a record of buddhistic kingdoms(佛都记录)-第11节
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contemporaries。 But if Rhys Davids be correct； as I think he is； in fixing
the date of Buddha's death within a few years of 412 B。C。 （see Manual； p。
213）； not to speak of Westergaard's still lower date； then the Buddha was
very considerably the junior of Confucius。
＇9＇ This confirms the words of Eitel； that Maitreya is already
controlling the propagation of the faith。
＇10＇ The Chinese characters for this simply mean 〃the great scholar or
officer；〃 but see Eitel's Handbook； p。 99； on the term purusha。
＇11＇ 〃The precious Buddha；〃 〃the precious Law；〃 and 〃the precious
Monkhood；〃 Buddha； Dharma； and Sangha； the whole being equivalent to
Buddhism。
＇12＇ Fa…hien thus endorses the view that Buddhism was introduced
into China in this reign； A。D。 58…75。 The emperor had his dream in A。D。
61。
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
CHAPTER VIII
WOO…CHANG； OR UDYANA。 MONASTERIES； AND THEIR
WAYS。 TRACES OF BUDDHA。
After crossing the river； （the travellers） immediately came to the
kingdom of Woo…chang；＇1＇ which is indeed （a part） of North India。 The
people all use the language of Central India； 〃Central India〃 being what
we should call the 〃Middle Kingdom。〃 The food and clothes of the
common people are the same as in that Central Kingdom。 The Law of
Buddha is very （flourishing in Woo…chang）。 They call the places where the
monks stay （for a time） or reside permanently Sangharamas； and of these
there are in all 500； the monks being all students of the hinayana。 When
stranger bhikshus＇2＇ arrive at one of them； their wants are supplied for
three days； after which they are told to find a resting…place for themselves。
There is a tradition that when Buddha came to North India； he came at
once to this country； and that here he left a print of his foot； which is long
or short according to the ideas of the beholder （on the subject）。 It exists；
and the same thing is true about it； at the present day。 Here also are still to
be seen the rock on which he dried his clothes； and the place where he
converted the wicked dragon。＇3＇ The rock is fourteen cubits high； and
more than twenty broad； with one side of it smooth。
Hwuy…king； Hwuy…tah； and Tao…ching went on ahead towards （the
place of） Buddha's shadow in the country of Nagara；＇4＇ but Fa…hien and
the others remained in Woo…chang； and kept the summer retreat。＇5＇ That
over； they descended south； and arrived in the country of Soo…ho…to。＇6＇
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
NOTES
＇1＇ Udyana； meaning 〃the Park；〃 just north of the Punjab； the country
along the Subhavastu； now called the Swat； noted for its forests； flowers；
and fruits （E。 H。； p。 153）。
＇2＇ Bhikshu is the name for a monk as 〃living by alms；〃 a mendicant。
All bhikshus call themselves Sramans。 Sometimes the two names are used
together by our author。
＇3＇ Naga is the Sanskrit name for the Chinese lung or dragon； often
meaning a snake； especially the boa。 〃Chinese Buddhists；〃 says Eitel； p。 79；
〃when speaking of nagas as boa spirits； always represent them as enemies
of mankind； but when viewing them as deities of rivers； lakes； or oceans；
they describe them as piously inclined。〃 The dragon； however； is in China
the symbol of the Sovereign and Sage； a use of it unknown in Buddhism；
according to which all nagas need to be converted in order to obtain a
higher phase of being。 The use of the character too ｛。｝； as here； in the
sense of 〃to convert；〃 is entirely Buddhistic。 The six paramitas are the six
virtues which carry men across ｛。｝ the great sea of life and death； as the
sphere of transmigration to nirvana。 With regard to the particular
conversion here； Eitel （p。 11） says the Naga's name was Apatala； the
guardian deity of the Subhavastu river； and that he was converted by
Sakyamuni shortly before the death of the latter。
＇4＇ In Chinese Na…k'eeh； an ancient kingdom and city on the southern
bank of the Cabul river； about thirty miles west of Jellalabad。
＇5＇ We would seem now to be in 403。
＇6＇ Soo…ho…to has not been clearly identified。 Beal says that later
Buddhist writers include it in Udyana。 It must have been between the
Indus and the Swat。 I suppose it was what we now call Swastene。
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
CHAPTER IX
SOO…HO…TO。 LEGEND OF BUDDHA。
In that country also Buddhism＇1＇ is flourishing。 There is in it the place
where Sakra；＇2＇ Ruler of Devas； in a former age；＇3＇ tried the Bodhisattva；
by producing＇4＇ a hawk （in pursuit of a） dove； when （the Bodhisattva） cut
off a piece of his own flesh； and （with it） ransomed the dove。 After
Buddha had attained to perfect wisdom；＇5＇ and in travelling about with his
disciples （arrived at this spot）； he informed them that this was the place
where he ransomed the dove with a piece of his own flesh。 In this way the
people of the country became aware of the fact； and on the spot reared a
tope； adorned with layers＇6＇ of gold and silver plates。
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
NOTES
＇1＇ Buddhism stands for the two Chinese characters ｛。｝ ｛。｝； 〃the Law
of Buddha；〃 and to that rendering of the phrase； which is of frequent
occurrence； I will in general adhere。 Buddhism is not an adequate
rendering of them any more than Christianity would be of ｛to euaggelion
Xristou｝。 The Fa or Law is the equivalent of dharma comprehending all in
the first Basket of the Buddhist teaching；as Dr。 Davids says （Hibbert
Lectures； p。 44）； 〃its ethics and philosophy； and its system of self…culture；〃
with the theory of karma； it seems to me； especially underlying it。 It has
been pointed out （Cunningham's 〃Bhilsa Topes；〃 p。 102） that dharma is the
keystone of all king Priyadarsi or Asoka's edicts。 The whole of them are
dedicated to the attainment of one object； 〃the advancement of dharma； or
of the Law of Buddha。〃 His native Chinese afforded no better character
than ｛。｝ or Law； by which our author could express concisely his idea of
the Buddhistic system； as 〃a law of life；〃 a directory or system of Rules；
by which men could attain to the consummation of their being。
＇2＇ Sakra is a common name for the Brahmanic Indra； adopted by
Buddhism into the circle of its own great adherents；it has been said；
〃because of his popularity。〃 He is generally styled； as here； T'een Ti； 〃God
or Ruler of Devas。〃 He is now the representative of the secular power； the
valiant protector of the Buddhist body； but is looked upon as inferior to
Sakyamuni； and every Buddhist saint。 He appears several times in Fa…
hien's narrative。 E。 H。； pp。 108 and 46。
＇3＇ The Chinese character is ｛。｝； 〃formerly；〃 and is often； as in the first
sentence of the narrative； simply equivalent to that adverb。 At other times
it means； as here； 〃in a former age；〃 some pre…existent state in the time of
a former birth。 The incident related is 〃a Jataka story。〃
＇4＇ It occurs at once to the translator to render the characters ｛。｝ ｛。｝ by
〃changed himself to。〃 Such is often their meaning in the sequel； but their
use in chapter xxiv may be considered as a crucial test of the meaning
which I have given them here。
＇5＇ That is； had become Buddha； or completed his course ｛。｝ ｛。｝。
＇6＇ This seems to be the contribution of ｛。｝ （or ｛。｝）； to the force of the
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
binomial ｛。｝ ｛。｝； which is continually occurring。
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
CHAPTER X
GANDHARA。 LEGENDS OF BU
