English
Houen Tsang was staying in the convent of Ndlanda with the Raja of Kamarftpa, when Siladitya sent an order to the Raja, — " I desire you to come at once to the assembly with the strange Sr&man you are entertain- ing at the Nalanda convent." On this the traveller came with the Raja of Kdmartipa and was introduced Digitized by Google 1 CHAP. VII.] HOUEN TSANG'S ACCOUNT. 93 to Siladitya. The latter made many enquiries about the country of the traveller, and was well pleased with his replies. Siladitya being about to return to Kanya- kubja, convoked a religious assembly, and followed by hundreds of thousands of people proceeded by the southern bank of the Ganges, while the Raja of Kamarupa proceeded by the northern bank. In ninety days they reached Kanyakubja. Then the kings of the twenty countries, who had received instructions from Siladitya, assembled with the Sramans and Brahmans, the most distinguished of their country, with magistrates and soldiers. It was indeed a religious imperial assemblage, and Siladitya constructed on the west of the Ganges a great Sangha- rama, and to the east of it a tower 100 ft. high, and between them he placed a golden life-size statue of Buddha. From the 1st to the 21st of the month, — the second month of spring, — he fed and feasted the Sramans and Brahmans alike. The entire place from the Sangharama to the king's temporary palace was decorated with pavilions and stations for musicians who poured forth music. A small image of Buddha was led forth in a gorgeously caparisoned elephant, Siliditya dressed as Indra marching to the left, and the Raja of Kamartipa going to the right, each with an escort of 500 war elephants, while a hundred elephants marched in front of the statue. Siladitya scattered on every side pearls and various precious substances, Digitized by Google 94 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV. with gold and silver flowers. The statue was washed, and Siliditya carried it on his own shoulders to the western tower and bestowed on it silken garments and precious gems. After a feast, the men of learning were assembled, and there was a learned discussion. In the evening the king retired to his temporary palace. In this way the statue was carried every day, and at length on the day of separation a great fire broke out in the tower. If Houen Tsang can be relied on, the Brahmans, envious of the king's leaning towards Bud- dhism, had not only set fire to the tower, but had ac- tually attempted to have him murdered. But Houen Tsang was a staunch Buddhist, and his charges against Brahmans must be accepted with caution. The account given above shews us the kind of supremacy which the Emperor of India assumed over the kings and chiefs of the numerous states into which Indfo was always divided. It further shews us that Buddhism had degenerated into idolatry, and gives an idea of the pomp and circumstance with which Buddhist festivals were celebrated, and which have been bor- rowed by later Hinduism. It also shews us that prin- ces and kings, whether they leaned towards the Buddhist or the Hindu religion, took a pleasure in honoring the learned and religious men of both sects, and that controversies between the two sects were generally of a friendly character. And lastly it shews us with what jealous impatience the Br4hmans at the Digitized by Google CHAP. VIL] HOUEN TSANG'S ACCOUNT. 95 dose of the Buddhist Period watched the triumphs of Buddhism, a religion which they contrived 6nally to overcome in another century or two. Our traveller found the kingdom of AYODHYl a thousand miles in circuit, and abounding in cereals, flowers and fruits. The climate was temperate and agreeable, and the manners of the people virtuous and amiable. As elsewhere the people were partly Hindus and partly Buddhists, and there were 100 Sanghararaas and 3,000 monks in the country. Passing through the Hayamukha kingdom, Houen Tsang came to Prayaga or Allahabad. The kingdom was a thousand miles in circuit, the produce of the land was abundant, and fruits grew in great luxuriance. The people were gentle and compliant and fond of learning ; but Buddhism was not honored here, and a large proportion of the people were orthodox Hindus. Houen Tsang speaks of the great tree of Allahabad which is still shewn to visitors as the Akshaya Bata or the immortal fig tree. "At the confluence of the two rivers, every day there are many hundreds of men who bathe themselves and die. The people of this country consider that whoever wishes to be born in heaven ought to fast to a grain of rice, and then drown himself in the waters." There was also a high column in the middle of the river, and people went up this column to gaze on the setting sun until it had gone under the horizon. Digitized 96 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV. Kausambi