T2087 The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions

Fascicle 4: Fifteen Countries, from Ṭakka to Kapitha

Fascicle IV

Fifteen Countries, from

Ṭakka to Kapitha

1. The Country of Ṭakka 2. The Country of Cīnabhukti 3. The Country of Jālaṃdhara 4. The Country of Kulūta 5. The Country of Śatadru 6. The Country of Pāriyātra 7. The Country of Mathurā 8. The Country of Sthāneśvara 9. The Country of Śrughna

10. The Country of Matipura

11. The Country of Brahmapura

12. The Country of Goviṣāṇa

13. The Country of Ahicchattra

14. The Country of Vilaśāṇa

15. The Country of Kapitha

The country of Ṭakka is more than ten thousand liin circuit, with the Vipāśā River at its east and the Indus River at its west; the capital city is over twenty liin circuit. The soil is good for growing nonglutinous rice and there is plenty of winter wheat. The country produces gold, silver, brass, copper, and iron. The climate is hot and there is much violent wind. The people are rude and ill-tempered and their language is base and vulgar. They dress in white garments known as kauśeya("wild silk") clothes and "morning glow" (fine cotton) costume. Few of them believe in the buddha-dharma and most of them serve the deities. There are ten monasteries and several hundred devatemples. In this country there were formerly many almshouses to render help to the poor and needy or give them free food and medicine, and to provide travelers with meals so that they might dispel their fatigue. Going fourteen or fifteen lito the southwest from the capital city, I reached the old city of Śākala. The city wall is dilapidated but the foundations are still tough and strong. It is over twenty liin circuit, inside which there is a smaller city, six or seven liin circuit, with rich and prosperous inhabitants. This was the original capital city of the country. Several hundred years ago there was a king named Mahirakula (known as Dazu,

"Great Clan,

" in Chinese), who reigned in this city over all parts 97

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of India. He was a man of talent and intelligence with a bold and furious nature. All the neighboring countries were his vassal states. Wishing to learn about the buddha-dharma in his leisure time, he ordered the monks to recommend a learned monk of virtue [to be his teacher]. But none of the monks dared accept the offer, as they had few desires in their quiet lives and did not seek fame or eminence, while those who were erudite and prominent feared his majesty.

At that time there was a man who had been a servant of the royal household but he had also been a monk for a long time. A man of refined speech and skillful in discussion, he was chosen by the monks to accept the king's appointment. King Mahirakula said, "Out of respect for the buddha-dharma I tried

to seek a monk of renown, and you now recommend a slave to hold discussions with me! I thought that there were many brilliant scholars in the community of monks but now I have come to know the actual condition. What is there for me to respect?" Then he issued an order to all the five parts of India to destroy whatever was connected with Buddhism and to expel all monks and not allow a single one to remain behind.

Now in the country of Magadha, King Bālāditya (known as Youri, "Morning Sun,

" in Chinese) respected the buddha-dharma and loved his subjects, Because King Mahirakula employed cruel punishment and practiced tyranny, King Bālāditya defended his territory and refused to pay tribute to Mahirakula as his subordinate. King Mahirakula mobilized his troops to punish Bālāditya, but Bālāditya got news of the invasion and said to his ministers, "I have

heard that the invaders are coming but I do not have the heart to injure the soldiers. May you officials and commoners spare me of guilt and allow my humble self to hide in the grassy marshland.

" Having said so, he left the

palace and went to the mountainous wilderness and several myriads of his admirers and followers accompanied him to take refuge on an island. King Mahirakula then handed over his troops to his younger brother and sailed across the sea to attack the island. King Bālāditya guarded the strategic points and sent his light cavalrymen to lure the enemy to war. Amid the clamor of gongs and drums, Bālāditya's soldiers, lying in ambush, suddenly appeared in all quarters and captured Mahirakula alive, who was then granted the favor of an audience. Ashamed of his misbehavior, King Mahirakula covered his face with his robes. King Bālāditya, seated on his lion seat and surrounded 98

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by his officials, ordered his attendants to tell Mahirakula, "Uncover your

face; I wish to speak to you.

" Mahirakula said in reply,

"The vassal and the

lord have changed positions. We now face each other in grudges and enmity, and since we are not on friendly terms what is the use of having a face-toface talk?" Despite repeated exhortation to [uncover his face] he would not do so. Then it was ordered to enumerate Mahirakula's faults. "The Triple

Gem is the field of blessedness, it is that on which all creatures of the four forms of birth can depend. If I had allowed you to act like a jackal or wolf you would have completely destroyed the causes of superior [good] deeds. Good luck is not on your side and so you have been captured by me. Your crimes are unpardonable and you must be sentenced to death. "

When the mother of King Bālāditya, who was a woman of erudition and good memory and an expert physiognomist, heard that Mahirakula was to be executed, she promptly told King Bālāditya, "I have heard that Mahirakula

is a person with marvelous features and great wisdom. I wish to have a look at him.

" King Bālāditya then had Mahirakula led to his mother's palace. The queen mother said,

"Alas, Mahirakula! You need not feel ashamed. The world is impermanent and honor and disgrace replace each other alternately. I am just as your mother and you, my son. You should remove the covering on your face so that we may talk face to face.

" Mahirakula said,

"I was the lord

of a country hostile to you but I am now a captive at your court. I have demolished the achievements of my forerunners and brought my ancestral line to an end. Not only I am ashamed to face my forefathers but also I feel remorseful to my subjects. I am ashamed to see heaven and earth so I regretfully cover my face with my clothes.

" The king's mother said,

"The rise and fall of a

nation depends on circumstances and existence or extinction is predestined by fate. If your mind looks at things with a view of equality, then both gain and loss are forgotten. If your mind is controlled by things, there will then arise feelings of calumny and commendation. You should believe in karmic retribution and change with the change of time. If you remove your covering and speak to me face to face, you may perhaps be able to keep your life. "

Mahirakula said gratefully,

"I am a man of no talent and attained the throne by mere chance. Through my malpractice in political administration my royal lineage was brought to an end. Although I am under arrest I still cling to my life even for a short while. For your great courtesy I thank you face to face 99

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with profuse gratitude.

" Then he removed his robes from his face. The king's mother said to him,

"Take good care of yourself and you will live to the

natural end of your life.

"

Then she told King Bālāditya,

"It is laid down in the code of our ancestors

that we should forgive other people's faults and be kind to living beings. Although King Mahirakula has done evil for a long time his personal blessedness has not yet been exhausted. If you kill this man we will suffer famine for twelve years. He has prognostic signs of reinstatement but he will not be the king of a great country; he will occupy and possess a small country in the north.

" Under the admonition of his compassionate mother, King Bālāditya took pity on the lord who had lost his kingdom; he married his young daughter to him and treated him with special hospitality. Mahirakula's defeated soldiers were enrolled to reinforce his guards before [the former king] was sent out of the island.

In the meantime King Mahirakula's younger brother had returned to his own country and established himself as king, so Mahirakula had lost the throne and had to flee and hide himself in the mountainous wilderness. He then went north to seek refuge in the country of Kaśmīra, and the king of Kaśmīra accorded him deep courtesy and conferred feudal estates upon him. After some years had passed [Mahirakula], commanding the people of his fiefdom, killed the king of Kaśmīra on some pretext and proclaimed himself king. With the prestige of his success in the war he then attacked the country of Gandhāra in the west and he had his troops lie in ambush and killed the king. The members of the royal clan and all the ministers were slaughtered and one thousand six hundred stupas and monasteries were demolished. Apart from those killed in the war, there were nine koṭis of people who remained alive, and he intended to kill them all and not allow a single one to survive. At that time his assistants at court admonished him, saying, "Your Majesty's prestige awed the strong enemies so much that their chiefs were executed even before the soldiers exchanged blows. What guilt have the common people committed? We wish to substitute our humble lives for their deaths.

" The king said,

"You believe in the buddha-dharma and think

highly of future blessedness. Because you desire to achieve buddhahood you widely propagate the Jātaka stories. Do you intend to hand down my evil repute to posterity? Go back to your seats and say no more!" 100

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Three koṭis of people of the upper class were taken to the bank of the Indus River and put to death, three koṭis of people of the middle class were drowned in the river, and three koṭis of people of the lower class were granted to the soldiers [as slaves]. After that, Mahirakula carried the loot he had taken from the conquered country and marched home in triumph. But in less than a year's time he died a sudden death, and at that time clouds and mist darkened the sky and the earth quaked, with a violent wind blowing vehemently. A person who had realized sainthood had pity on him and remarked with a sigh of regret,

"You unjustly killed innocent people and destroyed the buddhadharma. You will fall into the deepest hell of incessant suffering and rotate [in the wheel of rebirth] without end.

"

In the old city of Śākala there is a monastery with more than one hundred monks, all of whom study Hinayana teachings. Formerly Vasubandhu Bodhisattva composed the Paramārtha-satya-śāstraat this monastery. Beside it is a stupa over two hundred feet high built at a place where the four past buddhas preached the Dharma. There are also the ruins of a place where the four buddhas used to walk up and down. Five or six lito the northwest of the monastery there is another stupa over two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka at a place where the four past buddhas had preached the Dharma. Going for more than ten lito the northeast of the new capital city, I reached a stone stupa over two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka at a place where the Tathāgata had once halted halfway on his evangelical journey to the north. It is said in the Record of Indiathat there are many relic bones preserved in the stupa and on fast days they often emit a light.

From here going eastward for more than five hundred li,I reached the country of Cīnabhukti (in the domain of North India). The country of Cīnabhukti is more than two thousand liin circuit and its capital city is fourteen or fifteen liin circuit. It is abundant in cereals but fruit trees are scarce. The inhabitants are enrolled in household registration and live in peace and contentment. The state treasury has rich and profuse resources. The climate is temperate and warm and the people are timid and weak by custom. They study the theories of both the transcendental and the conventional truth in a comprehensive way and believe in heterodoxy as well as orthodoxy. There are ten monasteries and eight devatemples.

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When King Kaniṣka occupied the throne his fame reached neighboring countries and his prestige covered distant lands with dissimilar customs. In fear of his influence, a vassal state to the west of the Yellow River [in China] sent a hostage to him. King Kaniṣka received the hostage with munificent hospitality, provided him with three residences for the three seasons of the year, and appointed four divisions of soldiers to serve as his guards. The winter residence of the hostage was in this district and was called Cīnabhukti (known as Hanfeng,

"China Fief,

" in Chinese), which was also the name of

the country where he had sojourned.

In this district, and beyond it in the various parts of India, there had been no pears or peaches; it was the hostage who first planted them. Thus peaches are called cīnanī("brought from China") and pears are called cīnarājaputra ("Chinese prince"). Therefore the people of this country have a deep respect for the East Land and they often said to one another, pointing at me, "This

is a man from the land of our former king.

