Padma Sambhava; Buddhism; China; Tibet; 佛塔=Stupa=Pagoda; Nepal; Buddhist Legends
摘要
A revealing allegory of obstacles and successes on the spiritual path, "Legend is the tale of the construction of
the Great Stupa at Boudhanath in Nepal. This Stupa is deeply and closely linked to Tibet, for the sons of this Stupa's
founder took vows to establish the Dharma in the Land of Snow – they were none other than Padmasambhava, King Trisrong
Detsen, and Abbot Shantarakshita, the great trio who founded the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet. "The Life Story" is a short biography of Padmasambhava describing the founding of Samye, the teachings given to the twenty-
five disciples, the concealment of the treasure texts, and the predictions for their later recovery. From the chapter "The portents of ruin of the Great Stupa in the Middle of the Kaliyuga,": As the Kaliyuga progresses
towards the final conflagration, life expectancy of man decreases and the weight of darkness becomes more intense, but there
remain restraints on the downward path when the Voice of the Buddha is heard and the Path of Dharma followed. Towards the
end of the era, when the duration of man's lifespan has been reduced from 60 to 50 years and there has been no respite in
man's increasing egoism, these conditions will prevail, portending the ruin of the Great Stupa: householders fill the
monasteries and there is fighting before the altar; the temples are used as slaughterhouses; the ascetics of the caves
return to the cultivated valleys and the Yogins become traders; thieves own the wealth and cattle; monks become householders
while priests and spiritual leaders turn to robbery, brigandage, and thievery. Disorder becomes chaos, turning to panic
which rages like wildfire. Corrupt and selfish men become leaders while abbots turned army officers lead their monks as
soldiers; nuns put their own bastards to death… the scriptures of the Tathagatas, the images of the Buddhas, the sacred
icons, the scroll paintings and stupas will be desecrated, stolen and bartered at market price - their true worth forgotten;
the temples become cowsheds and stables covered with dung… Drunkards preach the Path to Salvation; the advice of sycophants
is followed; fradulent teachers give false initiations; guileful imposters claim psychic powers; loquacity and eloquence
pass as wisdom… The wealth of the monasteries is plundered and spent upon gluttony by those under vow… The passes, valleys
and narrow paths are terrorized by shameless brigands; fearful, lawless and leaderless, the people fight amongst themselves,
each man working selfishly. Tibet becomes corrupt and defiled. These are the conditions prevailing during the middle of the
Kaliyuga when the duration of man's life is 50 years: these are the portents of the destruction of the Great Stupa. These
