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lai　and　Tashi　Lamas；　the　decrees　of　the　Russian　and　Chinese　Emperors　and　the　Treaties　between　Mongolia；　Russia；　China　and　Tibet。　　In　this　same　casket　is　the　copper　plate　bearing　the　mysterious　sign　of　the　〃King　of　the　World〃　and　the　chronicle　of　the　last　vision　of　the　Living　Buddha。


CHAPTER　XLV

THE　VISION　OF　THE　LIVING　BUDDHA　OF　MAY　17；　1921


〃I　prayed　and　saw　that　which　is　hidden　from　the　eyes　of　the　people。　A　vast　plain　was　spread　before　me　surrounded　by　distant　mountains。　An　old　Lama　carried　a　basket　filled　with　heavy　stones。　　He　hardly　moved。　　From　the　north　a　rider　appeared　in　white　robes　and　mounted　on　a　white　horse。　　He　approached　the　Lama　and　said　to　him：

〃'Give　me　your　basket。　　I　shall　help　you　to　carry　them　to　the　Kure。'

〃The　Lama　handed　his　heavy　burden　up　to　him　but　the　rider　could　not　raise　it　to　his　saddle　so　that　the　old　Lama　had　to　place　it　back　on　his　shoulder　and　continue　on　his　way；　bent　under　its　heavy　weight。　Then　from　the　north　came　another　rider　in　black　robes　and　on　a　black　horse；　who　also　approached　the　Lama　and　said：

〃'Stupid！　　Why　do　you　carry　these　stones　when　they　are　everywhere　about　the　ground？'

〃With　these　words　he　pushed　the　Lama　over　with　the　breast　of　his　horse　and　scattered　the　stones　about　the　ground。　　When　the　stones　touched　the　earth；　they　became　diamonds。　　All　three　rushed　to　raise　them　but　not　one　of　them　could　break　them　loose　from　the　ground。　Then　the　old　Lama　exclaimed：

〃'Oh　Gods！　　All　my　life　I　have　carried　this　heavy　burden　and　now；　when　there　was　left　so　little　to　go；　I　have　lost　it。　　Help　me；　great；　good　Gods！'

〃Suddenly　a　tottering　old　man　appeared。　　He　collected　all　the　diamonds　into　the　basket　without　trouble；　cleaned　the　dust　from　them；　raised　the　burden　to　his　shoulder　and　started　out；　speaking　with　the　Lama：

〃'Rest　a　while；　I　have　just　carried　my　burden　to　the　goal　and　I　am　glad　to　help　you　with　yours。'

〃They　went　on　and　were　soon　out　of　sight；　while　the　riders　began　to　fight。　　They　fought　one　whole　day　and　then　the　whole　night　and；　when　the　sun　rose　over　the　plain；　neither　was　there；　either　alive　or　dead；　and　no　trace　of　either　remained。　　This　I　saw；　Bogdo　Hutuktu　Khan；　speaking　with　the　Great　and　Wise　Buddha；　surrounded　by　the　good　and　bad　demons！　　Wise　Lamas；　Hutuktus；　Kampos；　Marambas　and　Holy　Gheghens；　give　the　answer　to　my　vision！〃

This　was　written　in　my　presence　on　May　17th；　1921；　from　the　words　of　the　Living　Buddha　just　as　he　came　out　of　his　private　shrine　to　his　study。　　I　do　not　know　what　the　Hutuktu　and　Gheghens；　the　fortune　tellers；　sorcerers　and　clairvoyants　replied　to　him；　but　does　not　the　answer　seem　clear；　if　one　realizes　the　present　situation　in　Asia？

Awakened　Asia　is　full　of　enigmas　but　it　is　also　full　of　answers　to　the　questions　set　by　the　destiny　of　humankind。　　This　great　continent　of　mysterious　Pontiffs；　Living　Gods；　Mahatmas　and　readers　of　the　terrible　book　of　Karma　is　awakening　and　the　ocean　of　hundreds　of　millions　of　human　lives　is　lashed　with　monstrous　waves。



Part　V

MYSTERY　OF　MYSTERIESTHE　KING　OF　THE　WORLD


CHAPTER　XLVI

THE　SUBTERRANEAN　KINGDOM


〃Stop！〃　whispered　my　old　Mongol　guide；　as　we　were　one　day　crossing　the　plain　near　Tzagan　Luk。　　〃Stop！〃

