American Idyll

yes, the river knows

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

I Won't Forget To Put Roses On Your Grave





Many kinds of rivers flow along in this world system Sukhavati. There are great rivers there, one mile broad, and up to fifty miles broad and twelve miles deep. And all these rivers flow along calmly, their water is fragrant with manifold agreeable odors, in them there are bunches of flowers to which various jewels adhere, and they resound with various sweet sounds. And the sound which issues from these great rivers is as pleasant as that of a musical instrument, which consists of hundreds of thousands of kotis of parts, and which, skilfully played, emits a heavenly music. It is deep, commanding, distinct, clear, pleasant to the ear, touching the heart, delightful, sweet, and one never tires of hearing it, it always agrees with one and one likes to hear it, like the words "Impermament, peaceful, calm and not-self". Such is the sound that reaches the ears of those beings.
And, Ananda, both the banks of those great rivers are lined with variously scented jewel trees, and from them bunches of flowers, leaves, and branches of all kinds hang down. And if those beings wish to indulge in sports of heavenly delights on those river-banks, then, after they have stepped into the water, the water in each case rises as high as they wish it to--up to the ankles, or the knees, or the hips, or their sides, or their ears. And heavenly delights arise. Again, if beings wish the water to be cold, for them it becomes cold; if they wish it to be hot, for them it becomes hot; if they wish it to become hot and cold, for them it becomes hot and cold, to suit their pleasure. And those rivers flow along, full of water scented with the finest odors, and covered with beautiful flowers, resounding with the sounds of many birds, easy to ford, free from mud, and with golden sands at the bottom. And all the wishes those beings may think of, they all will be fulfilled, as long as they are rightful.
--"Description of the Happy Land"
(1st century Buddhist writing)

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