In this series of tales, a prince must capture and bring back to his country a zombie who is endowed with magical powers - but in order to succeed he must keep himself from speaking even one word to the zombie. The zombie is wily, and during the long journey he recounts fascinating tales to the prince, who is carrying him in a sack on his back. Spellbound by the stories, the prince is drawn into making some comment on them. But the very moment he opens his mouth, the zombie escapes, and the prince has to go back to India to catch the zombie all over again. This same scenario occurs over and over, tale after tale, journey after journey - until the prince truly learns his lesson.
These zombie stories, known as the Vetalapancavimsati in Sanskrit, are engrossing teaching tales that originated in ancient India but have become popular in the Buddhist culture of Tibet, as well as in other Asian cultures. This Tibetan version of the stories conveys the values of Buddhism, particularly those related to karma (the laws of cause and effect), happiness, and suffering. Through these tales, the reader learns that Buddhism is a path of knowledge that leads to liberation from suffering.
The Prince and the Zombie: Tibetan Tales of Karma, Tenzin Wangmo, Shambhala Publications, Paperback, 2015, 126 Pages, $12.95
Foreword ix
Introduction xiii
1. The Prince's Obsessive Desire 1
2. An Unexpected Encounter 6
3. Hunting Down the Zombie 12
4. The Traveling Guitar Player 15
5. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 21
6. The Guitar Player and the Quality of Vigilance 23
7. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 27
8. The Traveling Guitar Player and the Power of Friendship 29
9. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 32
10. The Crafty Beggar 35
11. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 38
12. The Beggar and His Friends 40
13. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 44
14. The Beggar Gets Married 46
15. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 52
16. Justice Is Served 54
17. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 58
18. The Beggar Is Reunited with His Friends 60
19. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 65
20. The Darpo Brothers 67
21. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 70
22. The Darpo Brothers and the Sick King 72
23. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 76
24. Nana the Tiger 78
25. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 81
26. The Horse Handler Who Never Lied 83
27. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 89
28. The Three Sisters 91
29. Hunting Down the Zombie Again 99
30. The King of Pearls 101
Epilogue 104
Afterword 107
The Buddhist Path 111
Glossary 116
Acknowledgments 124
About the Author 126
