| Singing hymns and praying for peace and luck, thousands of Buddhists
greeted a holy tooth believed to have belonged to Buddha when it arrived in Taiwan. Monks in saffron robes escorted the tooth, encased in a miniature golden pagoda, off a flight from India. Dozens of women prostated themselves and spread their long hair over a red carpet. Others knelt in rows, clasping their hands in front to express their reverence. Buddhists say the tooth brings blessings for those who live where it is housed and keeps them from disaster. |