even in Bodh Gaya there were none higher.
Many times we have conquered heretics with the truth.
What have we to fear from these ones called Bon-pos? They shall be defeated and banished to other lands, and good laws will then be instituted. "
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This answer pleased the king enormously. He went immediately to explain the arrangement to the Bon-pos. They also agreed, saying: "If our nine learned leaders debate, we will surely win. They have great ability and power, and we will be victorious! " And so they gathered together to make preparations.
And so the New Year arrived. On the fifteenth day of the lunar month, on the plain surrounding the great hill of bSam-yas, a great throne was prepared for the king. A platform for the Buddhists had been built on the right where the lotsawas, pa~qitas, and Buddhist followers would sit, and a platform for the Bon-pos and their followers was constructed on the left. The ministers and lords sat in the front rows, surrounded by a large and diverse crowd of people from all parts of Tibet.
First the Dharma King spoke: "Listen well! I am lord over all the land of Tibet! I am lord over gods and men, Buddhists and Bon-pos. All are under my dominion. Ministers, queens, and nobles, listen to me.
"The previous kings of Tibet supported both the Buddhists and the Bon-pos. But since then, the Bon have spread. I myself, like my ancestor Srong-btsan sgam-po, would like the Bon and the Dharma to coexist. But they face each other like murderers. I have tried to be equitable, and so have the ministers, but our attempts have been frustrated. Now, we must decide between the tenets of these two systems.
"Whatever the outcome of this debate, all must accept it-he who does not will feel my wrath. I decree that whichever doctrine is deemed false, be it Buddhism or Bon, must be banished; even the sound of its name shall not be heard in the land of Tibet. The losers must accept defeat. The winners will be greatly praised, and all will follow them. "
Nine times the king made this proclamation, and also had it written down to be distributed far and wide. As the crowds of people settled down, waiting for the debate to begin, the Great One from Orgyan, Padmasambhava himself appeared, sitting in space at the height of a palm tree above the ground. "Listen well! " he said. "This is a great op- portunity to distinguish between the tenets of Buddhism and Bon.
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"First, there should be a light debate to begin the event; next, for edification and enjoyment, an explanation of religious customs and beliefs. We will turn them inside out! Finally, we will distinguish the systems by debate, examining basic philosophies and purported results. We will clarify what is true and what is false. Skill, wisdom, and psychic power will be tested until the king and ministers are convinced, and signs show themselves. "
When Padmasambhava once again seated himself, his body was the image of Sakyamuni, and the king and ministers were overcome by his majesty and beauty. His speech remained that of Padmasambhava, Lord of PaQqitas, and all the lotsawas and paQqitas took courage. His mind manifested as rDo-rje gro-lod, subduer of the erroneous and heretical, and even the Bon-pos who felt his remarkable power developed impenetrable faith and praised the one from Orgyan.
First, Acarya dPal-dbyangs and the Bon-pos engaged in a contest of wit as a prelude to debate. The Bon-pos won the play; they waved their flags and shouted praise to their gods. They received many great prizes, and when they were given drink by the king himself, the Bon-po min- isters rejoiced.
In his heart the king was not happy, but Santarak~ita said to him: "He who eats first is first to suffer-although the Bon-pos won the game, the Dharma is not lost. Now the nine learned Bon-pos will de- bate the teachings with the great paQqitas. "
The great and wise Vimalamitra rose and spoke:
"All things proceed from a cause.
The Tathagata has explained the cause, and he has explained its cessation also. These were the words of the great ascetic: 'Cease to do evil; perfect what is good. Completely train your own mind. ' "
As Vimalamitra spoke, he rose in space and sat cross-legged in a halo of light. Three times he snapped his fingers, and the nine learned Bon-pos were struck dumb and could give no answer.
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In a like manner, the twenty-five scholars from India and the 108 lotsawas each explained their understanding of the scriptures with acute perception. They held their ground in debate and manifested their realizations and the truth of their teachings. Again, the Bon-pos were tongue-tied. They could not manifest any signs of truth. They just sat there, dull and befuddled.
The Bon ministers countered: "Yes, you have won the debate, but the contest of magic is still to come. The Bon-pos will make such magic that all Tibetans, gods and men alike, will be filled with wonder! We will present sweet and wonderful discourses-we will amaze you all! We will manifest gifts to delight you! We will transfix you all! We will show such signs of realization, such power, such dark mantric abilities, that you will quickly withdraw! "
The Bon-pos burned inside and spoke harsh words born of their wrath: "These Indian barbarians are so ignorant that they create a dense obscuring cloud which hurt our Bon svastika gods. We will not debate the paQQitas now. After we restore our power, we will kill them. For now, we will debate only with the lotsawas, not with foreigners. "
The Dharma King, after offering each of the great paQQitas a measure of gold dust and a beautiful silk robe, praised all of them highly. Buddhist banners waved, music played, and Rowers fell from the sky. Deities appeared high in the air singing with joy. Thoroughly amazed, the Tibetan people developed such great faith in the Dharma that they were moved to tears.
