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Amsuko Valley, Nepal, the location of SCP-7721

Item #: SCP-7721

Object Class: Safe

Special containment procedures: Foundation operatives should ensure that SCP-7721 does not appear on any commercially available maps. An active camouflage enclosure is to be placed over the cliff cavities containing SCP-7721-1 and SCP-7721-2 to ensure minimal visibility from the ground and the air.

Personnel are not to touch or interfere with any part of SCP-7721 without clearance from the regional director.

Description: SCP-7721 is a set of two prayer wheels measuring 44.1 m in height and 9.4 m in diameter. Both objects are located inside cavities within the cliffs on each side of Amsuko Valley, Nepal, and rotate around bronze rods fixed into the sandstone of the surrounding rock. Each prayer wheel is constructed from a single mass of bone. Foundation operatives have been unsuccessful at identifying the species of origin for this material, though it most closely resembles osseous tissue from a mammalian long bone. Attempts at radiocarbon dating different sections of SCP-7721 have produced results varying between 2,300 and 11,500 years in age.

SCP-7721-1 is located within the eastern wall of the valley. It rotates anticlockwise autonomously under the influence of an unknown force, and has maintained a rotational speed of 37.9 revolutions per minute since its time of discovery. Attempts to slow the rotation of SCP-7721-1 cause an increase in the intensity of the unknown force, maintaining the speed of rotation.

The inscription carved into SCP-7721-1 has been repainted within the last 600 years, and gold paint fills in most of the characters of the inscription. The language used in the inscription is Sanskrit, and it is written in an early form of the Brahmi script. Dr. Anirudra Rai has provided a translation of the text of SCP-7721-1, which is reproduced below.

Beyond the moment of the closing of this kalpa1

Beyond the moment when this universe diminishes into nothing

Beyond the moment when the god-like beings stream to the next world

Punish the ones who committed the unforgivable sins

Punish the ones who drew blood from the Buddha

Punish the ones who do evil without restraint

Rebuke those who discovered the limits of the Buddha's compassion

For them let there be no mercy and no liberation

Bind them to a world silent and cold

SCP-7721-2 is located within the western wall of the valley. Unlike SCP-7721-1, it does not autonomously revolve, but it can be rotated by means of a gear mechanism connected to an iron wheel. Despite the size of SCP-7721-2, its low density and the design of the mechanism allows a fit operator to achieve rotation rates of 2.5 RPM or higher. Dating of residues in the tunnel made for the shaft has led researchers to conclude that this mechanism was first added to the structure approximately 1,800 years ago. Tests performed on samples from the wooden rim of the wheel indicate that it was manufactured within the last 70 years.

The text of SCP-7721-2 has been deliberately defaced. Damage caused by metal tools to the bottom 7 metres of the object almost entirely obscures the inscription, and there is extensive fire and projectile damage over approximately 50% of the object's surface. Degradation of the bare bone has further exacerbated the poor state of preservation. Dr. Rai's translation of the surviving Sanskrit text is provided below:

… I am blind to the…

… I am abandoned by the sangha2

… I am unforgiven by…

Though I reside in the depths of shadow…

…the six realms

…the jewel lotus…

I feed [T…]'s unborn king…

I cry out…

[two more lines illegible]

When a human operator uses the wheel attached to SCP-7721-2 to turn the object anticlockwise, no unusual phenomena have been recorded. However, if the wheel is used to turn the object clockwise, the operator will begin to experience increasingly severe and distressing hallucinations. Subjects have described the valley seeming to rapidly populate with demonic creatures with large, staring eyes. They experience auditory hallucinations of numerous screaming voices begging for help, and sensations of an intense heat rising from the wheel and the ground beneath their feet. After approximately eighty seconds of turning the wheel, operators begin to report more intense hallucinations featuring members of their family and close friends, distressing experiences from their pasts, and manifestations of their phobias. No personnel to date have been able to operate the wheel for more than 114 seconds.

