Travels of Fah-Hian and Sung-Yun, Buddhist pilgrims : from China to India (400 A.D. and 518 A.D.) / translated from Chinese by Samuel Beal.

  • Faxian
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Travels of Fah-Hian and Sung-Yun, Buddhist pilgrims : from China to India (400 A.D. and 518 A.D.) / translated from Chinese by Samuel Beal. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    139/304 (page 53)
    From this, proceeding in a south-easterly direction somewhat less than eighty yojanas, we pass in suc- cession various Temples，1 containing very many priests, in all amounting to 10,000 and more. Having passed by all these places, we arrived at a certain kingdom called Ma-teou-lo.2 Here，again, we followed the course of the river Po-Na (Jumna). [The force of “again” seems to be that they had followed previously tlie course of the Indus.] On the banks of this river there are twenty Sangharamas, containing perhaps 3000 priests. The Law of Buddha is in a reviving condi- tion.3 All the kingdoms beyond tlie sandy deserts are spoken of as belonging to western India.4 The kings 1 These temples as Eemusat remarks were probably Brahmanical Devalayas. Hiouen Thsang records concerning the district of Tchaka (in the centre of the Panjab), that “ there are few who believe in the law of Buddha, the greatest number adore the spirits of heaven (Devas).’ (Jul. ii. 189.) 2 This must be Mathoura (Mattra) below Delhi. 3 This denotes that the religion of Buddha had been in a depressed state ^ 4 This passage may also be translated thus, u The continuation of sandy deserts being passed (we arrive at) the various kingdoms of western India.” If this be the true rendering of the passage it may either denote that Fah. Ilian himself had passed through these deserts (which appears most probable) or it may simply be an observation made by the way. —