But on the Bon side, hail fell like stones. "The gods have spoken! " they said, and the Bon ministers had to bow to the Dharma. They showed deference to the paQQitas and apologized to the lotsawas. Maiijusri manifested to the Dharma King, who now knew in his heart what was Dharma and what was not. At once most of the Tibetans cried out: "The Dharma has won! The Dharma is great and wonderful! Now all will follow the Dharma! "
The Dharma King spoke: "Now the lotsawas and Bon-pos must de- bate with each other. " The great lotsawa Vairotsana debated with the
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Bon-po Thang-nag, and Nam-mkha'i snying-po debated with sTong- rgyus. Each lotsawa debated with a Bon-po, but none of the Bon-pos were a match for the lotsawas. After each contest, the Dharma King gave the winner a white 'truth' stone and the loser a black stone.
When Vairotsana had accumulated nine hundred white stones, and Thang-nag one thousand and five black ones, all the lotsawas waved flags of victory and cheered. When sNubs Nam-mkha'i snying-po had won three thousand white stones, and sTong-rgyus thirty thousand black ones, again the lotsawas waved their flags. Even mTsho-rgyal and the Bon queen Cog-ro-bza' debated. mTsho-rgyal won, for the Bon lady was unable even to speak. But we will explain the miraculous things
that occurred later.
So the 120 lotsawas won, and the nine learned Bon leaders lost. Completely tongue-tied, they could not even reply. Their mouths became twisted, their faces perspired, and their knees shook, but words would not come.
Then the time came for the contest of signs of realization. Vairotsana held all three realms in the palm of his hand; Nam-mkha'i snying-po rode the rays of the sun and manifested many fine and wondrous deeds. Sangs-rgyas ye-shes drew demons together on the tip of a dagger and killed them by impalement. Then he thrust the dagger into a rock. rDo-rje bdud-'joms flew as fast as the wind and circled all four conti- nents in a moment. To prove he had done it, he gave the king seven types of stone found only at the ends of the earth.
rGyal-ba mchog-dbyangs manifested Hayagriva on the crown of his head-Hayagriva then neighed three times, filling all the three thou- sand realms with the sound. Beings of the three realms, the heaven realms and others, were instantly subdued. As a sign of proof, he offered the nine-spoked golden wheel of Brahma.
rGyal-ba'i blo-gros walked upon water. lDan-ma rtse-mang com- pletely subdued the Bon-pos by his exposition of the Dharma. He could present all the translations of the Buddha's teachings from memory; he even was able to show the very vowels and consonants in space.
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sKa-ba dPal-brtsegs brought demons under his control, and '0-bran gzhon-nu moved underwater like a fish. Jiianakumara removed nectar from rocks, and rMa Rin-chen-mchog ate rocks as if they were bread. dPal-gyi rdo-rje moved freely back and forth through stone. Sog-po lha-dpal forced the tigress of the south to come to him, merely by using
his iron hook mudra, command mantra, and meditative concentration.
Dran-pa nam-mkha' called the wild ox from the far north, and Cog-ro Klu'i rgyal-mtshan invited the Lords of the Three Families to appear in the sky. Lang-gro dKon-mchog 'byung-ldan brought down thirteen thunderbolts at one time, and directed them where he chose, like arrows. Khye'u-chung attracted qakinis to him and held them by the power of his meditation. rGyal-mo gYu-sgra snying-po subdued everyone by means of grammar and logic. Ting-nge-'dzin rtogs-sa-pa outshone all others with many poetic translations. rGyal-ba byang- chub sat cross-legged in the sky, and Ting-nge-'dzin bzang-po flew through the air, and was able to see four continents and more at one
time.
The twenty-five great siddhas from mChims-phu, the one hundred powerful psychic ones from Yer-pa, the thirty mantric practitioners from Shel-brag, and the fifty-five with understanding from Yang rdzong, as well as others, each showed different signs of realization such as these. They turned fire into water, and water back again into fire. They moved in the sky and penetrated rocks and mountains. They stayed afloat on water, made many things into few, and few things into many-these are just some of the marvelous deeds they performed.
The Tibetans couldn't help but have faith in the Dharma. And the Bon-pos couldn't help but give in. The Bon ministers were speechless.