Monks of the Rato Machindranath Monastery, located 4.5 km from SCP-7721, were interviewed to gather additional information on the objects. According to Abbot Tsewang Dawa Dhargye, the monks of the monastery formerly kept SCP-7721-2 rotating at all times, and were responsible for the construction of the wheel and crank that enables easier turning of the object. However, a number of serious misfortunes struck the monastery simultaneously 500 years ago, including a large portion of the monks succuming to illness and attacks by bandits and demons on the monastery itself, which alleviated when the monk responsible for turning SCP-7721-2 that morning was too sick to leave his bed. Immediately, the monastery's fortunes improved, and the monks ceased visiting SCP-7721 due to a belief that it had become cursed. However, the Abbot also reported that Buddhist holy men have occasionally arrived since that date and devoted themselves to turning the wheel of SCP-7721-2 until their deaths. The Abbot reported he had heard about a hermit living in this valley when he was a child, but he did not know the hermit's name, place of origin, or date of death.

Addendum: On 2022/04/15, Dr. Rai and his team ran a series of experiments turning the wheel of SCP-7721-2 using a robotic arm.

Test
Direction turned
Results

7721-014-A
Anticlockwise
The robotic arm was able to operate the wheel for 1 hour without any sign of unusual activity, achieving a steady rate of 2.8 RPM.

7721-014-B
Clockwise
The robotic arm was able to operate the wheel for 1 hour without any sign of unusual activity, achieving a steady rate of 2.8 RPM.

7721-014-C
Clockwise
The robotic arm was able to operate the wheel for 6 hours without any sign of unusual activity, achieving a steady rate of 2.8 RPM.

7721-014-D
Clockwise
The robotic arm operated the wheel for 11 hours at 4.5 RPM, at which point a previously undetected wooden case which had been inserted into a crack in SCP-7721-2 came loose and fell to the ground.

Opening the wooden case, Dr. Rai discovered three illuminated manuscripts which were later found to date between the 10th and 14th centuries CE. These consisted of the following:

Document SCP-7721-2-A: A copy of chapters 1-22 of the Lotus Sutra, written in gold calligraphy on indigo-dyed paper. Language: Chinese. Manuscript dates to the 10th century CE.

Document SCP-7721-2-B: A previously unknown account of Buddhist mythohistory. Language: Sanskrit. Manuscript dates to the 11th century CE. Dr. Rai’s translation is available below.

Document SCP-7721-3-C: An illustration of both prayer wheels of SCP-7721, including a transcription of the inscriptions on both wheels and various notes relating to their design and operation. Language: Sanskrit. Manuscript dates to the 14th century CE. Dr. Rai’s translation of the full SCP-7721-2 inscription is available below.

Document SCP-7721-2-B:

Thus have I heard:

After the first beings had streamed into the universe of this kalpa and been overtaken by cravings, after the sun and the moon had come into existence, after day and night had come into existence, after sexual intercourse had come into existence, the awakened one's teachings entered the world. To all living beings on all the worlds, he preached the unsurpassed Law, which allowed them to rise above the sea of suffering. More than nine million six hundred thousand times nine million six hundred thousand worlds of beings were liberated through the teachings of the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas. At last only a single world of beings that had not attained Nirvana and overcome all cravings remained.

Moved by pity, the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas descended from the heavenly realms to be reborn among the inhabitants of the final world, teaching the Law so that the people there might attain the state of absolute happiness. But first, the sangha gathered upon the summit of Eagle Peak, and countless enlightened ones sat upon the summit, vast in stature and producing a great light like the summer's sun-drenched sky.

"Beware, noble ones," said the Bodhisattva of Inestimable Lightness, "for all the most stubborn and impure beings in the universe which have not attained the state of absolute happiness have accumulated here, in this place. Observe: its Devas are detached and occupy themselves entirely with their own amusements. Its Asuras are grim and warlike and have an insatiable lust for blood. The humans of this world live in a state of ignorance and brutality. The animals and ghosts endure more wretched conditions than those we have ever seen before. Indeed, even the hell realms are packed full and close to overflowing. Mara flits about unseen in this world, trapping all the denizens in a net of craving and desire."