"

Going to the northeast for more than five hundred lifrom the capital city, I reached Tamasāvana-saṃghārāma (known as Anlin,

"Dark Forest,

" in Chinese), where there are more than three hundred monks who study the teachings of the Sarvāstivāda school. They behave in a solemn and respectful manner with pure and high virtues. They are particularly learned in the doctrines of the Hinayana schools. All the thousand buddhas of the bhadrakalpawill hold meetings of heavenly and human beings at this place to speak on the profound and marvelous Dharma. In the three-hundredth year after the nirvana of Śākya Tathāgata, the śāstramaster Kātyāyana (wrongly transcribed as Jiazhanyan in olden times) composed the Abhidharma-jñāna-prasthānaśāstraat this monastery. Inside Dark Forest Monastery there is a stupa more than two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka. Beside it are the ruins of places where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down. Small stupas and large caves, of which the number is unknown, lie close together. They were built since the beginning of the present kalpa,when arhats of different stages passed away at this place, but I cannot give a full description of these events. Their holy tooth relics are still kept there. The range of hills that encircles the monastery is over twenty liin circuit. There are hundreds and thousands of 102

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stupas containing the Buddha's relic bones, built so closely together that their shadows touch one another.

Going northeast from here for more than one hundred forty or fifty li,I reached the country of Jālaṃdhara (in the domain of North India). The country of Jālaṃdhara is over one thousand lifrom east to west and more than eight hundred lifrom south to north; the capital city is twelve or thirteen liin circuit. It yields cereals and has plenty of nonglutinous rice. The trees in the forests are luxuriant and flowers and fruit are abundant. The climate is temperate and warm and the people are violent and indomitable by custom and ugly in appearance, but all their households are wealthy. There are over fifty monasteries with more than two thousand monks, who have specialized knowledge of both Mahayana and Hinayana teachings. There are three devatemples with over five hundred heretics, who all smear their bodies with ashes. A previous king of this country had venerated heretics, but he later met an arhat from whom he heard the Dharma and he came to understand and believe in it. The king of Central India, appreciating his sincere faith, empowered him to be the sole controller of all affairs connected with the Triple Gem in all of the five parts of India. [The king of Jālaṃdhara] made no distinction between different regions and, forgetting his personal likes and dislikes, he supervised all the monks, skillfully pointing out even the most minute of their good and evil deeds. Therefore virtuous monks of good repute were highly respected, while those who violated the disciplinary rules were denounced and punished. At all sacred sites he erected memorial buildings, either stupas or monasteries, which were found everywhere in India. Going from here to the northeast for more than seven hundred liover precipitous ranges, through deep valleys, and along perilous paths, and trudging on dangerous tracks, I reached the country of Kulūta (in the domain of North India). The country of Kulūta is more than three thousand liin circuit, surrounded by mountains, and the capital city is fourteen or fifteen liin circuit. The soil is fertile and cereals are sown and planted in season. Flowers and fruit are abundant and various kinds of grasses and trees are luxuriant. As it borders the Snow Mountains, it is rich in precious medicinal herbs. It yields gold, silver, red copper, crystal, and brass. The climate is somewhat cold but there is little snow or frost. The people have ugly features and suffer from 103

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goiter as well as edema. They are violent and furious by nature and uphold the spirit of bravery. There are more than twenty monasteries with over one thousand monks, most of whom study Mahayana teachings; a few of them practice the tenets of various [Hinayana] schools. There are fifteen devatemples with heretics living together. On the steep mountains there are caves situated in connection with one another, which were either the lodgings of arhats or the abodes of ṛṣis.

In this country there is a stupa built by King Aśoka in memory of the event of the Tathāgata coming to this place in olden times to preach the Dharma for the conversion of the people.

From here the road, leading to the north for one thousand and eight or nine hundred liby perilous paths and over mountains and valleys, takes one to the country of Lāhul. Going further to the north over two thousand lialong a route full of difficulties and obstacles, in cold winds and wafting snowflakes, one could reach the country of Marsa (also known as the country of Sanbohe). From the country of Kulūta going south for more than seven hundred liover a great mountain across a big river, I reached the country of Śatadru (in the domain of North India). The country of Śatadru is more than two thousand liin circuit, bordering on a big river in the west. The capital city is seventeen or eighteen liin circuit. Cereals are grown in abundance and fruit is plentiful. It produces much gold and silver and also yields pearls. The people's dress and utensils are bright and clean and their clothes are extravagant and gorgeous. The climate is hot and the people are honest and amiable by custom. Their disposition is kind and gentle and the superior and inferior are in proper order. They earnestly believe in the buddha-dharma with a true attitude of respect. Within and outside the royal city there are ten monasteries, which are in desolation and have few monks. Three or four lito the southeast of the city there is a stupa over two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka. Beside it are the ruins of places where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down.

Going from here to the southwest for over eight hundred li,I reached the country of Pāriyātra (in the domain of Central India). The country of Pāriyātra is more than three thousand liin circuit and the capital city is fourteen or 104

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fifteen liin circuit. It yields cereals and winter wheat in abundance and has a particular species of rice that is ready for harvest sixty days after planting. It has plenty of cattle and sheep but flowers and fruit are scarce. The climate is hot and the people are violent and furious by custom. They do not esteem learning and they profess false teachings. The king, a descendant of the vaiśya caste, is a man of courage and military skills. There are eight monasteries standing in an extremely ruinous condition, with a few monks who study the teachings of the Hinayana schools. There are over ten devatemples with more than a thousand devotees.

Going from here to the east for more than five hundred li,I reached the country of Mathurā (in the domain of Central India). The country of Mathurā is more than five thousand liin circuit and the capital city is over twenty liin circuit. The land is fertile and agriculture is the main occupation. Mango trees are grown by the people in their homesteads. There are two species of this fruit, one is small and turns yellow when ripe; the other large and always remains green. The country produces fine kapok cloth and gold. The climate is hot and the people are good and genial by custom. They like to work for the happiness of the departed, they respect the virtuous, and they advocate learning. There are over twenty monasteries with more than two thousand monks who study the teachings of both the Mahayana and Hinayana schools. There are five devatemples where heretics live together. There are three stupas, all built by King Aśoka, and numerous traces left by the four past buddhas. There are also stupas containing the relic bones of the holy disciples of Śākya Tathāgata, such as Śāriputra (formerly known as Shelizi or Shelifu in wrongly abbreviated forms), Maudgalyāyana (formerly known as Mujianlian erroneously), Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra (known as Mancizi,

"Full Compassion

Son,

" in Chinese, and formerly transcribed in a wrongly abbreviated form as Midouluonizi), Upāli, Ānanda, and Rāhula (formerly known as Luohou or Louyun, both being erroneous and abbreviated forms). There are stupas for such bodhisattvas as Mañjuśrī (known as Miaojixiang, "Wonderful Auspices,

" in Chinese, formerly known as Rushou, Wenshushili, or Manshushili and wrongly translated as "Wonderful Virtue"), and others. In the three fast months of the year and on each of the six fast days of the month, the monks vie with their friends and acquaintances to carry ritual 105

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implements and many rare and strange articles to offer to the images of their particular patrons. Those who study the Abhidharma make offerings to Śāriputra, those who practice meditation make offerings to Maudgalyāyana, the sutra reciters to Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra, the Vinaya students to Upāli, the bhikṣuṇīs to Ānanda, the śrāmaṇeras to Rāhula, and the Mahayana students to the various bodhisattvas. On the day offerings to the various stupas are to be made in competition pearled banners are displayed and bejeweled canopies arranged in rows; the smoke of incense pervades the air like clouds and flowers are scattered in such abundance that they obscure the sun and moon and cause great tumult in the valleys. The king and his ministers perform good deeds as their bound duty.

Going east for five or six lifrom the city I came to a hill monastery, of which the chambers are carved on the precipice of a mountain, with an entrance facing the valley. It was built by Venerable Upagupta (known as Jinhu,

"Near Protection,

" in Chinese). In the monastery is a stupa preserving

the fingernails of the Tathāgata.

On the steep rock to the north of the [hill] monastery there is a cave more than twenty feet in height and over thirty feet in breadth. Fine chips four inches long [used as counters] are accumulated in the cave. When Venerable Upagupta was preaching the Dharma to convert the people every married couple that attained arhatship put down a counter here, but single members of a family were not counted even though they had become arhats. Going twenty-four or five lito the southeast from the cave I came to a large dried-up pond with a stupa beside it. Formerly when the Tathāgata was once going across this place, a monkey offered him some honey. The Buddha had it mixed with water and distributed the beverage to the assembly of monks. The monkey was so delighted that it gamboled with joy, fell into a pit, and died. By the merits of this offering it was reborn as a human being. Not far away to the north of the [dried-up] pond there is a large wood in which are traces left by the four past buddhas when they walked up and down. Beside it are the places where the one thousand two hundred and fifty great arhats, Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and so on, practiced meditation and stupas have been built to mark the traces. When the Tathāgata was living in the world he frequently visited this country, and trees have been planted at the places where he preached the Dharma.

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From here going to the northeast for more than five hundred li,I reached the country of Sthāneśvara (in the domain of Central India). The country of Sthāneśvara is more than seven thousand liin circuit; the capital city is over twenty liin circuit. The land is fertile and crops grow in abundance. The climate is hot and the people are unkind and ignoble by custom. The householders are wealthy and vie with each other in showing extravagance. The people are learned in art of magic and they highly esteem unusual capabilities. Most of them engage in trade in pursuit of profit, while a few are farmers. Exceptional goods of various places are collected in this country. There are three monasteries with over seven hundred monks, all of whom study the teachings of the Hinayana schools. Devatemples amount to over one hundred and have numerous heretics.

Around the great city within a radius of two hundred li,the district is called by the people of the country the Land of Blessedness. I heard some old people say that the five parts of India were formerly ruled separately by two kings. Their territories were adjacent to each other and the two kings carried out mutual invasions in endless wars. Then they agreed to fight a final battle to see who would be the master, so as to establish peace for their subjects. But all the common people bore a grudge against war and would not obey the kings' orders [to fight]. Thinking that it was difficult to discuss the matter with his subjects, the king [of Sthāneśvara] considered that the gods might be able to arouse his people and their power might help him achieve his exploits. There was then a brahman who was known for his high talents. [The king] secretly sent him a roll of silk and invited him to the back chambers of the palace to compose a Dharma book, which was then hidden in a rock cave. After a long lapse of many years, the cave was covered over by the trees growing at the place.

One day at an audience in the morning, the king said to his ministers, "As

a man of no virtue I have unworthily occupied the throne. The Lord of Heaven has favored me with a dream in which he granted me a spiritual book, which is now hidden under a certain peak on a certain mountain. " Then he gave

orders to search for the book and, to the delight of the ministers as well as the pleasure of the common people, the book was found in a forest on a mountain. The contents of the book were made known to all people far and near. It reads briefly as follows:

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The [wheel of] life and death is endless and rotates incessantly without limit. Those who are submerged in the sea of rebirth cannot save themselves. I have a wonderful device to release you from all kinds of suffering. The region two hundred liwide around the royal city is the Land of Blessedness, handed down by former kings from generation to generation, but in the long lapse of time the inscriptions have been obliterated. As the people are not aware of the fact they are sunk in the sea of suffering. What would people say if we failed to rescue those who are being drowned? You people will be reborn among humans if you die fighting your enemies, and if you slaughter many innocent people you will enjoy happiness in heaven. Obedient grandsons and filial sons serving their parents in touring this region will gain infinite blessedness. Why should you lose the chance to obtain much blessedness by performing a small meritorious deed? Once the human body is lost you will suffer in the darkness of the three evil states of rebirth. Therefore every one of you should cultivate good karma. Thereafter all the people practiced the military arts and looked upon death as going home.

