“Like stars amassed in the sky
Foreign and domestic ministers and hosts of soldiers
Surrounded the master and commander, the great King.

“The King, the dharma protector, was wealthy but blind. He lamented:
‘I have one hundred queens, yet not a single son —
And this despite all that has been done by dharma practitioners,
Mediums, astrologers, and dream-workers.

“‘Likewise, I myself have done whatever rituals and virtuous deeds could be done.
When I asked all of them,
‘Is there not some method for producing a son to rule the kingdom?’
They all said, ‘If you distribute alms impartially, a son will be born.’

“Then, the blind wealthy King
Assembled the hosts of ministers, foreign and domestic, and royal consorts
Within a pleasure grove and settled on a high throne.

“At the head of the rows and ranks of ministers and queens,
A great minister named Natha Vajra [10] asked,
‘The edict of the Dharma King himself has been issued,
But why are we ministers and subjects gathered?
We will excellently accomplish whatsoever we are commanded.’

“The King said,
‘Though I have no particular commands for you ministers and subjects,
Throughout day and night, I am constantly aware
That in this life, I am without the child I so need.
I do not have the teachings that will be necessary in later lives,
And I do not have the eyes that I need.

“‘Half of my life is over!
When I die, this dominion will have no lord, like an empty cavern.
This wealth will have no owner, like an illusory manifestation.
Conduct will be capricious, like childish play.
The subjects will have no ruler, like tea-leaves without tips.
The land will have no ruler, like a city of gandharvas.
When the land is held by this dead man’s widow, the realm will decline.

“‘When I wander alone to the far shore,
My suffering will be a private burden.
Consorts, lords, subjects, property, wealth, enjoyments — none can be preserved.
Early in life, men hang around with friends,
Later, men chase after them like a house full of sparrows.
Thinking of this again and again, desolation fills my mind.

“‘Now, I must try to find
A method for producing
A worthy son to hold the kingdom.

When I ask scholars for divination, calculation, and clairvoyance,
They say, ‘If you distribute alms impartially, a son will be born.’
So now, in all directions,
We must give alms to the destitute —
Gather and spread the news to all those in need.’

“All of the ministers and subjects assented,
And in all directions it was proclaimed:
‘Gather the hosts of the poor, the destitute, and the beggars!’

“After many years of generous giving to whoever was lacking,
The royal treasury eventually emptied.
The source of the generosity was exhausted, but the begging persisted.
Then, the King thought to himself,
‘The causes of generosity are no longer present,
So I must venture to the island in the ocean to get some jewels.’

“Then I, as the emanation of Amitābha,
Imparted this thought to the Nāga Lady Changchub Drolma: [11]
‘When the truth is invoked, give what they request.’

“The principal attendant responsible for clearing obstacles on the road
Assembled five hundred Buddhist and non-Buddhist masters.
Many attendants were commanded to give protection and avert obstacles.
The merchant Karma Zangpo [12]
Was instructed to prepare all requisite provisions
And five royal ministers embarked on a boat
Bound, with the merchant, to retrieve jewels from the ocean.

“On the tenth day of the first month of summer in the monkey year,
In the middle of the limpid milky ocean, [13]
They saw a white child adorned with the major and minor marks,
Handsome and exalted,
Sitting on an opened lotus with one hundred multi-coloured petals
Within an expansive pavilion of five-coloured rainbow light.

“Upon seeing me, the merchant and royal ministers
Relayed what they had seen to the King.
Immediately after hearing of this,
His eyes were opened, as though waking from a dream.

“Joining his palms with delight, he respectfully asked,
‘How wondrous! A supreme embodiment of the Buddhas of the three times!
What is your homeland and lineage? 

Who are your father and mother?
What is the purpose of your arising here?
To which domain do you want to go now?
I ask you to kindly tell me!’

“Then I replied,
‘Kye! Listen, O Sovereign Dharma King!
My father is Samantabhadra,
My mother is Great Bliss, Samantabhadrī.
My homeland is the pure all-encompasing space of phenomena,
My lineage is the all-pervasive vajra-nature.
My bloodline is great unchanging enlightenment,
And I have come to this world to increase
Welfare and happiness in matters of religion and state.’

“After I gave that response, the King replied,
‘Precious child, emanation of the Buddhas,
I request that you come to my kingdom.’

“In response to the invitation I said,
‘Well then, one yojana1 away from here, on the far shore,
Lies the jewelled castle of the land of the nāgas,
Beautiful, alluring, and elegant.

“‘If you say to the nāga princess Changchub Drolma,
‘Please, give me the jewel that I seek!’
She will give it, and we will retrace the path which brought you here.
Accordingly, the merchant, King, and ministers departed.

“Upon delivering the message to the nāga Changchub Drolma,
She gave the wish-fulfilling jewel, the provider of desirables.
When they returned,
The King, an emanation of the Buddha,
Said that he had been to the palace.
Seated upon a lotus,
I was then known by the name Guru Tsokyé Dorje.

“Welcomed back with much incense and music,
The King invoked from the gem a jewelled throne –
And a lofty throne appeared, becoming and elegant.
“In the year of the thirteenth zodiac house, I was enthroned as royalty.
I lived in the house of Prabhāvatī, the daughter of Dhaha.[15]
I was then known as Guru Pema Gyalpo,
And for five years I remained in the kingdom.” 

This is the second chapter of the biography of Padma that naturally liberates on sight, on how he held the kingdom of Uḍḍiyāna.