"You speak true," said the Bodhisattva of Heavenly Joy, "but we must not be tempted to abandon this kalpa for the next one, for we remain bound by our vow to liberate all sentient beings, even when the most difficult of challenges lies before us. I am confident that the pure teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha will overcome the enormity of suffering, even in this place."

It came about that the Buddha was born in the form of Sakyamuni Buddha and spread the teachings of the pure Law to the sangha of this world. And it came about that a member of the sangha came to believe that he understood the Law better than the Sakyamuni Buddha, and he created a schism, gathering the people he had led into error away with himself.

Now the misguided one approached Sakyamuni Buddha in order to conduct a disputation with him and assert the supremacy of his views, but the Buddha refused to stand and debate with him. Five times the misguided one challenged the Buddha to a disputation, but five times he was rebuffed.

At length the misguided one grew angry and threw a stone at the meditating Buddha, which struck him in the foot and drew forth blood. Immediately a blazing fissure opened up in the ground and the misguided one was immediately dragged down all the way to the lowest hell.

But the Buddha looked down at the blood on his foot and a change came over him. He no longer preached the Law to those who requested teachings from him. He allowed himself to die quietly and depart from the world. Seeing this, the sangha rose up with him and also departed from the world. The Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas left this world behind to teach the Law to the innumerable peoples of the next Kalpa.

Seeing that the sangha had now departed, Mara removed his mask and laughed with great joy. He built a great throne for himself and declared himself king and master of the world, which would remain forever within the net of his design.

But there was one other had not yet passed on. Before the throne of Mara there appeared the Bodhisattva Who Perceives All Cries and Laments.

"Oh unhappy Mara," said the Bodhisattva Who Perceives All Cries and Laments, "you have tricked the sangha into betraying their vow and have trapped this world in the net of your design, but I have not given up on these beings, and I will contest this world with you."

"Depart in haste, and set aside your vow," said Mara, "for I have sent beings across the desire realms to place seeds of inestimable negative karma by means of greed, aggression, and temptation."

"I hold true to my vow," said the Bodhisattva Who Perceives All Cries and Laments. "Indeed, I will send forth beings who will consume and purify the seeds of inestimable negative karma, and pacify the greed, aggression, and temptation in all of the desire realms."

"Depart in haste, and set aside your vow," said Mara, "for I have placed within the human mind such a capacity for hunger, lust, and suffering that only one in every million people may detach themselves from their cravings and attain serenity."

"I hold true to my vow," said the Bodhisattva Who Perceives All Cries and Laments. "Indeed, I will be there to comfort them in their darkest hour and even at their moment of death. I will give them the means to forget all suffering."

"Depart in haste, and set aside your vow," said Mara, "for I have used the qualities considered best in man against them. By means of their empathy, their desire for justice, and their boundless curiosity, I have placed within them the seeds of endless striving."

"I hold true to my vow," said the Bodhisattva Who Perceives All Cries and Laments. "Indeed, I will use their empathy to guide them to my Pure Land. I will hone their sense of justice to help them build a world of fairness and equality. I will place hints in the mysteries of this world to guide them to wisdom and the holy life of perfect joy and happiness."

"Enough!" cried Mara. "there is nothing you can do for this world. Already its people have begun to forget the true teachings of the Buddha. With each generation the accumulation of merit will become harder, and with each generation it will become easier for its beings to sin against their fellow beings, such that the people might sin by the friends they keep, the food they eat, the fires they light, and the tools they use. Already its seas, lands, and skies begin to groan with the weight of their corruption. No more shall any of its inhabitants go forth to the Pure Lands; chaos and confusion will rule ceaselessly. Indeed, I will tell you now the future of this world by means of the stages of its progression.

“Firstly, no more of its beings will accumulate sufficient merit to attain the Deva realm, and the Asuras will conquer the world with blood and fire.

