(, « y re Cr TWO BUDDHIST TALES Amar Chitea Katha: the Glorious Heritage of ladia_AMRAPA i. fy a THE LICCHAV! NOBLES, WHO RULED OVER ANCIENT VAISHALI, WERE GREAT LOVERS OF BEAUTY AND TOOK A KEEN INTEREST IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THEIR: GARDENS. |THE BEST OF GARDENERS WAS EMPLOYED TO TEND 7 TF. eo Ta 5 % WHAT'S THAT UNDER | THE MANGO TREE WHY, IT’s A LADY | WHAT AN EXTRA — ORDINARY BEAUTY!amar chitra katha acca eels WHO ARE YOU, b/ FAIR LADY WHAT IS. YOUR NAME © WHERE HAVE YOU COME FROM 2 AND WHAT IS YOUR DESTINATION 2 1 DON’T HAVE A Ny NAME «| COME FROM }\¥S NOWHERE AND jy & YA), YES. IF YOU DO NOT’ MIND , | WOULD LIKE TO LIVE HERE | CERTAINLY DON’T MIND« BUT THIS GARDEN BE- LONGS TO THE NOBLES. THEY SHOULD BE INFORMED.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPT: LEAVING HER IN THE GARDEN, { A STRANGE LADY HE WENT TO THE NOBLES. __| HAS APPEARED IN THE STATE GARDEN! TN ALL VAISHAL! THERE 16 NO ONE AS BEAU- TIFUL AS SHE 19! i A \ PELE A ec g SHE COME \ ies i ; F P liane) <2amar chitra katha WHEN THEY REACHED THE GARDEN — ‘THE GARDENER KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ! SHE 18 THE MOST ENCHANTING LADY I HAVE EVER SEEN! A FIERCE FIGHT BROKE OUT AMONG THE NOBLES. EACH WANTED AMRAPALI FOR | | . HIMSELF [ you'LL HAVE TO TAKE HER Fi FIRSTYOU CHOOSE ONE AMONG US, AMRAPALI- IF 1 CHOOSE ONE OF YOU,] WILL NO DOUBT BE MAKING HIM VERY HAPPY. BUT | WILL BE MAKING ALL THE OTHERS JEALOUS AND ANGRY. SO | WILL NOT MARRY, ANY OF YOU. -amar chitra katha THE ELDERS or valsinall, WHO HAD HURRIED TO THE GARDEN on HEARING THE CLASH, 7 / A WISE DECISION, INDEED! \ ae Rees Peron BUILT HERE FOR HER. | SHALL EVER REMAIN INDEBTED TO THEAMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA TO ENTERTAIN THE NOBLES OF VAISHALI, AMRAPAL/, AN EXCELLENT DANCER, BEGAN TO GIVE DANCE PERFORMANCES. (ONE EVENING, WHEN THE NOBLES || Sites WERE WATCHING AMRAPALI ea eA PERFORM, A MESSENGER. RUSHED IN. ‘MASTER ! | HAVE BAD NEWS! VAISHALI IS IN DANGER! Jf Nes S ‘JY THE MAGADHAN ARMY. 16 HEADING TOWARDS VAISHALL WHAT | THAT MONSTER BIMBI- SARA AGAIN! DUTY CALLS! WE WILL SEE YOU LATER, AMRAPALI- Cf WHY DO MEN FIGHT 2 WHAT DO THEY GAIN BY KILLING ONE ANOTHER? ONE MOMENT ‘THEY APPRECIATE BEAUTY AND ART; THE NEXT, THEY THIRST FOR BLOOD.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA [fl HAVE. COME A LONG WAY TO SEE YOU DANCE. WILL YOU_DANCE FOR ME, FAIR ONE WHAT A WINSOME, \ | PERSONALITY HE HAS | A DANCER TO EQUAL. HER IN ALL MAGADHA. YOU ARE VERY GENEROUS, MRAPALI-amar chitra katha THE STRANGER STAYED WITH HER FOR A WEEK. THEN — AMRAPALL, | MUST “TAKE YOUR LEAVE. 