where Gautama had often preached was still a flourishing place. The kingdom was 1,200 miles in circuit, rice and sugarcane grew plentifully ; and the people though said to be rough and hard in their man- ners were earnest and religious. Sravasti, the ancient capital of Kosala, where Gautama had preached, was deserted and in ruins. The country was 1,200 miles in circuit, and the people were honest and pure in manners and fond of religion and learning. KAPILAVASTU, the birthplace of Gautama, was in ruins. There were some ten deserted towns in the country which was 800 miles in circuit. The royal palace, in ruins, was three miles round, and was of brick. There was no king in the country, each town appointed its own ruler, and the manners of the people were soft and obliging. KUSHINAGARA where Gautama died was similarly in ruins, and the brick foundations of the old walls were two miles in circuit. Benares, like Allahabad, like Hurdwar, was a tower of strength for Hinduism, even in the days of Houen Tsang. The country was 800 miles in circuit, and the capital was nearly four miles by one mile. The families were rich and possessed in their dwellings objects of rare value. The people were soft and humane in disposition and were given to study ; most of them were Hindus, a few reverenced the law of Digitized by Google CHAP. VII.] HOUEN TSANG'S ACCOUNT. 97 Buddha. There were in the country 30 SanghAr^mas with about 3,000 priests, but about a hundred temples of Devas with 10,000 sectaries. The god Mahesvara was chiefly worshipped in Benares. Some cut off their hair and went naked, and covered their bodies with ashes, and by the practice of all kinds of austerities sought to escape future births. In the town of Benares there were twenty Deva temples, the towers and halls of which were of sculp- tured stone and carved wood. Trees shaded the temples, and pure streams of water encircled them. There was a copper statue of Mahesvara 100 feet high. "Its appearance is grave and majestic, and appears as though really living." To the north-east of the town was a Stfipa, and in front of it a stone pillar, bright and shining as a mirror, its surface glistening and smooth as ice. About 2 miles from the river Varand was the great Sanghirama of the " Deer Park." Buddha had first proclaimed his religion in this Deer Park. The Sanghd- rama was divided into eight portions, and the storeyed towers with projecting caves and balconies were of very superior work. In the great enclosure there was a VMra 200 feet high, and above the roof was a golden covered figure of the mango fruit The found- ations of the Vihdra were of stone, but the towers and stairs were of brick. In the middle of the Vihira was a life-size figure of Buddha represented as turning R. C. D. : A. I. — III. 7 Digitized by Google 98 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV. the wheel of law. A fit representation on the very spot where the great preacher had set the wheel of his religion rolling. Passing through other places, Houen Tsang came to VaisaLI 1300 miles round, but the capital of the country was in ruins. The soil of the country was rich and fertile, the mango and the banana were plentiful, the climate was agreeable and temperate, and the people were pure and honest Hindus and Buddhists lived together. The Sangharamas were mostly in ruins, and the three or four which remained had but few monks in them. The Deva temples were many. Houen Tsang speaks separately of the kingdom of the Vajjians, 800 miles in circuit ; but originally the Lichchavis and the Vajjians were the same, or rather the Lichchavis formed one of the eight Vajjian tribes. It is scarcely necessary to add that Houen Tsang speaks also of the Council of Vaisali, which according to him took place 1 10 years after the death of Gau- tama, and the Council " bound afresh the rules that had been broken, and vindicated the holy law." Our traveller then paid a visit to Nepal and was not favorably impressed with the people. Their manners, he says, were false and perfidious, and their temperament hard and fierce with little regard to truth or honor, and their appearance was ungainly and revolting. From Nepal, Houen Tsang returned to Digitized by Go CHAP. VII.] HOUEN TSANG'S ACCODNT. gg Vaisali, and thence crossing the Ganges to the country of Magadha which for him was replete with holy associations. No less than two books out of his twelve books are devoted to the legends and sites and holy relics which the pilgrim found in Magadha. The kingdom of Magadha was 1,000 miles in circuit. The walled cities had few inhabitants, but the to\vns were thickly populated. The soil was rich and produced grains in abundance. The country was bw and damp, and towns were therefore built on uplands. The whole country was flooded in the rains, and communication was kept up by boats.