“Secondly, no more of its beings will accumulate sufficient merit to attain the Asura realm, and humankind will be left to rule the world unguarded from their own natural tendencies.

“Thirdly, humankind will become extinct and even the most meritorious of the denizens of the hells will be reborn as beasts and hungry ghosts.

“Fourthly, this planet shall in time become barren and cold, unable to support life, and all its beings shall remain forever trapped in the hell realms, never accumulating any merit, and with no higher realm to be reborn into."

“I see that this is indeed your intent,” said the Bodhisattva Who Perceives All Cries and Laments, “and here I cannot easily overcome you. However, I have the power to bring some large portion of this world’s inhabitants into Nirvana and remove them from your net. However hard you strove against me, some number of beings would be liberated and slip away. Rather than fighting, let us play a game and allow the inner nature of this world’s beings to determine their fate.”

“Oh?” said Mara, who takes great interest in games and contests. “What kind of game shall we play?”

“Recall the misguided one, who committed two of the Calamitous Offences, who caused the sangha to lose all hope and depart from this world.”

“I keep a tender eye on that one,” said Mara. “He will suffer forever in the very lowest hell.”

“Let the game be this: if within ten thousand years the men and women of this world are able to transfer by means of prayer sufficient merit to the misguided one that he might escape from the hell realms and enter into the heavenly realms, you will release this world to me. If after ten thousand years insufficient merit has been transferred by means of prayer to the misguided one and he remains in the hell realms, I will depart at once and abandon this world to you forever.”

Mara laughed a great and terrifying laugh. “You are a greater fool than I ever thought. I accept your game; its conclusion is foregone. Indeed already every man and woman, every beast and ghost, every demon of the nine hundred kinds, and every being suffering in the hell realm curses the misguided one unceasingly.”

“Nevertheless,” said the Bodhisattva Who Perceives All Cries and Laments, “I will go down to the lowest hell to retrieve his prayer, and you may give them your own. Let us write them down on the bones of the ancients for all the realms to see, and then meet here again after the passing of ten thousand years.”

“I will be there to accept my victory,” said Mara, and his throne rose up among the planets, that he might look out over all the desire realms. He gathered the demons to him and whispered wicked schemes into their ears.

The Bodhisattva Who Perceives All Cries and Laments smiled as the evil one plotted. "And I will be everywhere, with all your strivings cupped between my hands."

They carved two prayer wheels made from the bones of the ancient Buddhas and fixed them to the rocks. Upon one, the Bodhisattva inscribed the mantra of the misguided one; upon the other, Mara's binding prayer. The Bodhisattva allowed Mara to make the first turn of his mighty prayer wheel, showing him the means of its operation, and he began to spin it forwards, from west towards the east, at a tremendous speed, with a whole host of demons waiting to turn it when he tired. Then the Bodhisattva guided an old monk to the other wheel. The monk laid his hands upon the wheel to spin it forwards, from the west towards the east, but the Bodhisattva stopped him and put a finger to her lips.

"A wheel spun that way will do the opposite of what the one who prays intended; turn it east to west, like the motion of the sun."

Document SCP-7721-2-C:

Document SCP-7721-2-C includes the entire text of SCP-7721-2’s inscription, which has been translated as follows:

Though I am blind to the true dharma

Though I am abandoned by the sangha

Though I am unforgiven by the Buddha

Though I reside in the depths of shadow and impurity

Though I am the most wretched being in the six realms

I run to the jewel lotus as my refuge

I feed Tushita's unborn king with tears

I cry out to the ear of the compassionate one

I cling to the tail-hairs of the wind horse

I dream that one day I will awake high above

Footnotes

1. A kalpa is an immensely long span of time, often the period of time over which a universe exists. In this sense, it can be used as a term for each instance of the universe in the endless cycle of creation and recreation.

2. The term 'sangha' is often used to refer to the Buddhist community in a broad sense, but it can have a narrower meaning. Sometimes, as in the Pali Canon, it is reserved for ordained Buddhists who have attained a certain level of awareness.