Why bow to a patch of grey earth?

Monastery legend · Sakya tradition · 2 min read · Editorial retelling

Historical Manjushri sculpture, India, 10th century. An illustration of wisdom, not the legendary scene. The Met, Public Domain. The Met

A Sakya account tells of Atisha bowing to a seemingly empty patch of grey earth. His attendant wonders why. In the legend, Atisha sees sacred syllables associated with bodhisattvas and foresees a beneficial lineage.

Sakya means grey earth. The narrative gives the place religious significance, while the monastery’s founding in 1073 belongs to its historical account. Read prophecy and chronology as different kinds of claims.

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Atisha thangka, Tibet, early to mid-12th century. The Met, Public Domain.

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