Signs from the Subtle World
For Pisces 2022, I created an image called “The Blessings of Lord Maitreya“; it is also posted in the blog. The description says: “Maitreya received the wisdom under a ficus (fig) tree at the eastern entrance to a cave which is said to be at Sravasti, in a region north of Mount Kailash. It is today called Shigatse by the Tibetans. It is believed that the ficus tree is still there even today and that he continues to bless the entire planet and humanity during the morning and evening hours.”
When I recently visited friends of mine, the wife told me that she felt touched by the painting and shared an experience she had at Shigatse. I regive it here from my memory.
In the 1990s, they wanted to go to Tibet, but since at the time they had planned to travel, visitors from abroad were not allowed to go there, they decided to fly to China and see on site where to travel.
Together with a guide, they went to a travel agency. There, they were asked where they would like to go. They said, to Tibet but this would not be possible for foreigners. The person in the office said, why not? and told them that they can organise a journey and proposed to go to Shigatse. My friends did the trip.
When they arrived at Shigatse, the wife unexpectedly experienced the presence of Lord Maitreya and saw a vision in the sky. She immediately addressed him with the words: “Oh Lord, can you please help humanity which is undergoing so much problems and suffering!” Then, the words formed in her head: “We have given to humanity all we can but humanity does not apply. We cannot help unless they put to practice what has already been given…”
They later visited the monastery in Shigatse (Tashi Lhunpo) and they saw a huge statue of Maitreya (description) worshipped as the Buddha in charge of the future. There, the wife experienced again the presence she had felt on arrival in Shigatse.
I was deeply touched by her story bearing witness of the reality of the subtle worlds. And I told her about an experience which had expressed in a painting in March 2010.
On seeing the Pisces 2022 painting about the blessing of Lord Maitreya under a ficus tree, another friend told me about a huge sacred ficus tree she had seen in Yangshuo, China and shared some photos.
P.S.: April 11th 2022: When reading the above story, my friend wrote me the following words:
“It is nice how you share your experiences with those who are interested. I would like to briefly recount the experience in Shigatze: We were sitting in a quiet place at the edge of a meadow for the 6 pm meditation. My eyes were closed. I felt someone standing in front of me and directed my inner gaze towards it. I “saw” a very tall golden pillar. I kept looking up until finally the unimaginably benevolent smiling face of Buddha Maitreya could be ‘seen’. I addressed him and he replied, on a spiritual level of course.
The next day we visited the monastery in Shigatze. There stood Buddha Maitreya exactly as I had ‘seen’ Him the day before: Huge tall and smiling. This Maitreya, however, was to be touched, he was there quite concretely as a work of art. I remember that the Chinese tour guide said he was 26 m high and that I read it that way too. (I can hardly imagine that now).”
I read at several places on the web that the statue is indeed 26.2 m high. It is in the Maitreya Chapel of the monastery, a tall red building with a gold roof at the complex’s northwestern corner, built in 1914 by the ninth Panchen Lama. But this is the outer artwork only. The subtle presence of Maitreya is not limited to this. So better look for an inner image than an outer form. Even if you do not feel an inner presence, it might be some “screen travelling” with the computer to Shigatze.
And still another friend shared a beautiful big old book (PDF, 22 MB) of Swami Pranavananda on “Kailas – Manasarovar” from 1949, where you also find old maps of Tibet / the area of Mt Kailash as well as various pilgrimage paths to the Mount. Here, you see the path from Lhasa via Shigartse (written this way) to Kailas / Manasarovar.
And she also added some beautiful pics from their journeys to the Mount full of spiritual magnetism.
April 4th, 2022 at 5:24 pm
Brother Ludger, May I know the significance of all those clothes wrapped around the rocks?
April 4th, 2022 at 6:49 pm
Respected Sri Ludgar Sir!
Thanks a lot for sharing this versatile magnum opus book on Kailas..Manasasarovar. I happened go via silk route I.e Darjeeling, Kalimpong Liva Tibet Lhasa & Kailash in 1999-2000.
All snow clad mountains with versatile Monastries with their Sacred flags hung all over the path with inscriptions of Bodhayana sutras, Tara guan & so on.
After I see this msg I felt immensely glad for a great noble thing you have done.
Master(s) bless you ever.
Namaskaram
April 4th, 2022 at 6:54 pm
In those areas near around & in open areas they construct peace pagodas from 4ft height to high rise stupas as a mark of peace tranquility friendship & brotherhood sharing.
In few exceptions when a mind died they construct a small stupa as mark of respect.
Invariably all smaller stupas are covered with fine silk clothes.
April 5th, 2022 at 1:50 pm
Dear Sister Srivalli
I asked the person who took the photo and she wrote “It is a tradition, like in temples, it is a temple cave.”
However, when looking at them, it seems to be more than just “tradition”: There are statues below the veil, seemingly in brass, gold colour. And these are symbols hinter at a hidden reality which we can understand as per the wisdom teachings – whatever other explanations others might give.
The 7 Rishis (Sapta Rishis) are representatives of the 7 Rays, coming down into our system from the 7 stars of the Great Bear, called Sapta Rishis in Sanskrit. They are 7 modulations of the original light of the Cosmic Light, Aditi. The brass/gold might symbolise this light of pure spirit which gets veiled / modified when coming down to denser planes, and later also the 7 Lights get further veiled when entering into objectivity. The other ribbons might have a similar symbolism.
April 5th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
Dear Sri Murthy
Thank you very much for your lines. You indeed had a great blessing of doing the pilgrimage to Mt Kailash in 1999/2000! A project of sublime and uplifiting striving.
Namaskarams Master
April 5th, 2022 at 1:55 pm
Thank you for this further comment! The silk also reminds us of the radiance of the diamond light, most subtle form of matter.
April 7th, 2022 at 9:55 am
Dear Ludger,
thank you for this touching story by this beautiful woman. Thank you for thus preserving the story (and the touching words by Lord Maitreya) in public consciousness.
Love
Lena