Muktinath

Muktinath is both a Hindu and Buddhist holy place. There are countless Kalpa before many Buddhas appeared and gave teachings. Amongst all the teachings, tantra is simply a profound method that integrates the right views of the middle path teachings of the Buddha, resulting in a possibility of faster purification and accumulation towards enlightenment. So due to that reason, Buddha Shakyamuni introduced Tantric method to fortunate Bodhisattva disciples which today we can practice and progress onto the path of enlightenment. According to the Buddha, Tantra existed in infinite time before. It is like an instrument that allows one to practice and benefit by achieving the results as soon as possible. Not only Buddhist applies Tantra, Hindu also applies tantric methods to achieve their goal accordingly to attain the state of Gods at their realms.

Tantra is earlier than both Hinduism and Buddhism of this Kalpa. Today, certain similarities can be seen in terms of ritual style and many places are regarded to be holy by both Buddhists and Hindus. This does not mean that Hindus and Buddhists share the same view.

It is simply a result of some similarities due to the nature of function. Just like in the manufacture of airplanes or a simple bicycle, there is need of factories to create wheels and screws as well as many other parts that require a certain device or machine to produce. Such machines can be similar because the nature of products is similar but that doesn’t means they are same. A machine for making an airplane wheel may be similar to a machine for making a bicycle wheel. Though the end product is not the same such as its functions and capacity is not same. They are different because the product that comes out is an airplane whilst another is a bicycle.

To Hindus, Muktinath is a holy place of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The Hindus have their own version of the story behind this place which not our subject to describe. The Buddhist explanation of the story of this place is actually not published in detail as to what I known.

7 to 8 years before, someone from Mustang brought an old scripture that he found inside a statue. He came to Pokhara and showed the scripture to me. I examined it and found that it is the explanation of the holy place of Muktinath. So I typed out the contents of the old scripture in notebook but did not translate it into English.

Base on that script, I am telling you the story of Muktinath.

Beside the story of Guru Rinpoche came to this place and blessed this place with his foot prints and many blessed substances remain here. Earlier, the 84 saints who found this place as a Chakrasamvara’s mandala and blessed this place. The 84 saints felt that this place could benefit a lot of people in the future. They had supernatural powers and took the Ralpochen mountain from India with their hands and place the mountain in Muktinath to protect it from evil forces as well as to put a stop to the overflow of the poisonous lake which is behind this mountain. Otherwise, the evil forces may be disastrous for future generations. The saints therefore placed the mountain upon the lake. After this, they visited Mount Kailash and circumambulated and bathed in Lake Manasarovar. Each of the saint brought some water from that lake and poured the water down at the newly installed mountain. This became the spring water even till the current day. The 84 saints had a vision that the mandalas of the 74 tantric deities are surrounding the mountains of Muktinath. The mandala of Vajrayogini and Hevajra in union form at the western side, Maitreya Buddha’s mandala is at the golden mountain at the eastern side. In between the black and white mountains are colorful mountains which are the mandala of the 21 Taras. In the south, is the yellow mountain that is the mandala of Buddha Shakyamuni. There are so many mountains representing the mandalas of different deities.

The mountain where the spring water flow is called Sons of Jewel. In front of the flow of spring water, Guru Rinpoche did a ganacakra. While doing this, many dakinis from the mountains came and enjoyed the tshog offerings. All the dakinis present received the offerings and they were visible to everyone at that time. During the 84 saints’ time, they came and gave blessings and their realization increased. Through that realization, they developed bliss and danced. They left many footprints in the rocks. 20 footprints were hidden and only two are visible for everybody to see. Only the fortunate ones are able to see these footprints. At a small structure in Muktinath, one can hear the flow of the river where the King Nanda and Takshaka made offerings to the mandala of deities. You can find this place on the way from the spring water to the temple of natural flame. One should circumambulate it and listen to the sound. If you walk for a while, you can find a place where there is a flame burning from the water. The flame of fire arising from water is the bliss developed by the union of Cakrasamvara and Vajrayogini, manifested as fire. This shows Cakrasamvara and Vajrayogini’s presence. There is also a place where fire comes from the earth. The significance is similar and the two places are nearby each other. In earlier times, there was also a flame from a rock, which was a lamp offering the mandalas. If one is fortunate, one will receive blessings of realization at that place.

Due to the blessings by the 84 saints, if one drinks from or bathes in the spring water, this would purify lots of one’s karma. Even if there is karma left, this would manifest lighter. The water can cure many sicknesses because of the aspirations and blessings of the 84 saints. In that area, one can see many old trees. It is said that the trees are where the 84 saints left their walking sticks which miraculously developed into trees. Now there are 108 trees scattered around the holy place.

There is also a rock which we can circumambulate, on which is an imprinted a scorpion which is a symbol representing the wrathful form of Guru Rinpoche, Guru Dragpo. If one walks further, there is a knee imprint of Guru Rinpoche which he made while making a wish that everyone has happiness. Somewhere around that area, there is a vajra-shaped stone which marks hidden treasures. There is another spring where the dakinis drink water. There is a naturally embossed Garuda somewhere in the vicinity. At a village below called Purang, is a rock with Buddha Shakyamuni’s footprint. If we walk further away, there is a stove-like stone with holes. This is said to be Guru Rinpoche’s cooking stove with the imprints of the utensils. These are the special places blessed by Guru Rinpoche and the 84 saints.

Whoever with full devotion mediates and does short recitations of mantra in front of the spring will be able to purify his/her karma and fulfill his/her aspirations and gain realization in his/her next life. Nearby the spring is a holy shrine which Hindus believe is the holy place of Lord Vishnu. Buddhists believe this is the place where Avalokiteshvara subdued the Nagas. Whoever prays there will have purification of sickness and unfavorable circumstances. This Avalokiteshvara statue is made by the king of a country called Zomla. It flew from Zomla to the current site. The Zumla king tried to find it and finally found the statue but it was too heavy to move. The king therefore left it behind and built a temple there. The people of Zomla came once a year to cry in front of the statue and ask why it had to fly there.

According to Tara’s prophecy, the 100 spring waters are the residence for Nagas and different types of spirits. It was also the palace of Chakrasamvara. If one tries to stay at least one day and practice there, one can purify lots of karma and achieve an irreversible stage of practice. If one practices diligently, one can gain the merits to achieve the state of the universal monarch. If one takes a bath in the spring water or drinks from the spring water, even the negative karma from committing the 5 heinous deeds can be purified. Pilgrims who visit it are thus protected from fears and sufferings and will not be born in places with famines and disasters. They will be born where there is wealth and prosperity.