T2087 The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions

Fascicle 7: Five Countries, from Bārāṇasī to Nepāla

Fascicle VII

Five Countries, from

Bārāṇasī to Nepāla

1. The Country of Bārāṇasī 2. The Country of Garjanapati 3. The Country of Vaiśālī 4. The Country of Vṛji

5. The Country of Nepāla

The country of Bārāṇasī is more than four thousand liin circuit and the capital city, with the Ganges River on the west, is eighteen or nineteen li long and five or six liwide. The houses in the lanes and streets of the city are close together and it is densely populated. The inhabitants are enormously wealthy and their houses are full of valuable goods. The people are mild and courteous in nature and esteem learning by custom. Most of them believe in heretical theories and few people venerate the buddha-dharma. The climate is temperate and the cereal crops are abundant. The fruit trees grow luxuriantly and the vegetation is rich. There are over thirty monasteries with more than three thousand monks, all of whom study the teachings of the Hinayana Saṃmitīya school. There are more than one hundred devatemples with over ten thousand heretical followers. Most of them worship Maheśvara. Some of them cut their hair while others keep it in a topknot. They go naked without any dress and smear their bodies with ash. They rigorously practice austerities, seeking freedom from birth and death.

Inside the great city there are twenty devatemples, of which the sanctuaries are built with carved stone and ornamental wood on terraces arranged in tiers. Luxuriant trees cast shade over each other and clear streams flow throughout. There is a brass statue of the deity, less than one hundred feet tall, depicted in a solemn manner with a stately appearance as if it were alive. To the northeast of the great city and on the west bank of the Varaṇā River is a stupa more than one hundred feet high that was built by King Aśoka. In front of it is a pillar of green stone as smooth as a mirror and the Tathāgata's image is often visible on the lustrous surface.

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Going to the northeast of the Varaṇā River for more than ten li,I reached Deer Park Monastery, which consists of eight divisions all within one enclosing wall. There are lofty halls and storied pavilions most splendidly constructed, with one thousand five hundred monks, all of whom study the teachings of the Hinayana Saṃmitīya school. Within the great enclosure there is a temple over two hundred feet high with a gilt āmra(mango) fruit carved in relief on top. The foundation and steps are made of stone, while the niches arranged in rows are of brick. Around the niches there are one hundred steps, and in each niche is enshrined a gilt image of the Buddha. Inside the temple there is a life-size brass image of the Buddha in the posture of turning the wheel of the Dharma.

To the northeast of the temple is a stone stupa built by King Aśoka. Although the foundation has collapsed the remaining trunk is still one hundred feet high. In front is a stone pillar more than seventy feet tall, as smooth as jade and as reflective as a mirror. With earnest prayer one may see various shadowy pictures in the surface, and sometimes good or evil omens can also be seen This was the place where the Tathāgata, after having attained full enlightenment, first turned the wheel of the Dharma. Not far from here a stupa marks the spot where Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya and the others went when they saw that the Bodhisattva had abandoned the practice of austerities. They refused to be his attendants and guards and came to this place to practice meditation by themselves. The stupa beside it was the place where five hundred pratyekabuddhas entered nirvana together. There are also three other stupas marking sites where the three past buddhas sat and walked up and down.

The stupa located beside the place where the three past buddhas walked up and down marks the spot where Maitreya (being a surname, meaning "Compassion" in Chinese, formerly called Mile in erroneous abbreviation) Bodhisattva received the prediction of his attainment of buddhahood. Once on Vulture Peak, near the city of Rājagṛha, the Tathāgata told the bhikṣus, "In

the future, when the human life span will be eighty thousand years, there will be in this flat land of Jambudvīpa a son of a brahman of the Maitreya family, with a golden-colored body, shining brightly. He will relinquish his home to achieve full enlightenment and preach the Dharma widely for the living beings in three assemblies. Those who will be saved by him are beings who have cultivated the deeds of blessedness according to the teachings I will have left 172

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to them. Beacuse they deeply and wholeheartedly venerate the Triple Gem they will receive edification and guidance and attain sainthood and emancipation, whether they are laypeople or monks and whether they observe or violate the disciplinary rules. In the three preaching assemblies those who have followed my bequeathed Dharma will be saved first, and then good friends who have the cause to be saved will be edified. "

When Maitreya Bodhisattva heard what the Buddha had said, he stood up from his seat and said to the Buddha,

"I wish to be that Maitreya, the

World-honored One!" The Tathāgata told him,

"As you have said, you will

achieve that fruit. What I have said above is intended for your edification. "

To the west of the place where Maitreya Bodhisattva received his prediction is a stupa marking the spot where Śākya Bodhisattva received his prophecy. At the time when the human life span was twenty thousand years in the bhadra kalpa,Kāśyapa Buddha emerged in the world and turned the wonderful wheel of the Dharma to edify living beings. He prophesied the future of Prabhā pāla Bodhisattva, saying,

"This bodhisattva will become a buddha

with the name of Śākyamuni in the future, when the human life span is one hundred years.

"

Not far to the south of the place where Śākya Bodhisattva received his prediction is a site where the four past buddhas walked up and down. It is over fifty paces long and about seven feet high, built of pilied-up bluestone, on which there is an image of the Tathāgata in the posture of walking. It is unusually exquisite with an appearance of solemnity, and with a tuft of hair specially growing on the fleshy protuberance. Its spiritual features are apparent and its divine manifestation is testified. Inside the enclosure there are numerous sacred sites and the temples and stupas number in the several hundreds. I have only cited two or three of them; it is difficult for me to give a detailed description of them all.

To the west of the enclosure of the monastery is a pond of pure water more than two hundred paces in circuit in which the Tathāgata often bathed. Further to the west is another big pond, one hundred eighty paces in circuit, where the Tathāgata used to wash his almsbowl. Further to the north is a pond one hundred fifty paces in circuit where the Tathāgata used to wash his robes. There are dragons living in all three ponds. The water is deep and tastes sweet. It is clear and limpid, neither increasing nor decreasing. If one 173

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washes in these ponds with an arrogant mind he will usually be harmed by a kumbhīra(crocodile), but it is safe for one to use the water with a mind of deep respect. Beside the pond for washing robes is a big square rock on which are the traces of the Tathāgata's robes, with the lines as distinct as if they were carved. Pure believers often come here to make offerings. If heretics and evil people tread contemptuously on the rock the dragon king in the pond raises a storm.

Not far from the pond is a stupa at the place where the Tathāgata, in the course of practicing the deeds of a bodhisattva, was a six-tusked elephant king. A hunter who wished to obtain its tusks disguised himself in a monk's robe and drew his bow to kill the elephant. Out of respect for the robe the elephant king extracted its tusks and gave them to the hunter. Not far from the place of the tusk extraction is a stupa at the place where the Tathāgata, in the course of practicing the deeds of a bodhisattva, manifested as a bird. Out of pity for the lack of kindness in the world, he asked a monkey and a white elephant which of them was the first to see the banyan tree [under which they were sitting]. Each gave an account and, according to their statements, who was senior and who was junior was established. Their influence gradually spread far and near and the people began to know the order of superiority and inferiority, and both monks and laypeople followed their example. Not far away is a great forest in which there is a stupa at the spot where in the past the Tathāgata and Devadatta, both as deer kings, settled a dispute. Formerly in this great forest there were two herds of deer, each of which had more than five hundred animals. The king of this country once came to hunt in the plain and marshland. The Bodhisattva deer king came forward and said to the king,

"Your Majesty is hunting with stout dogs in the plain, using burning torches and flying arrows. All my followers will lose their lives this morning and in a few days [their bodies] will become putrid and stinking and will be unfit for food. I wish to supply you with a live deer every day in rotation so that you may have fresh venison, and my followers will be able to lengthen their lives to some extent.

" The king, pleased by these words,

turned back his carriage. Thus each of the two herds provided the king with a deer on alternate days.

Now in the herd of [the deer king] Devadatta there was a pregnant doe. When it was her turn to be killed she said to the king of her herd, "Although

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it is my turn to die my child has nothing to do with this. " The deer king Devadatta said angrily,

"Who does not value his life?" The doe remarked, sighing, "Our king is not kindly and I may die at any moment. " So she asked for

emergency help from the Bodhisattva deer king. The Bodhisattva said, "How

compassionate is the mind of a benign mother, showing kindness to her child that has not yet taken shape! I shall go in your place. " Then he went to the

gate of the king's palace and the people in the street exclaimed, "The great

deer king has entered the town!" The officials and common people in the capital rushed out to have a look. When the king heard about this he did not believe it, but after the doorkeeper informed the king he understood that it was true and said,

"Deer king, why have you come here so abruptly?" The deer said,

"A doe was going to die in her turn but she is about to give birth to a fawn, and I cannot bear the sight of her death. I venture to substitute myself for her.

" Hearing this, the king said with a sigh,

"I am a human being

in form but I behave like a deer, and you are a deer yet you have the heart of a human being!" The king then set free all the deer and asked for no more sacrifices from them. The forest was allotted as a preserve for the deer and therefore was called the Forest Given to the Deer; hence the name Deer Park. Two or three lito the southwest of the monastery is a stupa more than three hundred feet high. The base of the stupa is broad and high and it is adorned with rare and brilliant valuables. There are no niches arranged in rows but instead a dome in the shape of an inverted almsbowl was constructed on the base. Although a stone emblematic pillar was erected it has no decorative wheels or bells. Beside it is a small stupa built at the place where the five people, Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya and the others, gave up their restraint and greeted the Buddha. When Prince Sarvārthasiddha (known as Yiqie yicheng, "Accomplishment of All Purposes" in Chinese, formerly called Xidaduo in erroneous abbreviation) crossed over the city wall to live in seclusion in the mountains and valleys, forgetting about himself to seek the Dharma, King Śuddho dana gave orders to three clanspeople and two relatives, saying, "My son Sarvārthasiddha has left home to pursue his studies and is traveling alone in the mountains and marshlands, sojourning in woods and forests. I order you to follow him so I will know where he is staying. Inwardly you are his paternal and maternal uncles, but outwardly he is your lord and you are his subjects. You should know what to do in whatever circumstances.

"

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Under the king's order the five men served the prince as his guards, and at the same time they also sought the way of emancipation. They often discussed among themselves whether they should cultivate the way to attain liberation by practicing asceticism or by living in a pleasant manner. Two of them said that one should cultivate the way in comfort, while the other three held that one should cultivate the way in an arduous ascetic manner. They argued about the matter without coming to a clear decision. The prince pondered the ultimate truth and, in order to convince the heretics who led a life of severe hardship, he took only gruel to sustain his life. Seeing this, the two men said,

"What the prince is doing is not the true Dharma. The way is something that should be realized in a comfortable manner. He is not of our group, as he has taken to asceticism.

" So they deserted the prince and fled far away

with the intention of attaining the fruit of sainthood. After practicing asceticism for six years the prince did not achieve enlightenment and, wishing to prove that asceticism was not the true method, he accepted milk gruel and attained the fruit of sainthood. Hearing this, the three men said with a sigh,

"At the last moment to gain success he has retrogressed. All the effort he put forth in practicing asceticism for six years is abandoned in a single day.

" Then they went together to visit the two men [who had left before]. When they saw one another, having seated themselves, they started to talk bombastically, saying,

"Formerly we saw that Prince Sarvārthasiddha

left the palace and went to the wilds; he took off his precious garments and put on a deerskin, working hard and persevering to seek the deep and wonderful Dharma wholeheartedly and painstakingly in order to win the supreme fruit of sainthood. But now he has accepted milk gruel offered by some milkmaids and is morally ruined, contrary to his original intention. We know all about this but we could do nothing.

" The two men said,

"How is it that you

see it so late? He is merely a capricious person. When he was living in the palace with honor and dignity he could not keep his mind in peace but went far away to the forests, and he abandoned his position as universal monarch to lead the life of a low and vulgar person. Why should we remember him? The mention of him merely distresses us.

"

After having bathed in the Nairañjanā River, the Tathāgata sat under the bodhitree and attained full enlightenment and the title Teacher of Gods and Humans. He sat quietly, meditating on who should be converted by him, 176

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thinking,

"Udraka Rāmaputra, who has achieved the mental state of no thought and no non-thought (naivasaṃjñāsaṃjñānāyatana), is competent to receive the wonderful Dharma.

" The heavenly beings in the air said in reply,

"Udraka

Rāmaputra passed away seven days ago.

" The Tathāgata regretted that he

had not been able to meet that man who had died suddenly and so could not hear the wonderful Dharma. He again observed the world in search of a suitable man and recollected Ārāḍakālāma, who had achieved the mental state of nothingness (ākiñcanyāyatana), to whom he should impart the ultimate truth. The heavenly beings again said,

"He has been dead five days.

" The

Tathāgata regretted once more and had pity on that man for not having had the good luck to hear the Dharma. He again pondered the matter of to whom he should impart his teachings and found that no others but the five men at Deer Park should be taught first.

At that time the Tathāgata rose from his seat under the bodhitree and repaired to Deer Park. His deportment was quiet and calm and he gave off a dazzling divine light. His white eyebrows had the luster of jade and his body was of the color of genuine gold. He proceeded with composure in order to instruct the five men. When they saw the Tathāgata coming from a distance, they said among themselves,

"The man who is coming is Sarvārthasiddha. Even after such a long time he has not achieved the fruit of sainthood. He must have given up what he expected in his mind and so he has come to look for us. We should remain silent and not stand up to greet or salute him. "

As the Tathāgata approached them his divine influence affected them all, and the five men, forgetting their restraint, saluted him with greetings and waited upon him, according to etiquette. The Tathāgata gradually taught them the ultimate truth and, at the conclusion of the summer retreat during the rainy season, they attained the fruit of sainthood.

Going to the east of Deer Park for two or three li,I came to a stupa, beside which was a dried-up pond more than eighty paces in circumference with the name "Life-saving Pond" or "Hero's Pond.

" I heard the local people say

that several hundred years ago there was a hermit living in seclusion in a hut beside the pond. He was learned in arts and crafts and had thoroughly mastered the divine principles, and was able to turn rubble into gems and interchange the forms of humans and animals. But he could not ride on the wind and clouds to accompany the spirits, so he searched into ancient books for the 177

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art of becoming a spirit. It was said in the method,

"The art of the spirits is

the art of longevity. One who wishes to learn it should first of all make up one's mind. An altar should be built more than ten feet in circumference. Ask a hero of outstanding truthfulness and bravery to hold a long knife and stand at a corner of the altar, holding his breath and keeping silent from dusk to the next morning. One who seeks to be a spirit should sit at the center of the altar while putting his hand on a long knife, repeating an incantation with a concentrated mind, neither seeing nor hearing anything. Before dawn he will become a spirit and the sharp knife will turn into a precious sword. He will then be able to walk in the air to rule over the spirits. Wielding his sword as a commander he will obtain whatever he desires and never become old or feeble, or suffer illness or death.

