"My boy, very beautiful this is. But the world is full of beauty;
and there may be gardens more beautiful than this.
"But the fairest of gardens is not in our world. It is the Garden
of Amida, in the Paradise of the West.
"And whosoever does no wrong what time he lives may after death
dwell in that Garden.
"There the divine Kujaku, bird of heaven, sings of the Seven
Steps and the Five Powers, spreading its tail as a sun.
"There lakes of jewel-water are, and in them lotos-flowers of a
loveliness for which there is not any name. And from those
flowers proceed continually rays of rainbow-light, and spirits of
Buddhas newly-born.
"And the water, murmuring among the lotos-buds, speaks to the
souls in them of Infinite Memory and Infinite Vision, and of the
Four Infinite Feelings.
"And in that place there is no difference between gods and men,
save that under the splendor of Amida even the gods must bend;
and all sing the hymn of praise beginning, '_O Thou of
Immeasurable Light!_'
"But the Voice of the River Celestial chants forever, like the
chanting of thousands in unison: '_Even this is not high; there
is still a Higher! This is not real; this is not Peace!_'"
V