ON THE HISTORY AND PSYCHOLOGY OF THE 'DAS-LOGalmost within sight of the Dalai Lama's seat at 'Bras-spungs-refers provocatively
to "yellow-backed 'gong-po," a remark no doubt aimed at the growing numbers of
Dge-lugs-pa clergy. This, need we say, did nothing to endear him or his disciples to
the Great Fifth, nor did it help in the various persecutions of the Bka' -brgyud-pa
and Rnyingma-pa sects which were to follow over the next century or so.
The teachings of the A valokitdvara cult were spread among the lay populace
not only by scholastics and prophets, but by maf}i-pa as well. This tradition was
promulgated in Tibet by such figures as Guru Chos-dbang (1212-73), who is
also amongst the first prophets. Guru Chos-dbang advocated that A valokites-
vara's mantra be preached in the market place (i.e., made popular) so that all
hearing it might be saved.^11 The following quotations are from his Maf}i-bka '-
'bum (Ms. B: 217 ff.):
Whenever any being sees these seven syllables of compassion, wher-
ever he is born, he will have all the excellent qualities and live insepa-
rably with Avalokita. 0 fortunate faithful ones! Listen to Chos-dbang's
precepts! Do not doubt them!These are the qualities that come from seeing the Mal)i: The Za rna tog
bkod pa says,
Whosoever as much as sees the Mal)i-men, women, boys or
girls, or even game animals, birds, dogs, cattle, horses, asses
and so forth-all will finally be born as bodhisattvas. They
will have no sufferings such as birth, old age, sickness and
death, meeting with unpleasant things, and being bereft of
pleasant things ...
0 all you fortunate ones that are gathered here! If that is the case, erect
Mal)is at crossroads and in-and outside your houses. Taking up
mirrors with the seven syllables, show them to everyone; and if they
look at the seven syllables written there, your and everyone's concerns
will become the very best ...These are the qualities that come from hearing the Mal)i: It says in the
Don yod bzhag pa 'i mdo,
Those beings that hear the heart (seven syllables) will generate
the virtues of several hundred thousand Buddhas. Whoever
has abused a holy being, committed the five boundless sins,
etc., all his sins will be purified in this very lifetime ...
If that is the case, even if beings like animals who do not know how to
say the letters, as much as hear the sound, of the Mal)i being said,
although they cannot make the sounds of the holy words, they will have
the same great significance as for you and others ...