When the Well-and-wise-walking Khan found that he had again missed the
end and object of his labour, he proceeded yet again as heretofore
to the cool grove, and having taken captive the Siddhî-kür bore him
along to present to the Master and Teacher Nâgârg'una. But by the way
the Siddhî-kür asked him to tell a tale, and when he would not speak,
craved of him the token that he willed he should tell one; which,
when he had given, he told this tale, saying,--
HOW ÂNANDA THE WOOD-CARVER AND ÂNANDA THE PAINTER STROVE AGAINST
EACH OTHER.
Long ages ago there lived in a kingdom which was called Kun-smon
(1), a Khan named Kun-snang (2). When this Khan departed this life
his son named Chamut Ssakiktschi (3) succeeded to the throne.
In the same kingdom lived a painter named Ânanda (4), and a wood-carver
also named Ânanda. These men were friends of each other apparently,
but jealousy reigned in their hearts.
One day, now, it befell that Ânanda the painter, whom to distinguish
from the other, we will call by his Tibetian name of Kun-dgah instead
of by his Sanskrit name of Ânanda, appeared before the Khan, and spoke
in this wise: "O Khan, thy father, born anew into the kingdom of the
gods, called me thither unto him, and straightway hearing his behest,
I obeyed it." As he spoke he handed to "All-protecting" the Khan,
a forged strip of writing which was conceived after this manner:--
"To my son Chotolo (5) Ssakiktschi!
"When I last parted from thee, I took my flight out of the lower life,
and was born again into the kingdom of the gods (6). Here I have my
abode in plenitude, yea, superabundance of all that I require. Only
one thing is wanting. In order to complete a temple I am building,
I find not one to adorn it cunning in his art like unto Ânanda our
wood-carver. Wherefore, I charge thee, son Chotolo-Ssakiktschi, call
unto thee Ânanda the wood-carver, and send him up hither to me. The
way and means of his coming shall be explained unto thee by Kun-dgah
the painter."
Such was the letter that Kun-dgah the painter, with crafty art,
delivered to Kun-tschong (7), the Khan. Which when the Khan had read
he said to him--"That the Khan, my father, is in truth born anew into
the gods' kingdom is very good."
And forthwith he sent for Ânanda the wood-carver, and spoke thus to
him: "My father, the Khan, is new born into the gods' kingdom, and is
there building a temple. For this purpose he has need of a wood-carver;
but can find none cunning in his art like unto thee. Now, therefore,
he has written unto me to send thee straightway above unto him." With
these words he handed the strip of writing into his hands.
But the Wood-carver when he had read it thought within himself,
"This is indeed contrary to all rule and precedent. Do I not scent
here some craft of Kun-dgah the painter? Nevertheless, shall I not
find a means to provide against his mischievous intent?" Then he
raised his voice, and spoke thus aloud to the Khan:--
"Tell me, O Khan, how shall I a poor Wood-carver attain to the gods'
kingdom?"
"In this," replied the Khan, "shall the Painter instruct thee."
And while the Wood-carver said within himself, "Have I not smelt
thee out, thou crafty one?" the Khan sent and fetched the Painter
into his presence. Then having commanded him to declare the way and
manner of the journey into the gods' kingdom, the Painter answered
in this wise,--
"When thou hast collected all the materials and instruments
appertaining to thy calling, and hast gathered them at thy feet, thou
shalt order a pile of beams of wood well steeped in spirit distilled
from sesame grain to be heaped around thee. Then to the accompaniment
of every solemn-sounding instrument kindle the pile, and rise to the
gods' kingdom borne on obedient clouds of smoke as on a swift charger."
The Wood-carver durst not refuse the behest of the Khan; but obtained
an interval of seven days in order to collect the materials and
instruments of his calling, but also to consider and find out a
means of avenging the astuteness of the Painter. Then he went home,
and told his wife all that had befallen him.
His wife, without hesitating, proposed to him a means of evading while
seeming to fulfil the decree. In a field belonging to him at a short
distance from his house, she caused a large flat stone to be placed,
on which the sacrifice was to be consummated. But under it by night
she had an underground passage made, communicating with the house.
When the eighth day had arrived the Khan rose and said, "This is
the day that the Wood-carver is to go up to my father into the gods'
kingdom."
And all the people were assembled round the pile of wood steeped in
spirit distilled from sesame grain, in the Wood-carver's field. It
was a pile of the height of a man, well heaped up, and in its midst
stood the Wood-carver calm and impassible, while all kinds of musical
instruments sent up their solemn-sounding tones.
When the smoke of the spirit-steeped wood began to rise in concealing
density, the Wood-carver pushed aside the stone with his feet, and
returned to his home by the underground way his wife had had made
for him.
But the Painter, never doubting but that he must have fallen a prey
to the flames, rubbed his hands and pointing with his finger in joy
and triumph to the curling smoke, cried out to the people,--
"Behold the spirit of our brother Ânanda the wood-carver, ascending on
the obedient clouds as on a swift charger to the kingdom of the gods!"
And all the people followed the point of his finger with their eyes
and believing his words, they cried out,--
"Behold the spirit of Ânanda the wood-carver, ascending to adorn the
temple of the gods' kingdom."
And now for the space of a whole month the Wood-carver remained closely
at home letting himself be seen by no one save his wife only. Daily
he washed himself over with milk, and sat in the shade out of the
coloured light of the sun. At the end of the month his wife brought him
a garment of white gauze, with which he covered himself; and he wrote,
he also, a feigned letter, and went up with it to "All-protecting"
the Khan.