Page 70 of Tiger's Quest
“That’s the best part! The Ocean Teacher is probably one of the lamas. Possibly even the Dalai Lama himself!”
“What? Lhasa is nowhere near the ocean.”
“Ah. The verse doesn’t have to mean the ocean literally. It may mean his wisdom is as deep as the ocean or perhaps his influence is as vast as the sea.”
“Okay, so we go to Lhasa and ask to meet with the Dalai Lama.” I chucked the black tiger on the shoulder. “Sounds pretty easy to me, right, Kishan?”
He huffed and stretched his head.
Mr. Kadam mumbled, “Yes. That might be a problem.”
“You don’t happen to have a good relationship with the current Dalai Lama, right? Kind of like Ren’s grandfather did?”
“No. And the current Dalai Lama isn’t in Tibet. He’s living in exile in India. The prophecy clearly indicates we need to go to the city ‘’neath Noah’s mountain’ and begin our quest there. It says here that the Ocean Teacher will anoint your eyes, unfold sacred scrolls, teach wisdom, and possibly lead you to the spirit gates.”
“What are those?”
“Spirit gates mark entryways into shrines in Japan. They are said to be the doorways between the secular world and the spiritual world. When people pass underneath them, they cleanse themselves and prepare for the spiritual journey that will take place beyond.”
“Are there any spirit gates in Tibet?”
“None that I’m familiar with. Perhaps there is a different meaning in the prophecy.”
“Okay, what about this navel stone?”
“Ah, I do know what the navel stone is. I believe it means that you are seeking an omphalos stone. They are stones to represent the center, or the navel, of the world, and several were placed in the area of the Mediterranean, the most famous of which is housed at the oracle of Delphi. Some scholars have submitted that gaseous fumes were directed up through the opening of the stone, and when a seer stood over it and breathed in the gas, he or she would have a vision.
“It was supposed to be a way for humankind to communicate with the gods. It’s also said that when you hold the stone, you can see into the future. There’s a stone in Thailand, one in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and one is the foundation stone for the Jewish temple in the Dome of the Rock.”
“What does it look like?”
“It’s shaped somewhat like an egg standing on end with a hole in the top and carved webbing along the outside.”
“So we find this omphalos stone and sniff its fumes or hold it, and it will show us to a world tree?”
“Correct.”
“And the tree?”
“A world tree is another very common theme in many cultures and myths. There is a wish-fulfilling tree that took care of the needs of the people of India called the Kalpavriksha. It flourished when the people were wise and good, but, when the nature of humankind changed, the tree dimmed.
“In my studies of the Golden Fruit, I found a record of a special tree at the Kamakshi temple in southern India. It’s a mango tree that bears four kinds of mangoes believed to represent the four Vedas or castes. In Norse mythology, there is a tale of a world tree named Yggdrasil. In Slavic and Finnish mythology, they selected an oak tree to represent the sacred world tree. In Hindu culture, it’s a fig tree called Ashvastha. You might think of it as the Tree of Life. There are such trees mentioned in the cultures of Korea, Mesoamerica, Mongolia, Lithuania, Siberia, Hungary, Greece . . . you get the idea.”
“Hmm, yes. I get the idea. So we’re looking for a special tree. Do we at least know what type?”
“No. The stories all use examples of trees common to their lands, but most of the myths refer to something very large, with birds resting in the branches. These tests that are mentioned seem like they would fit that theme.”
“Gotcha. Bottom line, we don’t eat the fruit, right?”
He laughed. “Not all of the myths have fruit, but you are absolutely right. There is a test associated with most of them. Some even mention a giant serpent at the base. The leaves tie Earth to heaven, and the roots are supposed to sink into the underworld.”
“Now as for these . . . tests. Do you think there’s anything scary that will try to eat me like the Kappa?”
He sobered instantly. “I sincerely hope not, Miss Kelsey. In fact, I’m encouraged by the word paradise. I hope these tests will be more mental exercise than physical.”
“Right. I’ll just need to keep an eye out for the iron guardians. So, it says we have to ascend to the top to find the prize and pass four tests. I wonder what it means that India’s masses shall be robed. Do you think it means clothes?”
“It could be a symbol for royalty, I suppose.”
