record of buddhistic kingdoms-第25部分

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was　favourable；　and；　after　fourteen　days；　sailing　day　and　night；　they　came　to　the　country　of　Singhala。＇4＇　The　people　said　that　it　was　distant　（from　Tamalipti）　about　700　yojanas。

The　kingdom　is　on　a　large　island；　extending　from　east　to　west　fifty　yojanas；　and　from　north　to　south　thirty。　Left　and　right　from　it　there　are　as　many　as　100　small　islands；　distant　from　one　another　ten；　twenty；　or　even　200　le；　but　all　subject　to　the　large　island。　Most　of　them　produce　pearls　and　precious　stones　of　various　kinds；　there　is　one　which　produces　the　pure　and　brilliant　pearl；＇5＇an　island　which　would　form　a　square　of　about　ten　le。　The　king　employs　men　to　watch　and　protect　it；　and　requires　three　out　of　every　ten　such　pearls；　which　the　collectors　find。

NOTES

＇1＇　Probably　the　modern　Champanagur；　three　miles　west　of　Baglipoor；　lat。　25d　14s　N。；　lon。　56d　55s　E。

＇2＇　Then　the　principal　emporium　for　the　trade　with　Ceylon　and　China；　the　modern　Tam…look；　lat。　22d　17s　N。；　lon。　88d　2s　E。；　near　the　mouth　of　the　Hoogly。

＇3＇　Perhaps　Ching　｛。｝　is　used　here　for　any　portions　of　the　Tripitaka　which　he　had　obtained。

＇4＇　〃The　Kingdom　of　the　Lion；〃　Ceylon。　Singhala　was　the　name　of　a　merchant　adventurer　from　India；　to　whom　the　founding　of　the　kingdom　was　ascribed。　His　father　was　named　Singha；　〃the　Lion；〃　which　became　the　name　of　the　country；Singhala；　or　Singha…Kingdom；　〃the　Country　of　the　Lion。〃

＇5＇　Called　the　mani　pearl　or　bead。　Mani　is　explained　as　meaning　〃free　from　stain；〃　〃bright　and　growing　purer。〃　It　is　a　symbol　of　Buddha　and　of　his　Law。　The　most　valuable　rosaries　are　made　of　manis。



CHAPTER　XXXVIII

AT　CEYLON。　RISE　OF　THE　KINGDOM。　FEATS　OF　BUDDHA。　TOPES　AND　MONASTERIES。　STATUE　OF　BUDDHA　IN　JADE。　BO　TREE。　FESTIVAL　OF　BUDDHA'S　TOOTH。

The　country　originally　had　no　human　inhabitants；＇1＇　but　was　occupied　only　by　spirits　and　nagas；　with　which　merchants　of　various　countries　carried　on　a　trade。　When　the　trafficking　was　taking　place；　the　spirits　did　not　show　themselves。　They　simply　set　forth　their　precious　commodities；　with　labels　of　the　price　attached　to　them；　while　the　merchants　made　their　purchases　according　to　the　price；　and　took　the　things　away。

Through　the　coming　and　going　of　the　merchants　（in　this　way）；　when　they　went　away；　the　people　of　（their）　various　countries　heard　how　pleasant　the　land　was；　and　flocked　to　it　in　numbers　till　it　became　a　great　nation。　The　（climate）　is　temperate　and　attractive；　without　any　difference　of　summer　and　winter。　The　vegetation　is　always　luxuriant。　Cultivation　proceeds　whenever　men　think　fit：　there　are　no　fixed　seasons　for　it。