"

Having acquired the method of becoming a spirit, the hermit began looking for a hero but for a year he could not find a suitable person to his satisfaction. Later, he met a man in the town wailing piteously as he walked along the road. Seeing him, the hermit was pleased with his features and asked him sympathetically why he was so sorrowful. The man said, "I am a poor man and I

worked as a servant to sustain myself. My employer was appreciative of my ability and had confidence in me. He promised to pay me good wages if I served him for five years. Thus I toiled diligently and ignored hardships. But when the term of five years was nearly concluded I committed a fault, for which not only was I shamefully flogged but I also lost my pay. This is why I feel so sorrowful, and no one shows me sympathy.

"

The hermit asked the man to come with him to the hut and through magical power he produced delicious food [to entertain him]. After that he invited him to take a bath in the pond and clothed him in new garments. Then he presented him with five hundred gold coins and said to him, "When you have

spent all the money come again to get more. Please don't make a stranger of yourself.

" He presented rich gifts to the man on several occasions, with the unspoken intention of winning his heart. The hero repeatedly offered to render a service to the hermit as repayment for his kindness. The hermit said, "I sought a hero for a year and I am lucky to have met you, as your features answer the description of the ancient books. I shall not trouble you with anything else but I do request that you keep silent for one night. " The hero said,

"I am not afraid even of death, to say nothing of keeping silent. "

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Then an altar was prepared for the performance of the rite of becoming a spirit. They acted in accordance with the method and sat down to wait for dusk. After dusk, each of them did his duty, the hermit repeating the incantation while the hero held the sharp knife. At the approach of dawn [the hero] suddenly shrieked aloud and consequently a fire fell from the air and smoke and flames covered the place like a cloud. The hermit hastily led the man to seek refuge in the pond and asked him,

"I told you to keep silent, so why did you

make such a shrill noise?" The hero said,

"After receiving your instructions

I had a nightmare at midnight, in which many strange things appeared. I saw my former employer coming to make a personal apology to me and, out of my deep gratitude to you I refrained from speaking to him. Enraged, that man killed me and I then existed in the state of intermediate existence between death and reincarnation (antarābhava). I looked back at my own corpse with a sigh of regret and, by way of repaying your deep kindness, I decided not to speak a word in my future life. Then I saw I was reborn to a great brahman family in South India and I never uttered a sound in the course of conception and birth and other painful experiences, always bearing in mind the benefit and kindnessyou extended to me. When I reached the age of schooling, became an adult, got married, lost my parents, and begat a son, I always remembered your kindness and refrained from speaking. All my clanspeople and relatives wondered about me. When I was over sixty-five years old my wife said to me,

'You must speak now, otherwise I will kill your son!' Considering that I was getting old in my second life and had only one child, I stopped my wife from killing him, and thus I uttered that sound. " The hermit

said,

"It is my fault; it is a mischief caused by a demon.

" With a feeling of

gratitude and regretful for the failure of the event, the hero died of chagrin. Because the pond prevented the calamity of a conflagration it is called Lifesaving Pond and, as the hero died there, it is also called Hero's Pond. To the west of Hero's Pond is a stupa built in memory of three animals at the spot where the Tathāgata, in the course of practicing the deeds of a bodhisattva, burned himself. At the beginning of the present kalpathere were three animals, a fox, a hare, and an ape, who lived harmoniously together in this wild forest. At that time Indra wished to test the one who was cultivating the bodhisattva deeds and transformed himself into an old man. He said to the three animals,

"Are the three of you living in peace and without fear?" 179

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The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions The animals said,

"We tread on rich grass and frolic in the luxuriant wood. Although we are of different species we enjoy ourselves in both safety and happiness.

" The old man said,

"I have heard that the three of you are good friends and on intimate terms, so I have come from afar to look for you despite my old age and fatigue. Now I am hungry; what can you give me to eat?" The animals said,

"Please wait a moment. We shall go get something for you.

"

So each modestly went away on different paths with the same purpose of seeking for some edibles. The fox caught a carp by the riverside, while the ape plucked some strange flowers and fruit in the wood. They came back together to offer their findings to the old man, but the hare returned emptyhanded, frisking about the old man. The old man said,

"As far as I can see you are not living in harmony. The ape and fox had the same purpose and worked with one mind, but the hare came back empty-handed and has nothing to give me. From this I can understand the situation. " Having heard this derisive remark, the hare said to the fox and ape,

"Gather a large amount of firewood; I am going to do something. "

The fox and ape went speedily to gather hay and haul wood, and when they had piled up a huge heap of fuel it was ignited into raging flames. The hare said,

"Kind sir, I am a lower creature and could not get what I wished for. I venture to offer my humble body to be served as a meal to you. " Having said

this, the hare jumped into the fire and died in the flames. At that time the old man resumed his form as Indra and collected the ashes of the hare from among the embers with a long sigh of regret. Then he said to the fox and ape,

"Since the event has turned out as it has, I am deeply moved by the hare's good-heartedness and I shall perpetuate its good deed by sending it to the moon to be known to posterity. " Therefore the local

people say that since then a hare has appeared in the moon. People of later times built a stupa at this place.

From here going east along the Ganges for more than three hundred li,I reached the country of Garjanapati (in the domain of Central India). Garja na patiis more than two thousand liin circuit and its capital city, which borders the Ganges River, is more than ten liin circuit. The inhabitants are rich and happy and the towns and villages are close to one another. The soil is fertile 180

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and farming is done in accordance with the seasons. The climate is temperate and the people are simple and honest by social custom and rustic and intrepid by nature. They believe in both the wrong and the right religions. There are over ten monasteries with less than one thousand monks, all of whom follow the Hinayana teachings. Devatemples amount to twenty and followers of the different faiths live together.

In a monastery to the northwest of the great city there is a stupa built by King Aśoka. It is said in the Record of Indiathat one liter of the Tathāgata's relic bones is preserved in this stupa. In olden times the Tathāgata preached the wonderful Dharma to an assembly of devas and humans for seven days at this place. Beside it are sites where the three past buddhas sat and walked up and down. In the vicinity of these sites is a statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva. Although small in size its divine power is manifest. It has latent spirituality and works miracles from time to time.

Going eastward from the great city for more than two hundred li,I reached Aviddhakarṇa (known as Buchuaner,

"Unpierced Ears,

" in Chinese)

Monastery. The surrounding wall is not extensive but the decorative sculptures are very exquisite. The flowers are reflected in the ponds and the terraces and the ridges of the pavilions are close to one another. The monks are quiet and solemn in deportment and the community lives in an orderly manner. I heard some elderly people say that formerly in the country of Tukhāra, to the north of the Himalayas, there were two or three śramaṇas who took delight in learning and often talked together at leisure times after having done religious service and recitation, saying,

"The wonderful principles and abstruse theories

cannot be thoroughly mastered through empty words, but the holy sites are obvious and discernible and can be visited by making the journey on foot. We should inquire of some close friends about the matter and go visit the holy sites in person.

" So the two or three friends, holding their pewter staffs in hand, started the journey together. When they arrived in India they sought out lodgings in a monastery, but the local monks despised them as frontiersmen and refused to give them accommodation. As they had to stay out in the open air, tired and hungry, they became thin and pallid and looked haggard. At that time the king of that country, on a pleasure trip in the suburbs, saw the visiting monks. He asked them with amazement,

"Mendicants, from where and why

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did you come here? Your ears are not pierced and you are dressed in such dirty and shabby robes.

" The śramaṇas said in reply,

"We are from the country

of Tukhāra. We respectfully follow the teachings of the Buddha and left the world [to live as monks]. By our common wish we have come to pay homage to the holy sites. But it is regrettable to say that, due to our deficiency in blessedness, the Indian monks do not attend to us wayfarers. As we have not completed our pilgrimage we wish to return to our native land, so we will endure hardships and go home after our desire is fulfilled. "

Upon hearing these words the king felt pity for the travelers and constructed a monastery at this superior place. He wrote down a rule on a piece of white cotton that said,

"It is due to the spiritual protection of the Triple Gem that I am the most honored person in the world and the noblest in rank among all people. Since I am a king of people and the Buddha has entrusted me [to take care of the religion], I shall extend help to all monks in distress. This monastery has been constructed exclusively for the entertainment of traveling monks, and no monks with pierced ears shall stay in this monastery of mine in the future.

" It is on account of this event that the monastery is called "Unpierced Ears.

"

Going southeast for more than one hundred li from Aviddhakarṇa Monastery, crossing the Ganges River to the south, I reached the town of Mahāśāla. All the inhabitants are brahmans by caste and they do not follow the buddha-dharma. When they meet Buddhist monks they inquire about their learning, and if they find that the monks are learned they salute them with deep respect.

At the north of the Ganges there is a Nārāyaṇa temple consisting of storied pavilions and terraces arranged in tiers, all beautifully decorated. The statues of various devas are carved from stone with the most exquisite craftsmanship. Their spiritual efficacy is difficult for me to describe in detail. More than thirty lito the east of the Nārāyaṇa temple is a stupa built by King Aśoka. A large part of it has collapsed into the ground and in front there is a stone pillar more than twenty feet high with the figure of a lion on top. Inscribed on the pillar is a record of the event of subduing demons. Formerly there were some demons of the wilderness at this place who, relying on their strength, ate human flesh and blood, doing harm to living creatures in a most evil and monstrous manner. Out of compassion for the living beings who 182

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would die violent deaths, the Tathāgata, through his supernatural powers, induced the demons to take refuge [in the Triple Gem] with veneration and taught them to observe the precept of non-killing. The demons accepted the Buddha's teachings and circumambulated him with respect. Then they raised a rock for the Buddha to sit on and wished to hear [him teach] the right Dharma, which they protected wholeheartedly. Afterward, people who did not believe in the buddha-dharma tried to push and remove the rock seat set up by the demons but they could not move it, even though they numbered in the thousands. Around the base of the rock there are luxuriant trees and ponds of clear water and anyone who comes near the place is awestruck. Not far from [the stupa of] subduing demons there are several monasteries. Although they are mostly dilapidated there are still monks [living in them], all of whom study and follow the Mahayana teachings.

Going from here to the southeast for over one hundred li,I came to a stupa of which the base has slanted and sunk to one side; the remaining part of it is a few scores of feet in height. When the Tathāgata entered nirvana and the great kings of eight countries divided his relics, the brahman who measured the relics smeared the inside of the measuring bottle with honey, from which he made allotments for the kings. The brahman returned with the bottle and, having obtained the relics that stuck to the inside of the measuring bottle, he built this stupa and enshrined the bottle in it. Hence it is called [Relic Bottle Stupa]. Afterward King Aśoka opened the stupa and took out the relic bottle, for which he constructed a great stupa. On fast days it often emits a brilliant light.

Crossing the Ganges at the northeast of this place and going for one hundred forty or fifty li,I reached the country of Vaiśālī (formerly mistranscribed as Pisheli, in the domain of Central India).

The country of Vaiśālī is more than five thousand liin circuit. The soil is fertile and there is an abundance of flowers and fruit; mango and plantain are plentiful and valuable. The climate is temperate and the people are simple and honest by social custom. They take delight in doing good works and attach importance to learning, and believe in both heterodox and orthodox doctrines. There are several hundred monasteries, most of which are in ruins, with the exception of a few that remain intact and house a few monks. There 908b

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are several tens of devatemples and the heretics live together. The sect of the naked adherents flourishes here.

The city wall of the capital of Vaiśālī has badly collapsed and the original base of the wall is sixty or seventy liin circuit, while the palace city is four or five liin circuit; there are few inhabitants. Five or six lito the northwest of the palace city is a monastery with very few monks, who study the teachings of the Hinayana Saṃmitīya school. Beside the monastery is a stupa at the place where the Tathāgata delivered the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra,and Ratnā kāra, the son of an elder, and others offered a sunshade to him. To the east is a stupa at the place where Śāriputra and others attained arhatship. To the southeast of the stupa where Śāriputra attained arhatship is another stupa constructed by the king of Vaiśālī. After the Buddha's nirvana a former king of this country obtained a portion of the Buddha's relic bones, for which he respectfully constructed this stupa. It is said in the Record of Indiathat there was originally one huof the Tathāgata's relics preserved in this stupa, but King Aśoka opened it and took out nine douof the relics, leaving only one douin the stupa. Later, another king wished to open the stupa again to get the remaining relics but just as he had just started to do the work there was an earthquake, so he dared not open the stupa.

To the northwest is another stupa built by King Aśoka, and beside it is a stone pillar fifty or sixty feet tall with the figure of a lion on top. To the south of the stone pillar is a tank that was dug by a group of monkeys for the Buddha, as he once lived at this place in the old days. Not far to the west of the tank is a stupa at the place where the monkeys took the Tathāgata's almsbowl and climbed into a tree to gather honey. Not far to the south of the tank is a stupa at the place where the monkeys offered the honey to the Buddha. Some figures of monkeys are still preserved at the northwest corner of the tank. Three or four lito the northeast of the monastery is a stupa built on the foundation of the old residence of Vimalakīrti (known as "Stainless Reputation" in Chinese, formerly translated as "Pure Name. " However,

"pure"

means "stainless" and "name" is equivalent to "reputation. " Although the

meaning is the same the name is translated in different ways. Formerly it was wrongly transcribed as Weimojie). The stupa often reveals spiritual manifestations. Not far from here is a deity's house, which appears to be built out of piled-up bricks, but according to tradition it was made out of stone. 184

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This was the place where Vimalakīrti pretended to be ill and preached the Dharma. Not far from here is a stupa built at the place of the old house of Ratnākāra, the son of an elder. Not far from here is a stupa built at the place of the old house of the woman Āmra[pālī]. The Buddha's aunt and other bhikṣuṇīs realized nirvana at this place.

Three or four lito the north of the monastery is a stupa at the place where human and nonhuman beings stood and waited while following the Tathāgata, who was proceeding to the country of Kuśinagara to enter parinirvāṇa.Next, not far to the northwest, is another stupa at the place where the Buddha stopped and took a last look at the city of Vaiśālī. Not far to the south of this stupa is a temple, in front of which is a stupa at the place where Āmra[pālī] offered her garden to the Buddha.