1 HAVE TO GO BACK. | LOVE-YOU, AMRAPALI. WHY DON’T YOU COME AWAY WITH MES WHAT ! THE DREADED KING OF MAGADHA! YOU AMUSE ME. YOU ARE A TOTAL STRANGER. } \ DON’T EVEN KNOW YOUR NAME ! LOVE IN THE HEARTS OF \MBITIOUS. MEN ! HOW CAN YOU TALK OF LOVE, WHEN THIS VERY MOMENT BECAUSE) OF YOU HUNDREDS OF MEN ARE DYING ON THE BATTLE! aa eelAMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA 1F 1 GIVE UP MY HOSTILITIES FORTH- ‘WITH, WILL YOU MARRY ME? WHY NOT, AMRAPALI ® | BELONG TO DON’T YOU LOVE VAISHALI ! | HAVE ME P GIVEN MY PLEDGE. WITHOUT ANOTHER WORD, THE DEJECTED BIMBISARA TURNED AND LEFT. AMRAPALI COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HER OWN FEELINGS. NSamar chitra katha A FEW DAYS LATER — | THAT COWARD, WHY DID HE BIMBISARA,, DO IT? WAS ) MARE BACK.) \ CALLED OFF IT FOR LOVE Jy THE BATTLE. OF ME? AS AMRAPALI DANCED — 7 WHAT 15 WRONG (HER MOVEMENTS } CARE LIFELESS. / AMRAPALI’S [as THE NOBLES LEFT FOR THEIR HOMES — IT WAS EVIDENT THAT HER HEARTAMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA MEANWHILE , AMRAPAL] SAT BROODING. WHY DO THE PRESENTS THAT ONCE PLEASED ME, NOW DISGUST ME © WHY ph TER WITH MEP Dy WHY DID | FIND ae NO JOY IN DANCING FOR #) THE NOBLES WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LOTUS | HOW FRESH ITIS! WILL YOU SELL PC L) Ae LADY. THIS THAT LOTUS TO jl i “\ Lotus 1S NOT FOR SALE.amar chitra katha HAVEN’T YOU HEARD? LORD BUDDHA HAS COME. TO VAISHALI AND |S CAMPING AT KOTIGRAMA «1 AM TAKING THIS FLOWER TO HIM. AS THE BOY WENT HIS WA/— LORD BUDDHA! “THE ENLIGHTENED ONE WHO KNOWS THE CAUSE OF SUFFERING ! 1 WILL GO To HIM. GRIEF. OUT OF DESIRE ALONE 1S BORN FEAR. FREE YOURSELF FROM DESIRE AND THE GRIEF AND THE FEAR WILL WITHER AWAY.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA HIS WORDS FILL ME WITH PEACE! HIS VOICE 15 50. JOS o HIS VERY PRESENCE *) MIND. HOW | WISH HE WOULD VISIT MY HOME AND. FILL IT WITH HIS BEING! BUT WILL THE LORD VISIT THE HOUSE OF AN UNWORTHY PERSON LIKE ME? )-amar chitra katha SOON IT WAS TIME FOR LORD BUDDHA TO LEAVE VAISHAL/. WHEN WILL 1 SEE YOU AGAIN , MASTER ? EVEN AFTER LORD BUDDHA HAD LEFT, EVERY EVENING~ : CAN STILL FEEL HIS PRESENCE HERE. MANY MONTHS PASSED. AND AMRAPAL! PATIENTLY WAITED FOR THE RETURN OF LORD BUDDHA. 5 TOMORROW, BUT HE. \¥ MASTER WILL COME | ‘TO VAISHALI AGAIN. PERHAPS TODAY, PERHAPS) WILL COME.MY MASTER IS BACK !1 CAN'T }° BELIEVE MY o JAMRAPALI SPED HOMEWARDS TO VAISHALI, TO PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF HER MASTER. AND BEFORE SHE COULD STOP HERSELF, THE WORDS POURED OUT. MASTER, WILL \ YOU HONOUR ME }>- BY EATING AT MY HOUSE. TOMORROW ®amar chitra katha SUDDENLY , A FEW CHARIOTS CARRYING THE WHERE ARE NOBLES OF VAISHALI, CAME CHARGING FROM YOU SPEEDING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION + TO? d ¥ y it BUT THE LORD HAS ALREADY AGREED TO DINE AT MY HOUSE TOMORROW. 2 WE HEARD THAT LORD BUDDHA HAS ARRIVED. WE ARE OFF TO INVITE HIM TO EAT WITH US AT THE PALACE TOMORROW. WE HAVE BEEN \ | FORESTALLED ! a Berra Ge (NOT ALLIS 1 LOST. NOT YET. ) SHE CAN EASILYAMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA NO. EVEN IF YOU OFFER ME THE KINGDOM OF VAISHALI, | WON?T GIVE UP THE HONOUR OF SERVING THE LORD! AMRAPALI, IF YOU LET LORD BUDDHA HAVE HIS FIRST MEAL AT VAISHALI WITH U6, WE WILL GIVE YOU ALL WE WILL GO TO THE LORD. HE CANNOT REFUSE THE NOBLES OF VAISHALI« 1 AM SORRY.1 CAN'T. HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO GO TO AMRAPALI’S HOUSE TOMORROW. 