The Thai Amulet by Lyn Hamilton

Author:Lyn Hamilton [Hamilton, Lyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective, Women Detectives, Women Sleuths, Historical, Missing Persons, Political, Antiquities, Antique Dealers, McClintoch; Lara (Fictitious Character), Archaeological Thefts, Collection and Preservation, Thailand
ISBN: 0425194876
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2002-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

“Have you seen any like this?” I said, handing over Will’s amulet. She looked at it for a moment.

“This no good,” she said.

“What is not good about it?” I said.

“Bad,” she said.

“Bad yes, but how bad?” I said, trying to make myself understand.

“Very bad,” she said.

“Not how,” I said. The woman looked perplexed. “What is wrong with this? Why do you say this is bad?”

“It is… I don’t know English word,” she said. “Buddha not do this.”

“Do what?”

“Stand on world,” she said. “Buddha for peace, not to stand on world.” I looked at the amulet. It was true: the Buddha was standing on a globe.

“What about this one?” I said, taking the broken pieces and more or less fitting them together.

“Bad also,” she said. “Buddha with alms bowl, not world.” I peered at it. “Come,” she said. “I show you.” We went into her stall, and she went through piles of the amulets and placed a few on the table in front of us.

“Buddha has maybe sixty hands and feet,” she said. “You understand me?”

“No,” we said in unison.

“This is Buddha stop flood,” she said, standing with both palms facing up and out, then pointing to an amulet that showed that. “This Buddha calling for rain,” she said, standing with both arms down at her sides, palms against her thighs. “Buddha sit also, also lie down like this. She leaned sideways and put her right hand under her head. ”This waiting for Nirvana. Stop fighting is Buddha sitting down, right hand like this,“ she said putting her right hand up with the index finger pointing down and the left hand flat. You understand?” she said. “Many different hands and feet of Buddha.”

“I understand,” I said.

“This one,” she said, pointing to the broken one. “Like giving alms. Hands in front to hold bowl. See this one.” I looked at the amulet she showed us. It did have Buddha standing with his hands cupped in front of him, holding a bowl. “Now you here,” she said, pointing to mine. “Buddha holds world. You see?” I saw.

“Now this one,” she said, pointing to the unbroken amulet, “Buddha standing on world. Buddha not stand on world. This is…” she paused. “No have English word.”

“Blasphemy?” Jennifer said.

“Yes,” she said, pointing to Jennifer. “That is word. Very bad. Where you get this?”

“I’m not sure,” I said. “A friend had them.”

“Bad for friend,” she said.

“Perhaps it was,” I said. “Thank you for helping me. Would you happen to know this monk?” The woman looked at the picture.

“Sure,” she said. “Everybody here know.”

“Can you tell me where I could find him?”

“Come,” she said, beckoning us. “Come,” she said again, as we hesitated. We followed her up and down the aisles until we were near the back. She stopped in front of a stall and called out. A rather large man, built like a wrestler, came out, spoke to her for a moment, and then led us into the back of his stall. A very elderly man sat there.

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