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！
verisimilitude can be brought within brief compass。
His surname； they tell us； was Kung； and he was a native of Wu…yang
in P'ing…Yang； which is still the name of a large department in Shan…hsi。
He had three brothers older than himself； but when they all died before
shedding their first teeth； his father devoted him to the service of the
Buddhist society； and had him entered as a Sramanera； still keeping him at
home in the family。 The little fellow fell dangerously ill； and the father
sent him to the monastery； where he soon got well and refused to return to
his parents。
When he was ten years old； his father died； and an uncle； considering
the widowed solitariness and helplessness of the mother； urged him to
renounce the monastic life； and return to her； but the boy replied； 〃I did not
quit the family in compliance with my father's wishes； but because I
wished to be far from the dust and vulgar ways of life。 This is why I chose
monkhood。〃 The uncle approved of his words and gave over urging him。
When his mother also died； it appeared how great had been the affection
for her of his fine nature； but after her burial he returned to the monastery。
On one occasion he was cutting rice with a score or two of his fellow…
disciples； when some hungry thieves came upon them to take away their
grain by force。 The other Sramaneras all fled； but our young hero stood his
ground； and said to the thieves； 〃If you must have the grain； take what you
please。 But； Sirs； it was your former neglect of charity which brought you
to your present state of destitution； and now； again； you wish to rob others。
7
… Page 8…
A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
I am afraid that in the coming ages you will have still greater poverty and
distress；I am sorry for you beforehand。〃 With these words he followed
his companions into the monastery； while the thieves left the grain and
went away； all the monks； of whom there were several hundred； doing
homage to his conduct and courage。
When he had finished his noviciate and taken on him the obligations
of the full Buddhist orders； his earnest courage； clear intelligence； and
strict regulation of his demeanour were conspicuous； and soon after； he
undertook his journey to India in search of complete copies of the Vinaya…
pitaka。 What follows this is merely an account of his travels in India and
return to China by sea； condensed from his own narrative； with the
addition of some marvellous incidents that happened to him； on his visit to
the Vulture Peak near Rajagriha。
It is said in the end that after his return to China； he went to the capital
（evidently Nanking）； and there； along with the Indian Sramana Buddha…
bhadra； executed translations of some of the works which he had obtained
in India； and that before he had done all that he wished to do in this way；
he removed to King…chow （in the present Hoo…pih）； and died in the
monastery of Sin； at the age of eighty…eight； to the great sorrow of all who
knew him。 It is added that there is another larger work giving an account
of his travels in various countries。
Such is all the information given about our author； beyond what he
himself has told us。 Fa…hien was his clerical name； and means 〃Illustrious
in the Law；〃 or 〃Illustrious master of the Law。〃 The Shih which often
precedes it is an abbreviation of the name of Buddha as Sakyamuni； 〃the
Sakya； mighty in Love； dwelling in Seclusion and Silence；〃 and may be
taken as equivalent to Buddhist。 It is sometimes said to have belonged to
〃the eastern Tsin dynasty〃 （A。D。 317…419）； and sometimes to 〃the Sung；〃
that is； the Sung dynasty of the House of Liu （A。D。 420…478）。 If he became
a full monk at the age of twenty； and went to India when he was twenty…
five； his long life may have been divided pretty equally between the two
dynasties。
2。 If there were ever another and larger account of Fa…hien's travels
than the narrative of which a translation is now given； it has long ceased to
8
… Page 9…
A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
be in existence。
In the Catalogue of the imperial library of the Suy dynasty （A。D。 589…
618）； the name Fa…hien occurs four times。 Towards the end of the last
section of it （page 22）； after a reference to his travels； his labours in
translation at Kin…ling （another name for Nanking）； in conjunction with
Buddha…bhadra； are described。 In the second section； page 15； we find 〃A
Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms；〃with a note； saying that it was the
work of the 〃Sramana； Fa…hien；〃 and again； on page 13； we have
〃Narrative of Fa…hien in two Books；〃 and 〃Narrative of Fa…hien's Travels
in one Book。〃 But all these three entries may possibly belong to different
copies of the same work； the first and the other two being in separate
subdivisions of the Catalogue。
In the two Chinese copies of the narrative in my possession the title is
〃Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms。〃 In the Japanese or Corean recension
subjoined to this translation； the title is twofold； first； 〃Narrative of the
Distinguished Monk； Fa…hien；〃 and then； more at large； 〃Incidents of
Travels in India； by the Sramana of the Eastern Tsin； Fa…hien； recorded by
himself。〃
There is still earlier attestation of the existence of our little work than
the Suy Catalogue。 The Catalogue Raisonne of the imperial library of the
present dynasty （chap。 71） mentions two quotations from it by Le Tao…
yuen； a geographical writer of the dynasty of the Northern Wei （A。D。 386…
584）； one of them containing 89 characters； and the other 276； both of
them given as from the 〃Narrative of Fa…hien。〃
In all catalogues subsequent to that of Suy our work appears。 The
evidence for its authenticity and genuineness is all that could be required。
It is clear to myself that the 〃Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms〃 and the
〃Narrative of his Travels by Fa…hien〃 were designations of one and the
same work； and that it is doubtful whether any larger work on the same
subject was ever current。 With regard to the text subjoined to my
translation； it was pub