When　Buddha　came　to　this　country；＇2＇　wishing　to　transform　the　wicked　nagas；　by　his　supernatural　power　he　planted　one　foot　at　the　north　of　the　royal　city；　and　the　other　on　the　top　of　a　mountain；＇3＇　the　two　being　fifteen　yojanas　apart。　Over　the　footprint　at　the　north　of　the　city　the　king　built　a　large　tope；　400　cubits　high；　grandly　adorned　with　gold　and　silver；　and　finished　with　a　combination　of　all　the　precious　substances。　By　the　side　of　the　top　he　further　built　a　monastery；　called　the　Abhayagiri；＇4＇　where　there　are　（now）　five　thousand　monks。　There　is　in　it　a　hall　of　Buddha；　adorned　with　carved　and　inlaid　works　of　gold　and　silver；　and　rich　in　the　seven　precious　substances；　in　which　there　is　an　image　（of　Buddha）　in　green　jade；　more　than　twenty　cubits　in　height；　glittering　all　over　with　those　substances；　and　having　an　appearance　of　solemn　dignity　which　words　cannot　express。　In　the　palm　of　the　right　hand　there　is　a　priceless　pearl。　Several　years　had　now　elapsed　since　Fa…hien　left　the　land　of　Han；　the　men　with　whom　he　had　been　in　intercourse　had　all　been　of　regions　strange　to　him；　his　eyes　had　not　rested　on　an　old　and　familiar　hill　or　river；　plant　or　tree；　his　fellow…travellers；　moreover；　had　been　separated　from　him；　some　by　death；　and　others　flowing　off　in　different　directions；　no　face　or　shadow　was　now　with　him　but　his　own；　and　a　constant　sadness　was　in　his　heart。　Suddenly　（one　day）；　when　by　the　side　of　this　image　of　jade；　he　saw　a　merchant　presenting　as　his　offering　a　fan　of　white　silk；＇5＇　and　the　tears　of　sorrow　involuntarily　filled　his　eyes　and　fell　down。

A　former　king　of　the　country　had　sent　to　Central　India　and　got　a　slip　of　the　patra　tree；＇6＇　which　he　planted　by　the　side　of　the　hall　of　Buddha；　where　a　tree　grew　up　to　the　height　of　about　200　cubits。　As　it　bent　on　one　side　towards　the　south…east；　the　king；　fearing　it　would　fall；　propped　it　with　a　post　eight　or　nine　spans　round。　The　tree　began　to　grow　at　the　very　heart　of　the　prop；　where　it　met　（the　trunk）；　（a　shoot）　pierced　through　the　post；　and　went　down　to　the　ground；　where　it　entered　and　formed　roots；　that　rose　（to　the　surface）　and　were　about　four　spans　round。　Although　the　post　was　split　in　the　middle；　the　outer　portions　kept　hold　（of　the　shoot）；　and　people　did　not　remove　them。　Beneath　the　tree　there　has　been　built　a　vihara；　in　which　there　is　an　image　（of　Buddha）　seated；　which　the　monks　and　commonalty　reverence　and　look　up　to　without　ever　becoming　wearied。　In　the　city　there　has　been　reared　also　the　vihara　of　Buddha's　tooth；　on　which；　as　well　as　on　the　other；　the　seven　precious　substances　have　been　employed。

The　king　practises　the　Brahmanical　purifications；　and　the　sincerity　of　the　faith　and　reverence　of　the　population　inside　the　city　are　also　great。　Since　the　establishment　of　government　in　the　kingdom　there　has　been　no　famine　or　scarcity；　no　revolution　or　disorder。　In　the　treasuries　of　the　monkish　communities　there　are　many　precious　stones；　and　the　priceless　manis。　One　of　the　kings　（once）　entered　one　of　those　treasuries；　and　when　he　looked　all　round　and　saw　the　priceless　pearls；　his　covetous　greed　was　excited；　and　he　wished　to　take　them　to　himself　by　force。　In　three　days；　however；　he　came　to　himself；　and　immediately　went　and　bowed　his　head　to　the　ground　in　the　midst　of　the　monks；　to　show　his　repentance　of　the　evil　thought。　As　a　sequel　to　this；　he　informed　the　monks　（of　what　had　been　in　his　mind）；　and　desired　them　to　make　a　regulation　that　from　that　day　forth　the　king　should　not　be　allowed　to　enter　the　treasury　and　see　（what　it　contained）；　and　that　no　bhikshu　should　enter　it　till　after　he　had　been　in　orders　for　a　period　of　full　forty　years。＇7＇

In　the　city　there　are　many　Vaisya　elders　and　Sabaean＇8＇　merchants；　whose　houses　are　stately　and　beautiful。　The　lanes　and　passages　are　kept　in　good　order。　At　the　heads　of　the　four　principal　streets　there　have　been　built　preaching　halls；　where；　on　the　eighth；　fourteenth；　and　fifteenth　days　of　the　month；　they　spread　carpets；　and　set　forth　a　pulpit；　while　the　monks　and　commonalty　from　all　quarters　come　together　to　hear　the　Law。　The　people　say　that　in　the　kingdom　there　may　be　altogether　sixty　thousand　monks；　who　get　their　food　from　their　common　stores。　The　king；　besides；　prepares　elsewhere　in　the　city　a　common　supply　of　food　for　five　or　six　thousand　more。　When　any　want；　they　take　their　great　bowls；　and　go　（to　the　place　of　distribution）；　and　take　as　much　as　the　vessels　will　hold；　all　returning　with　them　full。

