1619 Chapter 9

The 14th Dalai Lama is not a devout monk. For him, the best life would be spent at the foot of the mountains, but his parents hoped he would become a lama and dedicate his heart to Buddha. His parents were very poor, so when someone asked him to accompany them in search of a person and offered some money, he felt he could accept.

However, they ultimately did not find that person; they only located the lama temple where Dong Can used to reside and found an oil painting in his room. Dong Can had lived there, but everything had been removed, leaving only that oil painting.

This is the reason why the 14th Dalai Lama and Tashi both paint with oils; all their oil painting techniques come from the teacher at that lama temple, and their love for oil painting originated from finding that painting in that person’s room.

It was a painting of a vast lake, with extraordinarily beautiful colors. When he saw it, a surge of joy and shock overwhelmed the 14th Dalai Lama’s heart. He had no idea that water in the world could exist in such a distant, mysterious, and isolated way. Where could this stunning lake be?

The 14th Dalai Lama then saw the reflection of snow-capped mountains in the lake. He recognized that it seemed to be the towering Gela Kunlun Mountain standing by the lakeside. The sky reflected in the lake appeared grayish-white, which made the lake seem extraordinarily sacred, exuding an exceptional aura.

The 14th Dalai Lama was quite resistant to the religious notions of beauty and truth, but when he saw this painting, he seemed to understand some things he had previously found incomprehensible. Compared to the idea of becoming a Buddha, what he could accept was—he felt that happiness is the path to enlightenment—this painting brought him immense joy.

He imagined what it would be like if the light source in the oil painting changed, how beautiful the various reflections of the lake water would be, envisioning different weather conditions: strong winds, heavy rain, light rain, snow, hail, and mist. He also wondered what the fish in that lake would be like and whether they would be different from fish in other places.

He stared at the oil painting for quite a long time until he realized that the young man beside him was gone. The young man was sitting alone at the entrance of the lama temple, facing not the temple but the distant snow-capped mountains amidst the crowd of worshippers.

When he approached, the young man asked him, “Where is that lake?”

The 14th Dalai Lama shook his head; he had never seen such a beautiful lake. If he had to say, it must exist in the heavens. However, judging by the reflection of Gela Kunlun Mountain, it should be among the snow-capped mountains, very likely in the heart of Gela Kunlun Mountain. He shared his deductions with the young man. The young man then asked, “How can I get into those snow-capped mountains? I need your help, no matter the cost.”

The 14th Dalai Lama was unsure if he wanted to help the young man because of his expression at the time or because of the money. He thought it was impossible, but in the end, he was willing to give it a try.

Organizing a team to enter that area of snow-capped mountains was extremely difficult, but if the right people were found, there was still a glimmer of hope.

The first thought that came to the mind of the Dalai Lama was of the caravans that transported goods across the border. Only this group of people had experience venturing deep into the snow-capped mountains. However, the paths they took were carved out by the lives and experiences of those who came before, rather than being places completely untouched by human presence. Moreover, those paths now seemed hardly different from having none at all. Another thought he had was that if these people felt it was not feasible, at least they would be more persuasive in convincing the young man than he could be.

However, the development of events took him by surprise, as he easily found three porters willing to accompany the young man into the depths of the snow mountains. He was unsure if it was due to the young man’s offer, but evidently, the price was quite tempting.

A week later, the young man set off into the heart of the snow mountains, guided by the three porters. The day before departure, he spoke with the Dalai Lama about their agreement and what would happen ten years later.

As the Dalai Lama watched the young man leave, he imagined the entire journey he would undertake into the depths of the snow mountains, the possible outcomes he might encounter, and that beautiful lake in the snow-capped mountains, as gem-like as it was. What exactly would he be searching for in such breathtaking scenery?

That year, the Dalai Lama became a devout Buddhist. He learned oil painting, studying the various color expressions he had observed in the painting of the lake, trying to create an identical piece. His efforts inspired Tashi and others, including the later Chen Xuehan.

Ten years later, he set up a charcoal stove at the temple’s entrance, waiting for the young man’s return. In truth, he was uncertain if anyone would come back. However, the young man did return, and remarkably, he looked exactly the same as he did ten years ago—so youthful, just as he had been when they parted.

The Dalai Lama took out the items they had agreed upon back then. Indeed, the young man had forgotten everything, but he still honored their agreement and began recounting each day since their separation.

The following narrative consists of the young man’s oral account, organized by me. The first seven hundred days were recorded by the Dalai Lama, while the later parts were documented by Tashi. Since most days were repetitive or had little documentation, and some days were simply spent traveling together, I have chosen to recount the more significant days here.

In these oral accounts, the young man would also tell some stories. When he spoke of these stories, he seemed to suddenly remember that they were worth recording, and afterwards, he provided no further explanation. I have interspersed them in chronological order.

This is a segment of incomprehensible, dream-like experiences, and we can only glimpse its mysteries through words.