The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v1.c19.s10.30

v1.c19.s10.30

Dīpaṅkara started for Tibet, accompanied by Vinayadhara, Gya-tson, Paṇḍit Bhūmigarbha, and the Mahārāja Bhūmisaṅgha, the king of Western India, who was his disciple. Some Śaivas, Vaiṣṇavas, and Kāpilas, who did not like that Dīpaṅkara should preach Buddhism in Tibet, engaged some robbers to take his life as soon as he passed the border of India. The robbers, when they saw the saintly appearance of the teacher, could not raise their hands against him, and went away. As soon as Dīpaṅkara entered Nepal a local chief took fancy to a beautiful little table made of sandalwood, which was being carried by the venerable teacher. He set some brigands to rob him of it. But Dīpaṅkara, it is reported, averted the danger by some mystic charms. After this he paid his reverence to the temple of Ārya Svayambhū. Gya-tson unfortunately died there of fever. Dīpaṅkara was much moved by this calamity, as Gya-tson was his close companion, and was to serve him in Tibet as an interpreter (lochava). At this time he wrote a note to king Nayapāla. He met Ananta-kīrti, king of Nepal, at Palpa, then called Palpoi-than. He presented the king with an elephant, and the latter in gratitude laid the foundation of a monastery called Than-vihāra. His son Padmaprabha was ordained as monk by Dīpaṅkara. Padmaprabha accompanied the Bengal Pandit to Tibet.