[28]
As I passed out, however, a huge black dog, which was chained up in the
yard, seemed, by the rabid manner in which he made feints at my legs,
to be quite aware of what I had done, and he snapped and howled, and
strained and tore at his chain as I went by, just as if he detected
the holy bundle sticking out of my pocket, and thoroughly understood
my consequent guilty appearance. The principal designs upon the stones
here -- some of which, in colour, were in wonderful preservation --
appear to be cross-legged effigies of Buddha, seated in that state
of entire abstraction from all passions and desires, which seem to
be the end and object of Buddhists' aspirations.
A certain rotundity of form, however, and appearance of
COMFORTABLENESS, rather tend to suggest that the pleasures of the
table at least have not quite been renounced among the other pomps
and vanities of Buddhist life.
AUGUST 20. -- Started for Ladak again, nominally at some desperately
early hour of the morning, but in reality at about half-past five,
the sun not shining upon our position until late, in consequence of
our proximity to the mountains.
Pages:
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225