Dorje Druk

11.Sunyata

Panzer and Rangwang woke up with the six in the morning bell for meditation. This time Panzer did not complain about having to wake up early. He dressed in his robes and followed the rest of the monks to the temple. Lama Tenzin was curled up around his usual pillow and started squeaking. Mentally he was paying homage with his fellow monks. Panzer felt an unusual peace spread from his mind to the rest of his body as the chanting ended and transitioned to silent meditation. He felt his body become heavy and then light. He felt an unusual pit in his stomach despite not feeling sick rather it felt almost peaceful. His eyes closed and his peace intensified in his mind, like a feeling of perfection and emptiness. A smile crept across his face as the feeling intensified and then calmed. When the meditation ended three monks processed in from the outer hall. One carried a censer with incense and the other two had silver and gold horns. Panzer could almost feel the sound of the horns throughout his body as the monks made their way past him.He thought "Was this the awakening mind he was talking about? If it is then this is amazing". A group of monks stepped forward to the Buddha and gave him offerings of flowers, sugar cookies, tea, water, fruits and alcohol. Panzer was confused at this offering considering monks were not allowed to touch the stuff. He shrugged it off as a sign of status or local thing. 

After the offering was completed the feelings of peace grew much stronger to where Panzer felt like he left his body for a few seconds. Out of the corner of his eye he saw some animals that were cloaked in gold step up to the Buddha and bow. They then took the offerings and faded away like smoke. None of the other monks seemed to not notice or care at the sudden apparition other than Panzer, who stared with his mouth agape at what he just saw. "Angels..they must be" he though trying to explain what he saw. They definitely were not of this realm. They could not have been demonic, ghosts or a hallucination. They were something angelic or divine. The meditation ended when the sun was up and they all silently made their way to breakfast. The food looked very similar to the food Panzer ate at the monastery. They were served red rice, a vegetable soup, buckwheat pancakes and the usual butter tea. As per custom they all ate in silence and in reflection. Lama Tenzin made his way to where Rangwang and Panzer were eating and trilled at them. Telepathically he said "When you two are done see me". They nodded and finished eating breakfast. Panzer still felt that intense peace only it lessened a bit. 

As they made their way to a small grotto outside the monastery Panzer detailed his experience to Rangwang. Rangwang replied "You had a moment of Sunyata or purity of mind. Those angels you saw may well be angels but we call them Devas. Devas are like what you call angels or others call them gods. That can happen where you might see them take the offerings to the Buddha. It is quite the experience to say the least".  Panzer liked that idea of angels or whatever they were called being universal. Sure he believed they existed but that they did not interact with such lowly beings on Earth until now. Even something as simple as an offering not even a Christian one could summon them. Whatever happened mentally in that temple was still putting Panzer at ease despite the freezing temperature outside. 

They came to the clearning where they met with Lama Tenzin, who was curled up on a rock, reading from a text. He heard them approach and trilled at them. "Come forward and sit" he said. They sat in front of him. Lama Tenzin gave a lesson and a recommended practice. "Remember what I said last night. Look inside yourself and have faith in yourself. Then and only then will you find what you are seeking. Panzer, you experienced a brief moment of Sunyata and met with the Devas. I could feel your experience before you ask how I knew. You two need to experience complete Sunyata and you need to venture beyond inwards. You need to travel to the realm of the Devas to find the next object, the Phurba dagger. This blade is a divine weapon that in ritual must pierce the earth or an offering to harness the raw power. As some of those western mystics call it "grounding". You two need to get that dagger and harness that power when you get back here. Best of luck. Rangwang, I hope you remember on what to do". He got up and left them alone in the clearing. 

Rangwang started thinking as Panzer just sat and looked around at the landscape. No wildlife as far as the eye could see. Rangwang started thinking out loud in Tibetan before he had an idea. "Ok Panzer sit down and put your hands in your lap like you were holding something". Panzer did that looking a bit confused. Rangwang came over and sat in his hands and put his arms around him in an embrace. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!??" Panzer shouted. "Shh, I think this is the posture. You'll see" Rangwang replied not phased by Panzer's shouting. "Ummm look I know it's cold out but this is really fucking awkward..." Panzer said looking nervous. Rangwang shook his head and replied "Lower your head to mine, we need to touch foreheads. When we do just clear your mind like you did in the temple". Panzer lowered his head to Rangwang's and tried to clear his head. He could feel his heart thudding loudly and Rangwang's slow breathing. Eventually, he was able to calm himself and fall into that state of bliss. He felt the familiar jolt of energy only it was more intense and Ragnwang's energy connected with his and the two started trembling violently. Then they went still and opened their eyes. 

The two were inside a large, ornate temple. At the center was a large altar that had golden and jade statues of Buddhas and gods. On the altar were offerings of water, tea, beer, fresh fruit, flowers and meat.  On the floor in front of the altar was a sigil of an eight spoke wheel  with the trigrams of the i-ching surrounding it. Curled around the trigrams were two thunder dragons. The air was thick with incense smoke to where the two coughed at first. On either side of the altar sat four monks in black robes and hoods. They looked like a combination of Tibetan monks and Catholic Benedictines. They were throat singing and playing ritual instruments, creating a slight ominous tone. As the two approached the altar two of the monks picked up golden horns and started playing almost like the two were royalty and not simple monks. When Panzer and Rangwang made it to the altar they stopped and pulled back the hoods. One monk was a black Labrador retriever with golden eyes. Another monk was a Bengal cat with spots. Another monk was an eagle with jade green eyes. The last  monk was a fox with white fur. The four monks bowed at Panzer and Rangwang. The eagle spoke first  "Welcome Venerable monks. We know of your quest to subdue Mara". The Bengal spoke in an Indian accent "Remember that he too is but a delusion, created by our ignorance. Remember this and you will be successful". The Labrador stood up and approached the altar, bowed and turned to them. "You seek the Phurba of Great Power. Yielded by gods and Buddhas alike. While not the Dorje it is quite powerful. Yield it well and only for the utmost good". Finally the fox presented the two with an object wrapped in red and gold cloth. He said to them "Only those who yield this and do not die are worthy of finding favor with the gods and most importantly the Buddhas of past, present and of the future". Rangwang bowed and replied "Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu. May I as who you four are?". The Labrador replied "I am Chenrezik, the Buddha of Compassion". The Bengal replied "I am Opakme, the Buddha of Light and Life". The Eagle replied "I am Chak Na Dorje, the a protector and embodiment of power". The Fox then replied "I am Shakyamuni Buddha, Gautama Buddha. One of the first Buddhas". Startled by this revelation, Rangwang and Panzer  prostrated to Gautama Buddha who motioned for them to rise. He unwrapped the cloth and revealed the Phurba. "Use this with complete wisdom and compassion at heart. You two have done well, keep it that way". The vision grew smokey and faded out.

The two woke up on the ground feeling both exhausted and empowered. "That was..." Panzer had no words to describe the experience. Rangwang just nodded and said "We need to find the scepter, Kangling and finally the Dorje. I know where they are at and we need to be fast. Luckily the Dorje and Kangling are at the same place but first we need the scepter. We're going to Nepal and finally my homeland...Tibet". Dark clouds started forming on the horizon to the west, Mara was coming.