bod thang mgon po

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བོད་ཐང་མགོན་པོ
The Protector on the Tibetan Plain

The famous Mahākāla statue in Thundikel in the center of Kathmandu/Nepal, the most important Mahākāla temple in the valley. It is carved from stone and approximately 2.5m tall. Supposedly it is one of the original eight Mahākāla statues of Nalanda university. There are various legends connected with it, such as that it was either made by Nagarjuna, or that he magically caused it to fly from Nalanda to Nepal. The term "Tibetan plain" refers to the wide open field of Thundikel behind the temple that houses the statue, the grounds where the envoys of King Songtsen Gampo (srong btsan sgam po) were encamped when they came to fetch the Nepali bride, Princess Bhrikuti, for their emperor. The statue is also considered to be the main protector of Svayambhunath and is as such also known as the "All Trees' Protector" or "shing kun mgon po", "'phags pa shing kun" being the Tibetan name for the Svayambunath stupa. It is mentioned in several biographies of Indian Mahāsiddhas who visited the Nepal valley on pilgrimage. The Tibetan Mahāsiddha Tsang Nyon Heruka (tsang smyon he ru ka, 1452-1507) is known to have visited it as well, and Kathok Rigdzin Tshewang Norbu (ka thog rig 'dzin tshe dbang nor bu, 1698-1755) has composed a praise to it entitled "A song for the spontaneous achievement of one’s goals, expressed in a verse garland that comprises a hymn of praises to the naturally formed Lord Protector of the Tibetan Plain, a sacred image of the Resplendent Mahākāla with two hands, and a supplication for his enlightened activity" (dpal nag po chen po phyag gnyis pa'i sku brnyan rang byung bod thang mgon por bstod cing 'phrin las gsol ba'i tshig phreng bzhed don lhun gyis grub pa'i dbyangs). It is also mentioned among the most important sacred sites of the Kathmandu valley by the 8th Tai Situpa (tai si tu chos kyi 'byung gnas, 1700-1774) in his descriptive guide of the sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites of the Kathmandu valley.

A brief rendition of the visit of Tsang Nyon Heruka to the protector temple reads thus:

[As for the history of] the Protector on the Tibetan Plain: Long ago, one Siddha from Tibet once engaged in paying homage in full prostration while circumambulating the All Trees' Protector (shing kun mgon po), when he had an encounter with (a party that had gone) to fetch a bride and they, from right in front of him, stopped the Siddha in his tracks.

"One corpse, two corpse, three corpse, four!" is what he said to those obstructing him by the head. The people got upset and told him: "You won't just, by acting in this way, interfere with our good luck!" and with these words beat him close to death. When bride and attendants, next, all at the Tibetan Plain's Protector came to do puja, the one they had beaten up, far from having died, entered (the temple) and joined the Protector of the Tibetan Plain. When the bridal party had noticed this, they thought: "Instead of dying, he got here (even ahead of us). How can that be?"

Then, as the bridal party engaged in their puja, this man got up and laughed about his (previous) trouble, the Protector too started to laugh and whatever this man did, the Protector did likewise. Faced with this, the people were totally astonished and made a confession about having beaten up a Siddha: "We humbly confess and expose that, moved by the affliction of stupidity, we physically assaulted you who are the Protector on the Tibetan Plain in person. Please make us your disciples! We'll offer you the land and a house amidst its own fields. Without letting your life come to an end, please make this supremely sacred spot into your residence and may your teachings thereby increase!"

Thus, with genuine remorse, they offered this request. The Siddha said: "Fine!" and remained there for a long period, which is how the name "Tibetan Plain" (bod thang) originated.

[TSD]