a record of buddhistic kingdoms(佛都记录)-第26节
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thus that subsequently men got to know （the fact）； and raised the tope on
this spot； which in this way received its name。 The thousand little boys
were the thousand Buddhas of this Bhadra…kalpa。＇8＇
It was by the side of the 〃Weapons…laid…down〃 tope that Buddha；
having given up the idea of living longer； said to Ananda； 〃In three months
from this I will attain to pavi…nirvana；〃 and king Mara＇9＇ had so fascinated
and stupefied Ananda； that he was not able to ask Buddha to remain longer
in this world。
Three or four le east from this place there is a tope （commemorating
the following occurrence）：A hundred years after the pari…nirvana of
Buddha； some Bhikshus of Vaisali went wrong in the matter of the
disciplinary rules in ten particulars； and appealed for their justification to
what they said were the words of Buddha。 Hereupon the Arhats and
Bhikshus observant of the rules； to the number in all of 700 monks；
examined afresh and collated the collection of disciplinary books。＇10＇
Subsequently men built at this place the tope （in question）； which is still
existing。
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NOTES
＇1＇ It is difficult to tell what was the peculiar form of this vihara from
which it gets its name； something about the construction of its door； or
cupboards； or galleries。
＇2＇ See the explanation of this in the next chapter。
＇3＇ Ambapali； Amrapali； or Amradarika； 〃the guardian of the Amra
（probably the mango） tree；〃 is famous in Buddhist annals。 See the account
of her in M。 B。； pp。 456…8。 She was a courtesan。 She had been in many
narakas or hells； was 100；000 times a female beggar； and 10；000 times a
prostitute； but maintaining perfect continence during the period of
Kasyapa Buddha； Sakyamuni's predecessor； she had been born a devi； and
finally appeared in earth under an Amra tree in Vaisali。 There again she
fell into her old ways； and had a son by king Bimbisara； but she was won
over by Buddha to virtue and chastity； renounced the world； and attained
to the state of an Arhat。 See the earliest account of Ambapali's presentation
of the garden in 〃Buddhist Suttas；〃 pp。 30…33； and the note there from
Bishop Bigandet on pp。 33； 34。
＇4＇ Beal gives； 〃In this place I have performed the last religious act of
my earthly career；〃 Giles； 〃This is the last place I shall visit；〃 Remusat；
〃C'est un lieu ou je reviendrai bien longtemps apres ceci。〃 Perhaps the
〃walk〃 to which Buddha referred had been for meditation。
＇5＇ See the account of this legend in the note in M。 B。； pp。 235； 236；
different； but not less absurd。 The first part of Fa…hien's narrative will have
sent the thoughts of some of my readers to the exposure of the infant
Moses； as related in Exodus。 ＇Certainly did。JB。＇
＇6＇ See chap。 xiii； note 14。
＇7＇ Thus Sakyamuni had been one of the thousand little boys who
floated in the box in the Ganges。 How long back the former age was we
cannot tell。 I suppose the tope of the two fathers who became Pratyeka
Buddhas had been built like the one commemorating the laying down of
weapons after Buddha had told his disciples of the strange events in the
past。
＇8＇ Bhadra…kalpa； 〃the Kalpa of worthies or sages。〃 〃This；〃 says Eitel；
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p。 22； 〃is a designation for a Kalpa of stability； so called because 1000
Buddhas appear in the course of it。 Our present period is a Bhadra…kalpa；
and four Buddhas have already appeared。 It is to last 236 million years；
but over 151 millions have already elapsed。〃
＇9＇ 〃The king of demons。〃 The name Mara is explained by 〃the
murderer；〃 〃the destroyer of virtue；〃 and similar appellations。 〃He is；〃 says
Eitel； 〃the personification of lust； the god of love； sin； and death； the arch…
enemy of goodness； residing in the heaven Paranirmita Vasavartin on the
top of the Kamadhatu。 He assumes different forms； especially monstrous
ones； to tempt or frighten the saints； or sends his daughters； or inspires
wicked men like Devadatta or the Nirgranthas to do his work。 He is often
represented with 100 arms； and riding on an elephant。〃 The oldest form of
the legend in this paragraph is in 〃Buddhist Suttas；〃 Sacred Books of the
East； vol。 xi； pp。 41…55； where Buddha says that； if Ananda had asked him
thrice； he would have postponed his death。
＇10＇ Or the Vinaya…pitaka。 The meeting referred to was an important
one； and is generally spoken of as the second Great Council of the
Buddhist Church。 See； on the formation of the Buddhist Canon； Hardy's E。
M。； chap。 xviii； and the last chapter of Davids' Manual； on the History of
the Order。 The first Council was that held at Rajagriha； shortly after
Buddha's death； under the presidency of Kasyapa；say about B。C。 410。
The second was that spoken of here；say about B。C。 300。 In Davids'
Manual （p。 216） we find the ten points of discipline； in which the heretics
（I can use that term here） claimed at least indulgence。 Two meetings were
held to consider and discuss them。 At the former the orthodox party barely
succeeded in carrying their condemnation of the laxer monks； and a
second and larger meeting； of which Fa…hien speaks； was held in
consequence； and a more emphatic condemnation passed。 At the same
time all the books and subjects of discipline seem to have undergone a
careful revision。
The Corean text is clearer than the Chinese as to those who composed
the Council；the Arhats and orthodox monks。 The leader among them was
a Yasas； or Yasada； or Yedsaputtra； who had been a disciple of Ananda；
and must therefore have been a very old man。
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CHAPTER XXVI
REMARKABLE DEATH OF ANANDA。
Four yojanas on from this place to the east brought the travellers to the
confluence of the five rivers。＇1＇ When Ananda was going from Magadha＇2＇
to Vaisali； wishing his pari…nirvana to take place （there）； the devas
informed king Ajatasatru＇3＇ of it； and the king immediately pursued him；
in his own grand carriage； with a body of soldiers； and had reached the
river。 （On the other hand）； the Lichchhavis of Vaisali had heard that
Amanda was coming （to their city）； and they on their part came to meet
him。 （In this way）； they all arrived together at the river； and Ananda
considered that； if he went forward； king Ajatasatru would be very angry；
while； if he went back； the Lichchhavis would resent his conduct。 He
thereupon in the very middle of the river burnt his body in a fiery ecstasy
of Samadhi；＇4＇ and his pari…nirvana was attained。 He divided his body
（also） into two； （leaving） the half of it on each bank； so that each of the
two kings got one half as a （sacred） relic； and took it back （to his own
capital）； and there raised a tope over it。
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NOTES
＇1＇ This spot does not appear to have been identified。 It could not be
far from Patna。
＇2＇ Magadha was for some time the headquarters of Buddhism； the
holy land； covered with viharas； a fact perpetuated； as has been observed
in a previous note； in the name of the present Behar； the southern portion
of which corresponds to the ancient kingdom of Magadha。
＇3＇ In Singhalese； Ajasat。 See the account of his conversion in M。 B。；
pp。 321…326。 He was the son of king Bimbisara； who was one of the first
royal converts to Buddhism。 Ajasat murdered his father； or at least
wrought his deat
