O thou most perfect Master and Teacher of Wisdom and Goodness! Teacher,
second only to the incomparable Shâkjamuni (1)! Thou accomplished
Nâgârg'una (2)! Thou who wast intimately acquainted with the Most-pure
Tripîtaka (3), and didst evolve from it thy wise madhjamika (4),
containing the excellent paramârtha (5)! Before thee I prostrate
myself! Hail! Nâgârg'una O!
It is even the wonderful and astounding history of the deeds of the
Well-and-wise-walking Khan, which he performed under the help and
direction of this same Master and Teacher, Nâgârg'una, that I propose
to relate in the form of the following series of narratives.
In the kingdom of Magadha (6) there once lived seven brothers who
were magicians. At the distance of a mile from their abode lived
two brothers, sons of a Khan. The elder of these went to the seven
magicians, saying, "Teach me to understand your art," and abode with
them seven years. But though they were always setting him to learn
difficult tasks, yet they never taught him the true key to their mystic
knowledge. His brother, however, coming to visit him one day, by merely
looking through a crack in the door of the apartment where the seven
brothers were at work acquired perfectly the whole krijâvidja (7).
After this they both went home together, the elder because he
perceived he would never learn any thing of the magicians, and the
younger because he had learnt every thing they had to impart.
As they went along the younger brother said, "Now that we know
all their art the seven magicians will probably seek to do us some
mischief. Go thou, therefore, to our stable, which we left empty, and
thou shalt find there a splendid steed. Put a rein on him and lead
him forth to sell him, only take care thou go not in the direction
of the dwelling of the seven magicians; and, having sold him, bring
back the price thou shalt have received."
When he had made an end of speaking he transformed himself into a
horse, and went and placed himself in the stable against his brother
arrived.
But the elder brother, knowing the magicians had taught him nothing,
stood in no fear of them. Therefore he did not according to the
words of his brother; but saying within himself, "As my brother is
so clever that he could conjure this fine horse into the stable, let
him conjure thither another if he wants it sold. This one I will ride
myself." Accordingly he saddled and mounted the horse. All his efforts
to guide him were vain, however, and in spite of his best endeavours
the horse, impelled by the power of the magic of them from whom the
art had been learnt, carried him straight to the door of the magicians'
dwelling. Once there he was equally unable to induce him to stir away;
the horse persistently stood still before the magicians' door. When
he found he could not in any way command the horse, he determined to
sell it to these same magicians, and he offered it to them, asking
a great price for it.
The magicians at once recognized that it was a magic horse, and they
said, among themselves, "If our art is to become thus common, and
every body can produce a magic horse, no one will come to our market
for wonders. We had best buy the horse up and destroy it." Accordingly
they paid the high price required and took possession of the horse
and shut it up in a dark stall. When the time came to slaughter it,
one held it down by the tail, another by the head, other four by the
four legs, so that it should in nowise break away, while the seventh
bared his arm ready to strike it with death.
When the Khan's son, who was transformed into the horse, had learnt
what was the intention of the magicians, he said, "Would that any sort
of a living being would appear into which I might transform myself."
Hardly had he formed the wish when a little fish was seen swimming down
the stream: into this the Khan transformed himself. The seven magicians
knew what had occurred, and immediately transformed themselves into
seven larger fish and pursued it. When they were very close to the
little fish, with their gullets wide open, the Khan said, within
himself, "Would that any sort of living being would appear into
which I might transform myself." Immediately a dove was seen flying
in the heavens, and the Khan transformed himself into the dove. The
seven magicians, seeing what was done, transformed themselves into
seven hawks, pursuing the dove over hill and dale. Once again they
were near overtaking him, when the dove took refuge in the Land Bede
(8). Southward in Bede was a shining mountain and a cave within it
called "Giver of Rest." Hither the dove took refuge, even in the very
bosom of the Great Master and Teacher, Nâgârg'una.
The seven hawks came thither also, fast flying behind the dove; but,
arrived at the entrance of Nâgârg'una's cave, they showed themselves
once more as men, clothed in cotton garments.
Then spoke the great Master and Teacher, Nâgârg'una, "Wherefore,
O dove, flutterest thou so full of terror, and what are these seven
hawks to thee?"
So the Khan's son told the Master all that had happened between
himself, his brother, and the seven magicians; and he added these
words, "Even now there stand before the entrance of this cave seven
men clothed in cotton garments. These men will come in unto the Master
and pray for the boon of the ârâmela he holds in his hand. Meantime,
I will transform myself into the large bead of the ârâmela, and when
the Master would reach the chaplet to the seven men, I pray him that,
putting one end of it in his mouth, he bite in twain the string of
the same, whereby all the beads shall be set free."
The Master benevolently did even as he had been prayed. Moreover,
when all the beads fell showering on the ground, behold they were
all turned into little worms, and the seven men clothed in cotton
garments transformed themselves into seven fowls, who pecked up the
worms. But when the Master dropped the large bead out of his mouth on
to the ground it was transformed into the form of a man having a staff
in his hand. With this staff the Khan's son killed the seven fowls,
but the moment they were dead they bore the forms of men's corpses.
Then spoke the Master. "This is evil of thee. Behold, while I gave
thee protection for thy one life, thou hast taken the lives of these
men, even of these seven. In this hast thou done evil."
But the Khan's son answered, "To protect my life there was no
other means save to take the life of these seven, who had vowed to
kill me. Nevertheless, to testify my thanks to the Master for his
protection, and to take this sin from off my head, behold I am ready
to devote myself to whatever painful and difficult enterprise the
Master will be pleased to lay upon me."
"Then," said the Master, "if this is so, betake thyself to the cool
grove, even to the cîtavana (9), where is the Siddhî-kür (10). From
his waist upwards he is of gold, from his waist downwards of emerald;
his head is of mother-of-pearl, decked with a shining crown. Thus
is he made. Him if thou bring unto me from his Mango-tree (11), thou
shalt have testified thy gratitude for my protection and shalt have
taken this sin that thou hast committed from off thy head; for so
shall I be able, when I have the Siddhî-kür in subjection under me,
to bring forth gold in abundance, to give lives of a thousand years'
duration to the men of Gambudvîpa (12), and to perform all manner of
wonderful works."
"Behold, I am ready to do even as according to thy word," answered
the Khan's son. "Tell me only the way I have to take and the manner
and device whereby I must proceed."