The king then ordered that brave and high-spirited warriors be enlisted and in the war that took place between the two counties the numerous corpses of those killed on the battlefield piled up high, so that even now skeletons are scattered about in the wilderness. Because this happened in ancient times the bodies of the fighters were very large in size. This region is known as the Land of Blessedness by tradition of the country.

Four or five lito the northwest of the city is a stupa more than two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka. The bricks are all yellowish-red in color, very lustrous and clean. It contains one shengof the Tathāgata's relic bones, which often emit a light with many divine manifestations.

Going south for over one hundred lifrom the city, I came to Govinda Monastery, which consists of storied pavilions with the ridges of the roofs connected together, and terraces of many tiers standing one higher than another. The monks lead a pure and strict life and comport themselves in a calm and refined manner.

From here going northeast for more than four hundred li,I reached the country of Śrughna (in the domain of Central India). The country of Śrughna is more 108

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than six thousand liin circuit, bordering the Ganges River on the east, with big mountains lying at its back in the north and the Yamunā River flowing through the middle of its territory. The capital city is over twenty liin circuit and borders the Yamunā River on the east. Although the city is in a desolate condition the foundations are still strong. The native products and customs and habits are the same as in the country of Sthāneśvara. The people are honest by nature and believe in heretical theories. They esteem the learning of arts and crafts and advocate the cultivation of blessedness and wisdom. There are five monasteries with over one thousand monks, most of whom study Hinayana teachings, but a few learn the tenets of other schools. They discuss the subtle teachings and deliberate on the abstruse doctrines. Talented scholars of different places come to hold discussions with them in order to resolve their doubts. There are one hundred devatemples with numerous heretics. To the southeast of the great city, outside the eastern gate of a big monastery at the west of the Yamunā River, there is a stupa built by King Aśoka at a place where the Tathāgata once preached the Dharma to convert the people in olden times. Beside it another stupa contains hair and fingernail relics of the Tathāgata. Hair and fingernail relics of Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and other arhats are preserved in several tens of stupas built around here. After the nirvana of the Tathāgata, the country was led astray by heretics and the people abandoned the right views. The five monasteries now in existence were built by foreign śāstramasters who had defeated the heretics and brahmans in debates at the sites where the monasteries were subsequently built. Going east from the Yamunā River for over eight hundred li,I came to the Ganges River, the source of which is three or four liwide flowing southeast to the sea; it is over ten liat its mouth. The water is dark blue in color with great waves rising in it. Although there are many strange monsters [in the river], they do not harm people. The water is sweet and fine grains of sand come down with the current. According to local popular records, this river is known as the Water of Blessedness and one's accumulated sins can be expiated by taking a bath in it. Those who drown themselves in the river will be reborn in heaven to enjoy happiness, and a recently deceased person whose corpse is thrown into the river will not fall into the evil states of existence in his next rebirth. By raising waves and blockading the current the souls of the dead will be saved.

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Deva Bodhisattva of the country of Siṃhala was a man learned in the theory of reality; he understood the nature of all dharmas. Having pity for ignorant people, he came here to enlighten them. At the time when all the people, men and women, old and young, assembled at the banks of the river, raised waves, and blockaded the current, Deva Bodhisattva mingled with them to draw up the water and lowered his head to push the current in the reverse direction, counter to the efforts of the other people. A heretic said to him, "Why are

you doing it in a strange way?" Deva Bodhisattva said,

"My parents and

other kinsfolk are in the country of Siṃhala and I fear that they may be suffering from hunger and thirst. So I am trying to send this water from afar to save them.

" The heretic said,

"You are mistaken. You did not consider the

matter well and behaved erroneously. Your home country is far away, separated [from here] by big mountains and rivers. To agitate the water here with the hope of saving those who are hungry there is like someone who goes backward in order to advance. This is unthinkable !" Deva Bodhisattva said, "If sinners

in the nether world can be benefited by this water, why could it not also save the people separated [from here] by mountains and rivers?" The heretics then realized their fault and acknowledged defeat. They renounced their erroneous views, accepted the right Dharma, corrected their mistakes, and made a fresh start by wishing to listen to the instructions [of Deva Bodhisattva]. Crossing the river to the east bank I reached the country of Matipura (in the domain of Central India). The country of Matipura is more than six thousand liin circuit and its capital city is over twenty liin circuit. It yields rice and wheat and has plenty of flowers and fruit. The climate is temperate and the people are honest by custom. They esteem the learning of arts and crafts and are learned in the art of sorcery. Half of the population believes in heterodox religions and the other half in the right teachings [of Buddhism]. The king is a śūdraby caste who does not believe in the buddha-dharma but worships the devas. There are over ten monasteries with more than eight hundred monks, most of whom study the teachings of the Sarvāstivāda school of Hinayana Buddhism. There are over fifty devatemples where heretics live together. Four or five lito the south of the great city is a small monastery with over fifty monks. Formerly the śāstramaster Guṇaprabha (known as Deguang, "Virtue Light,

" in Chinese) composed at this place the Tattva-satya-śāstra 110

Fascicle IV

and other treatises, totaling over one hundred books. The śāstramaster was eminently smart when he was young and when he had grown up he became an intelligent, vastly learned, and versatile scholar, possessing a good memory and erudite learning. At first Guṇaprabha studied Mahayana teachings but before he could thoroughly understand these profound teachings he came upon the Vibhāṣā-śāstra,and he changed his course of study and devoted himself to learning Hinayana theories. He wrote several tens of treatises to refute the principles of the Mahayana teachings and to promote Hinayana theories. He also wrote several tens of secular books to denounce the classical works written by his predecessors. He pondered the Buddhist scriptures and found more than ten dubious points that he could not solve and despite his studies for a long time his doubts were not resolved. There was then the arhat Devasena (known as Tianjun,

"Heavenly Army,

"

in Chinese), who used to frequent Tuṣita Heaven [where Maitreya Bodhisattva resided]. Guṇaprabha wished to see Maitreya to seek instructions for the solution of his doubts and Devasena brought him to the heavenly palace by his supernatural powers. Upon seeing Maitreya, [Guṇaprabha] would not salute him in the proper way. Devasena said to him,

"Maitreya Bodhisattva

is next only to the Buddha in position. Why are you so conceited as to not worship him? Since you desire to study under his guidance how can you be so unruly toward him?" Guṇaprabha said in reply,

"What you, Venerable Sir,

have said is truly a good admonition but I am a fully ordained bhikṣu,a homeless disciple, while Maitreya Bodhisattva is enjoying the bliss of heaven and is not a renunciant monk. I am afraid that it is unbefitting of me to worship him.

" The bodhisattva, knowing that [Guṇaprabha's] conceited mind was so stubborn that he was not a competent person to hear the Dharma, would not resolve his doubts, even though Guṇaprabha came up to heaven three times. [Guṇa prabha] said to Devasena that he wished to see [Maitreya] Bodhisattva once more so as to worship him but Devasena detested his conceit and contemptuously ignored his request. Having not satisfied his wish, Guṇaprabha retired to a forest, holding a grudge, to practice meditation for the development of supernatural powers but as he did not eliminate his conceit he could not attain sainthood.

Three or four lito the north of Guṇaprabha's monastery there is a big monastery with more than two hundred monks, all of whom study Hinayana 891c

111

892a

The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions

teachings. This is the place where the śāstramaster Saṃghabhadra passed away. A native of the country of Kaśmīra, the śāstramaster was an intelligent and learned man who enjoyed a good reputation from the time of his youth and made a profound study of the Vibhāṣā-śāstraof the Sarvāstivāda school. There was then Vasubandhu Bodhisattva, whose mind was fixed on the abstruse Way, seeking implications beyond words. In order to refute the Vibhā ṣāmasters he composed the Abhidharmakośa-śāstra,a work written in fine and dexterous language that explains the meanings in a pure and sublime manner. When Saṃghabhadra read this work he made up his mind to probe into its contents. After making a profound study of the work for twelve years, he composed the Kośakarakā-śāstrain twenty-five thousand stanzas and eight hundred thousand words. This book consists of words of far-reaching import, seeking the depths of abstruse and subtle theories. He said to his disciples, "With my outstanding competence and correct reasoning, go and refute Vasubandhu to frustrate his sharpness and break the old man's monopoly on eminent fame.

" Three or four of his prominent disciples took Saṃgha bhadra's treatise and went to visit Vasubandhu. At that time Vasubandhu was in Śākula City in the country of Ṭakka. When the news arrived that Saṃghabhadra was coming Vasubandhu packed up his things. His bewildered disciples came forward to remonstrate with him, saying,

"Great Master, your virtue surpasses that of former sages and your unique fame spreads far in the present world. All scholars far and near have great esteem for you. Why are you so alarmed at the news of Saṃghabhadra's arrival? Even if he is coming to humiliate us we will boldly face him.

" Vasubandhu said,

"It is not because I wish to avoid this man that I am going far away. Looking around this country, I find no one skillful and competent enough to decide the case. Saṃghabhadra is a young man, eloquent in debate, while I am advanced in years and could not hold a discussion with him. I wish to defeat his heterodox views with one word and I intend to lure him to Central India to meet venerable and learned scholars who can discern truth from falsehood and find out right and wrong.

" He then asked his companion to carry his bookcase for him and soon started on the long journey. The śāstramaster Saṃghabhadra arrived at the monastery one day after [Vasubandhu's departure] and suddenly found himself short of breath. So he 112

Fascicle IV

wrote a letter of apology to Vasubandhu, in which he said, "After the nirvana

of the Tathāgata his disciples split into different sects and schools, each propagating his own theories in specific ways. They defended those who belonged to their own sects and despised those who were affiliated with other groups. Being an ignorant man of shallow learning, I had the opportunity to pursue knowledge under my teachers and read the Abhidharmakośa-śāstracomposed by you for the refutation of the principles of the Vibhāṣāmasters. I overrated my abilities and worked for many years on a treatise, [the Kośakarakā-śāstra,] with the intention of making it a support for the correct theories. My scheme was great but my wisdom too small, and the time of my death is approaching. You are a bodhisattva who expounds the subtle sayings and propagates the supreme truth. I would be happy if you would not deny what opinions I hold so that my treatise might be preserved. Then I can die without regret. "

He selected some of his disciples who were eloquent in debate and said to them,

"I am really a man of the younger generation and despised the sages of older times. What can I do, if such is my fate? I shall be dying soon. You should take this letter together with my treatise to apologize to that bodhisattva and show repentance on my behalf.

" As soon as he finished these words, he

passed away.

His disciples took the letter and went to Vasubandhu, and said to him, "Our teacher Saṃghabhadra has passed away. He left word for us to send this letter to express his self-reproach and apologize to you for his mistakes, hoping that you would not bring down his reputation, though this may be beyond our expectation.

"

Vasubandhu Bodhisattva read the letter and looked over the treatise for a long while before he spoke to the disciples, saying, "The śāstramaster

Saṃgha bhadra was a young scholar of intelligence. In his treatise the theories are not sufficiently elucidated but his phraseology is sharp enough. If I wish to confute this treatise it would be as easy as pointing at my palm. Considering the he request made on his deathbed, and having noticed the words he spoke after realizing the difficulties in his attempt, I shall comply, out of the principle of righteousness, with his long-cherished ambition; moreover, the views of my school are also expounded in his treatise.

