Three years in Tibet : with the original Japanese illustrations / by the Shramana Ekai Kawaguchi.

  • Ekai Kawaguchi
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Three years in Tibet : with the original Japanese illustrations / by the Shramana Ekai Kawaguchi. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    XOVKI- FAKK\VKJ,L rKKSKNTy. o Ijotli g’uu and nets. He had seen tlie dramatic scene hefore him and heard me ])ray for my host. As the nets went nj) in smoke, Mr. Ogawa rose and said impressively : “ Let me too wish tliat you fare well in 'I'ibet, by making' to yon the gift of a ])ledge : 1 pledge myself that I will never more take the lives of other creatures for amusement; should I prove false to these words let ‘ Fndo Myo-oh ’ visit me with death.” I had never before felt so honored and gratified as I felt when I heard this declaration. Then in Sakai, while taking leave of Mr. Jto Ichiro, an old and lifelong friend of mine, who, also, counted net-fishing among his favorite sports, 1 told him all about the burning of Mr. Takabe’s nets; and he, too, did me the favor of following the example set by my Tokyo friends. Then I called on Mr. Watan-abe Ichibei at Osaka. He is, as he has always been, a veiw wealthy man, now dealing chiefly in stocks and trade Avith Korea. His former business Avas that of a poultry-man, not in the sense of one Avho raises foAAds, etc., but of one avIio keeps an establishment Avhere people go to have a poultry dinner. His business throve Avonderfully; but I kneAV that his circumstances Avere such that he could Avell afford to forego such a sinful busi- ness as one Avhich iiiA’olved the lives of hundreds of foAvls every day, es})ecially as he had been a zealous belieA'er of our religion. Several times previously I had Avritten him, beseeching him to gh'e up his brutal business, and I repeat- ed the appeal on the occasion of my last visit to him before my departure for Tibet, Avhen he j)romised, to my great gratification, that, as speedily as possible, he AAmuld change his business, though to do so immediatel}' Avas impractic- able. I Avas still more gratified Avhen I learned that he had proved the genuineness of his pi’omise about a 3’ear and a half after my departure. Ordinarily considered, my conduct in exacting these pledges might