Vikramshil Vihar

Dharmashrimitra, a renowned tantric scholar of Kashi, lived at the ancient Vikramshil Vihar and pursued the secret study of Buddhist texts and mantras.

Though he recited the mantras regularly, he could not understand the profound meaning and mystery within them. Knowing that the true essence of the mantra could be learned only from the Bodhisattva Manjushri, he set out toward Mahachin in search of Manjushri.

When he reached near the Swayambhu area of the Nepal Valley, he saw an odd sight in a field — a ploughman was ploughing a barren field with a lion and a tiger yoked to his plough. Dharmashrimitra asked the ploughman the way to Mahachin.

The ploughman said: "This is indeed the road to Mahachin, but it is already evening now. There is snow and steep cliffs along the way. Stay the night at my house tonight."

Dharmashrimitra went with that same ploughman to a nearby vihar. Hearing the spiritual conversation between the ploughman and his wife at midnight, Dharmashrimitra was astonished — that ploughman was none other than the Bodhisattva Manjushri himself, who had appeared there to grant knowledge to his devotee.

The next morning Dharmashrimitra fell at Manjushri's feet and received initiation. Manjushri explained to him the secret meaning of the mantra and enlightened him. Later Dharmashrimitra had a magnificent Buddhist temple and vihar built right there, which came to be called 'Vikramshil Vihar' (Thambahi/Bhagawan Bahal).