Snow Mountains, the boy ［雪山童子］ ( Sessen-dōji): The name of Shakyamuni Buddha in a previous lifetime when he was practicing austerities in the Snow Mountains in pursuit of enlightenment. His story appears in the “Noble Practice” chapter of the Chinese version of the Mahāparinirvāna Sutra translated by Dharmaraksha, a monk from central India, in the early fifth century. The boy Snow Mountains had mastered all the non-Buddhist teachings, but had yet to hear of Buddhism. The god Shakra decided to test his resolve. He appeared before the boy Snow Mountains in the form of a hungry demon and recited half a verse from a Buddhist teaching: “All is changeable, nothing is constant. This is the law of birth and death.” Inspired by this, the boy begged the demon to tell him the second half of the verse. The demon agreed, but demanded flesh and blood in payment. The boy Snow Mountains gladly promised to offer his own body to the demon, who in turn gave him the latter half of the teaching: “Extinguishing the cycle of birth and death, one enters the joy of nirvana.” The boy Snow Mountains scrawled this teaching on rocks and trees for the sake of those who might pass by and then, to fulfill his promise, jumped from a tall tree to give his body to the demon. Just at that moment the demon changed back into Shakra and caught him. He praised the boy Snow Mountains’ willingness to give his life for the Law and predicted that he would certainly attain Buddhahood.