4 LATER, AT KOTIGRAMA — LORD, PLEASE HONOUR US BY DINING WITH ‘US TOMORROW.amar chitra katha THE NEXT DAY, LORD BUDDHA WENT TO AMRAPALI'S HOUSE » | HAVE COME, AMRAPALI- HoNouR. A ) Ce \ 7 aa ee LORD, WHY DOI FEEL \/ AMRAPALI, YOU HAVE SUCH IMMENSE JOY }{ BEGUN TO KNOW THE ASI SERVE YOU? JOY OF GIVING. | |-:AmRApAL BEGAN TO LEAD A LIFE OF RENUNCIA- Pt \TION, FINDING AT LAST THE — © PEACE OF MIND SHE HAD ae ane tj LORD, PERMIT ME TO GRANT MY GARDEN AND* HOUSE TO THE SANGHA - t » is 2 {i g Z a ein IN| THEN, LEAVING BEHIND HER THE fg| WORLDLY LIFE AND 1/75 -HEARTACHES-~ enoneAMRAPAL! & UPAGUPTA i R =k 5 FEO) LONG, LONG AGO IN ANCIENT MATHURA, THERE LIVED A DANCER CALLED. VASAVADATTA, WHO WAS FAMED FOR HER BEAUTY AND HER ART WHAT A PERFECT FIGURE ! WHAT A CHARI ING APPEARANCE ! WHAT GRACEFUL MOVEMENTS... HARD HEART ! SHE'S UNIQUE, INDEED!amar chitra katha AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, AS VASAVADATTA LEFT THE TOWN HALL — 1AM PREPARED TO PART WITH ALL MY WEALTH FOR A SMILE FROM HER. WITH NOT SQ MUCH AS A GLANCE AT HER ADMIRERS, VASAVADATTA SAT IN HER CHARIOT AND RODE HOME WITH HER COMPANION THEY ARE ALL MADLY IN LOVE WITH YOU. COULDN'T YOU SEE IT IN THEIR ‘WHY, VASAVADATTA ® {fj { fi NO! NOT ONE OF WHY DON’T YOU MARRY = | Paka THEM POSSESSES ONE OF THEM ? iS THERE (= haa WHAT | AM LOOKING NOT A SINGLE ONE WHOM J p FOR.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA 7 ONE EVENING, AS VASAVADATTA WAS STANDING IN THE BALCONY OF HER MANSION, SHE SAW A YOUNG MONK PASS BY IN THE STREET BELOW~ T x a es 28 QUICK | RUN DOWN 5 S/\ AND INVITE THAT || K MONK IN- ii \ ICANT BELIEVE ls IT. VASAVADATTA Sf Bee f \) SHOWING SOME (ee & ML; 2 INTEREST IN A ft. \}\ Se. A>\ b x Se, —Z eh |2 Ly, i ag WHEN VASAVADATTA WAS TOLD OF THE MONK’S REACTION — PERHAPS , HE HESITATES TO VISIT ME BECAUSE HE IS ‘VASAVADATTA WISHES TO SEE YOU, HOLY ONE. WILL YOU COME IN P NOT NOW. | W) SEE HER ve POOR AND CAN'T BRING ME PROPER TIME. GIFTS. TELL HIM | DON’T WANT) 5 ANYTHING FROM HIM- OF THE DANCER, WAS UPAGUPTA,A DISCIPLE OF LORD BUDDHA.‘amar chitra katha HER FRIEND WENT BACK TO UPAGUPTA. VASAVADATTA WAS STUNNED. ‘WHY SHOULD O MONK, MY NO, 1 CANNOT. IT FRIEND DOES NOT 18 MOT YET TIME UY THE ONLY. MAN CRAVE FOR GIFTS TO VISIT 1 CHOOSE TO OR RICHES. PLEASE VASAVADATTA - LOVESSHUN VISIT HER. SHE STOPPED GIVING DANCE PERFORMANCES, MUCH TO THE ANNOYANCE OF THE PEOPLE OF MATHURA» WHAT 15 THE MATTER \_| WITH VASAVADATTA ? J LIFE IN MATHURA \HAS LOST ITS CHARM. HOW COULD SHE BE SO CRUEL TO US | OVER THAT HEARTLESS MONK- IT IS NOT GOOD FOR HER HEALTH AND LOOKS «1 MUST FIND SOMETHING TO DISTRACT HER.AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA A FEW DAYS LATER — A FAMOUS SCULPTOR 15 HOLDING AN EXHIBI~ TION OF HIS WORKS. LET US GO AND SEE IT, VASAVADATTA - gn Mh ee ALL RIGHT, \F YOu INSIST. AT. THE SHOW, VASAVADATTA FORGOT HER SORROW FORA WHILE. SUCH EXQUISITE