按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
'2' This does not mean the top or summit of the hill; but its 〃headland;〃 where it ended at the river。
'3' See the account of this visit of Sakra in M。 B。; pp。 288…290。 It is from Hardy that we are able to complete here the name of the musician; which appears in Fa…hien as only Pancha; or 〃Five。〃 His harp or lute; we are told; was 〃twelve miles long。〃
'4' Hardy (M。 B。; pp。 288; 289) makes the subjects only thirteen; which are still to be found in one of the Sutras (〃the Dik…Sanga; in the Sakra…prasna Sutra〃)。 Whether it was Sakra who wrote his questions; or Buddha who wrote the answers; depends on the punctuation。 It seems better to make Sakra the writer。
'5' Or Nalanda; identified with the present Baragong。 A grand monastery was subsequently built at it; famous by the residence for five years of Hsuan…chwang。
'6' See chap。 xvi; note 11。 There is some doubt as to the statement that Nala was his birthplace。
'7' The city of 〃Royal Palaces;〃 〃the residence of the Magadha kings from Bimbisara to Asoka; the first metropolis of Buddhism; at the foot of the Gridhrakuta mountains。 Here the first synod assembled within a year after Sakyamuni's death。 Its ruins are still extant at the village of Rajghir; sixteen miles S。W。 of Behar; and form an object of pilgrimage to the Jains (E。 H。; p。 100)。〃 It is called New Rajagriha to distinguish it from Kusagarapura; a few miles from it; the old residence of the kings。 Eitel says it was built by Bimbisara; while Fa…hien ascribes it to Ajatasatru。 I suppose the son finished what the father had begun。
'8' One of the five first followers of Sakyamuni。 He is also called Asvajit; in Pali Assaji; but Asvajit seems to be a military title= 〃Master or trainer of horses。〃 The two more famous disciples met him; not to lead him; but to be directed by him; to Buddha。 See Sacred Books of the East; vol。 xiii; Vinaya Texts; pp。 144…147。
'9' One of the six Tirthyas (Tirthakas=〃erroneous teachers;〃 M。 B。; pp。 290…292; but I have not found the particulars of the attempts on Buddha's life referred to by Fa…hien); or Brahmanical opponents of Buddha。 He was an ascetic; one of the Jnati clan; and is therefore called Nirgranthajnati。 He taught a system of fatalism; condemned the use of clothes; and thought he could subdue all passions by fasting。 He had a body of followers; who called themselves by his name (Eitel; pp。 84; 85); and were the forerunners of the Jains。
'10' The king was moved to this by Devadatta。 Of course the elephant disappointed them; and did homage to Sakyamuni。 See Sacred Books of the East; vol。 xx; Vinaya Texts; p。 247。
'11' See chap。 xxv; note 3。 Jivaka was Ambapali's son by king Bimbisara; and devoted himself to the practice of medicine。 See the account of him in the Sacred Books of the East; vol。 xvii; Vinaya Texts; pp。 171…194。
CHAPTER XXIX
GRIDHRA…KUTA HILL; AND LEGENDS。 FA…HIEN PASSES A NIGHT ON IT。 HIS REFLECTIONS。
Entering the valley; and keeping along the mountains on the south… east; after ascending fifteen le; (the travellers) came to mount Gridhra…kuta。'1' Three le before you reach the top; there is a cavern in the rocks; facing the south; in which Buddha sat in meditation。 Thirty paces to the north…west there is another; where Ananda was sitting in meditation; when the deva Mara Pisuna;'2' having assumed the form of a large vulture; took his place in front of the cavern; and frightened the disciple。 Then Buddha; by his mysterious; supernatural power; made a cleft in the rock; introduced his hand; and stroked Ananda's shoulder; so that his fear immediately passed away。 The footprints of the bird and the cleft for (Buddha's) hand are still there; and hence comes the name of 〃The Hill of the Vulture Cavern。〃
In front of the cavern there are the places where the four Buddhas sat。 There are caverns also of the Arhats; one where each sat and meditated; amounting to several hundred in all。 At the place where in front of his rocky apartment Buddha was walking from east to west (in meditation); and Devadatta; from among the beetling cliffs on the north of the mountain; threw a rock across; and hurt Buddha's toes;'3' the rock is still there。'4'
The hall where Buddha preached his Law has been destroyed; and only the foundations of the brick walls remain。 On this hill the peak is beautifully green; and rises grandly up; it is the highest of all the five hills。 In the New City Fa…hien bought incense…(sticks); flowers; oil and lamps; and hired two bhikshus; long resident (at the place); to carry them (to the peak)。 When he himself got to it; he made his offerings with the flowers and incense; and lighted the lamps when the darkness began to come on。 He felt melancholy; but restrained his tears and said; 〃Here Buddha delivered the Surangama (Sutra)。'5' I; Fa…hien; was born when I could not meet with Buddha; and now I only see the footprints which he has left; and the place where he lived; and nothing more。〃 With this; in front of the rock cavern; he chanted the Surangama Sutra; remained there over the night; and then returned towards the New City。'6'
NOTES
'1' See chap。 xxviii; note 1。
'2' See chap。 xxv; note 9。 Pisuna is a name given to Mara; and signifies 〃sinful lust。〃
'3' See M。 B。; p。 320。 Hardy says that Devadatta's attempt was 〃by the help of a machine;〃 but the oldest account in the Sacred Books of the East; vol。 xx; Vinaya Texts; p。 245; agrees with what Fa…hien implies that he threw the rock with his own arm。
'4' And; as described by Hsuan…chwang; fourteen or fifteen cubits high; and thirty paces round。
'5' See Mr。 Bunyiu Nanjio's 〃Catalogue of the Chinese Translation of the Buddhist Tripitaka;〃 Sutra Pitaka; Nos。 399; 446。 It was the former of these that came on this occasion to the thoughts and memory of Fa…hien。
'6' In a note (p。 lx) to his revised version of our author; Mr。 Beal says; 〃There is a full account of this perilous visit of Fa…hien; and how he was attacked by tigers; in the 'History of the High Priests。'〃 But 〃the high priests〃 merely means distinguished monks; 〃eminent monks;〃 as Mr。 Nanjio exactly renders the adjectival character。 Nor was Fa…hien 〃attacked by tigers〃 on the peak。 No 〃tigers〃 appear in the Memoir。 〃Two black lions〃 indeed crouched before him for a time this night; 〃licking their lips and waving their tails;〃 but their appearance was to 〃try;〃 and not to attack him; and when they saw him resolute; they 〃drooped their heads; put down their tails; and prostrated themselves before him。〃 This of course is not an historical account; but a legendary tribute to his bold perseverance。
CHAPTER XXX
THE SRATAPARNA CAVE; OR CAVE OF THE FIRST COUNCIL。 LEGENDS。 SUICIDE OF A BHIKSHU。
Out from the old city; after walking over 300 paces; on the west of the road; (the travellers) found the Karanda Bamboo garden;'1' where the (old) vihara is still in existence; with a company of monks; who keep (the ground about it) swept and watered。
North of the vihara two or three le there was the Smasanam; which name means in Chinese 〃the field of graves into which the dead are thrown。〃'2'
As they kept along the mountain on the south; and went west for 300 paces; they found a dwelling among the rocks; named