BUDDHA'S SHADOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1927, Page 8

BUDDHA'S SHADOW.

Millions of Buddhists commemorate during May the birth, wisdom-attainment, and death of Siddartha-Gautama. Prince of the Sakvas, founder of their faith. Siddartha's romantic life story, his luxurious youth as a Prince of ancient India, his prowess in knightly accomplishments to win the love of Yasodhara, most beautiful of Princesses, followed by utter renunciation of all that makes life dear" to find knowledge to ease a world's pain, his wisdom-attain-ment under a sacred tree, yet seen at Buddha Gaya, have been exquisitely told by Sir Edwin Arnold in "The Light of Asia."

Although, in 453 8.C.. Gautama, the "All Wise," passed " into Nirvana, where the silence reigns," Buddhists hold that once in everv vear, at the May full moon, the Buddnas Shadow appears to bless the world. Away in mysterious Tibet, on tho far side of giant Himalayan snow peaks, in a land of buried cities, where ruins of past civilisations, rivalling modern splendour in their wealth, lie beneath shifting sand, a verdant plateau i» to-day a goal of pilgrimage. Here, legend tells, the Shadow of the Buddha may be seen at this time. Pilgrims brave dangers, hardships, to attend a festival. Hosts of wandering tribes pitch strange black tents, bathe in a neighbouring stream, light camp fires. Tibetan Lamas address the pilgrim throng, high dignitaries of their faith.

As the moon rises 10 the full, lighting the weird lonely place with eerie magnificence, a solemn ceremony is performed, centring in an enormous, ancient altar stone. At the moment of the full moot? the crowd prostrates in worship. Some, it is said, see a gigantic figure floating in the air above the hills to the south. It grows clearer, reproducing form and features of Siddartha-Gautama. favourite cross-legged attitude, yellow robe of Buddhist monks. The left hand is raised in Messing. The dark waw hair is shorn as on the day the Prince rode from his palace to seek wisdom for the world.