Long Swamp Road
I never knew the peculiar stone formations that surrounded me as a child were called pagodas, as if they were buddhist temples.
Buddhist literature, which says that pagodas were originally built for the purpose of preserving the remains of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. According to Buddhist scripture, when Sakyamuni’s body was cremated after his death, his disciples discovered that his remains crystallized into unbreakable shiny beads.
Like human civilisation in general, many pagodas are now collapsing, undermined by coal mining.
What do you think?