Class 12 English Lesson 6: The Half-Closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun Literature Section

 

Lesson 6 Story: The Half-closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun

Click for Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u21V_QwncTs

About Story writer

 

Shankar Lamichhane (1928-1975) was born in Kathmandu but lived in Banaras with his uncle at a young age. Lamichhane was an admirer of modern American fiction and frequently mixed with foreign visitors to Nepal. His stories are heavy with symbolism, often lacking a conventional plot and more closely resembling essays, but his prose is rich and poetic.

Characters in the Story

·     Westerner: A tourist, who holds a romantic vision of Nepal based on a study of its history, culture, and religion

·        Tour Guide: A Nepali

·        A Child: Attacked by Polio ( paralysed)

The setting of the Story

·        Cultural & Social Setting: Cultural & Social setting refers to where in the world the story takes place, and the cultural aspects related to the characters. It also includes how a particular geographical background limit or expands the cultural setting of the story.

Literary Device in the Story

·        Irony: It is the Western guest, not the Nepali guide, who sees herself as the expert of this knowledge as he claims, "You are a guide who will lead me down the streets and alleyways of the present, but I could take you along your ancient ways’’.

Symbolism in the Story

·    Buddha's Half-Closed Eyes: Half-closed eyes show a state of meditation: looking inward into the self as well as outward.

·     It is perception, pure and without contamination; a sight that perceives everything in its true form.

·      Connection to the Story -: "You have never had to suffer the feeling of insignificance that is caused by a vast distance. Perhaps that is why this, your enclosure, appeals to us!’

·      "This is a land of eyes, a land guarded by the half-closed eyes of the Lord Buddha“

·   "My appetite for eyes is still not satiated. I want to see the pleasant lift of sunset reflected in the eyes of the Buddha. Show me beautiful, full eyes, eyes without equal, eyes whose memory will make this journey of mine unforgettable….’’

·    "And these are the eyes, my guest, that look at you but see nothing; this is the gaze that is incapable of sell-manifestation. This is beauty that is complete and has no other expression. And in these eyes hides the end of life that are just as beautiful as the setting sun's reflection in the eyes of the Buddha!" - Tour Guide

Summarized Part of the story

The story ‘The Half-closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun’ was written by Shankar Lamichhane. This story is taken from Himalayan Voices: An Introduction to Nepali Literature translated and edited by Michael Hutt. The story deals with the monologues of two characters a tourist guide in Kathmandu valley and a foreign tourist. The story is different from conventional stories and, instead of showing actions and events, the story records what the two characters think in a stream-of-consciousness technique.

This story expresses the feeling of western tourists visiting Kathmandu Valley. At the beginning of the story, the tourist expresses her feeling to the tourist guide. The story begins by describing the beauty of Kathmandu valley. Its geometric fields, its earthen houses of red, yellow, and white, the scent of soil and mountains in the air, and its peaceful environment. She perceives that the blue hills outspread his arms and called her to embrace him. When she first landed at the airport, she feels like welcomed by the half-closed eyes of Buddha. It is a peaceful place where one acquires calmness. She told that she lives on the plains or beside the sea. The tourist didn’t get a chance to see such beauty in her place. She says to us (Nepalese) that we are living in a temple but we are not aware now.

She also praises the religion and tradition of Nepal. The tourist says that easterner has given westerner, the religion arid the Puranas, images of brass and ornaments of ivory, manuscripts of palm leaves and inscriptions on copperplate, and also civilization. A tourist said that she had read so many books in libraries. She has known all the history of Kathmandu valley: Kathmandu Valley was once a lake. The Manjushri cut a gorge at a place called Chobhar Gorge and drained away the waters to establish habitable land. She also praises the gaze of monks and nuns. It is a sight that perceives everything in its true form. She also talks about the artist of wooden images of different styles and ornamentations. A tourist talks that Nepal is a Multicultural and religious country. Aryans, nonAryans, Hindus, and Buddhists all came and obtained a rebirth here and Nepali soil enable them to flourish together.

They went for dinner. They saw an old man telling his grandson about every Nepali item that Princess Bhrikuti took with her when King Amshuvarma sent her off to Tibet. The son’s wife making fresh momos puts some of them onto a brass plate, and the old man’s words are garbled and obscured by his mouthful. The grandson laughs, and the old man tries to swallow quickly, so he burns his tongue and, unabashed, pours out a stream of ribald curses. A tourist says that these scenes cannot be read in an old book in a library, and that is why she has had to come to Kathmandu and soak herself in its atmosphere. She (a tourist) also talks about different types of eyes. The eyes of the carved lattice windows, the eyes painted on the door panels. The eyes on the stupas, the eyes of the people. And the eyes of the Himalayas, which peep out from the gaps between the hills like those of a neighbour’s boy when he jumps up to see the peach tree in your garden. These eyes represent the culture and religious diversity, civilization, and natural beauty of Nepal. She said that this is a land of eyes, a land guarded by the half-closed eyes of the Lord Buddha (peacefulness). And if we destroy all the history books then these eyes would again build a new culture; they would reassemble a civilization. Finally, she talks about the magical eyes and expresses her desire to see the pleasant eyes of sunset reflected on the eyes of Buddha, unforgettable eyes. 

