ON THE HISTORY AND PSYCHOLOGY OF THE 'DAS-LOGcontrast to the mechanistic image of the scales of justice loaded with black and
white stones or the inexorable calculations in the mirror of deeds, we begin to
realize that karmic justice is not simply a matter of mechanics. Precise though
karma's laws are, the vector of human ethical activity through a life course is so
complex that final judgements are relative affairs, that any little thing, good or
bad, can color an entire life.
As we would expect in literature connected with the A valokitesvara cult, a
primary construct in the ordering of an organic view of human fate is the notion
of compassion. As A valokitesvara was inspired to tum hell into a garden spot
(Za rna tog: 323), so in all biographies do saints appear and rescue errant souls.
Gling-bza' Chos-skyid (III A: 348 ff.)The Mm;i-pa Jo-chung Smra-ba'i-sengge comes to hell and calls out
those who are connected with him. One after another, the gates of hell
opened. The yamas ' weapons all fell to the ground, and they prostrated
themselves. Next, inconceivable numbers of men and women from
hither and yon heard him call and said, "He is my lama! He is my
lama!" and all came running after him. Thereupon, the yamas arose and
looking over their shoulders, said, "Some of you may go, but what have
you others done to go?'' So saying, they caught about three hundred
men and women with hooks and dragged them back and forth to where
they belonged. Of the people who went up most were women and only
a few men. Of those that went down most were men and only a few
women ... Then I asked the Dharmaraja, "The pandit lead so many
men and women away, and they did not have to undergo any division
of their sin and virtue at all. These ones who were called escaped the
strict law. Given there are people with such an ability as this, why is it
that the ones who were brought down where not sent up? Why amon-
gest those that returned down were there more men and fewer women?"
Dharmaraja said, "That pandit was the Mm;i-pa Jo-chung Smra-ba'i-
sengge. He has had faith in Mahakarul)ika since he was small, and has
revered the ... six syllables from his youth. Further, he has preached it
in all kingdoms. Those that he has led away revere him with body,
speech and mind, being connected to him through audiences, hearing in
him preach, having given him food and receiving prayers. Through his
mercy he leads those who received his blessings. Aside from him,
others here who do not know virtue and sin have no place on the path
of liberation. Those that were brought down mostly had no connection
with him at all. Some did have one, but had deep-seated perverse faith.
Had they not had perverse faith, they would have gone up, but they did
not control their arrogance and have purchased sin alone. The men who
returned back took a haughty view, thinking they were real men. They
forgot they had to die. Thinking they were superior, they had no faith in