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＇1＇ See Eitel； p。 89。 He describes the assembly as 〃an ecclesiastical
conference； first instituted by king Asoka for general confession of sins
and inculcation of morality。〃
＇2＇ The text of this sentence is perplexing； and all translators；
including myself； have been puzzled by it。
＇3＇ See what we are told of king Asoka's grant of all the Jambudvipa to
the monks in chapter xxvii。 There are several other instances of similar
gifts in the Mahavansa。
＇4＇ Watters calls attention to this as showing that the monks of K'eeh…
ch'a had the credit of possessing weather…controlling powers。
＇5＇ The text here has ｛。｝ ｛。｝； not ｛。｝ alone。 I often found in
monasteries boys and lads who looked up to certain of the monks as their
preceptors。
＇6＇ Compare what is said in chapter ii of the dress of the people of
Shen…shen。
＇7＇ Giles thinks the fruit here was the guava； because the ordinary
name for 〃pomegranate〃 is preceded by gan ｛。｝； but the pomegranate was
called at first Gan Shih…lau； as having been introduced into China from
Gan…seih by Chang…k'een； who is referred to in chapter vii。
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CHAPTER VI
ON TOWARDS NORTH INDIA。 DARADA。 IMAGE OF
MAITREYA BODHISATTVA。
From this （the travellers） went westwards towards North India； and
after being on the way for a month； they succeeded in getting across and
through the range of the Onion mountains。 The snow rests on them both
winter and summer。 There are also among them venomous dragons； which；
when provoked； spit forth poisonous winds； and cause showers of snow
and storms of sand and gravel。 Not one in ten thousand of those who
encounter these dangers escapes with his life。 The people of the country
call the range by the name of 〃The Snow mountains。〃 When （the travellers）
had got through them； they were in North India； and immediately on
entering its borders； found themselves in a small kingdom called T'o…
leih；＇1＇ where also there were many monks； all students of the hinayana。
In this kingdom there was formerly an Arhan；＇2＇ who by his
supernatural power＇3＇ took a clever artificer up to the Tushita heaven； to
see the height； complexion； and appearance of Maitreya Bodhisattva；＇4＇
and then return and make an image of him in wood。 First and last； this was
done three times； and then the image was completed； eighty cubits in
height； and eight cubits at the base from knee to knee of the crossed legs。
On fast…days it emits an effulgent light。 The kings of the （surrounding）
countries vie with one another in presenting offerings to it。 Here it is；to
be seen now as of old。＇5＇
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
NOTES
＇1＇ Eitel and others identify this with Darada； the country of the
ancient Dardae； the region near Dardus； lat。 30d 11s N。； lon。 73d 54s E。
See E。 H。 p。 30。 I am myself in more than doubt on the point。 Cunningham
（〃Ancient Geography of India；〃 p。 82） says 〃Darel is a valley on the right
or western bank of the Indus； now occupied by Dardus or Dards； from
whom it received its name。〃 But as I read our narrative； Fa…hien is here on
the eastern bank of the Indus； and only crosses to the western bank as
described in the next chapter。
＇2＇ Lo…han； Arhat； Arahat； are all designations of the perfected Arya；
the disciple who has passed the different stages of the Noble Path； or
eightfold excellent way； who has conquered all passions； and is not to be
reborn again。 Arhatship implies possession of certain supernatural powers；
and is not to be succeeded by Buddhaship； but implies the fact of the saint
having already attained nirvana。 Popularly； the Chinese designate by this
name the wider circle of Buddha's disciples； as well as the smaller ones of
500 and 18。 No temple in Canton is better worth a visit than that of the
500 Lo…han。
＇3＇ Riddhi…sakshatkriya； 〃the power of supernatural footsteps；〃=〃a
body flexible at pleasure；〃 or unlimited power over the body。 E。 H。； p。 104。
＇4＇ Tushita is the fourth Devaloka； where all Bodhisattvas are reborn
before finally appearing on earth as Buddha。 Life lasts in Tushita 4000
years； but twenty…four hours there are equal to 400 years on earth。 E。 H。； p。
152。
＇5＇ Maitreya （Spence Hardy； Maitri）； often styled Ajita； 〃the
Invincible；〃 was a Bodhisattva； the principal one； indeed； of Sakyamuni's
retinue； but is not counted among the ordinary （historical） disciples； nor is
anything told of his antecedents。 It was in the Tushita heaven that
Sakyamuni met him and appointed him as his successor； to appear as
Buddha after the lapse of 5000 years。 Maitreya is therefore the expected
Messiah of the Buddhists； residing at present in Tushita； and； according to
the account of him in Eitel （H。； p。 70）； 〃already controlling the
propagation of the Buddhistic faith。〃 The name means 〃gentleness〃 or
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
〃kindness；〃 and this will be the character of his dispensation。
＇6＇ The combination of ｛。｝ ｛。｝ in the text of this concluding sentence；
and so frequently occurring throughout the narrative； has occasioned no
little dispute among previous translators。 In the imperial thesaurus of
phraseology （P'ei…wan Yun…foo）； under ｛。｝； an example of it is given from
Chwang…tsze； and a note subjoined that ｛。｝ ｛。｝ is equivalent to ｛。｝ ｛。｝；
〃anciently and now。〃
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
CHAPTER VII
CROSSING OF THE INDUS。 WHEN BUDDHISM FIRST
CROSSED THE RIVER FOR THE EAST
The travellers went on to the south…west for fifteen days （at the foot of
the mountains； and） following the course of their range。 The way was
di