Aryadeva 2

If we take four ways of birth - from water, from an egg, from a womb and in a miraculous way - then the birth of Karnaripa was miraculous. He went to Sri Nalanda Monastery, where he became the head of the community and had one hundred thousand disciples. He heard the teachings of many masters, but was not satisfied with them. Therefore, having learned about the great teacher Nagarjuna, he hastened to the south.

On the shore of the ocean, Saint Manjushri appeared in the form of a fisherman. Karnaripa bowed to him and made a mandala offering. "I'm hurrying south to Nagarjuna," he said to the bodhisattva. "Please show me the way." "He is here, in the forest, in the most thicket, and is busy with alchemy," the fisherman replied.

Karnaripa entered the forest and soon saw the master preparing alchemical compositions. Nagarjuna accepted him favorably and gave initiation into the Guhyasamaja mandala. Karnaripa sat opposite the meditator.

Nearby was a city where they sometimes went to beg. One day Karnaripa received sweets but Nagarjuna did not. "These sweets come from a lustful woman, so they are not sweet at all," said Nagarjuna. "In general, receiving sweet food is unfavorable for you. Next time, do not put it on a large leaf that you use to collect food, but take it on the tip of a needle." Then Karnaripa got some rice porridge, which he was satisfied with.

The master wanted to speak to the tree goddess, but could not see her fully. He saw only a charming arm to the shoulder and said: "You showed yourself in full form to my student. Why don't you want to show yourself to me?" "You have not yet overcome some complexes," the goddess answered. "Your disciple has not left any delusions in himself, and therefore can see me in its entirety."

Master and apprentice thought. "Let's go, it's time to work on the elixir of the alchemists," said Nagarjuna at last. He gave the elixir to Aryadeva (as Karnaripa was now called) and also drank some himself. Karnaripa anointed the dry tree with the composition, and it blossomed. When the master saw this, he smiled. "If you're wasting elixir on a tree, bring me a glass too." "Good," said Karnaripa, and after urinating into a vessel full of water, he stirred it with a stick. When it turned into an alchemical essence, Karnaripa scooped it up and took it to the master. Nagarjuna poured the elixir on the dry tree and it blossomed. This was how he often determined how far a student had progressed.

Convinced that Karnaripa had realized the true nature of the Buddha, Nagarjuna said, "There is no need for you to stay here." Karnaripa was about to leave into the clear light, when suddenly one of the women following him came up and bowed to him. "Why are you bowing to me?" Karnaripa asked. "O my teacher," she exclaimed, "give me your beautiful eye! Your eyes are my only affection, nothing captivates me so much." The master chose the right one and handed it to her. He later became known as Aryadeva, "the one-eyed teacher."

Aryadeva (Karnaripa) followed exactly the instructions of Nagarjuna. He overcame all obstacles and completely freed himself from delusion. He praised the teacher's words and himself rose several meters into the air, teaching the Dharma to many sentient beings. When he was in the air, a little lower than his guru, he showed him all kinds of signs of respect, his palms were folded on his chest, and he himself was upside down, and with this he pleased all living beings.

When Aryadeva reached the top of the sky, the gods greeted him with a shower of flowers. Here ends the story of Master Aryadeva, whose middle name was Master Karnaripa.

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