The Half-closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun (Story) Grade 12 (Question/Answer)

 The Half-closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly  Sinking Sun  (Story) Grade 12 (Comprehension)

This material is prepared by Mr. Shreekanta Poudel, President of STFT, Gandaki as well as an experienced English Teacher of Janapriya Secondary School, Pokhara-8, Kaski.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

a.     How does the tourist describe his initial impression of the Kathmandu valley?
The tourist says it is a green valley with its geometric fields, its earthen houses of red, yellow, and white. The scent of soil and mountains is in the air, and there's an age-old peacefulness in the atmosphere.

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

The West is indebted to the East as the East has given the West the Puranas, images of brass and ornaments of ivory, manuscripts of palm leaves, and inscriptions on copperplate as well as a civilization.

c. How does the tourist interpret the gaze of the monks and nuns?
The tourist calls it the samyak gaze that we cannot meet. It is perception, pure and without contamination; sight that perceives everything in its true form.

d. Why do the tourists think Nepali people are wonderful and exceptional?
The tourists think so as they live in a house like a temple, but they are unaware of its beauty and its enchantment. In these Wooden images, there are multifarious ornamentations and styles with the flowing music of a chisel.

e. What are the different kinds of communities in the Kathmandu valley an
how do they co-exist with each other?
It is the place where so many different cultures found their home. Aryans, non-Aryans, Hindus, and Buddhists all came and obtained a rebirth here. It must be the effect of the soil that enabled all these races to flourish together.

f. What does the tourist feel about the temple of Adinath?
In the temple courtyard there is a shrine of Shiva, several Buddha images, and many prayer wheels, inscribed 'om mani padme hu.' The tourist feels it as a living example of Nepalese tolerance and coexistence. Children play happily there, unconcerned by the variety of their gods, religions, and philosophies.

g. Why does the guide take the tourist to the remote village?
The guide takes the tourist to the remote village to meet a completely paralyzed child of a poor family to show him the pulse of reality. Perhaps, he wanted to show him the sympathetic aspect of wonderful country.

h. What does the innocent village couple think of the doctor?
The guide has lied to them about the tourist as being a doctor. So, the innocent village couple think him as their eldest son who has brought a life-restoring remedy across the seven seas for the brother.

i. What are the differences between the paralyzed child and his sister?
There are a lot of differences between the paralyzed child and his sister. The paralyzed child cannot move any organs except the eyes. In contrast, his sister's whole-body functions properly. She can speak, crawl and play.

j. Why does the guide show the instances of poverty to the tourist?
The tourist talks about the beautiful scenery and Samyak gaze at the guide so he wants to show him the gaze that is incapable of self-manifestation and the beauty that is complete and has no other expression. So, the guide shows the tourist the instances of poverty that reflect the dark aspect of the country's diversity.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. Which narrative technique is used by the author to tell the story? How is this story different from other stories you have read?
Stream of consciousness as a narrative technique which is used by the author, Shankar Lamichhane to tell the story “The Half-closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun". This story is different from other stories I have read as the most of the other stories are depicted from the first person point of view where the narrator or the persona describes the instances in his own way but this story is presented through the monologues of two characters a tourist guide in Kathmandu valley and a foreign tourist. Furthermore, 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. Here, Stream of consciousness is a style or narrative technique of writing that captures the natural flow of a character's extended thought process, often by incorporating sensory impressions, memories, incomplete ideas, unusual syntax, and rough grammar. On the other hand, this technique of stream of consciousness is not found in other previous stories I have read.

b. How is the author able to integrate two fragments of the narration into a unified whole?
In the story “The Half-closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun”, the author tries to intricate two fragments of the narration into a unified whole by connecting them with the instances of eyes and associating them to two different worlds. One the author is describing the instances taking place in the community and the activities of the people they perform for their livelihood. On the other hand, he reconnects it to the world of farmers where how people are ignorant of the real instances of the world and suffer from several traditional thoughts and diseases.
Thus, by connecting two different world or thoughts of the East and the West, he forwards a message that one should visualize things deeply through their deeper eyes and understand the real meaning of the situation. He associates the guide's journey along with the tourist and observing the thing on the one hand and the guide is stating the significance of the places and activities on the other by instances of eyes and his narrative techniques of stream of consciousness.

c. The author brings some historical and legendary references in the story. Collect these references and show their significance in the story.
The author Shankar Lamichhane brings some historical and legendary references in the story "The Half-closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun”. The references and their significance are as follows:

     The reference of Manjushri and her strike with his sword at Chobhar resulting the outflow of the Bagmati River signifies her contribution in helping people to live in the valley.

     The reference of the Puranas, images of brass and ornaments of ivory, manuscripts of palm leaves and inscriptions on copperplate indicate Nepalese people are rich in culture, traditions, religions and art crafts.

     The eyes of the shaven headed monks and nun indicates the samyak gaze which means the perception, pure and without contamination; sight that perceives everything in its true form. 

     The references of Princess Bhrikuti and King Amshuvarma reflect historical connection or relationship among the neighbouring countries like Tibet. 

     The pleasant light of sunset reflected in the eyes of the Buddha indicates Nepal as a country of Buddha with many more hopes and peaceful thoughts in the people. The temple of Adinath signifies the living example of Nepalese tolerance and coexistence.

d.  The author talks about the eyes in many places: the eyes of the shaven monks and nuns, eyes in the window and door panels, the eyes of the Himatayas, the eyes of the paralyzed boy, the eyes of the welcoming villagers and above all the half-closed eyes of the Buddha. Explain how all the instances of eyes contribute to the overall unity of the story.
In the story "The Half-closed Eyes of the Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun" the author talks about the eyes in many places such as: The eyes of shaven monks and nuns indicate the samyak gaze' which means the sight that perceives everything in its true form.

The eyes of the carved lattice (Fich) windows, the eyes painted on the door panels. The eyes on the stupas, the eyes of the people, the eyes of the Himalaya, the eyes of the paralyzed boy, the eyes of the welcoming villagers and above all the half-closed eyes of the Buddha. These all instances of eyes indicate that it is a land of eyes, a land guarded by the half-closed eyes of the Lord Buddha. Even if all of the world's history books were destroyed today, but it is these eyes which displays a new culture, civilization, religion, natural beauty and more over the land of Buddha. The journey becomes meaningful by the memories obtained by eyes.
In this way, the author associates several instances of eyes to memories that people obtain and people's appetite that never fulfil as they visualize something by their inner eyes and heart and unifies the story as a whole.

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    I want to express my sincere gratitude to my intimate friend Mr. Shreekanta Poudel, President of STFT, Gandaki as well as an experienced English Teacher of Janapriya Secondary School, Pokhara-8, Kaski for preparing this material and providing me to upload.