" Then he changed the title of

the treatise to the Nyāyānusāra-śāstra.

113

892b

The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions [Vasubandhu's] disciples remonstrated with him, saying, "Before Saṃgha badra's death, you, a great teacher, went far away from him and now, after having obtained his treatise, you changed its title. How will any of your disciples be able to bear the shame?" In order to clear up their doubt Vasubandhu Bodhisattva uttered the following stanza:

When a king of lions

Runs away from a pig,

The wise should know

Which is the winner in strength.

After Saṃghabhadra's death his body was cremated and his ashes were preserved in a stupa, which is still in existence, built in a mango grove over two hundred paces to the northwest of the monastery. Beside the mango grove there is a stupa containing the remains of śāstra master Vimalamitra (known as Wugouyou,

"Stainless Friend,

" in Chinese).

This śāstramaster was a native of the country of Kaśmīra and became a monk of the Sarvāstivāda school. He was widely learned in various scriptures and studied the treatises of diverse sects, and he traveled throughout the five parts of India to learn the abstruse texts of the Tripiṭaka. After he had gained fame and completed his studies he started on his homeward journey, and on the way he came across the stupa of Saṃghabhadra. He patted the stupa and said with a sigh,

"You, śāstramaster, were a man of magnanimity and eminence and extolled the great teachings. Why did you live such a short life and die at the time when you were just about to defeat the heterodox schools and establish your own sect? I, Vimalamitra, am a man of shallow learning, and although we have lived in different times I admire your righteousness and have always remembered your virtue for many years. Vasubandhu is dead but his theories are still in vogue. I shall exhaust my knowledge to write treatises for all the scholars in Jambudvīpa to efface the fame of the Mahayana teachings and the name of Vasubandhu. This will be an unending task but I shall do my best to fulfill it.

"

After having said these words, [Vimalamitra] suddenly became delirious and five tongues stuck out of his mouth, which oozed hot blood. Knowing that he would surely die he wrote a letter of repentance, saying, "The

Mahayana doctrines are the ultimate truth of the buddha-dharma, which is 114

Fascicle IV

beyond the scope of both conception and substance and has deep and abstruse principles. I have been so imprudent as to denounce an advanced teacher in my ignorance. Karmic retribution is apparent and it is just and right that I should lose my life. I venture to advise my fellow students to consider me as an example. Be careful in making your aspirations and do not cherish doubt. "

At the moment of Vimalamitra's death the earth quaked and a pit formed at the place where he died. His traveling companions cremated his corpse and collected the ashes, over which a memorial was built. At that time an arhat witnessed the event and said with a sigh,

"What a pity, how sorrowful

it is! This śāstramaster waywardly grasped his own views and vilified the Mahayana doctrines, and he fell into the hell of incessant suffering. "

In the northwest of this country of [Matipura], on the east bank of the Ganges, is the city of Mayūra, which is more than twenty liin circuit and has a dense population; there are many watercourses that interflow with one another. It produces brass, crystal, and valuable articles. Not far away from the city on the bank of the Ganges River is a great devatemple with many miraculous manifestations. Inside the shrine compound is a pond whose banks are inlaid with slabs of stone. Water is diverted from the Ganges to replenish the pond. People from all the five parts of India call it the Gate of the Ganges and it is a place to perform meritorious deeds and expiate sins. There are always hundreds and thousands of people flocking from afar to bathe themselves in the pond. Philanthropic kings have constructed almshouses to provide isolated, solitary, and needy people with free food and medical service. From here going north for more than three hundred li,I reached the country of Brahmapura (in the domain of North India). The country of Brahmapura, which is over four thousand liin circuit, is surrounded by mountains on all four sides and the capital city is more than twenty liin circuit. It is densely populated and the inhabitants are rich and prosperous. The land is fertile and crops are sown and reaped in a timely manner. It yields brass and crystal and the climate is somewhat cold. The people are rude and violent by custom and few of them learn arts and crafts; the majority engages in business to gain profits. They believe in both heterodox and orthodox teachings. There are five monasteries with a few monks, and more than ten devatemples with heretics living together.

115

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The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions

In the Great Snow Mountains to the north of this country is the country of Suvarṇagotra (known as Jinshi,

"Gold Clan,

" in Chinese). It produces

gold of the best quality, hence the name of the country. It is long from east to west and narrow from south to north. This is what is known as the Eastern Woman's Country, as it is has been ruled from generation to generation by a woman. Her husband is the king but he does not administer state affairs. The men's only duties are is to serve in the army and cultivate the fields. The soil is good for growing winter wheat and many sheep and horses are reared. The climate is severely cold and the people are violent by nature. In the east it borders the country of Tubo, in the north it adjoins the country of Khotan, and in the west it abuts the country of Sanbohe.

Going from Matipura to the southeast for more than four hundred li,I reached the country of Goviṣāṇa (in the domain of Central India). The country of Goviṣāṇa is over two thousand liin circuit and the capital city is fourteen or fifteen liin circuit. Lofty mountains serve as impregnable barriers to the city and the inhabitants are rich and prosperous. Flowery woods and ponds and pools are to be seen everywhere, one after the other. The climate and natural products are the same as in the country of Matipura. The people are sincere and honest by custom and they are assiduous in learning and fond of doing meritorious works. Most of them believe in heterodox teachings, seeking happiness in the present life. There are two monasteries with over one hundred monks, all of whom study the Hinayana teachings. There are more than thirty devatemples where heretics live together.

In an old monastery beside the capital city there is a stupa more than two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka. Formerly the Tathāgata once preached on the various principles of the Dharma at this place for one month. Beside it there are traces where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down. Alongside the traces there are two stupas, each over ten feet high, containing hair and fingernail relics of the Tathāgata. Going from here to the southeast for more than four hundred li,I reached the country of Ahicchattra (in the domain of Central India). The country of Ahicchattra is more than three thousand liin circuit and the capital city, which is built upon strongly fortified positions, is seventeen or eighteen li in circuit. The country produces rice and wheat and has many woods and 116

Fascicle IV

springs. The climate is mild and pleasant and the people are sincere and honest by custom. They take delight in studying the Way and are diligent in learning, and they possess much talent and extensive knowledge. There are over ten monasteries with more than one thousand monks, who study the teachings of the Saṃmitīya sect of the Hinayana school. There are nine deva temples with more than three hundred followers who are worshipers of Īśvara and smear themselves with ashes.

Beside a dragon pond outside the city there is a stupa built by King Aśoka. Formerly the Tathāgata preached the Dharma for the dragon of this place for seven days. Beside it there are four smaller stupas built at places where the four past buddhas sat and walked up and down.

From here going east for two hundred sixty or seventy liand crossing the Ganges River to the south, I reached the country of Vilaśāṇa (in the domain of Central India). The country of Vilaśāṇa is more than two thousand liin circuit and the capital city is over ten liin circuit. The climate and natural products are the same as in the country of Ahicchattra. The people are fierce and violent by custom but they have an inclination for learning. They believe in heretical theories; only a few of them venerate the buddha-dharma. There are two monasteries with three hundred monks, all of whom study Mahayana teachings. There are five devatemples, and heretics live together. In an old monastery inside the capital city there is a stupa whose base, though dilapidated, remains over one hundred feet in height. It was built by King Aśoka at the place where the Tathāgata preached the Skandha-dhātuāyatana-sūtrafor seven days. Beside it are traces where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down.

From here going southeast for more than two hundred li,I reached the country of Kapitha (formerly known as the country of Sengjiashe, in the domain of Central India). The country of Kapitha is more than two thousand liin circuit and the capital city is over twenty liin circuit. The climate and natural products are the same as in the country of Vilaśāṇa. The people are honest and amiable by custom and most of them learn handicrafts. There are four monasteries with over one thousand monks, all of whom study the teachings of the Samṃitīya sect of the Hinayana school. There are ten devatemples where heretics live together, all of whom serve and worship Īśvara. 893a

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The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions

Over twenty lito the west of the city there is a large, beautifully constructed monastery consisting of many lofty and spacious buildings adorned with exquisite carvings. The holy images and statues are made in a most stately manner. There are several hundred monks who study the teachings of the Saṃmitīya sect; several myriads of laypeople, attendants of the monks, live in their houses beside the monastery.

Inside the great wall of the monastery there are three stairways [made of precious substances] standing in a row from south to north and sloping down to the east. This was the place where the Tathāgata descended from Trayastriṃśa Heaven and returned to earth. Formerly the Tathāgata set out from Jetavana Garden and ascended to Devapura (the residence of Indra); he stayed in the Hall of the Good Dharma, where he preached the Dharma for his mother. At the end of three months he wished to descend, so Indra employed his divine power to construct the stairways. The middle flight of stairs was made of gold, the left one of crystal, and the right one of silver. The Tathāgata started from the Hall of the Good Dharma and, accompanied by a multitude of heavenly beings, he walked down the middle flight of stairs. Brahmā, holding a white fly-whisk, walked down the silver stairs, attending the Buddha at his right, while Indra, carrying a precious canopy, walked down the crystal stairs, attending the Buddha at his left. The multitude of heavenly beings flying high in the air scattered flowers and praised the virtues of the Buddha. A few hundred years ago the stairways were still there but they have now completely sunk down. The kings of various countries, regretting that they had not seen the holy structures, piled up bricks and stones on the old base, ornamented with gems and jewels, to the height of seventy feet to imitate the original precious stairways. A shrine room was built on top with a stone image of the Buddha installed in it, while on the left and right flights of stairs there are the statues of Indra and Brahmā respectively, in the forms of their original postures, as if they were walking down. Beside the stairs is a stone pillar more than seventy feet high erected by King Aśoka. Dark purple in color, it is made of lustrous hard stone with a fine grain and on top there is a carved lion crouching and facing toward the stairs. On the surface all around the pillar various kinds of strange figures are carved, which appear in a shadowy way to viewers according to their good or evil deeds. 118

Fascicle IV

Not far away from the precious stairs is a stupa built at a place where the four past buddhas sat and walked up and down, and besuide it is another stupa built at a place where the Tathāgata bathed. The temple beside the stupa was built where the Tathāgata sat in meditation. Beside the temple there is a great stone terrace, fifty paces long and seven feet high, at the place where the Tathāgata walked up and down. The footprints have the shapes of lotus flowers. On the left and right sides of the terrace there are two small stupas, one built by Indra and the other by Brahmā.

In front of the stupas built by Indra and Brahmā is the place where the bhikṣuṇīUtpalavarṇā, wishing to be the first one to see the Buddha, appeared in the form of a universal monarch (cakravartin). When the Tathāgata returned from Devapura to Jambudvīpa, Subhūti (known as Shanxian, "Good Manifestation,

" in Chinese, formerly transcribed as Xufuti or Xuputi and translated as "Good Auspices,

" all erroneously) was sitting in meditation in a cave. He reflected,

"Now the Buddha, attended by human and heavenly beings, is returning to earth. Being such as I am, what should I do? I have heard the Buddha say that knowing the emptiness of all things and understanding the nature of all things are to see the Buddha's spiritual body with the eye of wisdom. "

At that time the bhikṣuṇīUtpalavarṇā, wishing to be the first to see the Buddha, appeared in the form of a universal monarch accompanied by attendants holding the seven kinds of precious objects and guarded by the four divisions of troops. When she came to the place of the Tathāgata she resumed the form of a bhikṣuṇī.The Tathāgata told her,

"You are not the first person

to see me. Subhūti, who has insight into the emptiness of all things, has already seen my spiritual body.