Beside Āmra[pālī] Garden is a stupa at the place where the Tathāgata announced the time of his nirvana. Formerly the Buddha told Ānanda at this place,

"One who has achieved the four constituent parts of supernatural power can live for one kalpa.Now how long should the Tathāgata live?" He repeated the question three times but Ānanda, having been stupefied by Māra, remained silent and, rising from his seat, he went to sit quietly in the wood. At this moment Māra came to the Buddha and said to him,

"The Tathāgata has been

edifying the people in the world for a long time and those who have been saved by you from the round of rebirth are as numerous as grains of dust and sand. It is now the time for you to enjoy the bliss of nirvana. " The Worldhonored One then took up a pinch of soil with his nail and said to Māra, "Which is more, the amount of soil on the earth, or that on my fingernail?" Māra said in reply,

"There is more soil on the earth.

" The Buddha said,

"Those

I have converted may be compared to the amount of soil on my nail, while those not yet converted are as numerous as the amount of soil of the great earth. Nonetheless, I shall enter nirvana in three months. " On hearing this,

Māra was pleased and departed.

In the wood Ānanda had a strange dream and he came to tell the Buddha, saying,

"In the wood I dreamed that a big tree with luxuriant branches and leaves, casting a dense shade, suddenly fell down in a gale. Does this indicate that the World-honored One intends to enter nirvana? My heart is full of fear so I have come to make this inquiry.

" The Buddha said to Ānanda,

"I told

you previously but you were stupefied by Māra and you did not promptly 185

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invite me to stay [in the world]. Māra urged me to enter nirvana soon and I have given him the date. That is what your dream presaged. "

Not far from the place where the Buddha announced the time of his entering nirvana is a stupa at the spot where one thousand sons saw their parents. Formerly a ṛṣilived in seclusion in a rocky valley. One day in mid-spring he was rowing a boat in a clear stream, and a doe followed him to drink water. Through inspiration the doe gave birth to a girl, who was exceedingly beautiful but had feet similar to the hooves of a deer. Seeing the girl, the ṛṣitook her in and brought her up. Later, when she was asked to go get some live coals from another ṛṣi's hermitage, her steps left traces of lotus flowers on the ground. The other ṛṣiwas deeply surprised by the sight and asked the girl to walk around his hermitage before she would be allowed to get the fire. The deer girl did so, then obtained the fire and returned home. At that time King Brahmānanda was on a hunting expedition and saw the flower traces. Following the traces, he found the girl. Pleased by her unusual appearance, the king carried her back in his carriage. A physiognomist foretold that she would give birth to one thousand sons. When the other ladies [in the harem] heard the prediction they contrived to take action against her. At the end of her period of gestation she gave birth to a lotus flower with one thousand leaves, with one son sitting on each of the leaves. The other ladies criticized her, and saying that it was an inauspicious object they threw it into the Ganges River to be carried away by the current. King Ujjayana, out on a sightseeing trip in the lower reaches of the river, saw a yellow canopy, embroidered with a pattern of clouds, flowing down the river. He took it up and found one thousand sons wrapped in it. He fed them with milk and raised them into men of great strength. With the help of these one thousand sons the king expanded his kingdom to the four quarters and he was about to encroach on this country with his triumphant army. When King Brahmānanda heard the news he was shocked and fearful, and knowing his troops were not strong enough to offer resistance, he was at his wits' end.

At that time the deer woman, knowing that the invaders were her sons, said to King [Brahmānanda],

"Now the invaders are approaching our territory

and have caused disunity among us. I, your unworthy wife, with a mind of loyalty, can defeat these strong enemies.

" But the king did not believe her

and she was deeply worried and fearful. Then the deer woman went up to 186

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the tower of the city gate to wait for the arrival of the invaders. Her one thousand sons, commanding their troops, besieged the city. The deer woman told them,

"Do not do unfilial things! I am your mother and you are my sons. "

The one thousand sons said,

"How absurd are your words!" But the deer

woman pressed her breasts and milk flowed out and forked into one thousand streams and, because of the ties of consanguinity, the milk flowed into the mouths of the one thousand sons. Recognizing their mother, they took off their armor and, after disbanding their troops, they returned to their own country. The two countries restored friendly relations and the people lived in peace and happiness.

Not far from the place where the one thousand sons recognized their mother is a stupa at the old site where the Tathāgata walked up and down, while he pointed at the place and told the assembly,

"Formerly at this place

I recognized my mother. If you wish to know who were the thousand sons, they are the one thousand buddhas of the bhadrakalpa.

"

To the east of the place where [the Buddha] related his past life is an old foundation on which there is a stupa that often emits a brilliant light and sometimes answers the entreaties of prayers. This is the remnant site of the storied lecture hall in which the Tathāgata delivered the Samantamukhadhāraṇīand other sutras. Not far from the lecture hall is a stupa in which are preserved the remains of half of Ānanda's body. Not far from this stupa there are several hundred stupas, whose exact number is unknown; this is the place where one thousand pratyekabuddhas entered nirvana. There are numerous holy sites in and around the city of Vaiśālī and it is difficult to describe them all in detail. The old ruins at commanding positions stand with each other like the scales of a fish, but through the passage of time and the change of hot and cold seasons the woods have withered away and the ponds have dried up, leaving behind decayed trees to bear testimony [to past glories].

Going to the northwest for fifty or sixty lifrom the great city, I reached a great stupa at the place where the Licchavis (formerly mistranscribed as Lichezi) bade farewell to the Tathāgata. When the Tathāgata was proceeding to the country of Kuśinagara from the city of Vaiśālī, the Licchavis, having heard that the Buddha was about to enter nirvana, went to see him off, wailing piteously. Seeing that their sorrow was so deep as to be inconsolable by 187

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words, the World-honored One produced through his supernatural powers a big river with steep banks and a rapid current. The Licchavis, crying bitterly, were thus prevented from following him any further. The Tathāgata left his almsbowl as a memento for them.

Less than two hundred lito the northwest of the city of Vaiśālī is an old city that has been desolate for many years and has few inhabitants. In the city there is a stupa at the place where the Buddha told an assembly of various bodhisattvas and human and heavenly beings about cultivating bodhisattva deeds in his past lives. He was once a universal monarch named Mahādeva (known as Datian,

"Great Deity,

" in Chinese), in this city, possessing the

seven treasures and competently ruling over the four continents of the world. But after witnessing the phenomenon of changeability and realizing the principle of impermanence, he cherished a high ambition and renounced the throne. He abandoned his country to become a monk and donned the dyed robe to pursue learning.

Going southeast for fourteen or fifteen lifrom the city, I reached a great stupa at the place where seven hundred sages and saints convened the Second Council. One hundred and ten years after the Buddha's nirvana, some bhikṣus in the city of Vaiśālī deviated from the buddha-dharma and observed the disciplinary rules in an erroneous way. At that time Elder Yaśoda was residing in Kosala, Elder Sambhoga in Mathurā, Elder Revata in Hanruo, Elder Sālha in Vaiśālī, and Elder Kubjaśobhita in Pāṭaliputra. All these great arhats had gained mental liberation, mastered the Tripiṭaka, and possessed the three clear insights; they had great reputations and were well known to all as disciples of Venerable Ānanda. At that time Yaśoda sent a messenger to invite various sages and saints to meet in the city of Vaiśālī. The number of those who attended the meeting amounted to seven hundred less one. Kubjaśobhita then saw with his clairvoyance that various sages and saints were assembled to discuss matters concerning the Dharma and he came to the assembly through his supernatural power of ubiquity. Sambhoga, his right shoulder uncovered, knelt on the ground and said to the council, "Be quiet! Consider

with respect! Although the great holy King of the Dharma entered nirvana as an expedient many years ago, his oral teachings still exist. Some negligent bhikṣus in the city of Vaiśālī observe the disciplinary rules erroneously and have raised ten points that are contrary to the teachings of the Buddha who 188

Fascicle VII

possessed the ten powers. Now you sages are conversant with the [proper] observance and violation of the disciplinary rules, and all of you have studied under the instruction of Bhadanta Ānanda. For the sake of repaying the Buddha's kindness you should reiterate his holy decrees. " No one among

the great saints was not moved to tears. They summoned the faulty bhikṣus and, in accordance with the Vinaya regulations, they reproached them and stopped their misdeeds. Thus the wrong practices ended and the holy teachings were clarified. Going south for eighty or ninety lifrom the place where the seven hundred sages and saints held a meeting, I came to Śvetapura Monastery, which consisted of many lofty buildings and magnificent pavilions. The monks are pure and solemn in manner and they all study Mahayana teachings. Beside it are old sites where the four past buddhas sat and walked up and down. The stupa beside it was built by King Aśoka at the place where the Tathāgata halted to rest on his way to the country of Magadha in the south and looked back at the city of Vaiśālī in the north.

More than thirty liaway to the south of Śvetapura Monastery there are two stupas, one built on the southern bank and the other on the northern bank of the Ganges River. This was the place where Venerable Ānanda divided his bodily relics between two countries. Ānanda was a cousin of the Tathāgata and was a man of wide learning and comprehensive intelligence who had an extensive range of knowledge and a retentive memory. After the Buddha's demise he succeeded Mahākāśyapa in upholding the right Dharma and guiding the learners. Once, when he was taking a walk in a wood in the country of Magadha, he saw a novice reciting the scriptures incorrectly, with passages and sentences in disorder and the wording in confusion. Having heard the recitation, Ānanda recalled the Buddha with a deep feeling of sorrow and went slowly to the novice to point out his mistakes. The novice said with a smile,

"Great Virtuous One, you have become senile and whatb you say is wrong. My teacher is a wise man in the prime of life. I have personally learned from him and there is no mistake in his instructions.

"

Ānanda withdrew quietly with a sigh, saying,

"Even though I am getting

old I still wish to live longer to uphold the right Dharma for the benefit of living beings. But living beings are laden with defilement and are difficult to admonish. It is useless for me to live any longer. I will quickly enter nirvana. "

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Then he left the country of Magadha for the city of Vaiśālī. While Ānanda was crossing the Ganges in a boat, sailing midstream, the king of Magadha heard that Ānanda was going away and, out of deep affection and in admiration of his virtue, he urgently dispatched his military carriages to go quickly in pursuit of him. Hundreds and thousands of troops camped on the southern bank. [At the same time] the king of Vaiśālī, feeling both grief and joy at the news that Ānanda was coming [to his country to enter nirvana], also sent his troops to march speedily to welcome him. Hundreds and thousands of soldiers were stationed on the northern bank. The two armies faced each other and [their flags were so numerous that they] obscured the sun. Fearing that they might start a war and kill each other, Ānanda ascended into the air from the boat and entered nirvana amid the manifestation of supernatural powers. A fire burned his body, which fell down in two parts, one dropping on the southern bank and the other on the northern bank. So each of the two kings obtained a portion of the relics, as their armies wept sorrowfully. After returning to their respective countries they erected stupas to pay homage to the relics.

Going from here to the northeast for more than five hundred li,I reached the country of Vṛji (called by the northerners the country of Saṃvṛji, in the domain of North India). The country of Vṛji is more than four thousand liin circuit, long from east to west and narrow from south to north. The soil is fertile and abounds in flowers and fruit. The climate is somewhat cold and the people are impetuous by nature. Most of them venerate the heretics and a few believe in the buddha-dharma. There are over ten monasteries with less than a thousand monks, who study both the Mahayana and Hinayana teachings. There are several tens of devatemples with a great number of heretics. The capital city of the country is called Cañśuma, of which the greater part is in ruins. Inside the old palace city there are still more than three thousand families of inhabitants living together like in a village or town. To the northeast of a big river there is a monastery with a few monks who are pure and lofty in learning. West of here there is a stupa more than thirty feet high on the bank of the river, which flows like a belt to the south. This was the place where with his great compassion the Buddha once converted some fishermen. In the distant past, at the time of the Buddha, there were 190

Fascicle VII

five hundred fishermen who worked in groups to catch fish. One day they caught in this river a large fish with eighteen heads, each having two eyes. As the fishermen were getting ready to kill the fish the Tathāgata, in the country of Vaiśālī, saw it with his divine eye and felt pity for it. He intended to take this opportunity to edify the fish and to enlighten the fishermen at the same time. He told the assembly of monks,

"In the country of Vṛji there is

a big fish that I intend to convert so as to enlighten the fishermen. You should know that it is now time to do so.

"

Then the Buddha, surrounded by the assembly of monks, ascended into the air through his power of divine feet and flew to the riverside. He laid down his sitting cloth as usual and said to the fishermen, "Do not kill the

fish!" Through his supernatural power and in an expedient way, he endowed the big fish with the faculties of knowing its previous life, speaking human language, and understanding human sentiment. Then the Tathāgata purposely asked the fish, though he alreday knew the answer,

"What sins did you commit

in your previous life so that you are now in an evil state of rebirth with such an unfortunate form?" The fish said,

"By the effect of good deeds I had done

in a former life I was born to a noble family and I was known as the great brahman Kapittha in my previous life. Due to the influence of my caste, I despised and bullied other people and, considering myself learned, I scorned the scriptures and the Dharma. I disrespectfully slandered the buddhas and reproached the monks with abusive language, comparing them to camels, donkeys, elephants, horses, and other ugly animals. Because of these evil deeds I am now suffering in this unfortunate form. But because I did some good deeds in one of my former lives I have been born at a time when a buddha is in the world, and I have now seen the holy Buddha himself with my own eyes and have heard his holy teachings.

" Then [the fish] made a

confession and repented his evil deeds done in the past. The Tathāgata taught the fish in accordance with its capacity and enlightened it as was suitable to the occasion. After hearing the Dharma, the fish died and was reborn in heaven through the power of its good deeds. Then he looked at his own celestial body and wondered why he had been born in heaven. After recalling his past life, he remembered the Buddha with gratitude and came with other heavenly beings to see him. Having worshiped the Buddha, he circumambulated him and stood aside to offer him valuables and 191

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fragrant flowers brought from heaven. The World-honored One related this anecdote to the fishermen, while pointing at the heavenly beings, and preached the wonderful Dharma to them. They were moved and awakened [from ignorance] and sincerely worshiped the Buddha with repentance, tore up their fishing nets, and burned their boats. They turned their minds to truth and embraced the Dharma. After donning the dyed robes of monks and having heard the ultimate teachings, all of them got rid of defilement and attained the fruit of sainthood.

More than one hundred lito the northeast of the place where the fishermen were converted there is a stupa over one hundred feet high built by King Aśoka to the west of an old city. This was the place where the Buddha once preached the Dharma for six months to convert celestial and human beings. At a distance of one hundred forty or fifty paces to the north of this stupa there is a smaller stupa marking the place where the Tathāgata laid down the disciplinary rules for the bhikṣus. Not far to the west there is another stupa, in which are enshrined the Tathāgata's hair and nail relics. People coming far and near converge at this place to burn incense, scatter flowers, and light lamps and candles without interruption.

