Guest guest Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 Upagupta, the disciple of Budda, lay asleep in the dust by the city wall of Mathura. Lamps were all out, doors were all shut, and stars were all hidden by the murky sky of August. Whose feet were those tinkling with anklets, touching his breast of a sudden? He woke up startled, and the light from a woman's lamp fell on his forgiving eyes. It was a dancing girl, starred with jewels, wearing a pale blue mantle, drunk with the wine of her youth. She lowered her lamp and saw the young face austerely beautiful. " Forgive me, young ascetic, " said the woman, " Graciously come to my house, the dusty earth is not a fit bed for you. " The young ascetic answered, " Woman, go on your own way; When the time is ripe I will come to you. " Suddenly the black showed its teeth in a flash of lighting. The storm growled from the corner of the sky, and the woman trembled in fear of some unknown danger. A year had not yet passed. It was the evening of a day in april, in spring season. The branches of the wayside trees were full of blossom. Gay notes of a flute came floaating in the warm spring air from afar. The citizens had gone to the woods for the festivals of flowers. From the mid sky gazed the full moon on the shadows of the silent town. The young ascetic was walking along the lonely street, while overhead the love-sick koels uttered from the mango branches their sleepless plaint. Upagupta passed throught the city gates and stood at the base of the rampart. Was that a woman lying at his feet in the shadow of the mango grove? Struck with black pestilence, her body spotted with sores of small pox, she has been hurriedly removed from the town to avoid her poisonous contagion. The ascetic sat by her side, took her head on his knees, and moistened her lips with water, and smeared her body with sandal balm. " Who are you, merciful one? " asked the woman. " The time, at last, has come to visit you, and I am here, " replied the young ascetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 thanks rick ! this is one of my favorites ! Ammachi , " Rick Archer " <rick wrote: > > Upagupta, the disciple of Budda, lay asleep in the dust by the city wall of > Mathura. > > Lamps were all out, doors were all shut, and stars were all hidden by the > murky sky of August. > > Whose feet were those tinkling with anklets, touching his breast of a > sudden? > > He woke up startled, and the light from a woman's lamp fell on his forgiving > eyes. > > It was a dancing girl, starred with jewels, wearing a pale blue mantle, > drunk with the wine of her youth. > > She lowered her lamp and saw the young face austerely beautiful. > > " Forgive me, young ascetic, " said the woman, " Graciously come to my house, > the dusty earth is not a fit bed for you. " > > The young ascetic answered, " Woman, go on your own way; When the time is > ripe I will come to you. " > > Suddenly the black showed its teeth in a flash of lighting. The storm > growled from the corner of the sky, and the woman trembled in fear of some > unknown danger. > > A year had not yet passed. It was the evening of a day in april, in spring > season. > > The branches of the wayside trees were full of blossom. Gay notes of a > flute came floaating in the warm spring air from afar. The citizens had > gone to the woods for the festivals of flowers. From the mid sky gazed the > full moon on the shadows of the silent town. The young ascetic was walking > along the lonely street, while overhead the love-sick koels uttered from the > mango branches their sleepless plaint. Upagupta passed throught the city > gates and stood at the base of the rampart. Was that a woman lying at his > feet in the shadow of the mango grove? Struck with black pestilence, her > body spotted with sores of small pox, she has been hurriedly removed from > the town to avoid her poisonous contagion. > > The ascetic sat by her side, took her head on his knees, and moistened her > lips with water, and smeared her body with sandal balm. > > " Who are you, merciful one? " asked the woman. > > " The time, at last, has come to visit you, and I am here, " replied the young > ascetic. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.