"

Within the enclosure of the holy traces divine manifestations occurred in succession. To the southeast of the great stupa there is a pond in which a dragon always protected the holy traces, and under its divine protection they were not easily violated. The stup and pond became dilapidated through erosion over time but no human effort could destroy them. From here going southeast for less than two hundred li,I reached the country of Kanyākubja (known as Qunüchengguo,

"Country of Hunchbacked Maidens,

"

in the domain of Central India).

End of Fascicle IV of The Great Tang Dynasty

Record of the Western Regions

119

Fascicle 5: Six Countries, from Kanyākubja to Viṣaka

Fascicle V

Six Countries, from Kanyākubja

to Viṣaka

1. The Country of Kanyākubja 2. The Country of Ayodhyā 3. The Country of Ayamukha 4. The Country of Prayāga 5. The Country of Kauśāmbī

6. The Country of Viṣaka

The country of Kanyākubja is more than four thousand liin circuit and the capital city, with the Ganges River at the west, is over twenty liin length and four or five liin breadth. The city wall and moat are strongly built and terraces and pavilions are to be seen everywhere. Flowery woods are brilliant in color and the ponds are filled with transparent water, like a mirror. Rare goods of different places are collected here. The inhabitants live happily in abundance and their families are rich and prosperous. There are many kinds of flowers and fruit and crops are sown and reaped in good time. The climate is mild and pleasant and the people are simple and honest by custom. Their features are handsome and graceful and their clothes and adornments are bright and resplendent. They earnestly study arts and literature and talk in a lucid and far-sighted manner. Heterodoxy and orthodoxy are each each by half of the population and both Mahayana and Hinayana teachings are studied by the people. There are more than two hundred devatemples with several thousand heretics.

In the age when the human life span was very long, the old capital city of the country of Kanyākubja was called Kusumapura (known as Huagong, "Flowery Palace,

" in Chinese). The king, named Brahmadatta, was a person endowed with both bliss and wisdom; he was well versed in literature and the arts of war. His prestige kept Jambudvīpa in awe of him and his renown spread to the neighboring countries. He had one thousand sons, all of whom possessed the qualities of wisdom and bravery as well as magnanimity and resoluteness. He also had one thousand daughters who were beautiful in features and had refined manners. 121

893c

894a

The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions There was then a ṛṣi(sage) who lived by the banks of the Ganges. He concentrated his mind in meditation for several myriads of years and his form became like that of a dried-up tree. Some migratory birds alighted upon him and dropped a fruit of the nyagrodha(banyan) tree on his shoulder. With the passage of many hot and cold seasons the fruit grew into a big tree with branches growing downward to form a vault. After many years the ṛṣirose from his meditation and wished to shake off the tree but he feared that he might overturn the nests of the birds. The people appreciated his virtue and called him the Ṛṣi of the Big Tree.

One day, as the ṛṣiwas enjoying the view of the riverside, he made a pleasure trip into the dense wood, where he saw the king's daughters playing and frolicking merrily. His sexual passion was aroused and his mind became stained. So he went to Kusumapura to ask to marry one of the king's daughters. On hearing of the ṛṣi's arrival, the king received him in person and greeted him, saying,

"As Your Reverence lives outside the scope of the human world, why do you condescend to pay me a visit?" The ṛṣisaid, "I have lived in the

woods and near the lakes for many long years. When I came out of meditation I made a pleasure trip and saw your daughters, and a mind of contamination has arisen in me. I have come from afar to propose marriage. " On hearing

these words the king did not know what to do and said to the ṛṣi, "Return to

your place and wait for an auspicious time.

" Heeding the king's order, the

ṛṣiwent back to the woods.

The king then consulted with his daughters about the matter but none of them would consent to accept the offer. Fearing the ṛṣi's divine power, he became heavy-hearted and weighed down with worry. One day when the king was at leisure, his youngest daughter calmly asked him, "Father, you

have a thousand sons and you are admired by all countries. Why do you look so worried as if you have fear in your mind?" The king said, "The Ṛṣi

of the Big Tree has come to propose marriage but none of your sisters consented to be married to him. The ṛṣihas divine power and could cause either disaster or bliss. If I cannot fulfill his desire he will certainly become angry with me and destroy our country and terminate our ancestral line, causing insult to our forefathers. This is why I am deeply worried; this is really my fear.

" The king's youngest daughter said apologetically, "It is our sin to

have caused you such deep worry. I wish to offer my humble self to lengthen 122

Fascicle V

the transmission of the royal line.

" The king was delighted to hear this and ordered a carriage to take his youngest daughter to her [new] home. Upon arriving at the ṛṣi's hermitage the king apologized to him,saying, "Great Ṛṣi, you comply with supramundane sentiments and you also stoop to care for worldly affection. I venture to offer my youngest daughter to be at your service.

" The ṛṣi,displeased at the sight of the girl, said to the king, "You must despise me as an old man to give me such an ill-looking girl in marriage.

" The king said,

"I have asked all my other daughters but none of them would obey my order. Only this youngest one consented to serve you. "

The ṛṣiwas enraged and called down evil on the king's other daughters, saying,

"Let all ninety-nine (sic) girls immediately become hunchbacked! With their disfigured shapes let them remain unmarried their whole lives long!" The king's messenger went back to check the efficacy of the curse and found that the girls had actually become hunchbacked. Thereafter the place was called the City of Hunchbacked Maidens. The present king, named Harṣavardhana (known as Xizeng, "Increment

of Happiness"), is a descendant of the vaiśyacaste. His family had three kings that ruled over the country for two generations. His father was named Pra bhā karavardhana (known as Guangzeng, "Increment of Light") and his

elder brother was Rājyavardhana (known as Wangzeng, "Increment of the

Kingdom"). As Rājyavardhana was the senior prince he succeeded to the throne and administered state affairs in a virtuous manner. At that time, King Śaśāṅka (known as Yue,

"Moon,

" in Chinese) of the country of Karṇasuvarṇa (known as Jiner,

"Golden Ear,

" in Chinese) in East India often said to his ministers,

"A sagacious king in a neighboring country might be the cause of disaster to our own country.

" So he lured Rājyavardhana to his country and murdered him. Since the people lost their lord the country of [Kanyākubja] fell into a chaos.

At that time, the minister Bhaṇḍi, a man of high position and good repute, said to his colleagues,

"Today we should make a decision about a matter of fundamental importance for the nation. The son of the former king and younger brother of the late monarch is a kind and benevolent man who has filial piety toward his parents and an affectionate mind; he respects the sages and treats his subordinates with equality. I wish to propose him for the throne. What do you think of this? Please state your views. " The ministers all admired

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The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions

894b

the virtue of the late king's younger brother and had no objection to him. Thus the assistant ministers and other officials exhorted him to be king, saying,

"May the prince listen to us. By accumulating merits and cultivating virtues the former king possessed the throne and ruled over the country extensively. When the throne was handed down to Rājyavardhana he should have lived to an old age, but due to the incapability of his assistant ministers he was killed by his enemy. This is a great shame to our country and it is also the fault of the humble ministers. Current public opinion and folk rhymes say that you, a sagacious prince, should succeed to the throne in order to avenge your deceased brother and wipe out the national humiliation, as well as glorify the deeds of your father. This is really a great exploit, so we hope you will not decline the offer.

"

The prince said,

"From ancient times up to the present it has always been an important affair for one to succeed to the throne, so we should be prudent in establishing a man in the position of a monarch. I am indeed poor in virtue and both my father and my elder brother have departed. Although you recommend me to succeed to the throne, do you think I am a competent candidate for the position? Despite public opinion I dare not forget my own unsubstantiality and shallowness. Now, on the bank of the Ganges River there is an image of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva that has shown many spiritual manifestations. I wish to go there to consult the oracle of the bodhisattva. " So he

went to the image of the bodhisattva and prayed before it after having observed the appropriate fast. Mmoved by his sincerity, the bodhisattva revealed his true features and inquired of him,

"For what do you seek with such sincerity

and earnestness?" The prince said,

"My accumulated ill fortune caused the

death of my father and the murder of my elder brother was a heavy punishment inflicted upon me. I am aware of my own lack of virtue but the people wish to elect me to succeed to the throne to glorify the deeds of my departed father. Being ignorant of what to do, I hope to hear your holy mandate. " The bodhisattva told him,

"In your previous life you were a forest-dwelling bhikṣuin this wood and practiced the Way diligently. By the power of this meritorious action you are now a prince in this life. Since the king of the country of Karṇasuvarṇa destroyed the buddha-dharma you should ascend the throne to work for its revival. With a mind of great compassion and sympathy for the people you will soon become king of all the five parts of India. If you 124

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wish to prolong the sovereignty of your country you should follow my advice, and then you will be blessed by the gods and have no powerful enemy in neighboring countries. You should not ascend the lion seat nor should you assume the title of king.

" With this instruction the prince left the image and

ascended the throne with the appellation of prince and the name Śīlāditya (known as Jieri,

"Sun of Morality").

Prince Śīlāditya said to his ministers,

"For as long as my elder brother is

not avenged and neighboring countries have not pledged allegiance to me, I will not take food with my right hand. I hope you court officials will work together with one heart.

" Then he took command of all his troops in the

whole country and trained the fighters, who consisted of five thousand elephant-mounted soldiers, twenty thousand cavalrymen, and fifty thousand infantrymen. He marched from west to east to attack those who refused to acknowledge allegiance to him. With his elephants unreleased and his men fully armed, for six years he subjugated all the five parts of India. He not only expanded his territory but also enlarged his military forces, having increased his elephant corps to sixty thousand men and his cavalrymen to one hundred thousand strong.

For thirty years no weapon was raised for fighting and the prince administered the country in peace and practiced frugality. He sought blessedness and performed good deeds so sedulously that he forgot about eating and sleeping. He ordered that within the five parts of India no was allowed to eat meat and if anyone killed any living creature the culprit would be executed without pardon. Alongside the Ganges River he built several thousand stupas, each over one hundred feet high. Temples were constructed in towns and villages and at thoroughfares and crossroads in the five parts of India, where food and drink were stored and medicines laid in to be distributed as alms to wayfarers and the poor, without negligence. Monasteries were constructed at sacred sites and once every five years a great congregation was convened, in which everything in the royal treasury, except weaponry, was given away as alms. Every year śramaṇas of different countries were invited to attend a meeting for twenty-one days, during which time they were provided with the four monastic requisites, and seats were prepared on well-decorated mats so that they might carry out debates and arguments about the teachings of Buddhism, to see who was superior and who inferior in learning. The good 125

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If the lords and their assistant ministers of the small neighboring countries performed meritorious deeds tirelessly and sought goodness without weariness, the king would take them by the hand to sit together with him and call them "good friends.

" He never spoke to those kings who were different in character, and if a negotiation was required to settle a matter an envoy was sent to deal with it. Whenever he went on an inspection tour he would not stay at any one place but would have a hut made for his lodging wherever he stopped on the way. During the three months of the rainy season he would not travel about because of the rain. At his temporary residence he always had delicious food prepared every day to feed one thousand monks of different schools and five hundred brahmans. He always divided a day into three periods: one was spent attending to state affairs and two were devoted to performing meritorious deeds and doing good work. He lived assiduously and the day was too short for him.

