The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-06-29

KAMAkURA, Japan. - We came
our to Kamakura, as everybody
j does. TO see the Daihutsu.'' or
! Gre1r Buddba. L : not the only. nor
ye. the largest. Int it IS artisticalIv
! the greatest and most beautiful. Il is
colossal statue Il bronze seated IN
the Buddha squat. Of course. The won
der IS that it j. not lying down. An
active Buddha would be as homogeneous
as working tramp. The figure is fl
y feet high, lacking but three inches.
Its vast measure IS ninetv-seven feet,
two inches. The face is eight feet
long. The mouth 5 three feet wide
The interior Of the figure shelters q
shrine 1t stands IN the open. for any
temple would dwarf and insult the
majesty and tranquility Of the figure
But that = not because of the sense of
fitness and the artistic religions appre-
citation Of the worshipers of Buddha,
but rather by reason Of natural forces.
For this colossus of Buddhas was at
first smothered IN a wooden temple. as
the others vet are. But long ago. in
1869 and again in l491. great tidal
waves swept in from the sea and de-
stroyed the temple buildings. The sec
ord time they were not rebuilt. and
for more -han 400 years-eyer since the
discovery of the suburbs of the United
States, his "Daibutsu' has been en-
throned with the blue sky for its cano>
Ply; a great hill, covered with trees
loom ng up behind il, trees Of greenerv
and bloom, and Towering shrubs around
its base. It sits there with unseeing
eyes closed TO slit; the fat, unwrinkIed
face marked by no seam of care or
line of thought; not a shadow of ez.
preston save the everlasting calm of
nihilitv, which is utter vacuity. The
mouth is Indifferent to the point Of
scorn. stopping just short of so much
humanity.
If the artist designed to represent in
this face self-perfection inane with self
contemplation, complete absorption in
self. which IS absolute nothingness in
this universe of life, he succeeded with
the comprehension of genius.
For the figure is grandlv majestic,
We came upon it in a turn of the path.
1nstinctively we halted. The phrases of
the little card posted at the gateway
shrine whispers TO Us once more,
- Stranger. whosoever thou art. and of
whatever creed. remember thou art on
holy ground, consecrated by centuries
Of worship by millions of devout believ-
ers, and conduct thyself with rever-
ence.' That Is the thought that IN
covers the head, and makes the soul
reverent. Before this great blank of
unanswering bronze, before this face
impIaeable in its absence of sympathy,
thought, or any care, this hrazen conn
tenance. not nearly so tender, so hui
manly sympathetic. so gravely con.
sciOus of human needs and SORROWS IS
the scanned face Of a storm-rent noun
tain. lie smouldering the ashes Of four
hundred years Of worship. Agonized
prayers have beat like rains Of tears
against the unfeeling face. Fragrant
incense Of worship has twined itself
about pitiless bronze while the young
years have grown old and gray and
passed on into the timelessness of eter~
nifty Pride has here humbled itself
Fear has groveled here Here sorrow
has wept Loneliness has longed for
compa nionship. Unutterable needs and
longings have breathed their voiceles-
yearnngs against this face Of eternal
uncencern Despair has strained its
eyes % vain to catch one CLEAN Of hope
from the half closed. indifferent ewes.
Every human passion of need and sor,
row and poverty. toll and care have
beat against this image like the waves
Of the unresting seas against IF of
granite. A nd with less effect.
That ia Buddhism. Still do the tides
Of human sorrow and need come and
go, fret and break. cbafe and dash
about the feet Of the great brazen i'm
age Wrapped IN the contemplation OF
self. calm complaeent, uncarng un-
| loving, n5vmpathetie. the god hears
nothing, as the s1itted eyes look down
at the Joined fingers Of his own hands
! Let the world suffer. Let oppression
| do It's worst Let hate rage Is if wifi.
| Let feet of iron trample the u0turn.d
! face Of helplcssne~s. Let poverty ~tarve
and freeze. Let sorrow weep her evea
to blindness. Let human loneliness
wander N pathIeNs ways Of misery
| How sweet to he god and care moth
ius for all these tn ngs. Fat, compla
cent Indifferent. Fret your hearts into
| brcakin Much he "are.'
One turns gladly 10 the vision of the
christ. OF the iHtfnign love that lived
flor men. The Infinite svnparbF that
ithrobs Ike = lv nc heart for u. Thai
isutfers in al or Affections. That +.
I2ailv wounded for our ranasr~~sioDs
That counts oar signs and measures ON
tears. The face which no artist ma
ever limned; ~ sculptor ever craven
The face Of the God Man. The Got
who loved a. who suffered for nS. anc
At last who died for u>, and vim nov
lives for as; the Christ who when II,
assembled from earth to sit uroa Hi
throne Of glory let fall from the brish
. clouds that caught him up sweet an,
:. clear "a a fallen star His promise ~
!. everlasting comfort and help, .'Io.
an with you always The cod who.
| Of 3-,...