TANTRIC BUDDHISM (INCLUDING CHINA AND JAPAN)This entire sequence plainly indicates a regression. If an ego's psychosocial rela-
tionships to significant others are thought of as a set of concentric rings with ego
at the center, we begin here in the narrative sequence with the outermost
circle-neighbors, of the least powerful emotive significance, and fall back ever
closer to the more domestic and meaningful ties, from an estate steward (outside
the home), to a servant (inside the home) and finally to the husband.
Next, she quits the scene entirely, and travels back to her natal village. On the
way she falls in with a strange gang of spooks and goblins:
From the upper part of the valley, many mi-ma-yin came all abustle. I
listened to what they were saying: "Down there in Dge-bcu Lung
there's a feast. Let's go!" and off they went, taking neither large steps
or small. I followed them, and instantly I arrived at my birthplace,
Dgebcu Kun-dga' -gling. Thinking I wanted to go to our house, all the
dogs that had been tame before barked at me, and, afraid, I was unable
to go. I heard the sounds of the chant leader, Chos-rgyal-bsod-nams and
the preceptors doing a gtor-ma ceremony in the monastery. Thereupon
they threw out many gtor-ril and water, and many beings of the six
realms gathered there for the water and pills, like flies on rotten meat
and rotten lees, and they carried it off like invited guests. Even the
excess dishwater was carried off by lesser guests. After that, meek
guests didn't get anything, and miserable because they were hungry and
thirsty, they fell face down on the ground and wailed. Even though I
was bigger and stronger than them and was hungry and thirsty, I was
unable to go and get some out of shame and habits of modesty. Seeing
this, I felt a powerful compassion but I had nothing to give them. I
thought it was like the blind leading the blind and I wept much. Then I
heard a disembodied voice of a woman:
First, these beings do not have the fruits of previously accu-
mulated virtues.
Second, this is the way they experience their karmic suffering.
Third, these are beings of small vision.
When they come together, it causes suffering.
You cannot help them, do not concern yourself.
As soon as I heard that I felt a longing for my parents. There came to
me the thought that I had to go to Zag-rum Monastery.This sequence continues her regression from a noblewoman of high station and
responsibility to a rejected mistress and lover to a creature just barely in control
of the primary socializing graces (shame). The behavior of the mi-ma-yin,
despite the exegesis of the mysterious voice, leaves little question regarding
their status: they are unsocialized, ora:;y driven children, fighting over scraps
and throwing temper tantrums when they do not receive any. The 'das-log is