English
}, the characters, used here, are employed in the phrase for “to degrade an officer,” that is, “to remove the token of his rank worn on the crown of his head;” but to place a thing on the crown is a Buddhistic form of religious homage. (6) The Vaisyas, or bourgeois caste of Hindu society, are described here as “resident scholars.” (7) See Eitel’s Handbook under the name vimoksha, which is explained as “the act of self-liberation,” and “the dwelling or state of liberty.” There are eight acts of liberating one’s self from all subjective and objective trammels, and as many states of liberty (vimukti) resulting therefrom. They are eight degrees of self-inanition, and apparently eight stages on the way to nirvâna. The tope in the text would be emblematic in some way of the general idea of the mental progress conducting to the Buddhistic consummation of existence. (8) This incense would be in long “sticks,” small and large, such as are sold to-day throughout China, as you enter the temples. (9) “The illuminating Buddha,” the twenty-fourth predecessor of Sâkyamuni, and who, so long before, gave him the assurance that he would by-and-by be Buddha. See Jataka Tales, p. 23. (10) The staff was, as immediately appears, of Gosîrsha Chandana, or “sandal-wood from the Cow’s-head mountain,” a species of copper-brown sandal-wood, said to be produced most abundantly on a mountain of (the fabulous continent) Ullarakuru, north of mount Meru, which resembles in shape the head of a cow (E. H., pp. 42, 43). It is called a “pewter staff” from having on it a head and rings and pewter. See Watters, “China Review,” viii, pp. 227, 228, and Williams’ Dictionary, under {.}. (11) Or Sanghati, the double or composite robe, part of a monk’s attire, reaching from the shoulders to the knees, and fastened round the waist (E. H., p. 118). (12) These were the “marks and beauties” on the person of a supreme Buddha. The rishi Kala Devala saw them on the body of the infant Sakya prince to the number of 328, those on the teeth, which had not yet come out, being visible to his spirit-like eyes (M. B., pp. 148, 149). (13) Probably=“all Buddhas.” (14) The number may appear too great. But see what is said on the size of topes in chapter iii, note 4. (15) In Singhalese, Pase Buddhas; called also Nidana Buddhas, and Pratyeka Jinas, and explained by “individually intelligent,” “completely intelligent,” “intelligent as regards the nidanas.” This, says Eitel (pp. 96, 97), is “a degree of saintship unknown to primitive Buddhism, denoting automats in ascetic life who attain to Buddhaship ‘individually,’ that is, without a teacher, and without being able to save others. As the ideal hermit, the Pratyeka Buddha is compared with the rhinoceros khadga that lives lonely in the wilderness. He is also called Nidana Buddha, as having mastered the twelve nidanas (the twelve links in the everlasting chain of cause and effect in the whole range of existence, the understanding of which solves the riddle of life, revealing the inanity of all forms of existence, and preparing the mind for nirvâna). He is also compared to a horse, which, crossing a river, almost buries its body under the water, without, however, touching the bottom of the river. Thus in crossing samsara he ‘suppresses the errors of life and thought, and the effects of habit and passion, without attaining to absolute perfection.’” Whether these Buddhas were unknown, as Eitel says, to primitive Buddhism, may be doubted. See Davids’ Hibbert Lectures, p. 146. CHAPTER XIV. DEATH OF HWUY-KING IN THE LITTLE SNOWY MOUNTAINS. LO-E. POHNA. CROSSING THE INDUS TO THE EAST. Having stayed there till the third month of winter, Fâ-Hien and the two others,(1) proceeding southwards, crossed the Little Snowy mountains.(2) On them the snow lies accumulated both winter and summer. On the north (side) of the mountains, in the shade, they suddenly encountered a cold wind which made them shiver and become unable to speak. Hwuy-king could not go any farther. A white froth came from his mouth, and he said to Fâ-Hien, “I cannot live any longer. Do you immediately go away, that we do not all die here;” and with these words he died.(3) Fâ-Hien stroked the corpse, and cried out piteously, “Our original plan has failed;—it is fate.(4) What can we do?” He then again exerted himself, and they succeeded in crossing to the south of the range, and arrived in the kingdom of Lo-e,(5) where there were nearly three thousand monks, students of both the mahayana and hinayana. Here they stayed for the summer retreat,(6) and when that was over, they went on to the south, and ten days’ journey brought them to the kingdom of Poh-na,(7) where there are also more than three thousand monks, all students of the hinayana. Proceeding from this place for three days, they again crossed the Indus, where the country on each side was low and level.