Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her ... - Khamkoo

The Precious Scroll of Incense Mountain, Part 2 147
its thousands of cliffs knew no autumn. The emperor then announced
that he was going to dismount from his carriage, and together
with the women of the palace, he ascended the mountain on
foot. On the top of Sandalwood Peak, in Purple Bamboo Grove, he
indeed found a straw-thatched hermitage. He promptly ordered all
the musicians to play their instruments, and dishes of fruit and
delicacies were all carried to the mountain. They approached the
dwelling of the immortal, each bearing incense and flowers and
bowing all the way. The emperor, wearing his golden crown, holding
his royal tablet, and dressed in his dragon robes, stepped up to
the burner and thrice offered incense. Touching the ground with his
head, he made a hundred bows, and prostrating himself, he said:
‘‘We now first burn precious incense and next offer vegetarian food
as a small expression of Our simple sincerity, and We hope that in
your kind compassion you will deign to look down upon Us!’’ At
that moment the immortal was seated in lotus position on a rock
and, absorbed in silent meditation, did not reply.
Thousands of mountains cannot block the view of the moon
As her undiluted clear light is exceptionally brilliant tonight!
Namo Guanshiyin pusa
The emperor looked up and observed the immortal’s face—
She was seated in lotus position and did not rise to her feet.
Without her arms and eyes her appearance was quite different,
And so the emperor failed to recognize his own flesh and blood.
Face covered with blood and grime, she had no arms or eyes,
She did not utter a single word or syllable—it truly was hard to
tell.
The emperor immediately addressed her in the following way:
‘‘Immortal maiden, please be so kind as to listen to Us.
Because Our body was suffering from a fearsome disease,
You, immortal maiden, were willing to mutilate your body.
Even if We pulverized Our bones, that favor can’t be repaid,
Because you saved our miserable life from the brink of death.
As an offering We’ve prepared incense and vegetarian foods,
And the entire court thanks you in person for your signal favor!
As We have nothing else by which We can repay you for your grace,
From the heart, We express Our mortal feelings with this incense!’’