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When such men gave daily lectures, they were fréed from the business imposed on the. monastics, ‘ When they went out, they could ride in sedan-chairs, but not on horse- back. Any strange priest who arrived at the monastery, was treated by . the assembly with the best of their food for five days, during which he was desired to take rest from his fatigue. But after these days he was treated as a common monastic. If he was a man of good character, the assembly requested him to reside with them, and supplied him with bed-gear as suited to his rank. But if he was not learned, he was regarded as a mere priest ; and, if he, on the contrary, was very learned, he was treated as stated above. Then his name was written down on the register of the names of the resident priests. Then he was just the same as the old residents. Whenever a layman came there with a good Il. Sarhga. 135, 14: UnnidrakandaladaMntaraliyamana— Gufganmadandhamadhupaazitameghakile ; Svapnespi ya# pravasati pravihaya kAntga Tasmai vishamarahitaya namo vrish4ya. ~ * Two translations of this Sfitra exist in the Chinese Collection, one in A.D. 25-220, the other in a. p. 589-618 ({Nanjio’s Catal., Nos. 251 and 51). ? The text has the ‘Eastern Arya-desa.’ = NECESSARY FOOD AND CLOTHING. 65 inclination, his motive was thoroughly inquired into, and if it was his intentioti to become a priest, he was first shaved. henceforth his name. had no concern with the register of the state; for there was a register- book of the assembly (on which his name was written down). If he afterwards violated the laws and failed in his religious performances, he was expelled from the monastery without sounding the Ghaw/a (bell). On account of the priests’ mutual confession, their faults were prevented . before their growth. When I have observed all these things, I said to myself with emotion : ‘When I was at home, I thought myself to be versed in the Vinaya, and little imagined that one day, coming here, I should prove myself really one ignorant (of the subjéct). Had I not come to the West, how could I ever have witnessed such correct manners as these!’ Of these above described some are the monastic rites, while others are specially made for the practice of self-denial; and all the rest are found in the Vinaya, and most important to be carried out in this remote period (from the Buddha's time). All these form the ritual of the monastery Bha-ra-ha! at Tamralipti. The rites of the monastery Nalanda are still more strict. Conse- quently the number of the residents is great and exceeds 3,000% The lands in its possession contain more than 200 villages. They have been + bestowed (upon the monastery) by kings of many generations. Thus the prospérity of the religion continues ever, owing to nothing but (the fact that) the Yinaya (is being strictly carried out). I never saw (in India) such customs as are practised (in China), ie. (in deciding a matter concerning the monastery), the ordinary officials . have a special sitting at the court, and all the priests concerned in the matter attend there in a row, shouting and disputing, or cheating and despising one another, just like ordinary people. The priests run about to see off an officer who is leaving and to welcome a new one who is arriving. When the inspection or examination by the new officer does not reach so far as the matters or things of the monastery, the priests visit _#. * Barahat or Vardha ? 2 3.000 (not 5,000) in chap. xxxii below, p. 153, and 3,800 in I-tsing’s 66 A RECORD OF BUDDHIST PRACTICES. x. the residence of the officer and ask the (same) favour through the under- officers (so hastily that) they omit inquiring after the officer’s health. Now why do we become homeless? It is because we wish to keep apart from the worldly troubles in order to abandon the dangerous path of the five fears}, and thereby to arrive at the peaceful terrace of the noble eightfold (path)*. Is it right, then, that we should be involved in ° troubles, and once again be caught in the net (of sin)? If we behave so, our wish of attaining the perfect calm (Nirvama) will never be fulfilled. Nay, it may be said that we are acting en- tirely against ‘liberation’ (Moksha), and do not pursue the way to quietude (Nirvawa). It is only reasonable that we should support our life practising the twelve Dhataigas*, and possessing only the thirteen ‘ necessary things‘, according to our circumstances. The influence of Karma (action) is to be done away with; the great benefits conferred by our teacher, our Sangha, and our parents are to be requited, and the deep compassion that was shown by Devas, Nagas, or sovereigns is to be repaid. To behave so is indeed to follow the example of the Tamer of the Human Steed (i.e. the