The second part of the story deals with the feeling of the guide. Now, the guide talks to tourists about the place. The guide takes her to the Chobhar hill, where people come to see the cleft that was made by Manjushri’s sword and the outflow of the Bagmati River. He shows her various image on the 34 Class Note of A Very Ola Man with Enormous Wings by Limbu CB rock drawn by the artist and the temple of Adinath. The guide said that there is a shrine of Shiva, several Buddha images, and many prayer wheels, inscribed Ommani Padme hu.’ it is a living example of Nepalese tolerance and coexistence. But the guide didn’t take her to this temple due to lack of time.

The guide takes her to the farmer’s house to find the pulse of our reality. There was a child in the home, who was physically disabled, attacked by polio. A guide said that yesterday you (tourist) urged me to show eyes that would forever remind you of your visit to Nepal. So, I (guide) have brought you here to show you eyes like that. The boy’s whole body was useless; he couldn’t speak, move his hands, chew his food, or even spit. Every vein, nerve, and bone is powerless to notice the commands of his brain. His eyes are the only living parts of his body and it is only his eyes that indicate that he is alive. The guide compares the boy’s eyes with samyak's gaze. The guide said to tourists, I know that this disease occurs in your country too. But the ability to endure it is surely only be found in an Easterner.

The guide said to the tourist that he told his parent that she is the doctor who came to treat his son. They were happy; their faith, intimacy, kindliness, and gratitude were visible in their eyes. They think of her as the eldest son who has brought a life-restoring remedy across the seven seas for his brother. The child has a sister whose body functions properly work. She was busy doing mess (गडबड) activities. She saw a gleaming light in the child’s eyes when his mother scolded his sister for not doing such activities. A boy surely wanted to say that it is fun that he can’t do. A boy is ashamed of him thinking that he can’t give a history, tradition, and culture to his nation. At last, the guide said to the tourist that she only sees the eyes that welcome her but she can’t see such an eye that was full of sorrow. These eyes hide the end of life that are just as beautiful as the setting sun’s reflection in the eyes of the Buddha!

Understanding the text: Answer the following questions.

a.      How does the tourist describe his initial impression of the Kathmandu valley?

According to the visitor, it's a beautiful valley with rectangular landscapes and clay homes painted in red, yellow, and white. The smell of dirt and mountains fills the air, and there is old-fashioned tranquility in the air.

b.     According to the tourist, why is the West indebted to the East?

According to the tourist, the west is indebted to the East for the pleasant atmosphere, religious and cultural sculptures, the Puranas, brass figures and ivory ornaments, palm-leaf manuscripts, and copperplate inscriptions.

c.      How does the tourist interpret the gaze of the monks and nuns?

The tourist interprets the gaze of the monks and nuns as the Samyak gaze which denotes pure and unconditional perception; a sight that detects everything in its genuine form.

d.     Why do the tourists think Nepali people are wonderful and exceptional?

The tourist thinks Nepali people are wonderful and exceptional because of their exceptional ability for wooden carved images and beautiful images of deities. Nepali who have hospitable behaviour, have diverse cultural and religious ceremonies. There are a variety of ornamentations and styles in these wooden pictures accompanied by the flowing melody of a chisel.

e.      What are the different kinds of communities in the Kathmandu valley and how do they co-exist with each other?

People from all over the world settled in this area. Everyone from the Aryans to the non-Aryans to the Hindus to the Buddhists has gathered here to take a rebirth. All of these races coexist because of the holy land and harmony among them.

f.       What does the tourist feel about the temple of Adinath?

The tourist feels that the Adinath temple is an alive example of Nepali tolerance and coexistence.

g.     Why does the guide take the tourist to the remote village?

The guide takes the tourist to the remote village to see a crippled kid from a poor family and teaches him what life is like for someone like a tourist who doesn't know. He was trying to show him the compassionate side of this beautiful country and the life of poor farmers living there.

h.     What does the innocent village couple think of the doctor?

The guide lied to them about the visitor being a doctor, but the tourist was not a doctor. They believe him to be their oldest son, who brings a life-restoring medicine from the seven seas because they think of the doctor who brings the rays of hope for life.

i.       What are the differences between the paralyzed child and his sister?

The crippled child and his sister have a lot in common. There is just one organ that the paralysed kid can move: the eyes. His sister's body, on the other hand, works perfectly. She can talk, crawl, and play with other animals.

j.       Why does the guide show instances of poverty to the tourist?

The guide shows the instances of poverty to the tourist because he wants the tourist to understand the reality and terrible poverty of people living in remote villages along with the lack of security and modern conveniences. 

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Click for Reference to Context:  https://limbuchandrabahadur.blogspot.com/2025/06/class-12-english-lesson-6-half-closed_8.html