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The people were simple and honest, they esteemed learning and revered the religion of Buddha. There were fifty Sangharamas with 10,000 monks, and ten Deva temples with numerous followers. The old town of PAtaliputra, which was still inhabited when Fa Hian visited it, was now entirely deserted, the foundation walls only being visible. The traveller has much to say about Asoka and his half-brother Mahendra, about the Buddhist writers, Nagarjuna and Asvaghosha, and about the numerous Stupas and Viharas and sites connected with Buddha's life which he saw ; but we pass them by. He went to Gaya which had a thousand families of Brahmans only for its inhabitants. Thence he went to the famous Bodhi Tree, and to the neighbouring Vihara, 160 or 170 feet high, and covered with beautiful Digitized by Google 100 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV. ornamental work, "in one place figures of stringed pearls, in another figures of heavenly Rishis," and the whole being surrounded by a gilded copper Amalaka fruit Not far from this was the grander structure of the Mahabodhi Sanghar&ma, built by a king of Ceylon. It had six walls with towers of observation three storeys high, and was surrounded by a wall of defence thirty or forty feet high. "The utmost skill of the artist has been em- ployed ; the ornamentation is in the richest colours. The statue of Buddha is cast of gold and silver, decorated with gems and precious stones. The Stupas are high and large in proportion and beautifully ornamented." The entire place near the Bodhi Tree was considered sacred by Buddhists in Houen Tsang's time, and as long as Buddhism prevailed in India. "Every year when the Bhikshus break up their yearly rest of the rains, religious persons come here from every quarter in thousands and myriads, and during seven days and nights they scatter flowers, burn incense, and sound music as they wander through the district and pay their worship and present their offerings." Buddhist celebrations are now a thing of the past in India ; and it is important for the historian to note from the pages of contemporaneous witnesses that those celebrations were in their day marked with as much pomp and circumstance, and as much joyousness, and outward demonstration, as Hindu festivals of later times. Digitized by Google CHAP. VII.] HOUEN TSANG'S ACCOUNT. IOI Houen Tsang came to Rajagriha, the old capital of Magadha at the time of Ajdtasatru and Bimbisara. The outer walls of the city had been destroyed, the inner walls still remained in a ruined state and were 4 miles round. The traveller visited the great cave or stone house in which the first Council was held immediately after the death of Gautama. Kasyapa was the presi- dent of the council, and said " Let Ananda who ever heard the words of Tathlgata, collect by singing through, the S&tra Pttaka. Let Upali who clearly un- derstands the rules of discipline, and is well-known to all who know, collect the Vinaya Pitaka ; and I K&sy- apa will collect the Abhidarma Pitaka. The three months of rain being past, the collection of the Tri- piiaka was finished." Our traveller now came to the great NaLANDA uni- versity, if we may call it by that name. The monks of this place to the number of several thousands were men of the highest ability, talent, and distinction. " The countries of India respect them and follow them. The day is not sufficient for asking and answering profound questions. From morning till night they engage in discussion ; the old and the young mutually help one another. Those who cannot discuss questions out of the Tripitaka are little esteemed, and are obliged to hide themselves for shame. Learned men from differ- ent cities, on this account, who desire to acquire quickly a renown in discussion, come here in multitudes to set- Digitized 102 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV. tie their doubts, and then the streams (of their wisdom) spread far and wide. For this reason some persons usurp the name (of Nalanda students) and in going to and fro receive honour in consequence." Dr. Fergusson justly remarks that what Cluny and Clairvaux were to France in the middle ages, Nalanda was to Central India, the depository of true learning, the centre from which it spread over to other lands. And " as in all instances connected with the strange parallelism which existed between the two religions, the Buddhists kept five centuries in advance of the Chris- tians in the invention and use of all the ceremonies and forms common to both the religions."