2015TR

TUSCARORA REVIEW 2016

2016 TUSCARORA REVIEW

amazed when he saw, hovering on a lotus cloud, a man, radiating pure transient

golden light from every pore of his body.

“Oh!” said the gold man. “My sincerest apologies, good sir! I hope I haven’t

disturbed you!”

The light from the man was so intense Phil thought that he would go blind.

“What are you?” he stammered.

“Ah, yes, introductions! My name is Amitayus. Pleased to meet you, and what

can I call you, friend?—my, oh, my! You look like death! You are so thin, you look

like a walking skeleton!”

“My name is Phil…what are you exactly…Amitayus? You have the body of a

man yet you radiate pure light. It is so….”

Amitayus smiled, reclined on his lotus cloud, and said, “I am the Buddha of

Infinite Light. You remark upon my body, yes? It is my celestial manifestation,

called the Sambhogakaya, a Being of Light body, if you would, that I can conjure

up at any time, for my own enjoyment. If you are wondering what I am doing

here, well, Phil, I have that answer as well: I am on a pilgrimage of sorts, exploring

the infinite regions infinity has to offer. I have heard some remarkable comments

about the bottom of the universe, so I decided to finally visit it!”

Phil nodded, gazed at the sand, then looked back up at Amitayus: “Is this a

dream, am I dreaming, have I died? Where do you come from?”

Amitayus heartily chuckled. “Great questions, Phil, great questions indeed! Yes!

This is a dream, and so has your whole life been—there is no difference! Where

do I come from, you ask? I come from the Pure Land, a place so far away…yet so

incredibly near!”

“Are you alive, then?”

Amitayus leaned forward, his tone changed from hearty to serious, and said, “I

am beyond life or death. I am beyond time. Hearken unto my words and you will

come to discover that you, Phil, are also beyond life or death.”

“But how can this be? This is the only body, the only thing I know!”

Amitayus smiled. “Oh, Phil. You have lived many lives—you just don’t

remember them. You have died many deaths—you don’t remember those, either.

And what’s the good of that? It is not necessary to remember them. But moving

on…looking more closely at you, I see…a scar, and you are so incredibly thin…

hmmm. You attempted suicide, and failed. Yes, and you have…starved yourself,

attempted what is called Sallekhana, to fast unto your death. Oh, Phil, do tell what

has happened to you! Give me a tour of this beach down here at the Bottom of

the Universe.”

The twain began their tour of the beach. Phil walked, while Amitayus floated

on his lotus cloud. Phil told him all that he had witnessed, all he had planned to

do. Then Phil asked, “Amitayus, where do you plan to go after this?”

“Funny you should ask that, Phil. I shall continue my pilgrimage, visiting the

beaches at the Top of the Universe. I heard they are equally as lovely as the ones

down here.”

Phil hesitated then finally remarked, “Is there any possible way I can join you?

Can you take me with you?”

Caitlin Duke,

Word Project, Little Things

—Mixed Media