At first I was invited by King Kumāra to proceed from the country of Magadha to the country of Kāmarūpa. At that time King Śīlāditya was making an inspection tour in the country of Kajuṅghira, and he sent an order to King Kumāra, saying,

"It befits you to come promptly with the śramaṇa,a guest from a distant land, to Nālandā, to attend an assembly. " Thus I went together

with King Kumāra to meet him. After exchanging greetings, King Śīlāditya inquired of me,

"Which country do you come from? What is the purpose of your journey?" I said in reply,

"I come from the country of Great Tang to

seek the buddha-dharma.

" The king said,

"Where is the country of Great

Tang located, by what route did you travel, and how far is it from here?" I replied,

"It is situated to the northeast at a distance of several myriads of li, and it is the country known in India as Mahācīna.

"

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The king remarked,

"I have heard that in the country of Mahācīna the

Prince of Qin has been an intelligent man since his youth, and that now that he has grown up he is a man of unusual bravery. The generation before his was a time of chaos and the country disintegrated. Wars were waged one after another, causing the people to suffer bitterly. But the Prince of Qin, who was far-sighted from an early age, cherished the mind of great compassion to save living beings and he restored order in his country. His moral influence spread widely and his beneficence extended far. People of different localities and regions admire him and serve him as his subjects. Out of gratitude for his edification and maintenance, all the common people chant the Music of Prince Qin

'

s Victoryin praise of him. It has been a long time since we heard this elegant eulogy bestowed on him. Is the good repute heaped on him for his great virtue true to the facts? Is such the actual condition of the country of Great Tang?" I said in reply,

"Yes. Cīna is the name of the country [now

and] during the reign of the former king, while Great Tang is the national title of the reigning sovereign. Before his accession to the throne he was called the Prince of Qin, and after ascending the throne he is now entitled the Son of Heaven. When the fortune of the previous monarch came to an end the people lost their lord and the country fell into a chaos caused by war and cruel harm and injuries were inflicted on the people. The Prince of Qin, endowed with innate ambition, had the mind of compassion and by exerting the influence of his prestige he annihilated all his enemies. Peace prevailed over all the eight quarters and various countries presented tributes. He loves and tends creatures of the four kinds of birth and respects the Triple Gem with veneration. He has reduced taxation and mitigated penalties yet he has surplus funds in the state treasury, and no one attempts to violate the law. Concerning his moral influence and his profound edification of the people, it is difficult for me to narrate all of this in detail. " King Śīlāditya remarked,

"How grand it is! The people of that land have performed good deeds that caused them to have a saintly lord.

"

When King Śīlāditya was about to return to the city of Kanyākubja to convoke a religious assembly, hundreds of thousands of his followers gathered on the southern bank of the Ganges, while King Kumāra, followed by a multitude of tens of thousands of people, was on the northern bank of the river. 127

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Divided by the stream, the two retinue groups proceeded by land and water simultaneously, with the two kings leading their four divisions of troops, who sailed in boats and rode elephants, beating drums and blowing conches, plucking strings and playing pipes. After traveling for ninety days they reached the city of Kanyākubja. In a great flowery wood to the west of the Ganges more than twenty kings of various countries, who had been informed beforehand, came with intelligent śramaṇas and brahmans as well as officials and soldiers of their respective countries to attend the great assembly. King [Śīlāditya] had previously constructed a large monastery on the west bank of the river, with a precious terrace erected at the east to the height of over one hundred feet, on which was placed a golden image of the Buddha of the same size as the king. At the south of the terrace was erected a precious altar, which was the place for bathing the Buddha's image. At a distance of fourteen or fifteen lito the northeast from here a temporary palace was built. It was in the second month of spring, and from the first day up to the twentyfirst of the month the śramaṇas and brahmans were feted with delicious food. From the temporary palace up to the monastery pavilions adorned with countless jewels were erected along the road on both sides, and musicians standing motionless performed elegant music uninterruptedly. From the temporary palace the king, with a concentrated mind, took out a dimly visible golden image that was more than three feet tall. It was carried on a big elephant screened by a precious curtain. King Śīlāditya, dressed as Indra, held a precious canopy and attended on the left side, while King Kumāra, dressed as Brahmā, carried a white fly-whisk and attended on the right side. On each side there were five hundred elephant-mounted soldiers, clad in armor and guarding the buddha image before and behind, and on each side were one hundred elephants that carried musicians to perform music. As he walked King Śīlāditya scattered pearls and miscellaneous jewels, as well as pieces of gold and silver and flowers as offerings to the Triple Gem. He first bathed the image with perfumed water on the precious altar. Then the king personally carried the image to the west terrace and offered hundreds and thousands of jewels and gems and pieces of kauśeyacloth to it. At that time there were only about twenty śramaṇas participating in the function with the king, while the kings of other countries acted as attendant guards. After the meal was over the monks of different schools assembled to discuss the subtle theories 128

Fascicle V

and deliberate on the ultimate truth. When the sun was about to set the king returned to the temporary palace. In this manner the golden image was taken out every day in the same kind of procession as on the first day, until the convocation was dispersed.

Sudenly the great terrace caught fire and the monastery and its entrance arch were set ablaze. The king said,

"I have spent all the valuables of the

national treasury to construct this monastery in the name of my late father in order to glorify his superior deeds. Owing to my lack of virtue I could not evoke spiritual protection but caused this calamity. Unlucky man that I am, what use is it for me to live any longer?" Then he burned incense to worship [the Buddha] and made a pledge, saying,

"Due to my good deeds in the past

I became a king ruling over all parts of India. May the power of my blessedness extinguish this disastrous conflagration. If no spiritual response arises I will give up my life right now.

" While saying this, he jumped down and landed

on the doorsill. The fire was immediately extinguished, just as if someone had put it out, and the smoke vanished. The various kings, witnessing this strange event, felt increased awe and respect for him. Without changing his countenance and speaking in his normal tone, King Śīlādityainquired of the various kings,

"What would you think if this disaster had actually consumed all that I had achieved?" The kings prostrated themselves on the ground, weeping piteously, and said, "We expected that this superior site achieved by you

would be handed down to posterity. If it had been completely consumed nothing else would have been memorable. Only the heretics would have felt delighted and rejoiced over the disaster.

" The king said,

"In view of this accident, what the Tathāgata has taught is true. The heretical and heterodox schools persist in the view of permanence but our great teacher alone inculcated the theory of impermanence. I have given in alms what I could afford, to my mind's satisfaction. But all of this is transient and destructible and it proves the truth as taught by the Tathāgata. [The accident] is a great beneficence and there is no reason to be deeply regretful about it.

"

He the followed the various kings and went up to the great stupa in the east to have a view of the scenery. When he was descending the steps after having viewed the environs, a stranger suddenly appeared and attempted to attack him with a knife. The king, cornered by the assailant, retreated to a higher step and, bending down backward he got ahold of the man and handed 895c

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him over to his officials. At that time the officials were so alarmed with fright that they failed to come to the king's rescue. The various kings demanded that the man be put to death but King Śīlāditya, without any resentment, ordered that he not be killed and personally interrogated him, asking, "What

wrong did I do to you that you attempted to commit such a violent atrocity?" The man said in reply,

"Your Majesty's virtuous benevolence is impartial

and all people, both in your country and abroad, are the recipients of your beneficence. I am a wild idiot who does not know what is of great importance. At the instigation in one word from the heretics I acted as an assassin and attempted to murder you.

" The king said,

"Why did the heretics cherish such

an evil intention?" In reply, the man said,

"Your Majesty assembled [the śramaṇas] of different countries, emptied the treasury for their maintenance, and cast images of the Buddha, while the heretics summoned from distant places were not properly cared for. Thus they felt humiliated and ordered me, a wild idiot, to commit this malicious act in a deceitful way. " Through

further investigation into the heretical adherents it was found that five hundred brahmans and other people of high talent who were assembled under the king's order felt envious of the hospitality and veneration enjoyed by the śramaṇas and they had shot a burning arrow to set fire to the precious terrace in the hope of murdering the great king amid the turmoil of people trying to put out the fire. As [the plot had not succeeded] they hired this man to carry out the assassination at a strategic point. At that time the various kings and ministers proposed to put the heretics to death but the king punished only the chief criminals, while the rest of the party were pardoned and the five hundred brahmans were banished from the domain of India. Afterward the king returned to his capital city.

The stupa at the northwest of the city was constructed by King Aśoka at the site where the Tathāgata had once spoken on various wonderful doctrines for seven days. Beside it were places where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down. There is also a small stupa containing hair and nail relics of the Tathāgata. The stupa built at the place where the Tathāgata preached the Dharma faces the Ganges River on the south. There are three monasteries built in one enclosure, with separate entrances. The images of the Buddha are magnificent and beautiful and the monks are quiet and austere. There are several thousand families of monastic servitors. In a precious casket 130

Fascicle V

in the temple there is a tooth relic of the Buddha, about one and a half inches long, with a special luster that changes color between morning and evening. Hundreds and thousands of people, both officials and commoners, come every day from far and near to see it and pay homage to it. Its guardians, who did not like the din and hubbub caused by the crowd, started demanding a heavy entrance fee from the worshipers and announced far and near that those who wished to see the Buddha's tooth relic would have to pay a large amount of money. Worshipers were displeased with these monks, thinking that they delighted in collecting money in the form of the entrance fee. On each fast day the relic was exposed on a high cushion and hundreds and thousands of people burned incense and scattered flowers. No matter how many flowers were piled up high [before it], the relic casket was never covered over. At each side and in front of the monasteries there is a temple more than one hundred feet high built with brick on stone bases. The buddha images in them, cast either in gold and silver or brass, were adorned with various kinds of gems. In front of each of the two temples there is a small monastery. Not far to the southeast of the monasteries there is a large temple more than two hundred feet high built out of brick on stone bases, housing a standing statue of the Buddha over thirty feet tall, which was cast in brass and adorned with various kinds of gems. On the stone walls of the temple there are carvings depicting in full detail the acts of the Tathāgata when he was practicing the way of a bodhisattva. Not far to the south of the stone temple is a temple of Sūrya (the sun god), and not far further to the south there is another temple dedicated to Maheśvara (Śiva), both of which were built with bluestone and fully carved with sculptures. They are the same size as the Buddhist temple and each has one thousand families to serve as scavengers to keep the place clean. Music from drums and voices is performed day and night without cease. At a distance of six or seven lito the southeast of the great city there is a stupa over two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka at the site where the Tathāgata once preached on the doctrine that the physical body is impermanent, sorrowful, empty, and impure. Beside it is a site where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down. There is also a small stupa containing hair and nail relics of the Tathāgata. Anyone who suffers from an illness can surely be cured and benefited if he or she circumambulates the stupa with a pious mind.

