the ninth vibration-第41章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ret　in　my　Palace　is　here　revealed；　and　the　Crowned　Lady　shall　sit　forever　upon　the　banks　of　the　Jumna　River。　It　was　love　that　commanded　this　Tomb。〃

And　the　golden　echo　carried　his　voice　up　into　the　high　dome；　and　it　died　away　in　whispers　of　music。

But　Ustad　Isa　standing　far　off　in　the　throng　（for　what　are　craftsmen　in　the　presence　of　the　mighty？）；　said　softly　in　his　beard；　〃It　was　Love　also　that　built；　and　therefore　it　shall　endure。〃

Now　it　is　told　that；　on　a　certain　night　in　summer；　when　the　moon　is　full；　a　man　who　lingers　by　the　straight　water；　where　the　cypresses　stand　over　their　own　image；　may　see　a　strange　marvel　…　may　see　the　Palace　of　the　Taj　dissolve　like　a　pearl；　and　so　rise　in　a　mist　into　the　moonlight；　and　in　its　place；　on　her　dais　of　white　marble；　he　shall　see　the　Lady　Arjemand；　Mumtaz…i…Mahal；　the　Chosen　of　the　Palace；　stand　there　in　the　white　perfection　of　beauty；　smiling　as　one　who　hath　attained　unto　the　Peace。　For　she　is　its　soul。

And　kneeling　before　the　dais；　he　shall　see　Ustad　Isa；　who　made　this　body　of　her　beauty；　and　his　face　is　hidden　in　his　hands。




〃HOW　GREAT　IS　THE　GLORY　OF　KWANNON！〃

A　JAPANESE　STORY


（0　Lovely　One…O　thou　Flower！　With　Thy　beautiful　face；　with　Thy　beautiful　eyes；　pour　light　upon　the　world！　Adoration　to　Kwannon。）

In　Japan　in　the　days　of　the　remote　Ancestors；　near　the　little　village　of　Shiobara；　the　river　ran　through　rocks　of　a　very　strange　blue　colour；　and　the　bed　of　the　river　was　also　composed　of　these　rocks；　so　that　the　clear　water　ran　blue　as　turquoise　gems　to　the　sea。

The　great　forests　murmured　beside　it；　and　through　their　swaying　boughs　was　breathed　the　song　of　Eternity。　Those　who　listen　may　hear　if　their　ears　are　open。　To　others　it　is　but　the　idle　sighing　of　the　wind。

Now　because　of　all　this　beauty　there　stood　in　these　forests　a　roughly　built　palace　of　unbarked　wood；　and　here　the　great　Emperor　would　come　from　City…Royal　to　seek　rest　for　his　doubtful　thoughts　and　the　cares　of　state；　turning　aside　often　to　see　the　moonlight　in　Shiobara。　He　sought　also　the　free　air　and　the　sound　of　falling　water；　yet　dearer　to　him　than　the　plucked　strings　of　sho　and　biwa。　For　he　said；

〃Where　and　how　shall　We　find　peace　even　for　a　moment；　and　afford　Our　heart　refreshment　even　for　a　single　second？〃

And　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　found　such　moments　at　Shiobara。

Only　one　of　his　great　nobles　would　His　Majesty　bring　with　him　…　the　Dainagon；　and　him　be　chose　because　he　was　a　worthy　and　honorable　person　and　very　simple　of　heart。

There　was　yet　another　reason　why　the　Son　of　Heaven　inclined　to　the　little　Shiobara。　It　had　reached　the　Emperor　that　a　Recluse　of　the　utmost　sanctity　dwelt　in　that　forest。　His　name　was　Semimaru。　He　had　made　himself　a　small　hut　in　the　deep　woods；　much　as　a　decrepit　silkworm　might　spin　his　last　Cocoon　and　there　had　the　Peace　found　him。

It　had　also　reached　His　Majesty　that；　although　blind；　be　was　exceedingly　skilled　in　the　art　of　playing　the　biwa；　both　in　the　Flowing　Fount　manner　and　the　Woodpecker　manner；　and　that；　especially　on　nights　when　the　moon　was　full；　this　aged　man　made　such　music　as　transported　the　soul。　This　music　His　Majesty　desired　very　greatly　to　hear。

Never　had　Semimaru　left　his　hut　save　to　gather　wood　or　seek　food　until　the　Divine　Emperor　commanded　his　attendance　that　he　might　soothe　his　august　heart　with　music。

Now　on　this　night　of　nights　the　moon　was　full　and　the　snow　heavy　on　the　pines；　and　the　earth　was　white　also；　and　when　the　moon　shone　through　the　boughs　it　made　a　cold　light　like　dawn；　and　the　shadows　of　the　trees　were　black　upon　it。

The　attendants　of　His　Majesty　long　since　slept　for　sheer　weariness；　for　the　night　was　far　spent；　but　the　Emperor　and　the　Dainagon　still　sat　with　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　venerable　Semimaru。　For　many　hours　he　had　played；　drawing　strange　music　from　his　biwa。　Sometimes　it　had　been　like　rain　blowing　over　the　plains　of　Adzuma；　sometimes　like　the　winds　roaring　down　the　passes　of　the　Yoshino　Mountains；　and　yet　again　like　the　voice　of　far　cities。　For　many　hours　they　listened　without　weariness；　and　thought　that　all　the　stories　of　the　ancients　might　flow　past　them　in　the　weird　music　that　seemed　to　have　neither　beginning　nor　end。