Going from here to the northwest for one thousand four hundred or five hundred li,crossing over mountains and passing through valleys, I reached the country of Nepāla (in the domain of Central India). The country of Nepāla is over four thousand liin circuit and it is situated among the Snow Mountains. The capital city of the country is more than twenty liin circuit and there are hills and valleys in close connection. The soil is suitable for growing cereals and yields many flowers and fruit. The country produces red copper, yaks, and jīvaṃjīvas (two-headed birds). Red copper coins are used as the medium of exchange. The climate is piercingly cold. The people are sinister and iniquitous by social custom and are rude and unrestrained by nature and disparage good faith and righteousness. They have no learning but are skillful in craftsmanship. They are ugly in appearance and believe in both wrong and right doctrines. The monasteries and devatemples are so close together that they touch each other and there are more than two thousand monks, who study both Mahayana and Hinayana teachings; the number of heretics is unknown. The king, being a Licchavi of the kṣatriyacaste, is an upright man with good 192

Fascicle VII

learning and is a pure Buddhist. In recent years there was a king named Aṃśuvarman (known as Guangzhou,

"Brilliant Helmet,

" in Chinese), a

learned scholar of intelligence and sagacity, who wrote a treatise on śabdavidyā (Sanskrit grammar). He esteemed learning and honored the virtuous, and his fame spread far and near.

To the southeast of the capital city there is a small pool. When fire is thrown into it the water burns, and when other things are cast into it they also become fiery.

From here I returned to the country of Vaiśālī and, crossing the Ganges River to the south, I reached the country of Magadha (formerly mistranscribed as Mojiatuo or Mojieti, in the domain of Central India). End of Fascicle VII of The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions

193

Fascicle 8: The Country of Magadha (Part 1)

Fascicle VIII

The Country of Magadha

(Part 1)

The country of Magadha is more than five thousand liin circuit and the capital city is sparsely populated, while in the towns there are many registered families. The soil is fertile and good for farming. There is a special kind of rice of large grain with an unusual fragrance, whose luster and color are extraordinary. The people call it the rice for great personages. The land is low and humid and the towns are located on tablelands. After the beginning of summer and before mid-autumn the plains are flooded and boats can be used. The people are simple and honest by social custom and the climate is moderately hot. The inhabitants esteem learning and revere the buddha-dharma. There are over fifty monasteries with more than ten thousand monks, most of whom study Mahayana teachings. There are several tens of devatemples with numerous heretics. To the south of the Ganges River there is an old city over seventy liin circuit. Although it has been deserted for a long time the old foundations are still there. In the past, when the human life span was innumerable years, this city was called Kusumapura (known as Xianghuagongcheng, "Palace City

of Fragrant Flowers,

" in Chinese). The royal city was full of flowers, hence the name of the city. Later on, when the human life span was several thousand years, the name was changed to the city of Pāṭaliputra (formerly mistranscribed as the city of Balianfu).

There was once a learned brahman of high talent who had several thousand disciples studying under him. Some of the disciples went out together on a pleasure trip. One of them paced up and down in a melancholy mood and his companions asked him why he was so sad. He said,

"I am in the prime

of life yet I am still a vagabond, with only my shadow to accompany me, and, moreover, even though a long time has passed I have not made any achievement in learning. On account of this, my mind is heavily laden with 910c

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sorrow.

" His schoolmates said to him in jest,

"In that case we shall now

arrange a ceremony for you to get married.

" They then chose two people to

act as the parents of the bridegroom and two people as the parents of the bride. The young man was then made to sit under a pāṭalītree, which was thus called the Tree of the Son-in-Law. Seasonal fruit was gathered and pure water was served as wine to make a wedding feast to celebrate the nuptials. The mock father of the imaginary bride broke off a branch of the tree and handed it to the young scholar, saying,

"This is your good spouse. I hope

you will not refuse the offer.

" The scholar was happy and satisfied. When it

was time for the party to return home at dusk the young man did not wish to leave the place and wanted to stay behind. The other disciples said to him, "We were merely making a mock ceremony. Please return home with us now, lest the fierce animals in the woods hurt you.

"

The scholar lingered at the place and walked about the tree. After sunset a strange light shone brightly in the wilderness and elegant music from wind and stringed instruments was heard. A row of tents was pitched and in a moment an old man, holding a staff, came to extend greetings to him. There was also an old woman approaching with a maiden, followed by a large number of splendidly dressed attendants amid the sound of music. The old man said to him, while pointing at the maiden,

"This is your wife.

" The wedding

festivities lasted seven days.

The other disciples, concerned that the scholar might be killed by wild animals, came to look for him. Then they saw him sitting alone under the shade of the tree, as if he were accompanying some guests of honor. They asked him to return with them but he refused. Some time later he entered the city by himself to see his relatives and friends and told them what had happened to him. Those who heard the story were amazed. His friends went with him to the woods, where they saw a great mansion at the place of the flowering tree, with servants and slaves busily walking about. The old man received them politely and prepared a feast, along with a performance of music to entertain them, according to the etiquette between hosts and guests. When they returned to the city they told everything to people far and near. After a year a son was born to the couple and the young scholar said to his wife,

"I wish to go home but I cannot bear leaving you behind. If I remain here I will always make my lodging in the open wilderness. " Having heard

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this, his wife told it to her father, the old man, who said to the young scholar, "For the enjoyment of life one need not go back to one's native place. I shall build you a palace. Do not think otherwise.

" Through the labor of spirits the

palace was promptly completed. The old City of Fragrant Flowerswas shifted to this place and, as the city had been constructed by spirits for the [infant] son, it was called the City of the Son of Pāṭali (Pāṭaliputra). To the north of the old royal city there is a stone pillar several tens of feet in height, erected at the place where King Aśoka made a hell. In the onehundredth year after the nirvana of Śākya Tathāgata, King Aśoka (known as Wuyou,

"Not Feeling Sorrow,

" in Chinese, formerly mistranscribed as Ayu),

the great-grandson of King Bimbisāra (known as Yingjian, "Hard Shadow,

"

in Chinese, formerly mistranscribed as Pinpisuo), moved his capital from the city of Rājagṛha to Pāṭaliputra. After the long passage of time only some old foundations still survive. Of the monasteries, devatemples, and stupas, there are several hundred remnant sites lying in ruins; only two or three remain intact. Only in a small city situated to the north of the old palace and on the banks of the Ganges are there over a thousand households. When King Aśoka first succeeded to the throne he was cruel and practiced tyranny. He established a hell to torture people, surrounded by lofty walls with watchtowers at the corners. Great furnaces of fierce fire and cutters with sharp points and keen edges, as well as other instruments of torture, were prepared in imitation of the hells and a savage and cruel man was appointed to be the jailer. At first it was used for punishing all sorts of criminals of the country, regardless of the nature of their misdeeds. Later on all casual passersby were captured and put to death and all who had entered the hell were killed to prevent the secret from leaking out.

A newly admitted śramaṇaonce came to the gate of the hell in the course of making his almsround. The cruel jailer caught him and intended to kill him. Terror-stricken, the śramaṇaasked permission to perform a confessional ceremony [before death]. He immediately saw a man who had been bound and sent into the hell, where he was dismembered and cut into pieces. Presently the broken body became rotten and decayed. The śramaṇawas deeply touched by the sight and he gained the insight of impermanence and realized arhatship. The jailer said to him,

"It is now time for you to die.

" Having achieved the

fruit of sainthood the śramaṇahad no discrimination between life and death. 197

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The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions Even though he was thrown into a cauldron of boiling water it was just as if [he was] in a pond of cool water and a huge lotus flower sprang up for his seat. The jailer was surprised by the unusual spectacle and hurried to inform the king, who came to see the sight for himself and highly praised the spiritual protection. Then the jailer said,

"Your Majesty must die.

" "Why?" said the king. The jailer

replied,

"Your Majesty previously issued an order as a rule of the hell that whoever has entered the enclosure of the hell must be killed, and it did not say that the king should be excepted from the regulation.

" The king said,

"Once a law

is adopted it should not be altered. But did I make an exception for you when I laid down the rule? It is my fault that you have lived until now. " He then

ordered the lictors to cast the jailer into the big furnace and after the jailer's death the king came out of the hell. He demolished the walls, filled up the trenches, abolished the hell, and thereafter showed leniency toward criminals. Not far to the south of the hell there is a stupa whose foundation has collapsed on one side so that it has the shape of an overturned almsbowl. It is decorated with gems and has stone balustrades. As it is one of the eightyfour thousand stupas built by King Aśoka it was constructed by human labor in his palace. Inside it one douof the Tathāgata's relic bones is preserved, and they occasionally show spiritual manifestations and issue a divine light from time to time.

Having abolished the hell, King Aśoka met the great arhat Upagupta, who instructed him according to his capacity in an appropriate way. The king said to the arhat,

"I am lucky to be a lord of humans as a result of good deeds I have done in the past, but because of my spiritual hindrances I regretfully have not received edification from the Buddha. Now I wish to construct stupas for the veneration of the Tathāgata's relic bones. " The arhat said,

"With your power of bliss and virtue you can command various deities to work for you. It is my wish that you should protect the Triple Gem with great determination. Now is the time for you to do so.

" Then the arhat told the

king in detail about the latter's cause of offering a handful of earth [to the Buddha in a previous life] and about the merits of building stupas as predicted by the Tathāgata.

King Aśoka was pleased to hear the prediction. He summoned the spirits and deities and issued an order, saying,

"The King of the Dharma has

instructed living beings for their happiness and, due to my good deeds done 198

Fascicle VIII

in the past, I am now the most honored person among humankind. In order to venerate the Tathāgata's relic bones stupas must be constructed. You spirits and deities should work with one heart to construct stupas for the Buddha's relics at all places in Jambudvīpa, which is inhabited by a full koṭiof families. Though the project has been initiated by me, it depends upon you for its successful completion, and I have no intention of monopolizing the advantages of performing such superior good deeds. Each of you should go start the construction work and wait for further instructions. " Having received the edict,

the spirits and deities went away to start the construction work at their different places, and when the work was completed they all came to ask for further instructions.

After having opened the stupas built in eight countries and distributed the relic bones [taken out from them] to the spirits and deities, King Aśoka said to the arhat,

"My wish is to enshrine the relic bones in the various stupas at the same time. I hope to do this but I do not know how to fulfill my wish. "

The arhat said,

"Your Majesty can order the deities and spirits to enshrine the relics at the same instant on the appointed date when they see that the sun is eclipsed by an object in the shape of a hand.

" The king imparted the

instruction to the spirits and deities. On the appointed date King Aśoka observed the sun, and at midday the arhat, through supernatural power, stretched out his arm and covered up the sun with his hand. The eclipse was seen by all everywhere the stupas were being constructed and at that moment they commenced work simultaneously.

Not far from the stupa is a temple containing a stone on which the Tathāgata once stood and the traces of his footprints are still in existence. The two footprints have the wheel signs and the ten toes have floral ornaments. The fish patterns are visible and sometimes issue a bright light. In olden times, when the Tathāgata was about to enter nirvana he proceeded northward to the city of Kuśinagara and looked back at the country of Magadha in the south. He was standing on this stone when he told Ānanda,

"I leave my last footprints

here, looking back at Magadha while I am going to enter nirvana. One hundred years afterward there will be a King Aśoka who will rule over the world and establish his capital at this place. He will protect the Triple Gem and command all kinds of deities to do him service.

" When King Aśoka succeeded to the

throne he shifted his capital to this place and built a city here, and protected 199

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the footprint stone with a shelter. As it was near the palace city the king always came in person to make offerings to it.

Afterward various kings vied with one another in trying to bring the stone home. Although it was not very big they could not move it. Recently King Śaśāṅka persecuted the buddha-dharma and went to the place of the stone, intending to destroy the holy object. He effaced the footprints with a chisel but they reappeared with the same traces and patterns. Then he threw the stone into the Ganges River but it immediately returned to its original place. The stupa beside the stone marks the place where the four past buddhas sat and walked up and down in olden times.

Not far from the temple of the Buddha's footprints there is a huge stone pillar more than thirty feet tall. The inscription on it has been partially erased but it says roughly that King Aśoka was a staunch believer who offered Jambudvīpa to the Triple Gem thrice and redeemed it thrice with valuable pearls and gems. Such are the fragmentary words that are still legible. To the north of the palace city is a great rock chamber with the appearance of a lofty hill and a space several tens of feet wide inside. It was constructed through the labor of deities and spirits by the order of King Aśoka for his younger brother, who was a monk. King Aśoka had a younger brother by the name of Mahendra (known as Dadi,

"Great Ruler,

" in Chinese). As he was

born in a royal family he presumptuously put on the king's robe and led a luxurious and dissolute life, treating people cruelly until they bore a grudge against him. The prime minister and other senior officials exhorted the king, saying,

"Your younger brother has gone too far in riding roughshod over the people. As the saying goes, when the government is impartial the country will be in good order, and when the people live in harmony the ruler will be at peace. This precept has been handed down from ancient times. We hope that the code of the country will be maintained and that he will be put on trial according to the law.

"

King Aśoka, in tears, said to his younger brother,

"Since I succeeded to

the throne I have put all living beings under my protection. As you are my brother from the same mother, how can I neglect to benefit you? But I did not guard and guide you in time so that you have now incurred the punishment for criminals. I am in fear of my ancestors above and forced by public criticism from below.

"

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Mahendra bowed to the king apologetically and said, "I am so imprudent

as to have infringed the law. I hope you will grant me seven days' respite. "

He was then confined in a dark chamber under strict custody but was provided with the best delicacies without negligence. [At the end of the first day] the guardian announced,

"One day has passed and there are six more days. "

When the sixth day had passed, Mahendra, deeply worried and fearful, made vigorous efforts both physically and mentally [in spiritual cultivation], and thereupon he gained the fruit of sainthood, ascended into the air, and manifested miracles. Before long he left the world and went far away to live in a rocky valley. King Aśoka went personally to see him and said, "I was bound

by the law of the country so I had to inflict a severe penalty upon you. I did not think that you would elevate yourself and realize the fruit of sainthood. You are now free from trouble and you may return to our country. " His

younger brother said,

"Formerly I was caught in the net of passions and my mind was fixated on [pleasurable pursuits]. I am now free from the city of perils and I take delight in staying in the mountains and valleys. I wish to relinquish the human world and always remain in the hills and vales. " The

king said,

"If you wish to engage yourself in quiet meditation it is not necessary for you to live in remote mountains. In compliance with your wish, however, I will build a cave for you.

"

The king then summoned the spirits and deities and said to them, "I will

prepare a grand banquet of delicacies on the day after tomorrow. You may all come to attend the feast but each of you should bring a large rock to serve as a seat.

