"Роджер Желязны. Lord of Light (Лорд Света, engl) " - читать интересную книгу автора

another color."
"Yes," said Balarma, "for the followers of the Buddha do shelter here
among us, resting awhile from their wanderings."
"That is truly interesting," said Aram, "for I should like to speak
with them and perhaps learn more of their Way."
"You should have ample opportunity if you choose to remain among us for
a time."
"This then shall I do. For how long will they remain?"
"I do not know."
Aram nodded. "When might I speak with them?"
"This evening there will be an hour when all the monks are gathered
together and free to speak as they would, save for those who have taken vows
of silence."
"I shall pass the interval till then in prayer," said Aram. "Thank
you."
Each bowed slightly, and Aram entered his room.

That evening, Aram attended the community hour of the monks. Those of
both Orders did mingle at this time and engage in conversation. Sam did not
attend it himself, nor did Tak; and Yama never attended it in person.
Aram seated himself at the long table in the refectory, across from
several of the Buddha's monks. He talked for some time with these,
discoursing on doctrine and practice, caste and creed, weather and the
affairs of the day.
"It seems strange," he said after a while, "that those of your Order
have come so far to the south and the west so suddenly."
"We are a wandering Order," replied the monk to whom he had spoken. "We
follow the wind. We follow our hearts."
"To the land of rusted soil in the season of lightnings? Is there
perhaps some revelation to occur hereabout, which might be enlarging to my
spirit were I to behold it?"
"The entire universe is a revelation," said the monk. "All things
change, yet all things remain. Day follows night. . . each day is different,
yet each is day. Much of the world is illusion, yet the forms of that
illusion follow a pattern which is a part of divine reality."
"Yes, yes," said Aram. "In the ways of illusion and reality am I
well-versed, but by my inquiry I did mean to know whether perhaps a new
teacher had arisen in this vicinity, or some old one returned, or mayhap a
divine manifestation, the presence of which it might profit my soul to be
aware."
As he spoke, the beggar brushed from the table before him a red,
crawling beetle, the size of a thumbnail, and he moved his sandal as if to
crush it.
"Pray, brother, do not harm it," said the monk.
"But they are all over the place, and the Masters of Karma have stated that
a man cannot be made to return as an insect, and the killing of an insect is
a karmically inoperative act."
"Nevertheless," said the monk, "all life being one, in this monastery
all do practice the doctrine of ahimsa and refrain from taking life of
any