"Other legends say that the kingdom of Shambhala disappeared from the earth
many centuries ago. At a certain point, the entire society had become
enlightened, and the kingdom vanished into another more celestial realm.
According to these stories, the Rigden kings of Shambhala continue to watch
over human affairs, and will one day return to earth to save humanity from
destruction. many Tibetans believe that the great Tibetan warrior king Gesar
of Ling was inspired and guided by the Rigdens and the Shambhala wisdom. This
reflects the belief in the celestial existence of the kingdom. Gesar is
thought not to have travelled to Shambhala, so his link with the kingdom is a
spiritual one. He lived in approximately the 11th century and ruled the
provincial kingdom of Ling, which is located in the province of Kham, East
Tibet. Following Gesar's reign, stories about his accomplishments as a
warrior and ruler sprang up throughout Tibet, eventually becoming the
greatest epic of Tibetan literature. Some legends say that Gesar will
reappear from Shambhala, leading an army to conquer the forces of darkness in
the world." (pp 26-27)
Make of it what you will. I see several possibilities. Here's one I like:
Shambhala (aka Shangri-la) was real, and the citizens became so enlightened
that they were able to flee the influence of the GOO by moving their city to
another dimension. Alternately, they are a Dreamlands city, sent through a
gigantic Gate of Oneirology. In any case, they could be yet another anti-GOO
conspiracy, meddling in the affairs of the world and manipulating people to
find things to fight the GOO, somewhat like the Order of St. Jerome.
<A HREF="http://www.uwm.edu/~rkornman/gesar2.test.html">
http://www.uwm.edu/~rkornman/gesar2.test.html</A>