The culmination came when the Lady mTsho-rgyal debated with the Bon-pos, and the Bon-pos lost. At that point, they cast murderous spells, demonic black magic spells, using weasels and dog meat, butter lamps and blood. They cast nine such evil mantric spells, and nine young monks suddenly died. But with mTsho-rgyal's blessing, the monks all came back to life. In fact, the nine she saved became even sharper and wiser, so the Bon-pos were thoroughly confounded. Mak-
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ing the great and powerful Finger-pointing Mudra at the nine men, mTsho-rgyal said PHAT nine times, and they fell down unconscious. Then she said HUM nine times, and again they rose up. They gained such control over the five elements that they could sit in the sky in the lotus position, and do other wondrous things.
She brought forth flames of different colors from each of the five finger tips of her right hand, each colored flame spinning like a wheel. The Bon-pos were terrified. Five different colored streams of water poured forth from the five fingers of her left hand and flowed together into a lake. She cut the great boulders at mChims-phu with her hand as if they were butter and made the rocks into different shapes. Such wonderful things mTsho-rgyal did! She even made twenty-five mani- festations of herself, each performing a different extraordinary feat.
The Bon-pos said: "We will not associate with this woman; any Tibetan of breeding considers her beneath contempt. " And the next day, when nine powerful men were struck down at once, the Bon-pos threatened to turn bSam-yas into dust. They climbed the hill of Has-po-ri and threw thunderbolts down upon the temple. But
mTsho-rgyal caught them on the tip of her finger, and threw them all to 'Om-bu, the land of the Bon, where they caused great devastation.
The Bon hurled thirteen more thunderbolts at bSam-yas, but mTsho-rgyal sent them all back to fall upon the Bon-pos. Thus, the Bon lost both the competition and their power. By rights, they should have been banished, but sTag-ra and Glu-gong and the others were such powerful ministers that they could not be eliminated so easily. They went to 'Om-bu where they threatened to destroy all Tibet by casting many powerful spells-the nine cycles of the Power Goddess, the nine cycles of Great Deeds, as well as fire spells, water spells, earth and air spells.
The Dharma King asked the lotsawas and paQqitas for advice on what means were available to control the Bon-pos. But in reference to this, Padmasambhava merely told mTsho-rgyal: "Lady, you protect the king. " mTsho-rgyal meditated at the highest gallery of bSam-yas, opening and practicing the Vajrakila mandala. For seven days she prac-
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ticed, beholding large numbers of deities and developing the signs of great power.
She then caused the force of the Bon-po spells to tum upon itself so that the Bon gods of vengeance attacked their own supporters, in one stroke killing sTag-ra, Klu-gong, and five other Bon ministers who despised the Dharma. O f the nine most powerful Bon-pos, eight were now dead; only one remained. The ranks of Bon-pos were decimated and their power weakened.
Immediately the Dharma King called all the Bon-pos together at bSam-yas and made certain laws concerning them. Padmasambhava advised him: "The Inner Bon are in harmony with the Dharma, so let them be. But these perverse Bon are no different from the most evil and wrong-minded heretics. You cannot kill them, for if you do, peo- ple will hear of it-but you can send them out of the country. "
The Dharma King did as the Guru advised, treating the Inner and Outer Bon differently. The Outer Bon texts he burned in a fire, but the books and such of the Inner Bon he treated as treasures, putting them away for safekeeping. The Outer Bon were banished to Mongolia, the country of the monkey-faced men, while the Inner Bon were sent to Zhang-zhung and the border countries surrounding Tibet.
Under laws instituted later, it was decreed that those under the sovereignty of the Dharma King (including ministers, nobility, Ti- betans, and non-Tibetans) should follow the rule of the Dharma and not that of the Bon. The king declared:
"The Tibetan realm from China to Khri-sgo will be filled with the Buddhist doctrine, with the Sangha, and with adepts who will teach the Dharma. "
To celebrate this decree, the king had the great Dharma bell rung at bSam-yas. The Dharma conch shell was blown, Dharma flags waved, and the Dharma throne was made ready. The Great One from Orgyan, Padmasambhava, along with the most learned Zahori Bodhisattva S:intarak~ita, and the wise Kasmiri Vimalamitra, sat on great golden thrones. The twenty-one scholars from India and the great lots:iwas
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Vairotsana and Nam-mkha'i snying-po sat on seats formed of nine brocade pillows piled one upon another. The other lotsawas were given seats formed of two or three cushions.
The king offered everyone many gifts of gold and other precious substances. Each of the great Indian masters received nine bolts of brocade, three gold ingots, three measures of powdered gold, and a mountain of other gifts. The three masters from Orgyan, Zahor, and Ka5mir were given mandalas of gold and turquoise, bolts of fine silk, and innumerable other wonderful things. Then, as a special request, the king urged these three masters to remain in Tibet and spread the scriptures of both Siitra and Mantra throughout the land. All of the pa~qitas were most pleased at this request, and exclaimed: "Wonderful! Wonderful! " At this time Santarak~ita,Padmasambhava, and Vimalamitra each promised to remain in Tibet and give Dharma
teachings for as long as the king wished.