" By the king's order the deities came at the appointed time and, when the feast was over, the king told the deities, "The stone seats are in disarray so you should stack them up in proper order. I mean to make use of your labor to build a hollow chamber.

" Under the king's instruction the deities

completed the work in a few days' time. King Aśoka then went to invite [his younger brother] to stay in the hill cave.

To the north of the old palace and south of the hell there is a large trough that was made by divine labor under the command of King Aśoka. It is used for storing comestibles at the time of offering food to the monks. To the southwest of the old palace there is a rocky hill, around which there are several tens of caves that were excavated in the steep cliffs by divine labor under the command of King Aśoka, for Upagupta and other arhats. 201

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There used to be a lofty terrace beside the hill but it has collapsed, leaving only a pile of stones as the remnant foundation. In a pond there is rippling water as clear and reflective as a mirror. It is regarded as holy water by the people of neighboring and distant countries. If one drinks or bathes in the water the soil will be washed away and one's sins will be expiated. To the southwest of the hill there are five stupas whose lofty foundations have collapsed, but the remnant portions are still high. When viewed from a distance they seem to be verdant hillocks. Each side of the stupas has a space several hundred paces wide. People of later times constructed small stupas upon the big ones. It is said in the Record of Indiathat in the old days, after King Aśoka had built eighty-four thousand stupas, he still had five dou of [the Buddha's] relics. Therefore he constructed five more stupas in a different style from that of other places. Miracles occurred from time to time to testify to the fivefold spiritual body of the Tathāgata. Some impious people discussed the matter in private, saying that these stupas were constructed by King Nanda of yore to store his seven kinds of treasures. Later a king of little faith heard about the rumor and, covetous of the treasures, he sent his troops under his personal supervision to excavate the stupas. But the earth quaked, the mountains collapsed, clouds enshrouded the sun, and the stupas issued a loud sound of thunder. The soldiers fell dead and the elephants and horses fled in fear. Since then no one has dared another attempt [to excavate] the stupas. Some people have said that there were different accounts of this matter, but this could not be unascertained. We may get the true facts by following the records of ancient books. To the southeast of the old city is Kukkuṭārāma Monastery (known as Jiyuan,

"Rooster Garden,

" in Chinese), which was built by way of performing

good deeds with veneration by King Aśoka when he first had faith in the buddha-dharma. He summoned one thousand monks, both ordinary people and saints, [to this monastery], offered them the four monastic requisites, and provided them with other articles for daily use. The monastery has been in ruins for a long time and only the foundations are still in existence. Beside this monastery is a great stupa called Āmalaka, which is the name of a sort of medicinal fruit (āmalaka;myrobalan) of India.

King Aśoka, lying ill on his deathbed, knew that he was incurable and he intended to give up his gems and jewels for the performance of good deeds, 202

Fascicle VIII

but his influential ministers had seized power and would not allow him to do what he desired. Later he kept an āmalakafruit from his meal and played with it until it had become half spoiled. Holding the fruit in his hand, he said to his ministers with a long sigh,

"Who is now the lord of Jambudvīpa?" The

ministers said in reply,

"Your Majesty is the sole lord of Jambudvīpa.

'' The

king said,

"No! I am not the lord now! I have sovereign power only over this half a fruit. What a pity! Worldly wealth and nobility are more easily extinguished than a candle burning in the wind. My position entitled me to control the whole country and my title is the highest of all designations, yet I am poor on my deathbed, under the command of powerful ministers. Even though I have lost the empire I still possess half a fruit.

" Then he ordered his attending

official,

"Take this half a fruit to Kukkuṭārāma Monastery and offer it to the monks with the following message: 'I, the former lord of the whole of Jambudvīpa, now the king of half an āmalakafruit, beg to pay homage in front of the monks of great virtue. I hope that you will accept my last alms. I have lost all that I once possessed, except for this half a fruit, which is somehow at my disposal. Please have pity on my poverty and let my seeds of blessedness grow and increase.

'" The senior monk of the community said,

"King Aśoka

used to be generous in almsgiving but he now suffers from a serious illness and treacherous ministers have usurped his power. His accumulated wealth is no longer his own property and he has only half a fruit to give as alms. By the king's order we will distribute the fruit to all the monks. " So the senior

monk instructed the steward monk to cook the fruit in a thick soup and then collected the kernel, for which a stupa was built. Since the monks had received the king's great beneficence it was fitting that they fulfill his last wish. In an old monastery to the northwest of Āmalaka Stupa there is a stupa known as Bell Striking. Formerly there were about a hundred monasteries in this city. The monks were solemn and respectful and had great learning, and they had silenced the heretical scholars [in debate]. In the course of time the monks eventually died and their successors failed to maintain the tradition of learning. The heretical teachers taught their students to become perfect in knowledge and they then summoned their schoolmates, thousands and myriads in number, to assemble at the monastic buildings, shouting aloud, "Strike

the bell to call up all your scholars!" Groups of ignorant monks came together and wantonly sounded the bell and they reported to the king, requesting him 203

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The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions to be the judge of the contest. The heretical teachers were highly talented scholars of good learning, and even though there were numerous monks their arguments were shallow and superficial. The heretics announced, "We

are the winners of the debate. From now on no monastery should strike the bell to call assemblies.

" The king sanctioned the request, according to the precedent regulations of debate. Having been put to shame, the monks withdrew in disgrace and for twelve years they did not strike the bell. At that time, Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva (known as Longmeng, "Dragon

Valor,

" in Chinese, formerly mistranslated as Longshu, "Dragon Tree") of

South India had enjoyed a good reputation from his youth, and he enjoyed unique fame when he had grown up he. He renounced the world of lust and love and became a monk to cultivate his learning. He made a profound study of the wonderful principles and attained the first stage [of a bodhisattva]. He had a great disciple named Deva, a person of wisdom and cleverness with wits and good understanding. Deva said to his teacher [ Nāgārjuna], "The

scholars of Pāṭaliputra were defeated in debate by the heretics, and time passes so quickly that twelve years have passed since they stopped striking the bell. I would venture to demolish the hill of erroneous views and light the torch of the Dharma.

" Nāgārjuna said,

"The heretics of Pāṭaliputra are

erudite scholars and you are no match for them. I must go in person. " Deva

said,

"To cut off rotten grass is it necessary to overturn the whole mountain? Under your instruction I venture to refute the heterodox scholars. May you, my great teacher, raise an argument in favor of the heretical theories and let me analyze the points against them, and we shall see who will be the winner before we plan our action.

" Nāgārjuna then proposed a thesis of the

heretical theories, and Deva refuted his teacher as the latter tried to maintain his viewpoints. At the end of seven days Nāgārjuna had failed to uphold his proposition. He said with a sigh,

"Erroneous views can be easily refuted

and it is difficult to defend wrong theories. You may now go; you can surely defeat them.

"

Deva Bodhisattva had always been a man of high renown. When the heretics of Pāṭaliputra heard about his arrival they assembled and hurriedly went to report to the king, saying,

"Your Majesty has formerly condescended

to hear our suggestion that a rule be made to prevent the monks from striking the bell. We pray that a decree be issued to order the guardians of the city 204

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gates not to allow a foreign monk from a neighboring country to enter the city, lest he conspire to recklessly overturn the former rule. " The king consented to their proposal and ordered the guardians to keep strict watch. Thus when Deva arrived he was barred from entering the city. Hearing about he restriction, he changed his clothes, folded his saṃghāṭirobe, and wrapped it in a bundle of straw. Holding the front piece of his long gown in hand, he hastily went into the city, carrying the straw bundle on his head. After entering the city and having cast away the straw, he put on his religious robe and came to this monastery to ask for lodging, but as he had no acquaintance there no one would provide him with a room. So he spent the night on the terrace of the bell and early next morning he struck the bell loudly. When the monks heard the sound of the bell they came out to see and found that the traveling monk [had struck the bell], as the other monasteries did the same in response to the call of this monastery. The king, having heard the sound, inquired into the matter but could not find out who was the first to strike the bell. When the king's man came to the monastery the monks pointed out Deva, who said,

"A bell is sounded for assembling the monks. If you do not strike it what is the use of hanging it there?" The king's man said, "Formerly the

monks were defeated in a debate, so twelve years ago a rule was laid down to prohibit them from striking the bell.

" Deva said,

"Is that so? I wish to beat

the drum of the Dharma again today.

"

The messenger reported to the king, saying,

"A foreign śramaṇawishes

to avenge a former shame.

" The king then summoned the scholars and made

a rule that one who loses an argument should pay with his life for the failure. Then the heretics displayed their flags, set out their drums, and boisterously talked on different theories, showing off their talent for eloquence. Having sat on the seat of discussion, Deva listened to their disputations and, aiming at their different views, he refuted them through analysis. In less than twelve days he vanquished all the heretics, to the delight of the king and his ministers, who built this spiritual stupa in memory of Deva's supreme virtue. To the north of Bell Striking Stupa is the old site of the dwelling place of the demon-eloquent brahman. Formerly there was a brahman of the city [of Pāṭaliputra] who lived in a thatched hut in a desolate place, dissociating himself from the world. He worshiped demons to beseech them for blessedness and he conversed with evil spirits. He had brilliant ideas, talked volubly,and 205

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The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions answered questions with elegant words. Whenever people held a heated debate with him he always retorted from behind a curtain. None of the learned scholars with high talent could excel him and the common people unanimously respected him as a saint.

There was a bodhisattva named Aśvaghoṣa (known as Maming, "Horseneighing,

" in Chinese), whose wisdom comprehended everything and whose way extended to the three vehicles. He often remarked on the matter, saying, "This brahman has no teacher to teach him and his arts are groundless and without ancient basis. He lives in seclusion, enjoying great renown all by himself. How could he be what he is unless he depends on deities and ghosts and is obsessed with evil spirits? One whose ability of eloquence is endowed by a demon cannot speak face to face with another person and he cannot reiterate what he has said once. I must go there and see how he will behave. "

So he went to the [brahman's] hut and said to him,

"I have heard of your

great fame with admiration for quite a long time. I hope you will lift the curtain so that I may express what is on my mind.

" The brahman remained

arrogant, talking from behind his curtain, and would not speak face to face [with his visitor]. Aśvaghoṣa realized that it was the demon who was so self-conceited. After the conversation ended he left and told the people, "I

have come to know what is what and I am sure to defeat him. " Then he went

to see the king and asked for permission to hold a sharp debate with the hermit. The king was surprised to hear this and said, "What sort of man are

you? Unless you have gained the three clear insights or obtained the six supernatural powers, how could you contest with him?" Nevertheless, he ordered that his carriage be prepared and went in person to see the details of the controversy.

At that time Aśvaghoṣa Bodhisattva discussed the subtle words of the Tripi ṭaka and elucidated the general meanings of the five branches of knowledge. He talked eloquently and with great ease and his brilliant views were lucid and far-sighted. After the brahman had stated his opinion, Aśvaghoṣa said, "In your statement you lost the gist of my argument. Please repeat what you have said.

" The brahman remained silent and became tongue-tied, however. Aśvaghoṣa rebuked him, saying,

"Why do you not resolve my interrogation?

The demon you serve should hasten to give you words. " While saying this

he hurriedly lifted the curtain, trying to get a look at the demon, but the brahman 206

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said in a flustered and fearful manner,

"Stop! Stop!" Aśvaghoṣa withdrew and

remarked,

"That fellow has lost his fame this morning. As the saying goes, false fame cannot last long.

" The king said,

"If not for your great virtue, who

could have seen through his sinister fraudulence? According to the regular tradition of the country someone who has an unprecedented and unique capability of discernment should be commended for his perspicacity. "

More than two hundred liaway from the southwest corner of the city there are the remnant foundations of a monastery, beside which is a stupa that often issues a divine light and manifests spiritual signs. People come here from far and near to say prayers. This was a site where the four past buddhas sat and walked up and down in ancient times.

Going southwest for more than one hundred lifrom the old monastery, I reached Tilaḍhāka Monastery. It consists of four courts, three-storied pavilions, lofty terraces, and gates that open wide, leading from one to another. All of these were built by the last descendant of King Bimbisāra. He selectively invited people of high talent and widely summoned those of great virtue. Scholars of foreign countries and wise people from distant lands, one after another, came in groups of the same caliber and stayed [in this monastery]. There are thousands of monks, all of whom study Mahayana teachings. At the end of the path, facing the middle gate, are three shrines that are adorned with wheel signs on the roofs and have bells and chimes suspended in the air. On the terrace below there are spacious balustrades all around. The doors, windows, beams, outer walls, and stairs are embellished with gilt or copper ornaments in relief. In the middle shrine there is a standing statue of the Buddha, thirty feet in height, while in the left one is a statue of Tārā Bodhisattva and in the right one a statue of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. All three statues, cast in brass, are austere in appearance and spread far-reaching divine precepts. In each of the three shrines there is one shengof [the Buddha's] relic bones, which sometimes emit a divine light and show signs of unusual auspiciousness from time to time.

At a distance of over ninety lito the southwest of Tilaḍhāka Monastery I reached a great mountain where spirits and immortals dwell among the dense clouds and rocks lie in seclusion, venomous snakes and violent dragons lurk in the hollows of the marshes, fierce animals hide in the woods, and birds of prey perch on the trees. On the summit of the mountain is a large 207

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flat rock on which is built a stupa over ten feet high. This was a place where the Buddha once sat in samādhi.

Formerly the Tathāgata once came here through supernatural power and sat on this rock in the samādhiof complete cessation for an entire night. The devas, spiritual beings, and saints made offerings to him, performed celestial music, and heavenly flowers rained down. After the Tathāgata had emerged from the state of samādhithe heavenly beings, out of feelings of respect and admiration, constructed a stupa with gems, gold, and silver, but over the course of time the precious substances have turned into stone. Since ancient times nobody has ever visited the stupa. Looking from afar at the high mountain one can see strange beings, long snakes, and fierce animals circumambulating to the right around the stupa, and devas, immortals, spirits, and saints coming one after another to sing praise. On a hillock to the east of the mountain is a stupa built at the place where the Tathāgata once walked and stopped to look back at the country of Magadha.

At a spur of a hill over thirty lito the northwest of the mountain there is a monastery built on an elevated place backed by a ridge, with lofty pavilions excavated on the precipices. There are more than fifty monks, all of whom study the Mahayana teachings. This was the place where Guṇamati (known as Dehui,

"Virtue-wisdom,

" in Chinese) Bodhisattva subdued the heretics.

