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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The <strong>Precious</strong> <strong>Scroll</strong> <strong>of</strong> Incense Mountain, Part 1 69<br />
sufficient I am without sorrow.’’ Before long, already a month had<br />
passed. Only the empress kept thinking <strong>of</strong> her <strong>and</strong> longing for her<br />
morning <strong>and</strong> night. By day she did not eat, at night she did not<br />
sleep! She talked with the other women in the Six Palaces about<br />
submitting a proposal to the emperor, imploring him to pardon<br />
her daughter’s crime <strong>and</strong> assuring him that they would all guarantee<br />
her good behavior if she were allowed to return to the palace.<br />
A white cloud may suddenly come to rest on a green cliff,<br />
But nothing will bring the moon down from the dark sky.<br />
Namo Guanshiyin pusa<br />
The imperial concubines <strong>of</strong> the Six Palaces walked in step,<br />
As they walked to the golden throne hall to plead their case.<br />
A hundred musicians, loudly playing their music, led the way,<br />
While the main consort, the empress, followed behind them.<br />
Arriving before the hall, she shouted: ‘‘A myriad <strong>of</strong> years!’’<br />
Twenty-four times she bowed, her tears overflowing:<br />
‘‘I implore you, Your Majesty, to engender happy joy,<br />
Be so kind as to pardon our daughter <strong>and</strong> set her free!<br />
She is our own flesh <strong>and</strong> blood, the treasure <strong>of</strong> my heart,<br />
Don’t bully <strong>and</strong> insult her so as to deprive her <strong>of</strong> her life!<br />
Silly <strong>and</strong> gullible <strong>and</strong> very young she lacks proper character,<br />
Unable to distinguish spring from fall, she doesn’t follow reason.<br />
So I implore you, her father <strong>and</strong> emperor, to still your rage,<br />
And to display your compassion by releasing the criminal!<br />
I myself have given birth to only these three daughters,<br />
Each I’ve nursed <strong>and</strong> fed for three years—nine years in total.<br />
Marvelous Book <strong>and</strong> Marvelous Sound are doing fine,<br />
But alas, Marvelous Goodness is suffering such misery.<br />
Do you as her father <strong>and</strong> emperor have a heart <strong>of</strong> stone,<br />
Forgetting the hardship <strong>and</strong> pain <strong>of</strong> your own flesh <strong>and</strong> blood?’’<br />
When the emperor heard this, he laughed heartily, <strong>and</strong> said: ‘‘The<br />
underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>of</strong> a father <strong>and</strong> mother is basically the same. Who<br />
does not love <strong>and</strong> cherish his own daughter? But it would be better<br />
if she were more filial <strong>and</strong> obedient. Now We will tell her to correct<br />
her mistakes. Tomorrow, following the morning audience, We will<br />
go to the garden Ourselves for a visit, <strong>and</strong> then We will tell that die-
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