Khenpo Pinsong's hands trembled as he opened this piece of cotton paper that he had once treasured in his own breast for seven years. As he read, it was as if the Eleventh Tulku Jianggong's words rang in his ears: "I originally had the wish to not reincarnate, and only wanted to pass on and care for a pious and steadfast master. But for the sake of the Buddha and our tradition of faith, I will still choose to reincarnate. My reincarnation will be born in a simple sheep pen at the foot of the mountains. When I am reincarnated, there will be a great swirl of snow, a rainbow will bridge the slopes and spring water will be as milk."
Tears streamed down Khenpo Pinsong's face. He did not know whether he directed his words at the scholarly Ninth Tulku Dapu or towards all the monks in the temple hall, but he said in a loud voice, "I prostrate myself to the three precious treasures of Buddha, dharma and sangha, to our dignified homeland, for the benefit and happiness of all living beings. The Eleventh reincarnated spirit child of Tulku Jianggong has been found."
The news that they had found the Tulku Jianggong's spirit child quickly spread to each tribe.
It was as if the prairies were celebrating a festival and the air of auspiciousness rose up from the plains. Everywhere songs were being sung, everywhere you could see sutra streamers and Tibetan prayer flags and the number of people coming to the temple to light incense and perform dana abruptly increased. The two tribal headmen who had secretly wanted to recommend their own spirit children were utterly convinced, for after all, they still believed in the will of the gods and the wisdom of the previous Tulku.
There was only one person who felt like the gates of hell were in front of his eyes, and that was Headman Wangzhu. If a man who had dared to raise his whip and lash a reincarnated Tulku did not descend to hell, then who did? At the very least in his next life, he would certainly only be reincarnated as cattle, beaten and ridden by men. Harbouring this fear, Headman Wangzhu, who had previously always been so arrogant, came to the temple accompanied by his housekeeper and servant, his head bowed, like an ear of wheat laid low by frost or a gourd seed dried out by a fierce sun. When he saw the Ninth Tulku Dapu he knelt shamefully on the floor.
Tulku Dapu narrowed his eyes a little and did not even look at Headman Wangzhu, but only said in a soft, gentle voice, "The humble poor man who performs good deeds surpasses the rich man who performs evil deeds. Karma can not be extinguished and reincarnations cannot be wasted. The rainbow which signals auspiciousness for the grasslands is already arcing across the skies, so what are you still sad about? Get up."
"Tulku, won't I descend to hell?" Headman Wangzhu raised his face and asked.
"If you have still not cleansed your sins." Replied Tulku Dapu
"I will give the temple 20 heads of sheep, 12 heads of yak and 10 loads of highland barley and butter. I also have eight loads of tealeaves from the Han lands, and I will make robes for each of the temple's high lamas and will provide gruel for the temple for three days. Is this dana enough to wipe my sins clean?"
"You still need a little more," said Tulku Dapu.
"Revered Tulku, what do I need? Please speak clearly."
"Benevolence!"
Headman Wangzhu did not speak and lowered his head in shame. After a long while he finally muttered, "How was I to know that the lowly chick would turn into a majestic phoenix?"
Tulku said, "Do not forget that at the core of every living being is the Buddha, and that for the time being when they are polluted, the Buddha is also defiled as well. Life is cyclical, so nobody can view any of the small, weak creatures lightly. When you raise your whip, not only are you wielding it against a small, weak sheep or a poor person. Consider their previous lives, as maybe you are striking your own parents!"
Headman Wangzhu spoke of his own worry, "Revered Tulku, if a sin is too heavy and in my cycles in the six paths I cannot return to the three virtuous paths, then won't I be reincarnated to some level in the three evil paths?" [16]
"There is no way for holy water to wash out humankind's evil karma, and there is no way for an enlightened heart to transfer other people's hearts. The only way is to awaken yourself with benevolence, goodness and wisdom and then hell will become paradise and the weapons we use to slaughter each other will become fresh flowers."
"But, revered Tulku, no matter what I do, when that reincarnated child is about to undergo the enthronement ceremony and become Tulku Jianggong, will he remember me in hate?" Headman Wangzhu thought back to when he had raised his whip and fiercely thrashed Acuo. The boy had not cried out or wept, nor were there tears in his eyes, only hatred.
Tulku Dapu sighed, "On this point I can make a guarantee to you. Greed, anger and foolishness are the three poisons and they are the enemy of we Buddhist monks. I will tell him that your whipping was a type of religious cultivation."
The shepherd boy Acuo did not understand why there were suddenly so many strangers in and outside of his tent, with some people even coming from several hundred li away. They came holding up hada scarves and bringing highland barley, tsampa, butter and bricks of tea. His father and mother had more guests than they could deal with and the fire was lit from dawn till dusk as they boiled tea to receive the guests who came from both near and far. When it became dark, these people did not leave, but instead, erected their tents near to Acuo's own, where they lit bonfires and sang and danced. Their lives had suddenly become plentiful and gentle. Acuo was also told that he did not have to go and tend to the sheep on the pastures.
"Why not?" He asked his father.
"Because you are about to become our Tulku." Acuo's father bowed his head, raised both hands and bent his body in front of his child as he spoke.