There was once on this mountain a brahman named Mādhava, who was a follower of the theories of the Sāṃkhya school and practiced the same accordingly. He was an expert in both Buddhist and heretical doctrines and could speak well on the principles of nonexistence and existence. His fame excelled that of his predecessors and his virtue won the respect of his contemporaries. The king esteemed him as national treasure and the ministers and common people honored him as their personal teacher. Scholars of neighboring countries accepted his style of learning, respected him for his virtue, and regarded him as a pioneer. He was indeed a learned and erudite man. He lived on the fief of two cities in an abode surrounded by feudal lands. At that time Guṇamati Bodhisattva of South India had been a person of intelligence since his childhood. He was exquisite in learning in his early days, had thoroughly mastered the Tripiṭaka, and perfectly understood the Four Noble Truths. When he heard that Mādhava's theories were most profound and abstruse he decided to frustrate his vainglory. He sent a disciple 208

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to the brahman with the following message,

"I respectfully inquire after

Mādha va's health and hope you are living in peace and happiness. It befits you to forget about fatigue and make a good review of your past learning. In three years I shall put an end to your good repute. " In the second and third

years he repeated the message to the brahman. When he was about to start out on the journey [to see the brahman] he wrote another letter to him, saying, "The time is drawing to an end. How is the progress of your studies? You should know that I am coming soon.

" Greatly worried and afraid, Mādhava

warned his disciples and feudal tenants that from then on they should not take in any śramaṇaor heathen, and he told them to pass the notice to all others and to not infringe the admonition.

At that time Guṇamati Bodhisattva came with his pewter staff to of Mā dhava's fief but the tenants, in keeping with the prearrangement, refused to give him lodging. The brahman reproached him, saying, "With a tonsured poll

and dressed in a unusual costume, what a strange figure you are! It befits you to go away quickly and not stay here!" Guṇamati wished to defeat the brahman and desired to stay in the latter's feudal land, so he said in polite language with a mind of compassion,

"You people are pure ascetics following the worldly truth, while I am a pure ascetic practicing the superior truth. Since we all are pure ascetics, why do you reject me?" The brahman would not speak with him but instead drove him away. Having been driven out of the feudal land Guṇamati entered a great forest in which packs of fierce animals wrought havoc. A pure believer, fearing that Guṇamati might be hurt by the animals, came with a torch and a staff in hand and said to the bodhisattva, "A Guṇamati

Bodhisattva of South India whose fame has spread far is coming to hold a debate. Thus the lord of the fief, fearing that his good name might be lost in the polemic, issued a strict order to his people to not give overnight lodging to any śramaṇa. Fearing that he may be harmed by wild animals, I have come here to help him. He may go his way in safety without worry. " Guṇamati

said,

"I must tell you, pure believer, that I am Guṇamati. " Having heard these

words the pure believer showed still deeper respect to Guṇamati and said to him,

"If that is the case, you should quickly leave here. " So they came out

of the dense forest and halted in an open marshland, where the pure believer built a fire. Holding a bow in his hand he walked all around. When the night had passed he said to Guṇamati,

"You should go now, lest people get wind

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The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions of you and come to injure you. " Guṇamati said with thanks,

"I will never

forget your kindness.

"

He then went to the palace and said to the gatekeeper, "A śramaṇacoming

from a great distance wishes to obtain the permission of the king to hold a debate with Mādhava.

" Having heard this announcement, the king was amazed and said,

"This man must be crazy!" Then he ordered a messenger to go to the place of Mādhava to declare his edict, saying, "A strange śramaṇa

has come and begged to hold a debate [with you]. The ground for the argumentation has been swept clean and an announcement has been sent out far and near. I hope you will kindly attend the meeting with your gracious presence. " Mādhava asked the messenger, "Is the man the śāstramaster Guṇamati of South India?" The messenger said, "Yes.

" Mādhava was greatly displeased to hear this but he could not decline the invitation, so he went to the venue of contention. The king and his ministers, as well as scholars, common people, and nobles, gathered at the meeting, wishing to listen to the learned discussion.

Guṇamati put forward his proposition first, but up until sunset Mādhava refused to offer a retort, on the excuse that because of his his advanced age he could not give a prompt reply but had to leave and quietly ponder the question before returning to give his refutation. For every new point [raised by his opponent] he always said that he must leave before making a reply. The next morning, after he had taken his seat in the discussion, he could not utter a word in refutation and on the sixth day he died, vomiting blood. On his deathbed he said to his wife, "You are a woman of great talent and you must not forget the shame I have suffered. " Mādhava's death was kept

secret and his wife, attired in gorgeous dress, came to the meeting. The people in the assembly made a hubbub and said among themselves, "Mā dhava is self-conceited and is too shy to face Guṇamati, so he has sent his wife to come to the meeting. It is apparent who is superior and who is inferior. " Guṇamati Bodhisattva said to Mādhava's wife, "The one who can

subjugate you has been subjugated by me. " The woman then beat a hasty

retreat in the face of these difficulties. The king said [to Guṇamati],

"What secret words did you say that made the woman go away in silence?" Guṇamati said, "What a pity! Mādhava is

dead! His wife came with the intention of holding the debate with me. " The

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king said,

"How do you know this? Please tell me.

" Guṇamati said in reply,

"When she came she had a sorrowful look of mourning and her voice betrayed her feelings of grief and sadness. That is how I knew that Mādhava had died. By saying 'the one who can subjugate you,

' I was referring to her husband.

"

The king then sent someone to see what had happened and he found that the situation was just as had been described. The king said in self-reproach, "The

buddha-dharma is abstruse and wonderful and has brilliant sages coming forth in succession; nonaction is the way that benefits living beings. According to the original institutions and regulations of our country, I shall praise and honor people of virtue in the usual manner.

" Guṇamati said,

"Stupid as I am,

I practice the Way and abide by chastity; I observe the precepts of contentment and self-restraint and study the means to help others. Whenever I attempt to induce someone [to the right path] I always first suppress his arrogance and then convert him in an appropriate way. Now it is time for me to request Your Majesty to assign all the tenants of Mādhava's fiefs to become [monks] in the monastery for innumerable generations, so as to leave an example for people in the future and transmit the fame of these good deeds forever. As for the pure believer who gave me protection, I hope he will live blissfully in the world and enjoy the same provisions that are given to the monks, in order to persuade people to have pure faith, as well as to exalt his profound goodness.

" Thus this monastery was constructed for the glorification of this superior event.

When Mādhava was first vanguished in the debate, dozens of brahmans fled to take refuge in a neighboring country, and they informed the brahmans of that land about the shameful affair. They recruited brilliant scholars and returned home to seek vengeance for the former insult. As the king respected Guṇamati, he went in person to invite the latter, saying, "Some heretics who

overrate their own abilities have organized a party, formed cliques, and ventured to sound the drum to demand that a debate be held. I hope that you, Venerable Sir, will crush these heretics.

" Guṇamati said,

"The debaters may

be called to an assembly.

" The heretical scholars were delighted to hear this and said among themselves in consolation,

"We shall certainly win the case

today!" Then the heretics expounded their theoretical principles. Guṇamati Bodhisattva said,

"These heretics here have taken refuge in a distant land and, according to the king's former ordinance, they have become contemptible. 211

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How can I debate with them face to face?" At that time Guṇamati had a page to serve him as a seat carrier, and that man often heard his master's supererogatory disputations and had become adept in discussing the gist of subtle teachings. As he stood by the side of his master, listening to his eloquent talk, Guṇamati clapped his seat and said,

"Seat carrier, you may debate with them.

"

All the people in the assembly were surprised by this. The page then began to raise questions. His words of deep meaning flowed like a spring and his clear eloquence echoed in the air. In three rounds the heretics were vanquished in the disputation, the sharpness of their tongues blunted and the shafts of the fletching of their arrows broken. Because they had been defeated in the debate they were made feudal tenants of the monastery. More than twenty lito the southwest of Guṇamati Monastery is an isolated hill, with a monastery built by the śāstramaster Śīlabhadra (known as Jiexian, "Precept-virtue,

" in Chinese) with the revenue of a city that was donated to him as a reward for a successful discussion. The shape of the isolated hill resembled a stupa for the preservation of the Buddha's relics. The śāstra master, a brahman by caste, was the scion of the royal family of the country of Samataṭa. When he was young he was fond of learning and had a good character. He traveled to various parts of India in search of people of wisdom. When he came to Nālandā Monastery in this country he met with Dharmapāla Bodhisattva, from whom he heard about the Dharma with faith and understanding, and under whose guidance he donned the dyed robe of a monk. He inquired into the consummate principles and sought the way of emancipation. He mastered both the ultimate truth and the subtle theories. He was well known in his own time and his fame was high in foreign regions. There was then in South India a heretic who sought into profound teachings and delved into what was kept secret, having a thorough comprehension of abstruse knowledge and a keen insight into subtle tenets. Hearing of Dharmapāla's high repute, he became deeply jealous and resentful. Despite the obstacles of mountains and rivers he came to beat the drum and demanded to hold a discussion with him. He said [to the king],

"I am a man from South

India. I have heard that in your kingdom there is a great śāstramaster. Although I am not clever I wish to have a full discussion with him. " The king said,

"Yes,

we have such a person, as you say.

" Then he sent a messenger to invite

Dharmapāla, saying,

"A heretic of South India has come from a distanceof

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no less than one thousand li,wishing to hold a competitive discussion with you. I hope you will condescend to come to the debate ground. "

Having heard this message, Dharmapāla tidied his robe and made ready to go. His disciple Śīlabhadra, an outstanding young man, stepped forward and said,

"Why are you going in such a hurry?" Dharmapāla said, "Since

the Sun of Wisdom ceased to shine and the Lamp of Transmitting the Dharma became extinct, heretics have massed like ants and heterodox views have spread like wasps flying in swarms. Therefore I must go crush that debater. "

Śīlabhadra said,

"I have heard with respect your supererogatory discussions, with which I dare to defeat the heterodox follower. " Knowing that he was a

man of outstanding talent, Dharmapāla gave his consent to the request. Śīla bhadra was then just thirty years old and the assembly slighted him as being too young, fearing that it would be difficult for him to combat his opponent by himself. Knowing that the assembly was not content with the choice, Dharmapāla said in explanation,

"What is valued in a person is his good

learning and intelligence, not his age. In view of the present situation [Śīlabadhra] is sure to defeat the heretic.

" On the day of the discussion young

and old people coming from far and near gathered together. The heretic widely expounded his theories to the utmost extent, but Śīla bhadra refuted him through reasoning in a most profound and abstruse way. Having exhausted his words, the heretic departed in shame.

As a reward for [Śīlabhadra's] virtue the king wished to give him this city as a fief. The śāstramaster declined the offer, saying, "I am a monk dressed

in the dyed robe, living in contentment and keeping myself in purity. What is the use of a fief for me?" The king said,

"The King of the Dharma has disappeared and the Ships of Wisdom have sunk, one after another. If there is no distinction [made to the worthy ones] how can we encourage scholars of the younger generation? In order to spread the right Dharma I hope you will kindly accept the gift.

" Unable to decline the offer, śāstramaster Śīlabhadra accepted the city as his fief. He constructed a monastery accordingto the regulations and provided daily necessities for the monks with the revenue from the city.

Going southwest for forty or fifty lifrom Śīlabhadra Monastery, I crossed the Nairañjanā River and reached the city of Gayā. This city is strongly built but only sparsely populated, having only some one thousand brahman families, 213

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the descendants of a great ṛṣi.The king did not make them his subjects and the people honor them respectfully. More than thirty lito the north of the city is a clear spring, which is regarded in Indian tradition as holy water. [It is believed that] when one drinks the water or washes in it his or her sinful defilements are purified. Five or six lito the southwest of the city is Gayā Mountain, with deep valleys and far-reaching streams among steep peaks and high cliffs. In India it is traditionally called Spiritual Mountain. Since ancient times whenever kings and monarchs ascended the throne, exerted influence on distant peoples, or excelled their predecessors in virtue, they all came to this mountain to make an announcement of their achievements. On top of the mountain is a stone stupa more than one hundred feet high built by King Aśoka. It has latent spiritual power and emits a divine light from time to time. This is the place where the Tathāgata formerly preached the Ratnamegha-sūtraand other scriptures.

To the southeast of Gayā Mountain is a stupa built at the birthplace of Kāśyapa, and to the south are two stupas built at the places where Gayā-Kāśyapa and Nadī-Kāśyapa worshiped fire. At the place where Gayā-Kāśyapa worshiped fire, crossing a big river to the east, one reaches Prāgbodhi Mountain (known as Qianzhengjueshan, "Preenlightenment Mountain,

" in Chinese,

as the Tathāgata ascended this mountain prior to his realization of perfect enlightenment). After striving hard for six years he had not yet attained perfect enlightenment so he gave up austerities and accepted milk gruel. When the Tathāgata came from the northeast to this mountain he saw that it was a quiet place and wished to gain enlightenment there. From the northeast ridge he climbed up to the summit of the mountain, and the earth quaked and the mountain trembled. The mountain god was frightened and told the Bodhisattva, "This mountain is not a blessed place for you to achieve enlightenment. If you stay here and enter the diamondsamādhithe earth will sink and the mountain will topple over.

" The Bodhisattva came down by the southwest

side of the mountain. Halfway down the mountain there was a large cave with its back to the crag and its mouth opening on a brook in front. The Bodhisattva went in and sat cross-legged. The earth quaked again and the mountain trembled for a second time. At that time beings of the Heaven of Pure Abode chanted in the air,

"This is not the place for the Tathāgata to

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from the place where you practiced austerities, there is a pipaltree, under which is a diamond seat. It is on this seat that all the buddhas of the past and future sit to achieve perfect enlightenment. Please go there!" But the dragon of the cave said,

"This cave is a quiet and suitable place for you to attain sainthood. May you have compassion and not relinquish it. " Knowing that

this was not the place for him to realize buddhahood the Bodhisattva left his shadow in the cave to satisfy the dragon's wishes and departed. (This shadow was formerly visible to both the wise and the ignorant but now only some people are able to see it.) Preceded by heavenly beings, the Bodhisattva went to the bodhitree. Later, after King Aśoka rose to power, he built monuments and stupas at the sites where the Bodhisattva ascended and descended the mountain. Though these monuments differ in size they are the same in showing spiritual signs, either raining celestial flowers or emitting a light that illuminates the deep valleys. Every year at the end of the summer retreat monks and laypeople from different places come here to make offerings and spend two nights before going home.

Going southwest from Prāgbodhi Mountain for fourteen or fifteen li,I reached the bodhitree. The surrounding walls are built high and strong out of brick; they are long from east to west and narrow from south to north, and are about five hundred paces in circuit. Exotic trees and famous flowers cast continuous shade on the ground, and fine sand and strange plants cover the earth with a green quilt. The main gate opens east toward the Nairañjanā River and the southern gate is near a large flower pool. The west side is an inaccessible natural barrier, while the northern gate leads to a big monastery. Inside the enclosure the sacred sites are connected with one another. The stupas or shrines were all built by monarchs, ministerial officials, and nobles of various countries of Jambudvīpa as memorials to their acceptance of the bequeathed teachings of the Buddha.

