Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her ... - Khamkoo
Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her ... - Khamkoo
Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her ... - Khamkoo
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50 The<strong>Precious</strong><strong>Scroll</strong><strong>of</strong>IncenseMountain,Part1<br />
do not know my age. At a young age I ab<strong>and</strong>oned the householder’s<br />
life, <strong>and</strong> since then have w<strong>and</strong>ered through the countries <strong>of</strong> the<br />
world, everywhere interpreting dreams—I don’t know for how long<br />
already.’’ The emperor said: ‘‘Where is your dream book?’’ He replied:<br />
‘‘I do not rely on a book for interpreting dreams—I have my<br />
own considerations.’’ The emperor then told him: ‘‘Last night my<br />
main consort, the empress, dreamt that she ascended to heaven<br />
<strong>and</strong> in the Good Dharma Hall listened to the Dharma <strong>of</strong> the Buddha.<br />
She then saw three thous<strong>and</strong> purple-gold beings <strong>and</strong> ten thous<strong>and</strong><br />
heavenly maidens, who all seemed familiar to her. They gave<br />
the empress an immortal girl to take back to the palace. What does<br />
this dream portend?’’ The elderly man replied: ‘‘I will now explain<br />
this dream in detail. If the empress ascended to heaven <strong>and</strong> heard<br />
the Dharma, it means she will initiate good deeds, that she will increase<br />
the imperial longevity, <strong>and</strong> that she is bound to become the<br />
mother <strong>of</strong> a buddha. The three thous<strong>and</strong> purple-gold beings are the<br />
three thous<strong>and</strong> buddhas <strong>of</strong> the three worlds. 14 The ten thous<strong>and</strong><br />
immortal maidens are the myriad bodhisattvas. If they gave her an<br />
immortal girl to take back with her to the palace, it means she will<br />
turn a human imperial family into a Dharma imperial family. Now<br />
a bodhisattva <strong>of</strong> flesh <strong>and</strong> blood will appear <strong>and</strong> be born in the palace.<br />
By manifesting herself in this world, she will widely display her<br />
supernatural powers <strong>of</strong> omnipresence, <strong>and</strong> ferry across people without<br />
number. This is all it means.’’ He then composed the following<br />
gātha:<br />
My lord <strong>and</strong> emperor asks me where I live—<br />
My old home is the l<strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> joy <strong>and</strong> peace.<br />
Since birth I’ve been stupid <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> no use,<br />
I just pass the time by interpreting dreams.<br />
That elderly man didn’t want any <strong>of</strong>ficial appointment or monetary<br />
reward, but just asked a eunuch for a gourdful <strong>of</strong> water. As soon as<br />
he had spit out a single mouthful <strong>of</strong> water <strong>and</strong> let out a single shout,<br />
his staff rose up from the ground <strong>and</strong> turned into a golden dragon.<br />
Then rain began to pour down, lightning flashed <strong>and</strong> thunder<br />
crashed, shaking with its roar the palace hall. Greatly manifesting<br />
his golden body, he disappeared, riding the clouds. When the emperor<br />
saw this, he pressed the palms <strong>of</strong> his h<strong>and</strong>s together, knocking<br />
on his teeth. 15 He then composed the following gātha:
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