(8) NOTES (1) These must have been Tao-ching and Hwuy-king. (2) Probably the Safeid Koh, and on the way to the Kohat pass. (3) All the texts have Kwuy-king. See chapter xii, note 13. (4) A very natural exclamation, but out of place and inconsistent from the lips of Fâ-Hien. The Chinese character {.}, which he employed, may be rendered rightly by “fate” or “destiny;” but the fate is not unintelligent. The term implies a factor, or fa-tor, and supposes the ordination of Heaven or God. A Confucian idea for the moment overcame his Buddhism. (5) Lo-e, or Rohi, is a name for Afghanistan; but only a portion of it can be here intended. (6) We are now therefore in 404. (7) No doubt the present district of Bannu, in the Lieutenant-Governorship of the Punjâb, between 32° 10′ and 33° 15′ N. lat., and 70° 26′ and 72° E. lon. See Hunter’s Gazetteer of India, i, p. 393. (8) They had then crossed the Indus before. They had done so, indeed, twice; first, from north to south, at Skardo or east of it; and second, as described in chapter vii. CHAPTER XV. BHIDA. SYMPATHY OF MONKS WITH THE PILGRIMS. After they had crossed the river, there was a country named Pe-t’oo,(1) where Buddhism was very flourishing, and (the monks) studied both the mahayana and hinayana. When they saw their fellow-disciples from Ts’in passing along, they were moved with great pity and sympathy, and expressed themselves thus: “How is it that these men from a border-land should have learned to become monks,(2) and come for the sake of our doctrines from such a distance in search of the Law of Buddha?” They supplied them with what they needed, and treated them in accordance with the rules of the Law. NOTES (1) Bhida. Eitel says, “The present Punjâb;” i.e. it was a portion of that. (2) “To come forth from their families;” that is, to become celibates, and adopt the tonsure. CHAPTER XVI. ON TO MATHURA OR MUTTRA. CONDITION AND CUSTOMS OF CENTRAL INDIA; OF THE MONKS, VIHARAS, AND MONASTERIES. From this place they travelled south-east, passing by a succession of very many monasteries, with a multitude of monks, who might be counted by myriads. After passing all these places, they came to a country named Ma-t’aou-lo.(1) They still followed the course of the P’oo-na(2) river, on the banks of which, left and right, there were twenty monasteries, which might contain three thousand monks; and (here) the Law of Buddha was still more flourishing. Everywhere, from the Sandy Desert, in all the countries of India, the kings had been firm believers in that Law. When they make their offerings to a community of monks, they take off their royal caps, and along with their relatives and ministers, supply them with food with their own hands. That done, (the king) has a carpet spread for himself on the ground, and sits down in front of the chairman;—they dare not presume to sit on couches in front of the community. The laws and ways, according to which the kings presented their offerings when Buddha was in the world, have been handed down to the present day. All south from this is named the Middle Kingdom.(3) In it the cold and heat are finely tempered, and there is neither hoarfrost nor snow. The people are numerous and happy; they have not to register their households, or attend to any magistrates and their rules; only those who cultivate the royal land have to pay (a portion of) the grain from it. If they want to go, they go; if they want to stay on, they stay. The king governs without decapitation or (other) corporal punishments. Criminals are simply fined, lightly or heavily, according to the circumstances (of each case). Even in cases of repeated attempts at wicked rebellion, they only have their right hands cut off. The king’s body-guards and attendants all have salaries. Throughout the whole country the people do not kill any living creature, nor drink intoxicating liquor, nor eat onions or garlic. The only exception is that of the Chandalas.(4) That is the name for those who are (held to be) wicked men, and live apart from others. When they enter the gate of a city or a market-place, they strike a piece of wood to make themselves known, so that men know and avoid them, and do not come into contact with them. In that country they do not keep pigs and fowls, and do not sell live cattle; in the markets there are no butchers’ shops and no dealers in intoxicating drink. In buying and selling commodities they use cowries.(5) Only the Chandalas are fishermen and hunters, and sell flesh meat. After Buddha attained to pari-nirvâna,(6) the kings of the various countries and the heads of the Vaisyas(7) built vihâras for the priests, and endowed them with fields, houses, gardens, and orchards, along with the resident populations and their cattle, the grants being engraved on plates of metal,(8) so that afterwards they were handed down from king to king, without any daring to annul them, and they remain even to the present time.