The University of Nalanda c14.54

c14.54

Accordingly, he consulted the goddess Tārā, his tutelary deity, offering his prayers to her, in the usual manner at night. The goddess, appearing in a dream, thrice said to him: "Son, it has not been good." He suddenly awoke and came out of his room, but did not find anybody. Again he prayed to the gods and Bodhisattvas, for further enlightenment on the subject. He heard a voice which said, "Maitri has been innocently accused of the offence. As he had acquired the true conception of the Bodhi (saintly) life, you have committed a serious sin in permitting his expulsion from the monastery." It was also said that in consequence of it, Atīśa was destined to be born a huge bird of Sumeru and that in making three rounds, round the peak of Sumeru, he would kill numerous beings. The only means by which he could get out of the difficulty was to go to the northern direction towards Tibet, to preach the Mahāyāna Dharma there.