At the center of the enclosure of the bodhitree is the diamond seat, which came into existence together with the great earth at the beginning of the bhadrakalpa.It is in the middle of the three-thousand great chiliocosm, reaching down to the golden wheel below the surface of the earth. It is made of diamond and is over a hundred paces in circuit. Because the one thousand buddhas of the bhadrakalpaall sit on it to enter the diamond samādhi,it is called the diamond seat, and because it is the place for realizing the sacred 915b

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Way it is also called the bodhimaṇḍa("seat for realizing buddhahood"). Whenever the earth quakes this spot alone remains stable. Thus, when the Tathāgata was about to attain enlightenment, the four corners of this seat trembled in the directions of where he had traveled to, but when he came here it was calm and quiet, without agitation. Since the beginning of the period of decline at the end of the kalpa,when the right Dharma started to deteriorate, this site was covered by sand and earth and was lost to view. After the Buddha's nirvana the monarchs of various countries set up two sitting statues of Avalokiteśvara facing east at the southern and northern limits of the enclosure, according to the Buddha's description as they had heard from the tradition. Some old people said that when the statues of [Avalokiteśvara] disappear and become invisible the buddha-dharma will come to an end. The statue at the south corner has already sunk down up to the chest. The bodhitree at the diamond seat is a pipaltree, which was several hundred feet tall in the time of the Buddha, and although it has been cut down or damaged several times it still remains forty or fifty feet high. Because the Buddha attained full enlightenment while sitting under this tree, it is called the bodhitree ("tree of enlightenment"). The trunk of the tree is yellowishwhite in color and its branches and leaves are always green; they never wither nor does their luster decrease, whether in winter or summer. Each year on the day of the Tathāgata's nirvana the leaves fade and fall but they grow out again very soon. On that day the monarchs of various countries and monks and laypeople from different places, thousands and myriads in number, gather here of their own will to water and bathe the tree with scented water and milk, accompanied by music. With arrays of fragrant flowers and lamps burning uninterruptedly, the devotees vie with each other in making offerings to the tree.

After the Tathāgata's demise, when King Aśoka first ascended the throne he believed in heretical doctrines and he destroyed the sites left by the Buddha. He sent his troops and came in person to cut down the bodhitree. He chopped the roots, stalks, branches, and leaves into small pieces and had them heaped up at a spot a few tens of paces to the west, where fire-worshiping brahmans were ordered to burn the pile as a sacrifice to their god. Before the smoke and flames had dissipated, however, two trees with luxuriant and verdant leaves grew out of the furious fire; these trees were thus called ash bodhi 216

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trees. On seeing this strange sight, King Aśoka repented his misdeeds and water the remnant roots with sweet milk. When it was nearly dawn the tree grew up as before. The king, greatly exhilarated to have seen this spiritual wonder, made offerings to the tree in person with such delight that he forgot to return home. The queen, a heretical believer, secretly sent someone to cut down the tree after nightfall. When King Aśoka went to worship the tree at dawn he was very sad to see only the stump of the tree. He prayed earnestly and watered the stump with sweet milk, and in a few days the tree grew up once again. With deep respect and astonishment the king built a stone enclosure to the height of more than ten feet around the tree, which is still in existence. Recently King Śaśāṅka, a heretical believer, denounced the buddhadharma out of jealousy, destroyed monasteries, and cut down the bodhitree [again]. He dug the ground so deep as to reach spring water but he could not get at the ends of the roots, so he set fire to burn it and soaked it with sugarcane juice with the intention of making it rotten and prevent it from sprouting. Several months later, King Pūrṇavarman (known as Manzhou, "Full Armor,

"

in Chinese) of Magadha, the last descendant of King Aśoka, heard about the event and said with a sigh of regret,

"The Sun of Wisdom has sunk and only

the Buddha's tree remained in the world; now that the tree has been destroyed what else is there for living beings to see?" He prostrated himself on the ground and wept piteously. He watered the tree with milk obtained from several thousand cows and it grew up to some ten feet high in one night. Fearing that people of later times might cut it down [again], he surrounded it with a stone enclosure to the height of twenty-four feet. Thus the bodhitree at present is behind the stone wall, and more than ten feet of branches grow out above the wall.

To the east of the bodhitree is a shrine, one hundred and sixty or seventy feet high, built on a base whose front side is more than twenty paces wide. It was built with brick and plastered with lime. In all the niches arranged in tiers there are golden images, and on the four walls are marvelous carvings in the shapes of strings of pearls or figures of spirits. On top is installed a gilded copper āmalakafruit (also said to be a precious bottle or a precious pot). It is connected with a storied pavilion at the east, the eaves of which are in three layers. The rafters, pillars, ridgepoles, beams, doors, and windows are adorned with gold and silver carvings and studded with a mixture of 916a

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pearls and jade. The innermost chamber of the shrine has three doors connecting with the other parts of the structure. On each side of the outer door there is a niche containing an image of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva on the left side and one of Maitreya Bodhisattva on the right side, both cast in silver and more than ten feet in height.

Formerly King Aśoka built a small shrine at the site of the [present] shrine and a brahman later extended it. There was once a brahman who did not believe in the buddha-dharma but worshiped the deity Maheśvara. He heard that the deity was living in the Snow Mountains, so he went with his younger brother to seek the fulfillment of his wishes from the deity. The deity said, "Your wishes can be fulfilled only when you have done meritorious deeds. It is not that you can get things by merely saying prayers, nor can I make you satisfied.

" The brahman said,

"What meritorious deed should I do so

that my mind can be satisfied?" The deity said,

"If you wish to plant the seed

of goodness you should find the field of blessedness. The bodhitree is the place where the Buddha attained buddhahood, so you should quickly go back to the bodhitree and build a great shrine, dig out a large pond, and make various offerings. Then your wishes will be fulfilled. " Under the deity's

injunction the brahman, cherishing a mind of great faith, returned with his younger brother. The elder one built the shrine and the younger one excavated the pond. Then they made rich offerings to seek the fulfillment of their wishes. They finally realized their wishes and became cabinet ministers to the king. They gave away as alms whatever emoluments or rewards they received. When the shrine was completed artists were invited to make an image of the Tathāgata as he appeared at the time of attaining buddhahood, but for a long time no one answered the call for the job. At last a brahman came and said to the monks,

"I am good at making fine images of the Tathāgata.

" The

monks said,

"What do you need for making the image?" The brahman said, "I only need some scented clay and a lamp to be placed inside the shrine. After I have entered the shrine the door should be tightly closed, and only opened again after six months.

" The monks did as they were told, but just

four days short of six months they opened the door out of curiosity to see [what was going on]. They saw that the image inside the shrine was in the posture of sitting cross-legged facing the east, with the right foot upon [the left thigh]; the left hand was drawn back and the right one pointed downward. 218

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It was just as if the figure was alive. The pedestal was four feet two inches high and twelve feet five inches wide, and the image was eleven feet five inches tall. The two knees were eight feet eight inches apart, and the width from one shoulderto another measured six feet two inches. All the auspicious physical symbols of a buddha were complete and the compassionate features were true to reality, except that a little spot above the right breast was unfinished. The monks saw no one in the shrine and realized that a divine hand was at work. They were all filled with amazement and eagerly wished to know about the affair. One of the śramaṇas, a simple man of honest mind, had a dream in which he saw the brahman, who said to him, "I am Maitreya

Bodhisattva. Concerned that artists could not imagine the holy features of the Buddha, I came in person to make the image. It is made with the right hand pointing downward because just as the Tathāgata was about to attain buddhahood Māra came to disturb him, but the earth gods informed him of Māra's arrival. One of the earth gods came out first to assist the Buddha in subjugating Māra but the Tathāgata said to the god,

'Do not worry. I can surely subjugate him

with my power of forbearance.

' Māra said,

'Who will bear you witness?' The

Tathāgata then pointed his hand to the earth, saying,

'This one here will bear

me witness!' At that moment the second earth god emerged to bear witness. Therefore the image is made with the right hand pointing downward. " The

monks came to know that this was a divine manifestation and they were all moved to tears. The unfinished spot above the breast was finished with various gems and the image was adorned with a necklace of pearls, crowned with a coronet, and embellished with other valuable ornaments. When King Śaśāṅka felled the bodhitree he also wished to destroy this image. But when he looked at the compassionate features of the image he did not have the heart to do so. On returning home he told his attendant minister, "You should remove this image of the Buddha and replace it with that of Maheśvara.

" Having received the king's edict, the attendant minister was afraid and said with a sigh,

"If I destroy the Buddha's image I will suffer disaster for many kalpas, but if I disobey the king's order I will not only lose my own life but also bring about the extermination of my entire family. What should I do in this awkward plight?" He then called some Buddhist believers to work as his servants and had them build a brick wall in front of the Buddha's image. Because he was ashamed to see the image in utter darkness he lit a 219

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lamp for it. On the front of the brick wall he drew a picture of Maheśvara. When this was done he made a report to the king. On hearing the report the king dreaded the consequences. He suffered from blisters all over his body, his skin became cracked, and before long he died.

The attendant minister hurriedly went back to the image and demolished the brick wall [that screened it from view]. Though many days had passed the lamp still burned, without extinction. The image is still in existence and because it is in a deep inner chamber lamps and torches burn continually. The compassionate features cannot be clearly seen unless early-morning sunlight is reflected into the chamber with a big mirror to illuminate the divine statue. Those who have the chance to see the image are struck with emotion. The Tathāgata attained perfect enlightenment on the eighth day of the second half of the month of Vaiśākha in the Indian calendar, corresponding to the eighth day of the third month in our calendar, but according to the tradition of the Sthavira school the event occurred on the fifteenth day of the second half of the month of Vaiśākha, corresponding to the fifteenth day of the third month in our calendar. He was then around thirty or thirty-five years old. To the north of the bodhitree is a place where the Buddha walked up and down. After achieving perfect enlightenment the Tathāgata did not rise from his seat but sat in meditation for seven days. When he rose to his feet he went to the north of the bodhitree, where he walked to and fro, east and west, for seven days. When he had walked over ten paces signs of wondrous flowers followed his footprints at eighteen points. People of later times built a brick promenade about three feet high at this place. It is said in a previous record that this sacred site can foretell the length of one's life. One should make a sincere vow before taking the measure. The length of the promenade varies according to the possible life spans of those who measure it. To the north of the promenade, on a huge rock on the right side of the road, is a big shrine in which there is an image of the Buddha with its eyes gazing upward. Formerly the Tathāgata looked at the bodhitree from this place for seven days without blinking, gazing at the tree attentively with a feeling of gratitude.

Not far to the west of the bodhitree is a great shrine with a brass image of the Buddha in the standing posture, facing east, adorned with rare jewels. In front of the image is a blue stone with wonderful veins of various hues. 220

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This is the place where Brahmā built a hall out of the seven precious substances and Indra made a seat, also with the seven precious substances, at the time when the Tathāgata first attained enlightenment. On this seat he sat in meditation for seven days and emitted an unusual light that shone upon the bodhitree. The precious substances have since turned into stone because the event occurred in the remote past.

Not far to the south of the bodhitree is a stupa more than one hundred feet high built by King Aśoka. After having bathed himself in the Nairañjanā River, the Bodhisattva was going to the bodhitree and pondered what he should use for a seat. He got the idea of using some clean grass to make a seat. Meanwhile Indra transformed himself into a grass cutter, carrying a bundle of grass going on his way. The Bodhisattva said to him,

"Can you favor me with some of

your grass?" The transformed figure respectfully offered him some grass and, after receiving the grass, the Bodhisattva proceeded on his way. Not far to the northeast of the spot of receiving grass is a stupa built at the place where some bluebirds (Eophona personata) and a herd of deer came as a good omen when the Bodhisattva was about to achieve buddhahood. Among the signs of auspiciousness in India their presence is considered to be the most lucky symbol. Thus, in compliance with the custom of the human world, the celestial beings of the Heaven of Pure Abode made the bluebirds fly around the Bodhisattva to indicate his spirituality and holiness. To the east of the bodhitree are two stupas, one on the left and the other on the right side of the main road. This is the place where the King of Māras disturbed the Bodhisattva. When the Bodhisattva was about to attain buddha hood the King of Māras exhorted him to become a supreme ruler [instead of a buddha]. As this device was ineffective, the King of Māras withdrew in deep sadness. His daughters volunteered to go to seduce the Bodhisattva but with his divine power he changed the beautiful girls into decrepit old women. They retreated, clinging to each other, holding sticks to support their slender frames.

In a shrine to the northwest of the bodhitree there is an image of Kāśyapa Buddha. Well known for its spirituality and sanctity, it often emits a bright light. It is said in a previous record that if a person walks around the image seven times with utmost sincerity he may gain the wisdom of knowing where he was born in his past life.

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To the northwest of the shrine of Kāśyapa Buddha there are two brick chambers, each housing an image of an earth god. One informed the Buddha of the arrival of Māra and the other bore witness for the Buddha. People of later times made these images of the gods in memory of their merits. Not far to the west of the bodhitree enclosure is a stupa more than forty feet high, known as Saffron Stupa, built by a merchant lord of the country of Jāguḍa. Formerly in the country of Jāguḍa there was a great merchant lord who worshiped heavenly gods to pray for wealth, and he despised the buddhadharma and did not believe in the law of causality. He once led a group of fellow traders to do business and sailed to the South Sea, where they encountered a typhoon and lost their way. They drifted along with the roaring waves and sailed on the sea for three years until their rations were exhausted and they had nothing more to eat. All those who were aboard the ship were in a precarious situation and they earnestly prayed to the gods they worshiped with one mind. They become quite fatigued with their laborious prayers and had failed to receive divine rescue, when they suddenly saw a huge mountain with lofty cliffs and steep peaks under the light of two bright suns. The merchants said to comfort one another, "We are lucky to have come across this

huge mountain. We should stop here to get peace and happiness. " The merchant lord said,

"It is not a mountain but a makarafish (a sea monster). The lofty cliffs and steep peaks are its fins and whiskers and the two bright suns are its eyes.

" Just as they had barely finished talking the ship floated toward the monster. The merchant lord told his fellow traders, "I have heard that

Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva will bestow peace and happiness on those who are in peril and adversity. Let us call his name with a mind of complete sincerity. " Then they all repeated the name of [Avalokiteśvara] Bodhisattva in unison and sought refuge under his spiritual protection. The lofty mountain disappeared and the two suns submerged. In a moment they saw a śramaṇa with a quiet and peaceful manner coming through the air, religious staff in hand, to rescue them from being drowned. Very soon they returned to their own country. Thereafter they cherished minds of resolute faith and tried to perform good deeds indefatigably. They built a stupa for making offerings and plastered the whole structure with saffron clay.

