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322
FO-SHO-HING-TSAN-KING.
V, 27.
Increasing ever more and more in glory, spreading abroad the thousand rays of highest knowledge, scattering and destroying all the gloom (of earth), why has the darkness great come back again ? 2192
'His unequalled wisdom lightening the three worlds, giving eyes that all the world might see, now suddenly (the world is) blind again, bewildered, ignorant of the way; 2193
'In a moment fallen the bridge of truth (that spanned) the rolling stream of birth and death, the swelling flood of lust and rage and doubt, and all flesh overwhelmed therein, for ever lost.' 2194
Thus all that Malla host wept piteously and lamented; whilst some concealed their grief nor spoke a word; others sank prostrate on the earth; 2195
Others stood silent, lost in meditation ; others, with sorrowful heart, groaned deeply. Then on a gold and silver gem-decked couch', richly adorned with flowers and scents, 2196
They placed the body of Tathagata ; a jewelled canopy they raised above, and round it flags and streamers and embroidered banners; then using every kind of dance and music?, 2197
The lords and ladies of the Mallas followed
1 The 'gem-decked couch'or palanquin is probably represented in plate lxiv, fig. 1 (Tree and Serpent Worship, first edition). This is the procession of the couch through Kusinagara. The curlyhaired men bearing it would indicate that the Mallas and Likkhavis of Vaisâlî were the same race.
9 The use of dance and music'at funerals is an old and well-. understood custom. Compare Sacred Books of the East, vol. xi, pp. 122, 123
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