Dorje Druk

13. The Cave

They stepped off the platform in Lhasa, Tibet. They reached the roof of the world earlier that day but they were held up by the customs agents due to Rangwang being of Tibetan origins. After nearly an hour of hassling them, they were released. "So are we staying anywhere?" Panzer asked shivering in the thin, cold air. Dark clouds were starting to come over the horizon with the threat of heavy snow, a rarity. Rangwang shook his head and said "No, we are going to take another train to Shigatse and set up in Milarepa's Cave". They boarded the train to Shigatse and arrived in the center of town three hours later. They then took a taxi to the outskirts of Gangka village where the cave was. 

The cave itself is part of the larger Phelgyeling Monastery. Pilgrims were making the trek down a path to the monastery with their offerings for the yogi. "Jetsun Milarepa was a former murderer and black magician. He took this path after his father died and he became poor as a way to get revenge on the world," Rangwang said as they walked down towards the monastery, "he started to regret his life choices so he studied under the famed scholar Marpa. Marpa instructed him to take up solitary meditation and tantra. Milarepa became a famous yogi, writer and poet". Panzer listened intently and decided to lighten the mood with a joke, "So he took up black magic? Sounds more like an edgy teenager". Rangwang could not help but laugh. "Well he took up black magic at fifteen so I guess he wanted to try and be this'edgy' you speak of".  Some of the pilgrims around them rolled their eyes in annoyance while some snickered. One pilgrim said "Yeah the edgy kid became a respected yogi. He grew up like you two will someday".  A sheepdog monk wearing a red and white robe slid up to them, he was a yogi. "I beg your pardon but may I ask what monastery you two are from?" he asked. Rangwang replied in Tibetan "We're from Nechung in Dharmashala in India. I'm guessing you are a local yogi?". The yogi nodded and asked "You look familiar. What is your name?". Rangwang replied "My name is Rangwang  Dorje. His name is Frederich Bauman but you can just call him Panzer". The yogi backed away and a wide grin spread across his face. "The Dorje Druk...." he whispered. The pilgrims around them heard this and whispered among themselves "It's real..the Dorje Druk". Many of the pilgrims prostrated to Panzer and others let them move forward. Panzer looked surprised at the admiration he was starting to get in this little backwater village on the edge of civilization. They were told to go ahead of the pilgrims by a group of monks that came to see what was going on when they learned the famed Dorje Druk was here. 

The monks lead the two to the cave. Rangwang gave their offerings to the statue of Milarepa and they moved into the dark cave. They went deeper and deeper into the cave when they hit a golden sheet that partitioned off the main section from a inner chamber. Panzer pulled the curtain aside and saw on a little stone altar a bone whistle and a little golden relic. "The Dorje and the Kangling! We found them all!" Rangwang exclaimed. "Yeah but what now?" Panzer asked. Rangwang opened up their bag and placed the other objects: the bumpa, conch, phurba and chaksing, on the stone altar. He also fished out two sticks of juniper incense and a white candle. "Fire please" Rangwang said to Panzer, who breathed a tine spark onto the candle. Rangwang finished setting up the space where Milarepa meditated so many centuries ago. "Now what do we do?" Panzer asked. Rangwang replied, sitting down, "We meditate".