The Visit of Upagupta

    By maria jancey. Irudayaraj.

    The Visit of Upagupta cover image

    03 Jun, 2024

    a buddha statue sitting in front of a full moon in a courtyard of a building with a full moon in the background, dau-al-set, a statue, Eishōsai Chōki, full moon

    Upagupta was sleeping under the open sky, his peaceful slumber mirroring the calmness of the night around him.

    a man sitting in front of a full moon with a candle in his hand and flowers around him and a full moon in the sky, fantasy art, a storybook illustration, Eishōsai Chōki, highly detailed digital painting

    Suddenly, a dancing girl with sparkling eyes and rhythmic movements approached him, waking him from his sleep with a sweet request.

    a man in a robe standing in a street in a city with buildings and debris on the ground and a street light, harlem renaissance, a character portrait, Christopher Perkins, promotional image

    A year had passed and Upagupta was again in the same town, the joyous atmosphere now replaced by an ominous silence.

    a man in a monk outfit walking down a street in a slum area with people sitting on the sidelines, art photography, a character portrait, Fang Congyi, cinematic photography

    He found the dancing girl, once vibrant and full of life, now lying on the outskirts of the town, her body covered in sores and her spirit broken.

    a man and woman walking down a street in a village with a monk statue in the foreground and a man in the background, art photography, a detailed matte painting, Fang Congyi, cinematic photography

    "Who are you?" she asked weakly, her eyes barely recognizing the figure before her.

    a woman in a yellow dress and a crown on her head in a village with people walking around her, cloisonnism, a detailed matte painting, Fang Congyi, cinematic photography

    Upagupta replied softly, "The time has come to visit you and I am here."

    a man and woman in traditional chinese clothing standing in front of a tree with pink flowers in the background, samikshavad, a stock photo, Art & Language, cinematic photography

    Upagupta carefully applied a soothing balm to her sores, his touch gentle and his voice reassuring.

    two people standing in front of a tree with pink flowers on it and one person holding a cell phone, cloisonnism, a jigsaw puzzle, Fang Congyi, award-winning photograph

    Despite her pain, the girl felt a sense of peace wash over her, the man's kindness providing a solace she hadn't felt in a long time.

    a woman sitting next to a man under a tree with pink flowers on it's branches in a courtyard, bengal school of art, a detailed matte painting, Ella Guru, highly detailed digital painting

    Upagupta stayed with her, nursing her back to health, his patient care bringing back the spark in her eyes.

    a man and woman sitting under a tree with pink flowers on it's branches and a man in a yellow robe sitting next to them, cloisonnism, a stock photo, Fang Congyi, promotional image

    In his selfless act of compassion, Upagupta embodied the teachings of Buddha, showing that kindness and empathy could heal even the deepest wounds.

    a woman sitting next to a child in a forest with trees in the background and a hut in the background, samikshavad, a poster, Ella Guru, promotional image

    Upagupta continued his journey, leaving the girl with a renewed faith in humanity and a promise to help others as she had been helped.

    a man and woman sitting on a stone floor next to a tree with yellow leaves on it and a red blanket, art & language, a stock photo, Fang Congyi, promotional image

    The girl, healed and hopeful, watched Upagupta disappear into the horizon, vowing to remember his kindness and follow his path of compassion.