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eBook Category: Fantasy
eBook Description: The Lama's nephew wasn't a great Buddhist--or even a great human. So some people might have considered his reincarnation a step backwards.

eBook Publisher: Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust, Published: Catfantastic 3, 1994
Fictionwise Release Date: October 2005

24 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: eReader (PDB) [29 KB] , ePub (EPUB) [28 KB] , Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [21 KB] , Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [230 KB] , Palm Doc (PDB) [23 KB] , Microsoft Reader (LIT) [46 KB] , Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [93 KB] , hiebook (KML) [100 KB] , Sony Reader (LRF) [45 KB] , iSilo (PDB) [19 KB] , Mobipocket (PRC) [24 KB] , Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [17 KB] , OEBFF Format (IMP) [34 KB]
Words: 7011
Reading time: 20-28 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED

"The lama's young nephew hadn't learned the discipline necessary to successfully evade all the traps along the path to rebirth. When his uncle finally locates his reincarnation, he's a LONG way from home..."--Michele L. Worley, Amazon.com

It had been a difficult death. The illness contracted in the humid lowlands had been bad enough. But the young man's dissolute life had left its mark on his character as well, and as he died the Lama found it hard to keep the parts of his being together. Each one threatened to leave separately as the corresponding sense died in the body. It took all of the lama's patient counsel to keep the young man's consciousness together.

Finally the consciousness was free of the body, but the Lama remained, coaching the young man's spirit as it traversed through that dark realm on the other side of death. It was too much to hope that he might be reborn as a healthy son of a wealthy family, or even as a younger son dedicated by his family to a wealthy lamasery, with sufficient endowment to pursue a life of contemplation. But at least he might be kept from the life of a poor beggar, a criminal, or, worse yet, an animal.

There were demons on the path. The Lama explained these were illusions. So also were the clear streams and soft, grassy resting places by the path. The young man's spirit must pass all of these on his path to rebirth.

More serious were the distractions of the flesh. The young man had been all too prone to them in life, and the plump young maidens beckoning to him from cushioned grottos, pots of beer and wine by their sides, were almost too much for his shade. The Lama explained that they were traps for the unwary soul and the grottos were undesirable wombs. So far the disembodied spirit had listened to his teaching and passed those illusions.

The path to rebirth was difficult and the spirit was tiring rapidly. The Lama intoned a chant to give him strength. It flowed to the young man's spirit and revived his energy. The Lama allowed himself a moment of rest; the chant had taken some of his strength. Too late he realized his mistake.

The young man's soul, revitalized by the chant, became aware of a bower under some rhododendrons. A saucy young girl with sleek dark hair and sly cat eyes beckoned to him from a pile of cushioned rugs. A jar of sweet wine waited next to her. The Lama shouted a warning, but it was too late. The young man sank to her side and was lost.