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after the nirvana＇5＇ of Buddha； 500 Arhats collected the Sutras。 When they
brought the Sutras forth； three lofty seats＇6＇ had been prepared and
grandly ornamented。 Sariputtra occupied the one on the left； and
Maudgalyayana that on the right。 Of the number of five hundred one was
wanting。 Mahakasyapa was president （on the middle seat）。 Amanda was
then outside the door； and could not get in。＇7＇ At the place there was
（subsequently） raised a tope； which is still existing。
Along （the sides of） the hill； there are also a very great many cells
among the rocks； where the various Arhans sat and meditated。 As you
leave the old city on the north； and go down east for three le； there is the
rock dwelling of Devadatta； and at a distance of fifty paces from it there is
a large； square； black rock。 Formerly there was a bhikshu； who； as he
walked backwards and forwards upon it； thought with himself：〃This
body＇8＇ is impermanent； a thing of bitterness and vanity；＇9＇ and which
cannot be looked on as pure。＇10＇ I am weary of this body； and troubled by
it as an evil。〃 With this he grasped a knife； and was about to kill himself。
But he thought again：〃The World…honoured one laid down a prohibition
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against one's killing himself。〃＇11＇ Further it occurred to him：〃Yes； he did；
but I now only wish to kill three poisonous thieves。〃＇12＇ Immediately with
the knife he cut his throat。 With the first gash into the flesh he attained the
state of a Srotapanna；＇13＇ when he had gone half through； he attained to
be an Anagamin；＇14＇ and when he had cut right through； he was an Arhat；
and attained to pari…nirvana；＇15＇ （and died）。
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NOTES
＇1＇ Karanda Venuvana； a park presented to Buddha by king Bimbisara；
who also built a vihara in it。 See the account of the transaction in M。 B。； p。
194。 The place was called Karanda； from a creature so named； which
awoke the king just as a snake was about to bite him； and thus saved his
life。 In Hardy the creature appears as a squirrel； but Eitel says that the
Karanda is a bird of sweet voice； resembling a magpie； but herding in
flocks； the /cuculus melanoleucus/。 See 〃Buddhist Birth Stories；〃 p。 118。
＇2＇ The language here is rather contemptuous； as if our author had no
sympathy with any other mode of disposing of the dead； but by his own
Buddhistic method of cremation。
＇3＇ The Chinese characters used for the name of this cavern serve also
to name the pippala （peepul） tree； the /ficus religiosa/。 They make us think
that there was such a tree overshadowing the cave； but Fa…hien would
hardly have neglected to mention such a circumstance。
＇4＇ A very great place in the annals of Buddhism。 The Council in the
Srataparna cave did not come together fortuitously； but appears to have
been convoked by the older members to settle the rules and doctrines of
the order。 The cave was prepared for the occasion by king Ajatasatru。
From the expression about the 〃bringing forth of the King；〃 it would seem
that the Sutras or some of them had been already committed to writing。
May not the meaning of King ｛。｝ here be extended to the Vinaya rules； as
well as the Sutras； and mean 〃the standards〃 of the system generally？ See
Davids' Manual； chapter ix； and Sacred Books of the East； vol。 xx； Vinaya
Texts； pp。 370…385。
＇5＇ So in the text； evidently for pari…nirvana。
＇6＇ Instead of 〃high〃 seats； the Chinese texts have 〃vacant。〃 The
character for 〃prepared〃 denotes 〃spread；〃they were carpeted； perhaps；
both cushioned and carpeted； being rugs spread on the ground； raised
higher than the other places for seats。
＇7＇ Did they not contrive to let him in； with some cachinnation； even in
so august an assembly； that so important a member should have been shut
out？
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＇8＇ 〃The life of this body〃 would； I think； fairly express the idea of the
bhikshu。
＇9＇ See the account of Buddha's preaching in chapter xviii。
＇10＇ The sentiment of this clause is not easily caught。
＇11＇ See E。 M。； p。 152：〃Buddha made a law forbidding the monks to
commit suicide。 He prohibited any one from discoursing on the miseries of
life in such a manner as to cause desperation。〃 See also M。 B。； pp。 464；
465。
＇12＇ Beal says：〃Evil desire； hatred； ignorance。〃
＇13＇ See chap。 xx； note 10。
＇14＇ The Anagamin belong to the third degree of Buddhistic saintship；
the third class of Aryas； who are no more liable to be reborn as men； but
are to be born once more as devas； when they will forthwith become
Arhats； and attain to nirvana。 E。 H。； pp。 8； 9。
＇15＇ Our author expresses no opinion of his own on the act of this
bhikshu。 Must it not have been a good act； when it was attended； in the
very act of performance； by such blessed consequences？ But if Buddhism
had not something better to show than what appears here； it would not
attract the interest which it now does。 The bhikshu was evidently rather
out of his mind； and the verdict of a coroner's inquest of this nineteenth
century would have pronounced that he killed himself 〃in a fit of insanity。〃
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CHAPTER XXXI
GAYA。 SAKYAMUNI'S ATTAINING TO THE BUDDHASHIP；
AND OTHER LEGENDS。
From this place； after travelling to the west for four yojanas； （the
pilgrims） came to the city of Gaya；＇1＇ but inside the city all was emptiness
and desolation。 Going on again to the south for twenty le； they arrived at
the place where the Bodhisattva for six years practised with himself
painful austerities。 All around was forest。
Three le west from here they came to the place where； when Buddha
had gone into the water to bathe； a deva bent down the branch of a tree； by
means of which he succeeded in getting out of the pool。＇2＇
Two le north from this was the place where