Author's Notes:
1) Katmandu was known as Kantipur during the time of the flashback.
2) Note that in "Baphomet," it was established that in 1440 Enkidu served as
a representative of the Inquisition in France. Episode canon tells us that
in 1453 Methos studied medicine in Heidelberg. According to the University's
website [http://med.uni-hd.de/sonstiges/timeline_eng.html] the first medical
school lectures occurred on October 19, 1386.
3) The immediate predecessor of the current Dalai Lama is known as simply
the "great thirteenth" by the people of Tibet, due to his long life and
illustrious accomplishments.
4) Enoch, Methos' adoptive father (in his preimmortal life) was a main
character in flashbacks in the Moonchild Saga. It was established in that
saga that Methos didn't remember any details of his life before the Horsemen
until after Gregor hypnotized him in May 2000 and the blocked memories
returned.
5) In "The Chariot," Enkidu has Kronos imprisoned in the catacombs of a
desert monastery in Turkey, where he remained for over 1000 years. See the
Moonchild saga for Kronos' escape.
6) Please note that although India is predominantly Hindu, there is an
increasing number of Indian citizens (not Tibetan refugees) who have
converted over the past decades, mainly in the lower castes, who find
resonance with the message of equality and possibility to be reborn in the
higher realms within Buddhism. There have also been intermarriages between
Indians and Tibetan refugees, further muddying the mix.
Hypoglycemia:
Hypoglycemia is the condition of having abnormally low blood sugar levels.
It can be associated with diabetes, liver tumors, poor eating habits, or
other conditions. For more information, see
http://www.thecountrydoctor.com/prescriptions/lowbloodsugar.htm
http://www.srhs.com/clinical/endocrin/hypogly.html
http://diabetes.about.com/library/blNIHhypoglycemia.htm
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/bloodsugarlow.htm
Thanks to Valerie for her input into this section.
Tsong Khapa (1357 - 1419):
Also known as Je Rinpoche, he is one of the most revered and widely read
figures in Tibetan Buddhism. His Lam Rim Chen Mo ("The Great Treatise on the
Stages of the Path to Enlightenment") is considered a seminal work,
distilling previous sacred works into a more reader-friendly form. Tsong
Khapa is the founder of the Gelukpa (Gelugpa, Gelug) school. As described in
http://www.taraco.com/ref.html, "after studying with a reported forty five
masters, he founded the Gelukpa school in 1409 that emphasized monastic
discipline. One of his students, Gedundrup was retrospectively recognized as
the first Dalai Lama, an emanation of Avalokitesvara. The fifth Dalai Lama
consolidated Tibet politically and spiritually and became its leader. He is
an emanation of Manjushri and he is often depicted with Shakyamuni Buddha in
his heart. The Gelukpa Order has the greatest number of adherents of any of
the lineages." A more proper telling of history is that Tsong Khapa founded
the Gelukpa monastery of Ganden in 1409 (see below). We will hear more about
Gedundrup (Gendun Druppa) in a future story <G>.
Tsong Khapa's writings were inspired by, and, it is said, aided by,
Manjushri himself, with whom he established a personal relationship after
years of extensive meditation retreats.
http://www.dharmatemple.net/fourschools.html states that of these retreats,
the "longest, at Wolkha Cholung, lasted four years during which he was
accompanied by eight close disciples. He is reputed to have performed
millions of prostration's, mandala offerings and other forms of purification
practice. Tsong Khapa frequently had visions of meditational deities and
especially of Manjushri, with whom he could communicate to settle his
questions about profound aspects of the teachings." It is said that Tsong
Khapa also had visions of some of the Thirty Five Buddhas of Confession (see
below), as well as Bhaishajya or Bhaishajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha (see
below).
Please note that the dharma words I have put into Tsong Khapa's mouth are
either his own (from his writings), H.H. the Dalai Lama (the current), or
from teachings I have received from Geshe Wangdak, Geshe Lobsang Gonpo, or
others. No disrespect was meant. Any bad karma generated by writing the
story is clearly my own, but any virtue created by introducing the reader to
the teachings of Tsong Khapa is clearly shared <G>.
For more information on the Gelug tradition, see
http://www.tibet.com/Buddhism/gelug.html
For a short biography of Tsong Khapa, see
http://www.tsongkhapa.org/tradition/tsongkhapa.html
http://www.lamrim.clara.co.uk/download/ganden_lha_gye.htm
http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/phil/philo/phils/khapa.html
Protector Deities:
The concept of protector deities (usually wrathful emanations of usually
peaceful buddhas and bodhisattvas) is quite complex and somewhat
controversial. For two slightly different views, see
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/protect.htm
http://www.tibet.com/dholgyal/dholgyal3.html
There are a number of meditational and protector deities associated with the
Gelug (Gelugpa) "School" or lineage of Tibetan Buddhism (the lineage started
by Tsong Khapa and including the Dalai Lamas). It is said that one of Tsong
Khapa's first teachers, Choje Dondrub Rinchen "suggested Tsong Khapa's
lifelong choice of meditational deities to whom he should make offerings and
with whom he should feel perpetually inseperable. The following deities were
to be cultivated accordingly: Yamantaka for the continuation of his
practice; Vajrapani for freedom from interruptions; Majushri for increase in
wisdom and discriminating awareness; Amitayus for long life; the three
Doctrine Protectors for the availability of prerequisites while practicing;
and Vaishravana, the Six-handed Makahala, and Dharmaraja for protection."
