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Our traveller goes right into the sub-Himalayas and speaks of akingdom BRAHMAPURA (identified with Garh- wal and Kumaon) which produced gold, and where “for ages a woman has been the ruler, and so it is called the 2ingdom of the women. The husband of the reigning woman is called king, but he knows nothing of the affairs of the state. The men manage the wars and Sow the land, that is all.” This no doubt has reference to an old custom among the hill tribes of the sub- ‘Himalayan regions. Polyandry prevails among them to ‘this day. : After passing through some other countries, Houen Tsang come to the kingdom of KANYAKUBJA, that ancient tract of country which boasted of a civilization two thousand years old in the time of Houen Tsang. For it was here that the Panchdlas developed their early civilization wnen magadha was still a realm of aboriginal barbarians. And although Magadha eclips- ed the glory of its western neighbour under Ajata- satro and Charitragupta and Asoka the Great, yet a few centuries after the Christian Era, Kanyakubja seems again to have attained its supremacy and-was a principal seat of the Gupta emperors. And in the time of Houen Tsang, Siladitya II, the lord of Northern India, had his court in the ancient town of KAnya- kubja. And coming down to modern times, Kanya- kubja and Delhi, (the ancient sites of the Panchdlas and the Kurus), were still the centre of Hindu civili- CHAP. VIL] HOUEN TSANG’S ACCOUNT. © gt zation when Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad of Ghor came and conquered India, four and six centuries subsequent to the time of Houen Tsang. ‘ Houen Tsang found the kingdom of Kanyakubja, 800 miles in circuit, and the wealthy capital 4 miles in length , and 1 in. breadth. The city hada moat around it and strong and lofty towers facing each other. The flowers . and woods, the lakes and ponds, bright and pute and shining like a mirror, were seen on evéry side Valuable merchandise was collected herein great quantities. The people were well off and contented, the houses were rich and well found. Flowers and fruits abounded in every place, and the land was sown and reaped in due seasons. The climate was agreeable and soft, the manners of the people honest and sincere. They were noble and gracious in appéarance. For clothing they used ornamented and bright Shining {\/ fabrics. They applied themselves much to learning, and in their travels were very much given to discussion on religious subjects. The fame of their pure language was farspread. The believers’ in Buddha and the Hindus were equal in number. ‘There were some hun- - dred Sanghéramas with 10,000 priests. There were 200 Deva temples with several thousand followers. For once, Houen Tsang departs from his usual tule and gives us some account of the history of the country he visits. He says that Prabhakara Var- dhana was the former king of K4anyakubja, and on. 92 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK Iv. his death, his eldest son RAjyavardhana succeeded ; but he was defeated and was killed by Sasfnka (Narendra Gupta) king of Karna Suvarna (in Bengal) ; and his ministers selected his younger brother Harsha- ’ vardhana, under the title of Sfladitya to the throne. Houen Tsang saw this king Sil4ditya and was kindly received by him. This was Siladitya 11; for as we have seen before, and will find again when we come _ to speak of Malwa, Sildditya I reigned sixty years before the time of Houen Tsang, Siladitya II reigned from 610. to 650 A. D. Siladitya iI was not slow to assert his power. He assembled a body of 5000 elephants, 2000 cavalry, and 50,000 foot, and in six years “he had subdued the five Indies.” He was inclined towards Buddhism, forbade the slaughter of living animals, built stapas, and erected _ hospitals in all the highways throughout India, and stationed physicians there, and provided food and drink and medicines. Once in five years he held a great religious assembly,—the quinquennial celebration of the Buddhists,—and gave alms in profusion. Hoyen Tsang was staying in the convent of Nalanda with the Raja of Kamaripa, when Siladitya sent an order to the Raja,—“ I desire you to come at once to the assembly with the strange Sraman you are entertain- ing at the Nalanda convent.” On this the traveller came with the Raja of Kamardpa and was introduced CHAP. VIL] HOUEN TSANG’S ACCOUNT. _ 93 to Sildditya. 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 Kamaripa proceeded by the northern bank. an 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, aud to the east of it a tower 100 ft. high, and between them he placed a golden life-size-statue of Buddha. From the ist 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 ina gorgeously caparisoned elephant, Siladitya dressed as Indra marching to the left, and the Raja of Kamarfpa 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, 94 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK Iv. with gold and silver flowers. The statue was washed, and. Siladitya 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 India 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 Brahmans at the CHAP, VII] HOUEN TSANG’S ACCOUNT. 95 close of the Buddhist Period watched the triumphs of Buddhism, a religion which they contrived finally to overcome in another century or two. : Our traveller found the kingdom of AYODHYA ¢ 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. Sangharamas 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 bern 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. 96 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK Iv. KavusSAMBI 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 inruins. 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.