Training then began at bSam-yas for seven thousand scholar monks and at mChims-phu for nine hundred practitioners. One thousand students studied at the scholastic center of Khra-'brug and one hundred at the practice center of Yang rdzong; three thousand studied at the scholarly center of lHa-sa and five hundred at the practice center of Yer-pa. In one year's time, the students at the three main Dharma centers at lHa-sa, bSam-yas, and Khra-'brug, as well as at the six sec- ondary centers, had finished the course of instruction.
Many other Dharma centers were now built: at Glang-thang in Khams, Rab-gang in Me-nyag, rGyal-tham in Jang, Bya-tshang in sMar, and all through the four eastern valleys and the six eastern mountains. mDong-chu was built in sPo-bo, Rong-lam in Bar-lam, Bu-chu in Kong-po, and mChims-yul and Dvags-lung in Dvags-po; temples were erected in the four central regions: Jo-mo nang sTag-gdan in gTsang, at I. . a-phyi, gTsang and gTsang-rong, in mNga'-ris-man, and so forth. So the Dharma spread widely throughout Tibet.
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How the Lady Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal Continued to Protect the Sangha and Benefit Beings
The doctrine of the Buddha, the community of the Sangha, cantric study centers, and the practice of the Dharma spread without friction throughout Tibet. The learned masters from India, China, Nepal, and ocher lands were filled with satisfaction. Showered with kindness and agreat deal ofgold, they chen returned to their respective homes.
But Santarak~ica, Padmasambhava, and Vimalamicra remained co turn the Wheel of the Siicra and Mantra Dharma, bringing joy co the heart and mirid of the great Dharma King. The king's power and might reached unsurpassed heights. The perverse Bon were conquered, and the king's enemies in all four directions were subdued-all he wished was accomplished, even his slightest whim. So King Khri- srong lde'u-bcsan gave over control of the country co his son Mu-ne bcsan-po.
Not the lease hint of emotional turmoil remained co trouble the Dharma King, not the lease bit of pain or sickness. He went from bliss to bliss. Then, one evening, he called together his wives and sons, nobles and ministers-of-state, and gave them various instructions. At midnight he performed a ceremony in the temple and made offerings of flowers. Early the next morning he attained high spiritual realization, and at dawn he merged with a ray of light and was absorbed into the heart of Mafijusri, never co be seen again.
Some time Iacer the new king, Mu-ne bcsan-po, was poisoned by one of his father's wives, and another of Khri-srong lde'u-bcsan's sons, Mu-khri bcsan-po, cook the throne co become ruler over Tibet.
At chat time, the queens still resented the Dharma, and were at- tempting to create divisions between the two religious communities by encouraging competition and contention. But the Lady mTsho- rgyal, using all her compassion and skillful means, eventually recon- ciled them so chat such disorder did not arise again.
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Near bSam-yas, at Has-po-ri, lived the Inner Bon queen known as Cog-ro-bza' or Bon-mo-mtsho. She had been acquainted with mTsho-rgyal since they were both quite young, but, inspired by jealousy, she now gave mTsho-rgyal some nectar containing poison. Though mTsho-rgyal knew this, she took the drink anyway, saying to Cog-ro-bza':
"KyeMa!
Listen dear friend, this nectar is wonderful,
the very essence of goodness;
my body is the Vajra Body, unsullied and indestructible. It has transmuted this nectar
into the wondrous essence of immortality.
Though this purpose of yours has not been fulfilled,
I have turned it to great fulfillment.
"Because I have not developed jealousy,
I have cleared away the discord
between the Buddhists and Bon-pos.
You should pray to the gods and yidams,
develop pure intentions toward spiritual brothers and sisters, feel compassion toward the helpless,
and humble devotion toward the teacher. "
Then mTsho-rgyal's body became filled with many rainbows; shim- mering and moving lights extended even to the tips of her hair: She became of the Vajra essence.
Cog-ro-bza' was very much ashamed; she would not stay anywhere dose by and left for another country. The Tibetan queens were very upset at this incident and banished mTsho-rgyal to gTsang.
First mTsho-rgyal went to Kha-rag gangs where about three hun- dred disciples gathered to practice with her. (Later this place became known as the Kha-rag of the Lady. ) Thirty-nine of these disciples de- veloped remarkable magic powers and signs of realization; twenty became great teachers; seven became equal to mTsho-rgyal herself; and they all benefitted beings in immeasurable ways.
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Then mTsho-rgyal practiced at Jo-mo nang, named in her honor. There, one thousand and one nuns gathered; one hundred became great teachers able to help others; five hundred developed remarkable powers; and seven became equal to mTsho-rgyal herself.