Having cherished the mind of faith, the merchant lord led his fellow traders to worship the holy sites and visit the bodhitree. They spent a whole month 222

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in pilgrimage before they thought of returning home. The traders, while traveling together, said among themselves, "We are far away from our homeland,

separated by mountains and rivers. Since we are here, who will sweep and clean the stupa we have built?" Having said this, they came in a roundabout way to this place and suddenly saw a stupa. Surprised at the sight, they went up to have a close look at the stupa and found that it was the one they had built at home. Thus it was named the Saffron Stupa in India. At the southeast corner of the bodhitree enclosure there is a banyan tree, and next to it are a stupa and temple. A statue of the seated Buddha is enshrined in the temple. Formerly, when the Tathāgata had just attained buddhahood, Mahābrahmā came here and entreated him to turn the wonderful wheel of the Dharma. At each of the four corners inside the bodhitree enclosure there is a great stupa. Formerly, when the Tathāgata had received the auspicious grass, he went to the bodhitree. He went first to the four corners and the earth quaked but it became quiet and calm when he reached the diamond seat. Inside the enclosure are many sacred sites located as closely together as the scales of a fish, and it is difficult to describe them all in full detail. At the southwest corner outside the bodhitree enclosure is a stupa that marks the site of the old house of the two milkmaids who offered milk gruel [to the Buddha]. Beside it is another stupa, marking the place where the milkmaids cooked the gruel, and next to this stupa is the place where the Tathāgata received the gruel.

Outside the south gate of the bodhitree enclosure is a big pond more than seven hundred paces in circuit, with clear and lucid water in which dragons and fish dwell. It was dug by the younger brother of a brahman under the order of Maheśvara. Next, to the south is a pool that was magically produced by Indra when the Tathāgata wished to wash his clothes after having attained enlightenment. At the west of the pool is a big rock that was brought here by Indra from the Great Snow Mountains when the Buddha wished to dry his washed clothes in the sun. Beside the rock is a stupa where the Tathāgata mended his old clothes. Next, to the south is a stupa in a wood, which was the place where the Tathāgata accepted the old clothes offered by a poor old woman as alms.

To the east of the pool produced by Indra there is a wood in which the pond of the dragon king Mucilinda is located; the water is clear, dark, and 223

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sweet-tasting. On the west bank is a small shrine in which is installed an image of the Buddha. Formerly, after the Tathāgata had just attained enlightenment he sat in meditation for seven days in this place. The dragon king protected the Tathāgata by surrounding him with his body in seven coils, while its many heads reached over him to serve as a canopy. On the east bank of the old pool is the chamber of the dragon king. In a wood to the east of the dragon Mucilinda's pool is a shrine with an image of the Buddha in an emaciated condition. Beside the shrine is the place where he walked up and down, more than seventy paces long, and there are two pipaltrees, one at the south and the other at the north side of the promenade. In the past and at present it is the custom of the local people to anoint the image with fragrant oil when they are afflicted with a disease, and in most cases they are cured of their illness. This was the place where the Buddha practiced austerities. In order to subdue the heretics, and also at Māra's request, he practiced asceticism for six years, eating only one grain of sesame and one grain of rice each day, reducing himself to a mere skeleton and becoming so feeble that he had to hold onto the branch of a tree to stand up to take a walk.

Beside the pipaltree where the Bodhisattva practiced austerities is a stupa at the place where Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya and his four companions made their abode. After Prince [Siddhārtha] renounced his home to wander in the mountains and marshlands and dwell in woods or by springs, King Śuddhodana sent these five men to look after and serve him. Because the prince practiced austerities, Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya and the others also diligently did the same. To the southeast of the abode of Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya and the others is a stupa where the Bodhisattva entered the Nairañjanā River to bathe. Not far from the river is the spot where the Bodhisattva accepted and ate the milk gruel. The stupa beside the spot is the place where two elders offered baked barley and honey [to the Buddha]. The Buddha was sitting cross-legged in silent meditation under a tree, enjoying the bliss of emancipation for seven days before he emerged from the state of tranquility, when two merchants passed by outside the wood. The god of the wood told the merchants, "The

prince of the Śākya clan is now in this wood. He has just attained buddhahood and has been sitting in silent concentration with a fixed mind for forty-nine days without taking any food. If you offer him whatever food you may have 224

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with you, you will receive great benefit.

" Each merchant then took out from

his ration bag some baked barley and honey to give as offerings, which the World-honored One accepted.

Beside the place where the elders offered baked barley is a stupa where the four devarājas offered almsbowls [to the Buddha]. When the merchants had offered the baked barley and honey to him, the World-honored One considered what vessels he should use to hold the food. At that time the four devarājas came from the four quarters and each offered him a golden bowl, but the World-honored One declined the offer by keeping silent, thinking that it was unsuitable for a mendicant to use such an [opulent] bowl. The four deva rājas took away the golden bowls and offered silver ones, and in succession they presented bowls of crystal, lapis lazuli, agate, coral, and pearl, but the World-honored One declined them all. The four devarājas then returned to their respective palaces and brought back stone bowls of a dark violet color with a brilliant luster. In order to avoid showing partiality the World-honored One accepted all four bowls, which he stacked and pressed together into one bowl. That is why his almsbowl has four rims on the outside. Not far from the place where the four devarājas offered almsbowls is a stupa where the Tathāgata preached the Dharma for his mother. After the Tathāgata had attained perfect enlightenment with the title of Teacher of Heavenly and Human Beings, his mother, Lady Mahāmāyā, descended from her heavenly palace and the World-honored One taught her according to her capacity for her benefit and happiness. Beside this place, on the bank of a dried-up pond, is a stupa where the Tathāgata once manifested supernatural powers to convert those who had the good causes to be present on the occasion. Beside the place of showing supernatural powers is a stupa where the Tathāgata converted Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa and his two younger brothers along with their one thousand disciples. As time passed the Tathāgata spread the good Way to conquer people, Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa's five hundred disciples wished to accept the Buddha's teachings. Kāśyapa said to them, "I shall also

go with you to give up the erroneous way.

" So all of them came to the place

where the Buddha was and the Tathāgata told them,

"Throw away your deerskin garb and relinquish the utensils for fire worship. " In accord with the

Buddha's holy instruction, the brahmans cast their garments and utensils into the Nairañjanā River. Seeing the sacrificial utensils drifting away on the 225

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current, Nadī-Kāśyapa and his disciples waited to see what measures his elder brother would take next. When they saw that his elder brother had changed his religion they also followed his example and donned the dyed robes to become Buddhist monks. When Gayā-Kāśyapa and his two hundred disciples heard that his elder brothers had given up their practice, they also came to where the Buddha was and wished to lead the life of purity. To the northwest of the place where the Kāśyapa brothers were converted is a stupa where the Tathāgata subdued the fire dragon worshiped by the Kāśyapas. Whenever the Tathāgata wished to convert someone he first subdued the object of that person's worship. So he went to stay in the cave of the brahmans' fire dragon.Late in the night the dragon spouted smoke and flames and the Buddha, who was sitting in meditation, also issued a bright light, illuminating the cave with the light of furious flames and blazing fire. The brahman teachers, fearing that the fire might hurt the Buddha, hurried to the spot, wailing piteously. Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa said to his disciples,

"In view of the present situation it

may not be a fire. The śramaṇamay be subjugating the fire dragon. " The

Tathāgata then put the fire dragon into his almsbowl and showed it to the heretical disciples at dawn. The stupa beside this spot was the place where five hundred pratyekabuddhas entered nirvana simultaneously. To the south of the pool of the dragon Mucilinda is a stupa where the Kāśyapas went to rescue the Tathāgata from drowning. The Kāśyapa brothers were highly esteemed for their supernatural powers and were respected for their virtue by people from far and near who had faith in them. In the course of exerting his great power in an appropriate way to guide and convert those who had gone astray, the World-honored One caused a dense cloud that poured down torrential rains; only the Buddha's lodging remained dry. Seeing the clouds and rain, the Kāśyapas said to their disciples, "Might the lodging

of the śramaṇanot be flooded?" They sailed in a boat to rescue the Worldhonored One but saw that he was walking on the surface of the water just as if walking on earth, and when he walked into the river the water gave way to him and the sand on the bottom appeared [to support him]. At this sight, the Kāśyapas were reassured and departed.

Two or three lioutside the enclosure of the bodhitree is the cave of a blind dragon. Because this dragon had done evil deeds in its previous lives it had been reborn blind as its retribution. As the Tathāgata was proceeding from 226

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Prāgbodhi Mountain to the bodhitree he passed by the cave of the blind dragon. The dragon suddenly recovered its sight and saw that the Bodhisattva was on his way to the bodhitree. [The dragon] said to the Bodhisattva, "Kind sir, you

will soon gain perfect enlightenment. I have been blind for quite a long time but whenever a buddha emerges in the world I regain my eyesight. When the past three buddhas of the bhadrakalpaappeared in the world I recovered my sight on each occasion. Now you have come here and my eyes suddenly regained perception. From this I know that you will become a buddha. "

Beside the east gate of the enclosure of the bodhitree is a stupa where the King of Māras [tried to] frighten the Bodhisattva. Knowing that the Bodhisattva was going to achieve enlightenment and having failed to tempt him, the King of Māras did not know what to do. Worried, he called various gods to a meeting and arrayed his demon troops, arranging them in proper order, to menace the Bodhisattva. A storm rose up, thunder and lightning flashed in the dark night, fire blazed and smoke rose high, and sand and stones were churned up and blown into the air. Spears and shields were fully prepared and bows and arrows employed to the utmost, but the Bodhisattva remained in the meditation of great compassion and all the weapons turned into lotus flowers. Māra's troops became terrified and retreated in disorder. Not far from this place are two stupas, built by Indra and Brahmā. Outside the north gate of [the enclosure of] the bodhitree is Mahābodhi Monastery, built by a former king of the country of Siṃhala. The buildings consist of six courtyards and three-storied pavilions, surrounded by walls thirty or forty feet high. The workmanship is most wonderful and the decorative paintings are exquisitely done. The Buddha's image is made of gold and silver and all the ornaments are embedded with gems and jewels. The stupas are lofty and spacious with wonderful adornments and they contain relics of the Tathāgata. The bone relics are of the size of a finger joint, lustrous and pure white in color and semitransparent. The flesh relics, as big as pearls, are of a pinkish-blue color. Every year on the full moon day of the month of showing the Tathāgata's divine power of ubiquity (i.e., on the thirtieth day of the twelfth month in the Indian calendar, corresponding to the fifteenth day of the first month in China) these relics are shown to the public and a light is emitted or flowers rain down in showers. There are fewer than a thousand monks, who study the teachings of both the Mahayana and Sthavira 227

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Formerly, the king of the country of Siṃhala in the South Sea was a devout Buddhist by birth. He had a cousin who had become a monk and desired to visit the holy traces of the Buddha. So he traveled far to India and sought lodging in various monasteries, but all the local monks despised him as a frontiersman. He returned to his homeland and the king went out some distance to welcome him. The śramaṇasobbed piteously and could not speak properly. The king said,

"What is wrong with you, why are you

so sad?" The śramaṇasaid,

"Depending upon the prestige of our country I

traveled far to seek the Way. I sojourned in a foreign land and experienced the discomfort of cold and hot weather. I was often insulted for my behavior and ridiculed for my utterances. How could I be happy under such worrisome and shameful conditions?" The king said,

"If that is the case, what should

I do?" The śramaṇasaid,

"I sincerely hope that Your Majesty will pay attention to the performance of good deeds and construct a monastery in India. That will not only glorify the holy site but also build a good reputation for yourself. The blessedness of the deed will honor our forefathers and benefit our descendants as well.

" The king said,

"That is a good idea. How is it that

I hear of it so late?"

The king [of Siṃhala] then offered all the treasures of his country to the king of India, who, after accepting the tribute and wishing to foster friendship with a distant ruler, said to the envoy,

"What shall I give you to take back as

a return gift?" The envoy said,

"The king of Siṃhala pays homage to the

King of Great Auspiciousness of India. Your prestige and virtue extend far and your kindness and benevolence cover all living beings. A śramaṇaof our humble land, out of respect and admiration for the morals and manners of your country, ventured to travel to your esteemed land to pay veneration to the holy sites. He sought lodging in various monasteries but none would house him. After undergoing extreme difficulties, he returned home in shame. I humbly propose a far-reaching project that may serve as an example for coming generations: to build a monastery in India in order to provide a resting place for traveling monks, to promote good relations between our two countries, and to allow envoys to be exchanged without lapse. " The king said,

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"The tradition of the Tathāgata's subtle edification is still extant. You may choose any of the holy sites [for the construction].

"

Bearing this message the envoy returned home to report to the king [of Siṃhala]. The king's ministers prostrated themselves before him in congratulation. The śramaṇas were then convened to discuss the matter of constructing a monastery and they said, "As the bodhitree is the place where the past

buddhas attained [buddhahood] and future buddhas will attain buddhahood, there is no better place among all the suggestions.

" The treasures of the

country were donated for the construction of this monastery, and monks from the country [of Siṃhala] were sent to look after it. A copper plate was inscribed with the following words: "Selfless almsgiving is the supreme teaching taught by all buddhas and rendering assistance to those who have the cause to receive it is the explicit instruction of former sages. I, this humble person, after having succeeded to the throne, have built this monastery to glorify the holy site and to render blessedness to my ancestors, as well as to benefit the common people. The monks of my country may have free access to it and the people of the country where it stands may also enjoy the same privilege as the monks. This tradition is to be transmitted to posterity into the indefinite future. " Thus

most of the monks in this monastery come from the Land of Lions. More than ten lito the south of the bodhitree the sacred sites are located so closely to each other that it is difficult to tell of them all in detail. Each year when the bhikṣus end the rains retreat, monks and laypeople, hundreds and thousands in number, come here from the four quarters, holding flowers, playing music, and wandering in the woods to perform acts of veneration and make offerings for seven days and nights.

According to the Buddha's holy teachings, the monks of India commence the rains retreat on the first day of the first half of the month of Śrāvaṇa, corresponding to the sixteenth day of the fifth month in China, and the retreat ends on the fifteenth day of the second half of the month of Aśvayuja, corresponding to the fifteenth day of the eighth month in China. In India, as the months are named after the constellations, the course of time has not changed from ancient times to the present and it is invariably accepted by all schools. Probably due to misunderstanding or mistranslation from the foreign language differences in the calculations for the division of time and the fixation of the 229