〃It　is　as　the　river　that　changes　and　changes　not；　and　is　ever　and　ever　the　same；〃　said　the　Emperor　in　his　own　soul。

And　certainly　had　a　voice　announced　to　His　Augustness　that　centuries　were　drifting　by　as　he　listened；　he　could　have　felt　no　surprise。

Before　them；　as　they　sat　upon　the　silken　floor　cushions；　was　a　small　shrine　with　a　Buddha　shelf；　and　a　hanging　picture　of　the　Amida　Buddha　within　it　…　the　expression　one　of　rapt　peace。　Figures　of　Fugen　and　Fudo　were　placed　before　the　curtain　doors　of　the　shrine；　looking　up　in　adoration　to　the　Blessed　One。　A　small　and　aged　pine　tree　was　in　a　pot　of　grey　porcelain　from　Chosen　…　the　only　ornament　in　the　chamber。

Suddenly　His　Majesty　became　aware　that　the　Dainagon　also　had　fallen　asleep　from　weariness；　and　that　the　recluse　was　no　longer　playing；　but　was　speaking　in　a　still　voice　like　a　deeply　flowing　stream。　The　Emperor　had　observed　no　change　from　music　to　speech；　nor　could　he　recall　when　the　music　had　ceased；　so　that　it　altogether　resembled　a　dream。

〃When　I　first　came　here　…　〃the　Venerable　one　continued…〃　it　was　not　my　intention　to　stay　long　in　the　forest。　As　each　day　dawned；　I　said；　‘In　seven　days　I　go。'　And　again　…　'In　seven。'　Yet　have　I　not　gone。　The　days　glided　by　and　here　have　I　attained　to　look　on　the　beginnings　of　peace。　Then　wherefore　should　I　go？　…　for　all　life　is　within　the　soul。　Shall　the　fish　weary　of　his　pool？　And　I；　who　through　my　blind　eyes　feel　the　moon　illuming　my　forest　by　night　and　the　sun　by　day；　abide　in　peace；　so　that　even　the　wild　beasts　press　round　to　hear　my　music。　I　have　come　by　a　path　overblown　by　autumn　leaves。　But　I　have　come。〃

Then　said　the　Divine　Emperor　as　if　unconsciously；

〃Would　that　I　also　might　come！　But　the　august　duties　cannot　easily　be　laid　aside。　And　I　have　no　wife　…　no　son。〃

And　Semimaru；　playing　very　softly　on　the　strings　of　his　biwa　made　no　other　answer；　and　His　Majesty；　collecting　his　thoughts；　which　had　become；　as　it　were；　frozen　with　the　cold　and　the　quiet　and　the　strange　music；　spoke　thus；　as　if　in　a　waking　dream；

〃Why　have　I　not　wedded？　Because　I　have　desired　a　bride　beyond　the　women　of　earth；　and　of　none　such　as　I　desire　has　the　rumor　reached　me。　Consider　that　Ancestor　who　wedded　Her　Shining　Majesty！　Evil　and　lovely　was　she；　and　the　passions　were　loud　about　her。　And　so　it　is　with　women。　Trouble　and　vexation　of　spirit；　or　instead　a　great　weariness。　But　if　the　Blessed　One　would　vouchsafe　to　my　prayers　a　maiden　of　blossom　and　dew；　with　a　heart　calm　as　moonlight；　her　would　I　wed。　0；　honorable　One；　whose　wisdom　surveys　the　world；　is　there　in　any　place　near　or　far　…　in　heaven　or　in　earth；　such　a　one　that　I　may　seek　and　find？〃

And　Semimaru；　still　making　a　very　low　music　on　his　biwa；　said　this；

〃Supreme　Master；　where　the　Shiobara　River　breaks　away　through　the　gorges　to　the　sea；　dwelt　a　poor　couple　…　the　husband　a　wood…cutter。　They　had　no　children　to　aid　in　their　toil；　and　daily　the　woman　addressed　her　prayers　for　a　son　to　the　Bodhisattwa　Kwannon；　the　Lady　of　Pity　who　looketh　down　for　ever　upon　the　sound　of　prayer。　Very　fervently　she　prayed；　with　such　offerings　as　her　poverty　allowed；　and　on　a　certain　night　she　dreamed　this　dream。　At　the　shrine　of　the　Senju　Kwannon　she　knelt　as　was　her　custom；　and　that　Great　Lady；　sitting　enthroned　upon　the　Lotos　of　Purity；　opened　Her　eyes　slowly　from　Her　divine　contemplation　and　heard　the　prayer　of　the　wood…cutter's　wife。　Then　stooping　like　a　blown　willow　branch；　she　gathered　a　bud　from　the　golden　lotos　plant　that　stood　upon　her　altar；　and　breathing　upon　it　it　became　pure　white　and　living；　and　it　exhaled　a　perfume　like　the　flowers　of　Paradise；　This　flower　the　Lady　of　Pity　flung　into　the　bosom　of　her　petitioner；　and　closing　Her　eyes　returned　into　Her　divine　dream；　whilst　the　woman　awoke；　weeping　for　joy。

But　when　she　sought　in　her　bosom　for　the　Lotos　it　was　gone。　Of　all　this　she　boasted　loudly　to　her　folk　and　kin；　and　the　more　so；　when　in　due　time　she　perceived　herself　to　be　with　child；　for；　from　that　august　favour　she　looked