He　slipped　from　his　camel　which　lay　down　without　his　bidding。　　The　Mongol　raised　his　hands　in　prayer　before　his　face　and　began　to　repeat　the　sacred　phrase：　　〃Om！　Mani　padme　Hung！〃　　The　other　Mongols　immediately　stopped　their　camels　and　began　to　pray。

〃What　has　happened？〃　I　thought；　as　I　gazed　round　over　the　tender　green　grass；　up　to　the　cloudless　sky　and　out　toward　the　dreamy　soft　rays　of　the　evening　sun。

The　Mongols　prayed　for　some　time；　whispered　among　themselves　and；　after　tightening　up　the　packs　on　the　camels；　moved　on。

〃Did　you　see；〃　asked　the　Mongol；　〃how　our　camels　moved　their　ears　in　fear？　　How　the　herd　of　horses　on　the　plain　stood　fixed　in　attention　and　how　the　herds　of　sheep　and　cattle　lay　crouched　close　to　the　ground？　　Did　you　notice　that　the　birds　did　not　fly；　the　marmots　did　not　run　and　the　dogs　did　not　bark？　　The　air　trembled　softly　and　bore　from　afar　the　music　of　a　song　which　penetrated　to　the　hearts　of　men；　animals　and　birds　alike。　　Earth　and　sky　ceased　breathing。　　The　wind　did　not　blow　and　the　sun　did　not　move。　　At　such　a　moment　the　wolf　that　is　stealing　up　on　the　sheep　arrests　his　stealthy　crawl；　the　frightened　herd　of　antelopes　suddenly　checks　its　wild　course；　the　knife　of　the　shepherd　cutting　the　sheep's　throat　falls　from　his　hand；　the　rapacious　ermine　ceases　to　stalk　the　unsuspecting　salga。　　All　living　beings　in　fear　are　involuntarily　thrown　into　prayer　and　waiting　for　their　fate。　　So　it　was　just　now。　　Thus　it　has　always　been　whenever　the　King　of　the　World　in　his　subterranean　palace　prays　and　searches　out　the　destiny　of　all　peoples　on　the　earth。〃

In　this　wise　the　old　Mongol；　a　simple；　coarse　shepherd　and　hunter；　spoke　to　me。

Mongolia　with　her　nude　and　terrible　mountains；　her　limitless　plains；　covered　with　the　widely　strewn　bones　of　the　forefathers；　gave　birth　to　Mystery。　　Her　people；　frightened　by　the　stormy　passions　of　Nature　or　lulled　by　her　deathlike　peace；　feel　her　mystery。　　Her　〃Red〃　and　〃Yellow　Lamas〃　preserve　and　poetize　her　mystery。　　The　Pontiffs　of　Lhasa　and　Urga　know　and　possess　her　mystery。

On　my　journey　into　Central　Asia　I　came　to　know　for　the　first　time　about　〃the　Mystery　of　Mysteries；〃　which　I　can　call　by　no　other　name。　　At　the　outset　I　did　not　pay　much　attention　to　it　and　did　not　attach　to　it　such　importance　as　I　afterwards　realized　belonged　to　it；　when　I　had　analyzed　and　connoted　many　sporadic；　hazy　and　often　controversial　bits　of　evidence。

The　old　people　on　the　shore　of　the　River　Amyl　related　to　me　an　ancient　legend　to　the　effect　that　a　certain　Mongolian　tribe　in　their　escape　from　the　demands　of　Jenghiz　Khan　hid　themselves　in　a　subterranean　country。　　Afterwards　a　Soyot　from　near　the　Lake　of　Nogan　Kul　showed　me　the　smoking　gate　that　serves　as　the　entrance　to　the　〃Kingdom　of　Agharti。〃　　Through　this　gate　a　hunter　formerly　entered　into　the　Kingdom　and；　after　his　return；　began　to　relate　what　he　had　seen　there。　　The　Lamas　cut　out　his　tongue　in　order　to　prevent　him　from　telling　about　the　Mystery　of　Mysteries。　　When　he　arrived　at　old　age；　he　came　back　to　the　entrance　of　this　cave　and　disappeared　into　the　subterranean　kingdom；　the　memory　of　which　had　ornamented　and　lightened　his　nomad　heart。