The　tooth　of　Buddha　is　always　brought　forth　in　the　middle　of　the　third　month。　Ten　days　beforehand　the　king　grandly　caparisons　a　large　elephant；　on　which　he　mounts　a　man　who　can　speak　distinctly；　and　is　dressed　in　royal　robes；　to　beat　a　large　drum；　and　make　the　following　proclamation：〃The　Bodhisattva；　during　three　Asankhyeya…kalpas；＇9＇　manifested　his　activity；　and　did　not　spare　his　own　life。　He　gave　up　kingdom；　city；　wife；　and　son；　he　plucked　out　his　eyes　and　gave　them　to　another；＇10＇　he　cut　off　a　piece　of　his　own　flesh　to　ransom　the　life　of　a　dove；＇10＇　he　cut　off　his　head　and　gave　it　as　an　alms；＇11＇　he　gave　his　body　to　feed　a　starving　tigress；＇11＇　he　grudged　not　his　marrow　and　his　brains。　In　many　such　ways　as　these　did　he　undergo　pain　for　the　sake　of　all　living。　And　so　it　was；　that；　having　become　Buddha；　he　continued　in　the　world　for　forty…five　years；　preaching　his　Law；　teaching　and　transforming；　so　that　those　who　had　no　rest　found　rest；　and　the　unconverted　were　converted。　When　his　connexion　with　the　living　was　completed；＇12＇　he　attained　to　pari…nirvana　（and　died）。　Since　that　event；　for　1497　years；　the　light　of　the　world　has　gone　out；＇13＇　and　all　living　beings　have　had　long…continued　sadness。　Behold！　ten　days　after　this；　Buddha's　tooth　will　be　brought　forth；　and　taken　to　the　Abhayagiri…vihara。　Let　all　and　each；　whether　monks　or　laics；　who　wish　to　amass　merit　for　themselves；　make　the　roads　smooth　and　in　good　condition；　grandly　adorn　the　lanes　and　by…ways；　and　provide　abundant　store　of　flowers　and　incense　to　be　used　as　offerings　to　it。〃

When　this　proclamation　is　over；　the　king　exhibits；　so　as　to　line　both　sides　of　the　road；　the　five　hundred　different　bodily　forms　in　which　the　Bodhisattva　has　in　the　course　of　his　history　appeared：here　as　Sudana；＇14＇　there　as　Sama；＇15＇　now　as　the　king　of　elephants；＇16＇　and　then　as　a　stag　or　a　horse。＇16＇　All　these　figures　are　brightly　coloured　and　grandly　executed；　looking　as　if　they　were　alive。　After　this　the　tooth　of　Buddha　is　brought　forth；　and　is　carried　along　in　the　middle　of　the　road。　Everywhere　on　the　way　offerings　are　presented　to　it；　and　thus　it　arrives　at　the　hall　of　Buddha　in　the　Abhayagiri…vihara。　There　monks　and　laics　are　collected　in　crowds。　They　burn　incense；　light　lamps；　and　perform　all　the　prescribed　services；　day　and　night　without　ceasing；　till　ninety　days　have　been　completed；　when　（the　tooth）　is　returned　to　the　vihara　within　the　city。　On　fast…days　the　door　of　that　vihara　is　opened；　and　the　forms　of　ceremonial　reverence　are　observed　according　to　the　rules。

Forty　le　to　the　east　of　the　Abhayagiri…vihara　there　is　a　hill；　with　a　vihara　on　it；　called　the　Chaitya；＇17＇　where　there　may　be　2000　monks。　Among　them　there　is　a　Sramana　of　great　virtue；　named　Dharma…gupta；＇18＇　honoured　and　looked　up　to　by　all　the　kingdom。　He　has　lived　for　more　than　forty　years　in　an　apartment　of　stone；　constantly　showing　such　gentleness　of　heart；　that　he　has　brought　snakes　and　rats　to　stop　together　in　the　same　room；　without　doing　one　another　any　harm。

NOTES

＇1＇　It　is　desirable　to　translate　｛。｝　｛。｝；　for　which　〃inhabitants〃　or　〃people〃　is　elsewhere　sufficient；　here　by　〃human　inhabitants。〃　According　to　other　accounts　Singhala　was　originally　occupied　by　Rakshasas　or