A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t4.18

v2.c19.s6.t4.18

The Buddha is also compared to a physician, as often as to a loving father. There is an especially detailed parable, in which the human beings are compared to persons born blind, whose eyes are opened by Buddha, the great physician.[^2) The fact that the Buddha knows no partiality, but is an equally good father and physician to *all*, is shown by two beautiful similes: Even as a mighty rain-cloud gathers, and waters and refreshes by its moisture all the grasses, herbs and trees, even as the latter absorb the moisture of the earth and blossom forth in renewed vigour, so the Buddha appears in the world and refreshes all creatures, bringing them blessed repose. Again, even as the sun and the moon send down their rays equally over all the world, on the good and the bad, on the high and the lowly, so the preaching of the Buddha is for all the world alike.[^3)