I　received　more　realistic　information　about　this　from　Hutuktu　Jelyb　Djamsrap　in　Narabanchi　Kure。　　He　told　me　the　story　of　the　semi…　realistic　arrival　of　the　powerful　King　of　the　World　from　the　subterranean　kingdom；　of　his　appearance；　of　his　miracles　and　of　his　prophecies；　and　only　then　did　I　begin　to　understand　that　in　that　legend；　hypnosis　or　mass　vision；　whichever　it　may　be；　is　hidden　not　only　mystery　but　a　realistic　and　powerful　force　capable　of　influencing　the　course　of　the　political　life　of　Asia。　　From　that　moment　I　began　making　some　investigations。

The　favorite　Gelong　Lama　of　Prince　Chultun　Beyli　and　the　Prince　himself　gave　me　an　account　of　the　subterranean　kingdom。

〃Everything　in　the　world；〃　said　the　Gelong；　〃is　constantly　in　a　state　of　change　and　transitionpeoples　science；　religions；　laws　and　customs。　　How　many　great　empires　and　brilliant　cultures　have　perished！　　And　that　alone　which　remains　unchanged　is　Evil；　the　tool　of　Bad　Spirits。　　More　than　sixty　thousand　years　ago　a　Holyman　disappeared　with　a　whole　tribe　of　people　under　the　ground　and　never　appeared　again　on　the　surface　of　the　earth。　　Many　people；　however；　have　since　visited　this　kingdom；　Sakkia　Mouni；　Undur　Gheghen；　Paspa；　Khan　Baber　and　others。　　No　one　knows　where　this　place　is。　One　says　Afghanistan；　others　India。　　All　the　people　there　are　protected　against　Evil　and　crimes　do　not　exist　within　its　bournes。　Science　has　there　developed　calmly　and　nothing　is　threatened　with　destruction。　　The　subterranean　people　have　reached　the　highest　knowledge。　　Now　it　is　a　large　kingdom；　millions　of　men　with　the　King　of　the　World　as　their　ruler。　　He　knows　all　the　forces　of　the　world　and　reads　all　the　souls　of　humankind　and　the　great　book　of　their　destiny。　　Invisibly　he　rules　eight　hundred　million　men　on　the　surface　of　the　earth　and　they　will　accomplish　his　every　order。〃

Prince　Chultun　Beyli　added：　　〃This　kingdom　is　Agharti。　　It　extends　throughout　all　the　subterranean　passages　of　the　whole　world。　　I　heard　a　learned　Lama　of　China　relating　to　Bogdo　Khan　that　all　the　subterranean　caves　of　America　are　inhabited　by　the　ancient　people　who　have　disappeared　underground。　　Traces　of　them　are　still　found　on　the　surface　of　the　land。　　These　subterranean　peoples　and　spaces　are　governed　by　rulers　owing　allegiance　to　the　King　of　the　World。　In　it　there　is　not　much　of　the　wonderful。　　You　know　that　in　the　two　greatest　oceans　of　the　east　and　the　west　there　were　formerly　two　continents。　　They　disappeared　under　the　water　but　their　people　went　into　the　subterranean　kingdom。　　In　underground　caves　there　exists　a　peculiar　light　which　affords　growth　to　the　grains　and　vegetables　and　long　life　without　disease　to　the　people。　　There　are　many　different　peoples　and　many　different　tribes。　　An　old　Buddhist　Brahman　in　Nepal　was　carrying　out　the　will　of　the　Gods　in　making　a　visit　to　the　ancient　kingdom　of　Jenghiz；Siam；where　he　met　a　fisherman　who　ordered　him　to　take　a　place　in　his　boat　and　sail　with　him　upon　the　sea。　　On　the　third　day　they　reached　an　island　where　he　met　a　people　having　two　tongues　which　could　speak　separately　in　different　languages。　　They　showed　to　him　peculiar；　unfamiliar　animals；　tortoises　with　sixteen　feet　and　one　eye；　huge　snakes　with　a　very　tasty　flesh　and　birds　with　teeth　which　caught　fish　for　their　masters　in　the　sea。　　These　people　told　him　that　they　had　come　up　out　of　the　subterranean　kingdom　and　described　to　him　certain　parts　of　the　underground　country。〃

The　Lama　Turgut　traveling　with　me　from　Urga　to　Peking　gave　me　further　details。

〃The　capital　of　Agharti　is　surrounded　with　towns　of　high　priests　and　scientists。　　It　reminds　one　of　Lhasa　where　the　palace　of　the　Dalai　Lama；　the　Potala；　is　the　top　of　a　mountain　covered　with　monasteries　and　temples。　　The　throne　of　the　King　of　the　World　is　surrounded　by　millions　of　incarnated　Gods。　　They　are　the　Holy　Panditas。　　The　palace　i