The progress., 1904-07-23

This Il : story OF visit to tho
sleeping Buddha In NirvAna, 10 the cave
shrine ii Csylon, where 1000 years ago
the teachings Of Buddha were for tho
ilrst time reduced to writing. writes 2
special correspondent Of the Philadel.
phla Record. At the end Of lane OF
foliage I steep flight Of rough stone
steps led to high psrapet, where 2
yellow shoulder showed against >
background Of black bowlder. with CO.
Goa fronts arching higher against tho
blue. We went around by An easier
ascent, up grassy path, between can
tana bushes, and came upon the hign
terrace, to find the clerical had ned'
and only betel chewing layman was
left to stare at us as he slowly worked
his jaws. We turned an invisible key
In air, and the ruminant biped went
away across fiat sand space between
two gigantic powders, more powders
looming ahead.
The ledge beneath one overhanging
rock was built up with masonry
front into a recessed temple portico,
and from dark crevice between two
vast rocks came a sound of whirring
machinery. 1t was pitch dark In the
far crevice, and as we drew nearer the
sound resolved itself into the twitter-
ing of myriad Of bats, and the
sitting odor drove us away after q
short look into the dark. Dantesque
crevice. Surely there was black cave
crevice swarming with bats In some
circle of the inferno.
Around the shoulder of greater
bowlder languid person was pushing
refuse cocoanut husks over the edge OF
a slope into a thicket, and in little
construction built in under the over
hang of the vast rock the priest was
shuffling into his better and newer
yellow robe, his company clothes that
picturesquely appeal to the foreigner
who snapshots and gives.
The big keys clanked, the locks
turned and the doors Of the cave sane
tuary creaked open to show patchwork
and Nottingham lacc curtains hanging
close across the inner space. They
were drawn aside for us to see the rock
cut, recumbent image, the sleeping
Buddha to Nirvana, who has been
dreaming in the dark, fragrant cave
for full 1000 years.
Little candles were carried down ana
held close to show the soles of the
Buddha's feet, with the symbolic
markings. carried to the opposite end
to show the memorable, expressionless
of the wide-eyed sleeper.
The shrine had been opened at sun
rise and fresh flowers strewn on the
long stone altar table that ran the full
IS feet length of the image, and the air
was heavy with their scent.
Image and platform couch and the
altar table were all hewn from the
rock 1000 years ago, but
one gets no impression of antiquity,
since the image has been lately dont
over, made up with fresh paint, and
gliding to the last degree of gaudy
5plendor.
No one Of the company would haz-
ard statement as to which spot |
among, under or within the vast rock |
masses had sheltered the convocation
If monks when they reduced oral ira
litions to written history; but 1t Is
probable that SO large a company of
loly men were scattered through the
each with cave, tree
,r the shadow Of great rock as his
'esting place, where he wrote out his
version to submit it to the discussion
II the full company before the text
vas made final.
There is fine view back to the Ma
ale mountains and out to the hills
md the descending valleys of rice that
lie in checkered shades of green and
,old between the brilliant green of the
ca bushes and the blue of the duller
oliage of the shaded cacao planta-
ions.
The Natalie mountains rise to wood.
d heights of 5000 feet, and all tbs
yay from Handy both the railway and
he coach road had been on a gentle
own grade from that 1000 foot level
rleecy white clouds blew across the
urest blue sky, palm fronds ben.
in the breeze, and the leaves
f the bo tree by the old vihara clashed
ogether with fresh sound as of rain
It was all paradise and picturesque
ess as we drove away, until at q bend
n the road we came upon the green
the painfully neat build
ngs, of the governments free dispen-
ary and cholera hospital-a serpent
n the Eden after all