Buddha), and to pursue rightly the path of Discipline (Vinaya). And I have thus discussed the mode of life of a priest, and also spoken of the present practices of (China and India). May all the virtuous not find my discussion too tedious! The.distinction of the four Nikayas (schools) is shown by the difference of wearing the Nivdsana (i.e. under-garment). The Malasarvastivada- nikaya pulls up the skirt on both sides, (draws the ends through the girdle and suspends them over it), whereas the Mahdsanghikanikaya takes the right skirt to the left side and presses it tight (under the girdle) so as not to let it loose; the custom of wearing the under-gar- ment of the Mahdsanghikanikaya is similar to that of Indian women. The rules (of putting on the under-garment) of the Stkaviranikaya and of the Sammitinikaya are identical with those of the Mahasanghikanikaya;* 1 Five fears are (1) failure of livelihood, (2) bad name, (3) death, (4) a birth in the Jower form as an animal, &c., (5) worldly influence. . Rhys Davids, Buddhism, pp. 47, 108; Oldenberg, Buddha &c., p. 211. 3 See above, p. 56, where thirteen Dhatahgas are mentioned. bt alo i. NECESSARY FOOD AND CLOTHING, 67 except that the former (the Sthavira and Sammiti) leave the ends of * the skirt outside, while the latter presses it inwardly as mentioned above. The make of the girdle (KAyabandhana) is also different 1. The nun’s mode of putting on the under-garment is the same as that of a Bhikshu of her respective school. But the Chinese Sankakshika, ' shoulder-covering robes, nivasana, drawers, trousers, robe, and shirt, are all made against the original rules. Not only having both sleeves in one and the same garment, the back of which is sewn together, but even the wearing of the garment is not in accordance with the Vinaya rules. All manners of dress in China are Hable to produce guilt. If we come to India in Chinese garments, they all laugh at us; we get much ashamed in our ‘hearts, and we tear our garments to be used for miscellaneous purposes, for they are all unlawful. If I do not explain this point, no one will know the fact. Although I wish to speak straightforwardly, yet I fear to sce my hearer indignant. Hence I refrain from expressing my humble thought, yet I move about reflecting upon those points. I wish that the jwise miay pay serious attention and notice the proper rules of clothing. & urther, laymen of India, the officers and people of a higher class havé'a pair of white soft cloth for their garments, while’ the poor and lower classes of people have only one piece of te It is only the homeless member of the Sangha who possesses” the three garments and six Requisites?, and a priest who wishes for more (lit. who indulges in luxury) may use the thirteen Necessaries. In China priests are not allowed to have a garment possessed of two sleeves or having one back, but the fact is that they themselves follow the Chinese customs, and falsely call them Indian.WNow I shall roughly describe the people and their dresses in Gambudvipa and all the remote islands. From the Mahdbodhi eastward to Lin-i (i.e. Champa) there are twenty countries extending as far as the southetn limits of Kwan Chou (in Annam)*. If we proceed to the south-west we come to the sea; and in the north Kasmira is its limit. There are more than ten countries (islands) in the Southern Sea, added to these the Sismhala * One text has FR K for J fl] (J-); the latter is the better reading. ® See p. 55 above. 5 See p. 12 above. K2 68 A RECORD OF BUDDHIST PRACTICES. 7 he island (Ceylon). In all these countries people wear two cloths (Skt. kambala). These are of wide linen eight feet long, which has no girdle and is not cut or sewn, but is simply put around the waist to cover the lower part. } Be (eae ndia, there are countries of the Pdrasas (Persians) and the Tajfks ! (generally taken as Arabs), who wear shirt and trousers. In the country of the naked people? (Nicobar Isles) they have no dress at all ; men and women alike are all naked. From Kasmira to all the Mongolic countries such as SAli, Tibet*, and the country of the Turkish tribes, the customs resemble one another to a great extent; the people in these countries do not wear the covering-cloth (Skt. kambala), but use wool or skin as much as they can, and there is very little karp4sa (i.e. cotton), which we see sometimes worn. As these countries are cold, the people always wear shirt and trousers. Among these countries the Parasas, the Naked People, the Tibetans*, and the Turkish tribes have no Buddhist law, but the other countries had and have followed Buddhism; and in the districts where shirts and trousers are used the ‘ people are careless about personal cleanliness.§ Therefore the people of the five parts of India are proud of their own purity and excellence.