WORKMANSHIP! WILL YOU SELL THIS WHATEVER IT MAY COST, 1AM PREPARED TO BUY IT. QUOTE YOUR. PRICE: YOU MIGHT FIND THE. PRICE TOO IT’S YOURS, IF YOU AGREE TO DANCE AGAIN.VASAVADATTA HESITATED — |e YOU CAN'T GO BACK IN YOUR WORD. YOU THE NEXT EVENING, PEOPLE FLOCKED 70 THE TOWN HALL 7 ee ‘THANKS TO THE CHIEF SCULPTOR OF OUR CITY. IT WAS INDEED A CLEVER BARGAIN! AT. THE END OF THE PERFORMANCE , VASAVADATTA RECEIVED THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE. BUT INSTEAD A OF ONLY MADE HER BROOD Gs OF PEOPLE LONG PE FOR A SIGHTAMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED, THE CHIEF SCULPTOR BEGAN TO VISIT; THE DANCER 70 CAPTURE HER (MAGE IM STONE. MY TALENT, | WHICH BRINGS SO MUCH HAPPINESS TO YOU, ONLY MAKES MY ENVIOUS RIVALS 1 WITH ME. pe HATE ME. BuT YOURS WILL LAST FOR CENTURIES. WHY DOESN'T HE COME ? THE WORK IS YET TO BE COMPLETED. IT'S THREE DAYS SINCE HE LAST CAME! g / HAVE HIS RIVALS. DONE AWAY WITH HE WAS LAST SEEN ENTERING THE HOUSE. OF VASAVADATTA,amar chitra katha LATER, THE BODY OF THE MISSING SCULPTOR WAS FOUND BURIED NOT FAR FROM it) VASAVADATTA'S HOWSE. SHE WAS CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF THE SCULPTOR- (i ea DO YOU HAVE iN ANYTHING TO CZ | SAY IN YOUR ay WX DEFENCE P VASAVADATTA 1S. GUILTY. CONFISCATE HER PROPERTY AND HAVE HER BANISHED FROM MATHURA. ATS Th) A 7S VASAVADATTA WAS TURNED OUT OF HER HOUSE,AN ANGRY MOB JEERED AT HER AND PELTED HER WITH STONES- ‘SEE THAT YOU NEVER DARKEN OUR CITY AGAIN! 3AMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA BLEEDING PROFUSELY, VASAVADATTA REACHED THE OUTSKIRTS OF MATHURA AND FOUND REFUGE IN A CREMATORIUM - - 2 —— VASAVADATTA,| KNOW YOU ARE INNOCENT! FRIEND, LET US THEY HAVE DELIBERATELY || NOT BLAME DONE THIS TO YOU. PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT OF MATHURA, LOOKED f/ SHE DOESN'T UPON VASAVADATTA, NOW SERIOUSLY ILL WITH i DESERVE ANY FESTERING WOUNDS , AS AN UNTOUCHABLE. SS tae ‘SYMPATHY. Ee ML LEAVE HER TO. * DIE.WHY DO YOU (\ WASTE YOUR TIME ON HER ? =A, Sy THEY WOULD SPIT AT HER AND SOMETIMES EVEN STONE HER AS THEY PASSED BY. THEN CAME UPAGUPTA, THE BUDDHIST MONK: VASAVADATTA , We | HAVE COME g FRIEND, COVER ‘i < My BODY. LET HIM Ww € NOT SEE ME IN THIS STATE. 4amar chitra katha q ‘© MONK, WHEN, ALL MATHURA ADMIRED ME, YOU ALONE SPURNED ‘ME. WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO VISIT ME NOW WHEN 1 AM A MASS OF FESTERING FLESH, SHUNNED BY ALL? Time YOU DID NOT NEED ME, VASAVADATTA - YOU DO, NOW. COME, LET US GO TO MY MONASTERYAMRAPALI & UPAGUPTA . Y VASAVADATTA, YOU W ARE YET TO DISCOVER A BEAUTY GREATER HAVE LOST—THE BEAUTY OF THE nt CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE, SHE BEGAN TO LigHT THE Yj ATTEND THE DISCOURSES OF LORD BUDDHA: | LAMP WITHIN YOU CAN'T CALL EVEN Ven THE BODY YOUR OWN.f) WHEN THE BODY IS CAST AWAY IT BE- COMES FOOD FOR OTHERS. LIGHT THE ff il LAMP WITHIN YOU, AND ONLY THEN WILL YOU.FIND, LORD, ADMIT ME INTO YOUR } = ‘SO BE IT, MY CHILD. MAY YOU FIND PEACE OF \ MIND.