(Thurman, 1982:7) Among these colorful characters are three described in
this story -- Manjushri, the sword-wielding bodhisattva of wisdom, and his
wrathful emanations Yamantaka and Dharmaraja.
Manjushri:
Manjushri (Jamyang) "is the manifestation of the highest wisdom-knowledge of
enlightenment and the highest ranking bodhisattva-aspect in Tibetan
Buddhism. According to the elements he can appear in all kind of colors
(like blue for the highest wisdom-knowledge of the water element, green for
the highest wisdom-knowledge of the air element etc.). Very popular forms
are the orange and the white Manjushri. He can also emanate in various
wrathful forms like Yamantaka.... The book on his left shoulder symbolizes
that his mind holds the complete philosophical- and tantric wisdom-knowledge
of the universe. The flaming wisdom-sword in his right hand demonstrates,
that he uses this knowledge to free the deluded mind from karmic bondages
and illusions.... The meditation instructions on the sky-blue Manjushri
(possibly a spontaneous manifestation of the mahamudra-state of mind) seems
to have become extinct. But there was a tradition in the Middle Ages, as
described in Tsongkhapa's biography."
[http://www.iol.ie/~taeger/bio/manjublu.html]
For more on Manjushri, including pictures, see
http://www.exoticindiaart.com/paintings/ZE39
http://www.tsl.org/teachings/buddhas/majushri.htm
http://www.buddhistwisdom.org/mahamudra/manjushri.htm
http://www.khandro.net/deities_bodhisattvas.htm
http://www.buddhanature.com/buddha/manjusri.html
http://www.iol.ie/~taeger/mentor/mentor.html
http://www.iol.ie/~taeger/bio/manjublu.html
Yamantaka:
Yamantaka (Tibetan: Shinjeshe) "is the conqueror or slayer of death as the
wrathful emanation of Manjusri." [http://www.taraco.com/ref.html] Batchelor
(1998:315) describes him as having "nine heads, thirty-four arms, and
sixteen legs. His main head is that of a buffalo and his uppermost body is
that of Manjushri. His body is dark blue, he wears bone ornaments, and
around his neck hangs a garland of fifty-one freshly severed human heads."
Charming, isn't he! This frightful appearance was taken on by Manjushri to
scare away Yama, the god of Death, himself.
For more on Yamantaka, as well as illustrations, see
http://www.khandro.net/deity_Yamantaka.htm
http://www.tantraworks.com/yama.html#tvis
http://www.tibetshop.com/yt250.html
http://www.iol.ie/~taeger/thkas/yamant.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/7286/yamantaka.html
http://www.buddhist-astrology.com/images.htm
http://asianart.com/exhibitions/svision/i44.html
Dharmaraja:
Batchelor (1998:336) defines him as a "wrathful, bull-headed protector
particularly worshipped in the geluk order. Not to be confused with
Yamantaka, Dharmaraja can be distinguished by his standing on a bull and a
human corpse."
For more information and pictures, see
http://www.nga.gov.au/NewAcquisitions/98-99Xpnded/LordDeath.htm
http://www.himalayanart.org/image.cfm/159.html
This thangka is labeled as Yamantaka, but from the description above, I
believe it is actually Dharmaraja:
http://www.tibetshop.com/yt397.html
Akshobhya:
According to http://www.tsl.org/teachings/masters/dhyani/akshobhya.html :
"The name Akshobhya means "Immovable" or "Unshakable." Akshobhya's
Mirrorlike Wisdom reflects all things calmly and uncritically and--reveals
their true nature. One text says, 'Just as one sees one's own reflection in
a mirror, so the Dharmakaya is seen in the Mirror of Wisdom.' Mirrorlike
Wisdom antidotes the poison of hatred and anger."
The dorje or vajra (thunderbolt) is an important symbol in Tibetan Buddhism.
For a nice picture and explanation, see http://www.silkroads.com/51002.htm
According to http://www.mahakaruna.com, "Akshobhya made a compassionate vow
to help beings by purifying them of the negative actions and emotional
patterns that lead to rebirth in the three lower realms of existence. For
anyone who recites 100,000 of his mantras and commissions the creation of a
statue or image of Akshobhya, or for anyone to whom such practice is
dedicated, the doors to rebirth in these lower realms are closed."
See also http://www.manjushri.com/BUDDHA/Akshobhya.html