* The great Vihara of Nalanda where the university was located was worthy of it. It is said that four kings, viz., Sakraditya, Buddhagupta, Tathagatagupta and Bdl&ditya successively laboured at this great architec- tural work, and when it was completed men came from a distance of 2,000 miles at the great assembly that was held. Many other Viharas were built in the vicinity by succeeding kings. One great Vihara, built by Bai&ditya, was conspicuous among them. It was 300 feet high, and "with respect to its magnificence, its dimensions, and the statue of Buddha placed in it, it resembles the great Vihara built under the Bodhi tree." * Indian and Eastern Architecture^ London, 187C, p. 137. Digitized by Google CHAP. VII.] HOUEN TSANG'S ACCOUNT. 103 Leaving Magadha Houen Tsang came to the king- dom of Hiranya Parvata, which General Cunningham identifies with MONGHYR. The kingdom was 600 miles round, the soil was largely cultivated and rich in its produce, the climate was agreeable, and the peo- ple simple and honest. By the side of the capital were the hot springs of Monghyr which gave out volumes of smoke and vapour. Champa, the ancient capital of Anga or East Behar, was situated near modern Bhagalpur. The kingdom was 800 miles in circuit, the soil level and fertile and regularly cultivated, the temperature was mild and warm, and the manners of the people were simple and honest The walls of the capital were several tens of feet high, and the foundations of the wall were raised on a lofty embankment, so that by their high escarpment, they could defy the attack of enemies. Passing through other places, our traveller came to PtJNDRA or Pundra Vardhana, corresponding with Northern Bengal. The kingdom is described as 800 miles in circuit and was thickly populated. The tanks and public offices and flowering woods were regularly connected at intervals. The soil was flat and loamy, and rich in all kinds of grain produce. The bread fruit though plentiful was highly esteemed. There were about 20 Sangh^rimas and 300 priests, and some hundred Deva temples with sectaries of various schools. The naked Nirgranthas were the most numerous. Digitized by Google 104 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV. To the east, and beyond a great river (the Brahma- putra) was the powerful kingdom of Kamar^pa 2,000 miles in circuit. It apparently included in those times modern Assam, Manipur and Kachar, Mymensing and Sylhet. The soil was rich and was cultivated, and grew cocoanuts and bread fruit in abundance. Water led from rivers or banked up reservoirs flowed round towns. The climate was soft and temperate, the man- ners of the people simple and honest. The men were of small stature, of a dark yellow complexion, and spoke a language different from that of mid-India. They were however impetuous, with very retentive memories, and very earnest in their studies. The people had no faith in Buddha and adored and sacrificed to the Devas, and there were about a hundred Deva temples. Of Buddhist Sangh£r&mas, there were none. The king was a Brahman by caste, Bh&skara Varman by name, and had the title of Kumira. Our readers will remember that Houen Tsang was intro- duced by this king to the great SilAditya of Kanouj. South of the KdmarGpa kingdom was Samatata {literally level country) or East Bengal. The kingdom was 600 miles in circuit ; the lands were low and rich and regularly cultivated, and produced crops and fruits in plenty. The capital was 4 miles in circuit The men were small in stature and black in complexion, but hardy, and fond of learning and diligent in its acquisi- tion a description which applies to the people of East Digitized by Google CHAP. VII.] HOUEN TSANG'S ACCOUNT. 105 Bengal to the present day. There were some 30 Sang- harimas and about 2,000 monks, and some hundred Deva temples. The naked ascetics Nirgranthas were numerous. Next to Samatata was the kingdom of TaMRA- LIPTI, f>., Tumlook country or South-West Bengal, in- eluding modern Midnapur. The country was 300 miles in circuit, and the capital was a seaport. The people were hardy and brave, but quick and hasty. The coast of the country was formed by a recess of the sea, and wonderful articles of value and gems were collected here, and the people were rich. There were ten Sang- hiramas and Mty Deva temples. Houen Tsang then speaks of the Karna SUVARNA kingdom, supposed to be Western Bengal including modern Murshedabad. We have seen that it was Sas- anka, the king of this country, who defeated and killed the elder brother of the great Sil&ditya of Kanouj. The country was 300 miles in circuit and thickly populated and the people were fond of learning, and honest and amiable. The soil was regularly cultivated, and the cli- mate was agreeable. There were 10 Sanghardmas and fifty Deva temples. The reader will perceive from the foregoing account that Bengal proper (ie u excluding Behar and Orissa) was divided in those days into five great kingdoms. Northern Bengal was Pundra ; Assam and North-East formed K&martipa; Eastern Bengal was Samatata; Digitized by Google 106 . BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV. South-West Bengal was Tdmralipti ; and Western Ben- gal was Kama Suvarna.