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Going southeast from the great city for more than one hundred li,I reached the city of Navadevakula, which is situated on the eastern bank of the Ganges River and is over twenty liin circuit, with and pure ponds surrounded by flowery woods that are reflected in the water. To the northwest of the city of Navadevakula at the east of the Ganges is a devatemple consisting of storied pavilions and multitiered terraces, which were exquisitely constructed. Five lito the east of the city there are three monasteries built in one enclosure but with separate gates. There are over five hundred monks, all of whom study the teachings of the Hinayana Sarvāstivāda school. More than two hundred paces in front of the monasteries there is a stupa built by King Aśoka. Although the foundations have collapsed the structure is still more than one hundred feet high. It was built at the site where the Tathāgata preached the Dharma for seven days. In the monasteries there is a piece of a śarīra(relic) that emits a light from time to time. Beside them are places where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down. Three or four lito the north of the monasteries and on the bank of the Ganges is a stupa more than two hundred feet high that was built by King Aśoka at the site where the Tathāgata preached the Dharma for seven days. Five hundred hungry ghosts then came to the Buddha and became awakened after hearing the Dharma; having been released from the realm of hungry ghosts they were reborn in the heavens. Beside the stupa at the place where the Buddha preached the Dharma is a site where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down. Beside it is a stupa containing the Tathāgata's hair and nail relics. From here going to the southeast for over six hundred li,I crossed the Ganges to the south and reached the country of Ayodhyā (in the domain of Central India). The country of Ayodhyā is more than five thousand liin circuit and its capital city is over twenty liin circuit. This country abounds in cereal crops and has plenty of flowers and fruit. The climate is mild and the people are benign by custom. They have an inclination for performing meritorious deeds and are diligent in learning the arts and crafts. There are more than one hundred monasteries with over three thousand monks, who study both Mahayana and Hinayana doctrines. There are ten devatemples with a few heretics. In the great city there is an old monastery that was the place where Vasubandhu Bodhisattva (known as Shiqin in Chinese, and formerly called 132

Fascicle V

Poshubandu, wrongly translated as "Heavenly Kinsman") spent several decades composing various treatises on both Mahayana and Hinayana doctrines. The old foundations beside it are the ruins of a hall in which Vasubandhu Bodhisattva expounded Buddhist theories and spoke on the Dharma for the kings of different countries, as well as for prominent śramaṇas and brahmans coming from the four quarters.

Four or five lito the north of the city, in a great monastery on the bank of the Ganges is a stupa over two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka, marking the place where the Tathāgata spoke on the various wonderful doctrines to heavenly and human beings for three months. The stupa beside it marks a place where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down. Four or five lito the west of the monastery is a stupa containing the Tathāgata's hair and nail relics. To the north of the stupa containing hair and nail relics are the ruins of a monastery in which the śāstramaster Śrīlabdha (known as Shengshou,

"Received in Victory,

" in Chinese) of yore composed the Vi bhāṣā-śāstraof the Sautrāntika school. In a great mango grove five or six lito the southwest of the city there is an old monastery where Asaṅga Bodhisattva (known as Wushuo, "No Attachment,

"

in Chinese) received instructions and guided the common people. At night he ascended to the place of Maitreya Bodhisattva in [Tuṣita] Heaven to learn the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra,the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra-śāstra,the Madhyānta vibhāga-śāstra,[and other texts]; in the daytime he lectured on the marvelous principles to a large audience. More than one hundred paces to the northwest of the mango grove is a stupa containing hair and nail relics of the Tathāgata. The old foundations beside it mark the place where Vasu bandhu Bodhisattva descended from Tuṣita Heaven to see Asaṅga Bodhisattva. Asaṅga Bodhisattva, a native of the country of Gandhāra, was a man of virtue born one thousand years after the demise of the Buddha and realized the Way after receiving edification. He became a monk of the Mahīśāsaka school to learn its teachings, but soon afterward he turned his mind toward the Mahayana doctrines. His younger brother, Vasubandhu Bodhisattva, became a monk of the Sarvāstivāda school to receive an education. He was a man of wide learning with a retentive memory, and he possessed comprehensive knowledge and probed into its essence. Asaṅga's disciple Buddhasiṃha 896c

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"Buddha Lion") was a monk who observed the disciplinary rules immaculately and was well known for his high talents. These two or three sagely persons often said among themselves that since the purpose of their spiritual cultivation was to see Maitreya in person [in their next rebirth], whoever among them died first and fulfilled his long-cherished wish should come back to inform the others where he had been reborn. Buddha siṃha died first but he did not come back to report his whereabouts for three years. Later Vasubandhu passed away but he too did not report back after six months. The heretics sneered at them, deeming that Vasubandhu Bodhi sattva and Buddhasiṃha had been reborn in an evil state and so they could not show any spiritual response.

Asaṅga Bodhisattva was instructing his disciples in the methods of practicing meditation one night when the lamplight suddenly faded out and a great brightness appeared in the sky. A heavenly being descended from the air and entered the courtyard to worship Asaṅga, who asked him, "Why do

you come so late? What is your name now?" [The heavenly being] said in reply,

"After my death here I repaired to Tuṣita Heaven, where I was born from a lotus flower in the inner department of the heaven. When the lotus flower opened Maitreya said to me with praise,

'Welcome, Guanghui ("Vast

Wisdom")! Welcome, Guanghui!' As soon as I had just finished circumambulating him once, I descended to report this to you. " Asaṅga Bodhisattva

asked,

"Where is Buddhasiṃha now?" The reply was,

"When I was circumambulating [Maitreya] I saw Buddhasiṃha in the outer department indulging himself in sensual pleasures, and he was so busy that he had scarcely any time to look at me, nmuch less come down to report to you!" Asaṅga Bodhisattva said, "Let it be so. Now what does Maitreya look like? What Dharma does he preach?" The reply was,

"His features are so beautiful that they are

beyond description. He preached on the wonderful Dharma, of which the purports were the same as you have explained here. The bodhisattva has a melodious voice, so fluent and elegant that those who hear it forget about fatigue and his students never feel bored.

"

More than forty lito the northwest of the old foundations of Asaṅga's lecture hall I came to an old monastery with the Ganges River at its north, where there is a brick stupa over one hundred feet high. This was the place where Vasubandhu Bodhisattva began to cherish a mind to accept the Mahayana 134

Fascicle V

teachings. When he was traveling here from North India Asaṅga Bodhisattva sent a disciple to greet him at the midway point, and it was at this monastery where they met each other. Asaṅga's disciple stayed outside the house and at night he recited the Daśabhūmi-sūtra. Upon hearing the recitation Vasubandhu became awakened and repented that he had not before heard the very profound and wonderful Dharma. Thinking that the source of the fault of slander is the tongue, he intended to cut off [his own tongue]. As he grasped a scraping knife to slice off his tongue he saw Asaṅga appearing before him, who told him,

"The system of Mahayana teachings is the ultimate

truth, praised by all the buddhas and regarded as the orthodox school by various saints. I intended to admonish you but now you have become awakened by yourself. Nothing is better than a timely awakening. According to the teachings of the buddhas, cutting off one's tongue is not a way of repentance. In bygone days you insulted the Mahayana teachings with your tongue, so it would be better for you to amend your ways by praising the Mahayana teachings, also with your tongue. What would be the benefit of becoming mute?" After having said this, [the illusion] disappeared. Following this advice, Vasubandhu did not cut off his tongue and went to Asaṅga to study the Mahayana teachings with him. He engaged in careful learning with profound speculation and wrote more than a hundred treatises on Mahayana theories, all of which are very popular works.

From here going to the east for more than three hundred li,I crossed the Ganges to the north and reached the country of Ayamukha (in the domain of Central India). The country of Ayamukha is two thousand four hundred or five hundred liin circuit. The capital city borders on the Ganges River and is more than twenty liin circuit. The climate and local products of this country are the same as in the country of Ayodhyā. The people are honest and their custom is plain and simple. They are diligent in learning and like to perform meritorious deeds. There are five monasteries with over one thousand monks who study the Hinayana teachings of the Saṃmitīya school. There are more than ten devatemples, where heretics live together.

Not far away to the southwest of the city there is a stupa at the bank of the Ganges. Built by King Aśoka, it is two hundred feet high, marking the place where in olden times the Tathāgata preached the Dharma for three 135

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months. Beside it there is a place where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down, and there is also a stupa containing the Tathāgata's hair and nail relics. Over two hundred monks live in the monastery beside the stupa. The Buddha's image is well adorned and has an austere appearance, as if he were still alive. The terraces and pavilions of the monastery are grand and beautifully built in a special style, rising high up into the air. This was the place where in olden times the śāstramaster Buddhadāsa (known as Jueshi,

"Buddha Servant") composed the Mahāvibhāṣā-śāstraof the Sarvāstivāda school. From here going to the southeast for more than seven hundred li,I crossed the Ganges to the south and reached the country of Prayāga, north of the Jumna River (in the domain of Central India). The country of Prayāga is more than five thousand liin circuit and its capital city, situated at the confluence of the two rivers, is over twenty liin circuit. It abounds in cereal crops and fruit trees are luxuriant. The climate is temperate and the people are kind and agreeable by custom. They take pleasure in learning arts and crafts and believe in heretical religions. There are two monasteries with few monks, all of whom study Hinayana teachings. Devatemples amount to several hundreds and they have a large number of heretics. In the wood of campakaflowers to the south of the great city is a stupa built by King Aśoka, which is still more than one hundred feet high though the foundations have collapsed. Formerly the Tathāgata subdued heretics at this place. Beside it is a stupa containing hair and nail relics and there is also a site where he used to walk up and down. Beside the stupa of hair and nail relics is an old monastery where Deva (known as Tian,

"God") Bodhisattva

composed the Śataśāstra-vaipulyato frustrate Hinayana adherents and conquer heretics.

When Deva Bodhisattva first came to this monastery from South India there was in the city a heretical brahman who was learned in debate and eloquent in discussion without impediment. He insisted on the identification of names and facts and he would refute his opponents to their wits' end. Knowing that Deva was widely learned in profound doctrines and wishing to break his spirit, the brahman started a conversation by inquiring his name, saying, "What is your name?" Deva said,

"Deva.

" The heretic said,

"Who is Deva?"

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Deva said,

"I am.

" The heretic said,

"Who is I?" Deva said, "A dog.

" The

heretic said,

"Who is the dog?" Deva said, "You.

" The heretic said,

"Who

are you?" Deva said, "Deva.

" The heretic said,

"Who is Deva?" [Deva said,] "I am.

" The heretic said,

"Who is I?" Deva said, "A dog.

" The heretic said,

"Who is the dog?" Deva said, "You.

" The heretic said,

"Who are you?" Deva

said,

"Deva.

" In this manner they argued in a circle and the heretic began to understand [that Deva was irrefutable]. Since then he deeply respected Deva's moralizing edification. In the city there is a devatemple consisting of many lofty and beautifully decorated buildings, which showed spiritual signs in various ways. According to the records of the temple it is the best place for people to plant meritorious seeds. The merit of donating one coin at this temple is greater than that of giving one thousand pieces of gold in alms at other places, and [it is believed that] someone who commits suicide and dies in this temple will enjoy eternal bliss in the heavens. In front of the temple is a big tree with luxuriant branches and leaves that cast dark shadows on the ground. A man-eating ghost made his abode in the tree and skeletons were scattered about to the left and right sides. People coming to this temple are liable to give up their lives, as they are simultaneously frightened by the horrible tradition and allured by the evil spirits. This absurd practice has been carried out without alteration from ancient times up to the present. Recently there was a young man of the brahman caste who was intelligent and magnanimous in character and endowed with brilliant wisdom and high talent. He came to the temple and said to the people, "Crooked customs and corrupt desires are hard to mend by dissuasion and guidance. I must practice the same in order to correct them. " He climbed up into the tree and said to his friends gathered below, "I am going to die to testify to the truth of what is deceitful. Heavenly maidens and musicians are in the air to greet me. I shall forsake this humble body of mine at the best place for doing so. " When

he was about to throw himself down to end his life his relatives and friends tried to dissuade him from doing so, but he would not change his mind. They spread their garments on the ground below the tree and saved his life when he dropped to the ground. After a long while he came to his senses and said, "I only saw some evil spirits in the air beckoning to me and there was nothing of heavenly bliss.

"

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To the east of the great city and at the junction of the two rivers there is a dune more than ten liwide, dry and covered with fine sand. From ancient times up to now various kings and people of great wealth have always come here whenever they wished to give alms. This place is called the Grand Place of Almsgiving, where gifts are distributed without counting. At present, King Śīlāditya follows the example of his predecessors in practicing almsgiving. He spends all the wealth he has accumulated in five years on almsgiving in a single day and piles up precious things at the [Grand] Place of Almsgiving. On the first day he installed a large image of the Buddha adorned with various gems, to which he offered the best rare jewels. Next he gave offerings to the resident monks, then to those who were present in the assembly, then to the highly talented, learned, erudite, and versatile scholars, then to the heretical students, hermits, and recluses, and finally to the kinless and the poor. Various kinds of precious objects and the best delicious food were distributed to them all in a perfect manner according to their grades and ranks. When the treasury was emptied and the clothing and other objects were exhausted, [the king's] lustrous pearl in his topknot and the necklace on his body were given away one after the other, without the least reluctance. When King Śīlāditya had completed the almsgiving he said, "How happy I

am! I have placed all I had in the adamantine and indestructible storehouse!" After that the lords and kings of various countries offered precious jewels and garments to him, and in less than ten days his treasury was replenished. Several hundred people drown themselves every day at the confluence of the two rivers to the east of the Grand Place of Almsgiving. It is popular custom as the people believe that in order to be reborn in the heavens they should starve [themselves] and drown in the river at this spot. The people bathe in midstream to wash away their sins and defilements. Thus people from different countries come to this place from distant regions to starve for seven days and die. Even mountain apes and wild monkeys come in groups to the riverside. Some of them take a bath and go back, while others starve themselves to death. When King Śīlāditya was performing the great almsgiving a monkey stayed alone under a tree at the riverside, without going anywhere, and fasted. After a few days it died of starvation. Some heretical ascetics plant long poles in the river; at dawn they climb up the poles and stand with one hand holding the top of the pole and one foot on a peg, while stretching out the 138

Fascicle V

other hand and foot into the air. Craning their necks, with eyes wide open, they gaze at the sun moving to the right and do not come down until dusk. There are several scores of such ascetics, who hope to escape the wheel of rebirth by practicing such rigorous austerities. Some of them have never relaxed their self-mortification for several decades.

From here I entered a great forest in the southwest, where ferocious animals and wild elephants in groups attack wayfarers. Unless accompanied by a large number of companions it is difficult for a traveler to cross this region alone. After going for more than five hundredli, I came to the country of Kauśāmbī (formerly known as Jushanmi erroneously, in the domain of Central India). The country of Kauśāmbī is over six thousand liin circuit and its capital city is more than thirty liin circuit. The land is fertile and good for agricultural production. The country abounds in nonglutinous rice and yields plenty of sugar cane. The climate is hot and the people are bold and furious by custom. They love to learn classical texts and arts and advocate the performance of good and meritorious deeds. There are about ten monasteries lying in a dilapidated and deserted condition, with more than three hundred monks who study the Hinayana teachings. There are over fifty devatemples with numerous heretics. In the old palace in the city there is a great temple, more than sixty feet in height, that houses an image of the Buddha carved in sandalwood, with a stone canopy suspended over it. It was made by King Udayana (known as Chuai,

"Release from Passion,

" formerly mistranslated as King Youtian).

The image often shows spiritual signs and emits a divine light from time to time. The kings of various countries, relying on their might, wanted to take it but when they tried to lift it up they could not move it, even though a large number of people were employed to do so. Then they had pictures of the image produced for worship and each claimed that his picture was the most true to life. Speaking of the image's origin, it is said that when the Tathāgata, after having realized full enlightenment, ascended to Trayastriṃśa Heaven to preach the Dharma to his mother, the king was eager to see him and wished to make a likeness of him. He requested Venerable Maudgalyāyana to use his supernatural power to transport an artisan to the heavenly palace to observe the Buddha's fine features, and the artisan carved an image of him in sandalwood. When the Tathāgata returned to earth from heaven, the sandalwood 139

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image stood up to greet the World-honored One, who said to it sympathetically, "Are you tired from teaching the people? You are what we hope will enlighten the people in the last period of the buddha-dharma.

"

More than a hundred paces to the east of the temple are places where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down. A well and bathhouse used by the Tathāgata are not far away. The well still supplies water but the bathhouse has fallen into ruins. At the southeast corner inside the city are the ruins of the old residence of Elder Ghoṣila (formerly transcribed as Jushiluo incorrectly), where there is a Buddhist temple and a stupa containing [the Buddha's] hair and nail relics. Another old foundation is that of the Buddha's bathhouse.

Not far to the southeast of the city is an old monastery built in the garden of Elder Ghoṣila in which is a stupa more than two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka. The Tathāgata stayed here preaching the Dharma for several years. Beside it are sites where the four past buddhas used to sit and walk up and down. There are also stupas containing the Tathāgata's hair and nail relics. On the storied pavilion to the southeast of the monastery is an old brick chamber in which Vasubandhu Bodhisattva stayed and composed the Vijñapti mātratāsiddhi-śāstrato refute Hinayana teachings and defeat heretics. In a mango grove to the east of the monastery is the old foundation of a house in which Asaṅga Bodhisattva composed the Prakaraṇāryavācā-śāstra. Eight or nine lito the southwest of the city is the cave of a venomous dragon. Formerly the Tathāgata subdued this dragon and left his own shadow in the cave. Although this is recorded in books nothing more of it can be seen now. Beside the cave is a stupa more than two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka. At its side are sites where the Tathāgata used to sit and walk up and down and a stupa containing his hair and nail relics. Those who suffer from illness come here to pray for health and most of them are cured. As this is be the country where Śākyamuni's Dharma will finally come to an end, all the people, from kings down to commoners, naturally feel sad when they come to this land and shed tears before returning home with sighs of regret.

Going for more than seven hundred lithrough a great forest to the northeast of the dragon's cave, I crossed the Ganges to the north and reached the city of Kāśapura. It is over ten liin circuit and the inhabitants are rich and happy. Beside it there are the ruins of a monastery where Dharmapāla Bodhisattva 140

Fascicle V

subdued heretics in the old days. A previous king of this country who supported heterodox views intended to destroy the buddha-dharma in order to uphold the heretics. He invited from among them a śāstramaster, who was intelligent, had great talent, and understood subtle theories, to compose a fallacious book of thirty-two thousand words in one thousand stanzas to denounce the buddhadharma and make his own sect the orthodox one. The king then summoned the monks to hold a debate, on the condition that if the heretical śāstramaster won the contest the buddha-dharma would be destroyed, and if the monks were undefeated then the śāstramaster would cut off his tongue. At that time the monks, fearing that they might be defeated, assembled to discuss the matter, saying,

"The Sun of Wisdom has sunk and the Bridge

of the Dharma is about to be destroyed. How can we compete with the heretics who have the king standing by their side? Under these circumstances what should we do?" The assembly remained silent and no one ventured to raise a proposal. Dharmapāla Bodhisattva, then a young man who was eloquent, intelligent, and learned, and who enjoyed a widespread reputation, declared to the assembly,

"Although I am an ignorant person I venture to make a brief statement. It would truly befit you to send me promptly to answer the king's order. If I win the debate it will be due to spiritual protection, and if I fail my youthfulness can be blamed. In this way we can give an explanation in either case and no censure will be incurred upon the Dharma or the community of monks.

" The whole assembly consented to his proposal and, according to his suggestion, Dharmapāla was sent to answer the king's order. He mounted the seat of discussion and the heretical [śāstramaster] recited his book in a rhythmic voice, brought out all the essentials of his work, and waited for a refutation. Dharmapāla listened to his recitation and said with a smile,

"I have won. Shall I recite your book backward, or shall I recite it with the phrases transposed in order?" The heretic was dismayed and said, "You should not be self-important. One who can fully understand the meanings of my book is the winner. First recite it in its proper sequence and then give an explanation of the text.

" Dharmapāla then imitated the heretic's rhythmic

voice, recited the text, and expounded the meanings of its contents, with no fault either in phraseology or in principles, nor was there any deviation in the intonation. After hearing this, the heretic made ready to cut off his tongue. Dharma pāla said to him,

"Cutting off your tongue is not a way to amend

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yourself. Real repentance is to correct your [wrongly] grasped opinions. "

He preached the Dharma to the heretic, who began to have faith in it and understand its meanings. The king gave up the erroneous way and embraced the Dharma in adoration.

Beside the place where Dharmapāla subdued the heretic is a stupa built by King Aśoka. Though the foundations have collapsed it is still more than two hundred feet high. Formerly the Tathāgata preached the Dharma for six months at this place. Beside it is a place where [he] walked up and down and a stupa containing his hair and nail relics.

Going northward from here for one hundred seventy or eighty li,I reached the country of Viṣaka (in the domain of Central India). The country of Viṣaka is more than four thousand liin circuit and its capital city is sixteen liin circuit. It abounds in cereal crops and yields plenty of flowers and fruit. The climate is moderate and the people are sincere and honest by custom. They are fond of learning without getting tired and they never regress in performing good deeds. There are more than twenty monasteries with over three thousand monks, all of whom study the teachings of the Saṃmitīya sect of the Hinayana school. There are over fifty devatemples with a great many heretics. To the south of the city there is a large monastery on the left side of the road in which the arhat Devaśarman composed the Vijñānakāya-śāstrato advocate the theory of the non-self in the human body, while the arhat Gopa wrote the Treatise on the Essential Truth of the Holy Teachings(Sheng jiao yao shi lun) to maintain the doctrine of the existence of the self in the human body. These incompatible views about the Dharma caused much controversy. It was also in this monastery that Dharmapāla Bodhisattva subdued one hundred Hinayana śāstramasters in seven days. Beside the monastery is a stupa more than two hundred feet high built by King Aśoka. Formerly the Tathāgata preached the Dharma for six years at this place to edify the people. There is a marvelous tree, about six or seven feet tall, which neither sprouts leaves in springtime nor withers in autumn. Formerly the Tathāgata cast down a tooth twig he had used for cleaning his teeth, which took root and grew into the luxuriant tree that it there now. People holding heterodox views and heretics have tried to cut the tree down but it grows back as before. Not far away from the tree are places where the four past buddhas used to sit and 142

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walk up and down, and there is also a stupa containing the Tathāgata's hair and nail relics. The foundations of the holy sites are connected with one another in a wood with ponds, in which the shapes of the trees are reflected. Going from here to the northeast for over five hundred li,I reached the country of Śrāvastī (formerly known as Shewei erroneously, in the domain of Central India).

End of Fascicle V of The Great Tang Dynasty

Record of the Western Regions

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