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（There） Hwuy…king fell ill； and Tao…ching remained to look after him；
while Hwuy…tah came alone to Purushapura； and saw the others； and （then）
he with Pao…yun and Sang…king took their way back to the land of Ts'in。
Hwuy…king＇13＇ came to his end＇14＇ in the monastery of Buddha's alms…
bowl； and on this Fa…hien went forward alone towards the place of the flat…
bone of Buddha's skull。
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NOTES
＇1＇ The modern Peshawur； lat。 34d 8s N。； lon。 71d 30s E。
＇2＇ A first cousin of Sakyamuni； and born at the moment when he
attained to Buddhaship。 Under Buddha's teaching； Ananda became an
Arhat； and is famous for his strong and accurate memory； and he played
an important part at the first council for the formation of the Buddhist
canon。 The friendship between Sakyamuni and Ananda was very close and
tender； and it is impossible to read much of what the dying Buddha said to
him and of him； as related in the Maha…pari…nirvana Sutra； without being
moved almost to tears。 Ananda is to reappear on earth as Buddha in
another Kalpa。 See E。 H。； p。 9； and the Sacred Books of the East； vol。 xi。
＇3＇ On his attaining to nirvana； Sakyamuni became the Buddha； and
had no longer to mourn his being within the circle of transmigration； and
could rejoice in an absolute freedom from passion； and a perfect purity。
Still he continued to live on for forty…five years； till he attained to pari…
nirvana； and had done with all the life of sense and society； and had no
more exercise of thought。 He died； but whether he absolutely and entirely
/ceased/ to be； in any sense of the word /being/； it would be difficult to say。
Probably he himself would not and could not have spoken definitely on
the point。 So far as our use of language is concerned； apart from any
assured faith in and hope of immortality； his pari…nirvana was his death。
＇4＇ Kanishka appeared； and began to reign； early in our first century；
about A。D。 10。 He was the last of three brothers； whose original seat was
in Yueh…she； immediately mentioned； or Tukhara。 Converted by the
sudden appearance of a saint； he became a zealous Buddhist； and
patronised the system as liberally as Asoka had done。 The finest topes in
the north…west of India are ascribed to him； he was certainly a great man
and a magnificent sovereign。
＇5＇ Jambudvipa is one of the four great continents of the universe；
representing the inhabited world as fancied by the Buddhists； and so called
because it resembles in shape the leaves of the jambu tree。 It is south of
mount Meru； and divided among four fabulous kings （E。 H。； p。 36）。 It is
often used； as here perhaps； merely as the Buddhist name for India。
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＇6＇ This king was perhaps Kanishka himself； Fa…hien mixing up； in an
inartistic way； different legends about him。 Eitel suggests that a relic of the
old name of the country may still exist in that of the Jats or Juts of the
present day。 A more common name for it is Tukhara； and he observes that
the people were the Indo…Scythians of the Greeks； and the Tartars of
Chinese writers； who； driven on by the Huns （180 B。C。）； conquered
Transoxiana； destroyed the Bactrian kingdom （126 B。C。）； and finally
conquered the Punjab； Cashmere； and great part of India； their greatest
king being Kanishak （E。 H。； p。 152）。
＇7＇ Watters； clearly understanding the thought of the author in this
sentence； renders〃his destiny did not extend to a connexion with the
bowl；〃 but the term 〃destiny〃 suggests a controlling or directing power
without。 The king thought that his virtue in the past was not yet sufficient
to give him possession of the bowl。
＇8＇ The text is simply 〃those in white clothes。〃 This may mean 〃the
laity；〃 or the 〃upasakas；〃 but it is better to take the characters in their
common Chinese acceptation； as meaning 〃commoners；〃 〃men who have
no rank。〃 See in Williams' Dictionary under ｛。｝。
＇9＇ I do not wonder that Remusat should give for this〃et s'en
retournent apres。〃 But Fa…hien's use of ｛。｝ in the sense of 〃in the same
way〃 is uniform throughout the narrative。
＇10＇ Hardy's M。 B。； p。 183； says：〃The alms…bowl； given by
Mahabrahma； having vanished （about the time that Gotama became
Buddha）； each of the four guardian deities brought him an alms…bowl of
emerald； but he did not accept them。 They then brought four bowls made
of stone； of the colour of the mung fruit； and when each entreated that his
own bowl might be accepted； Buddha caused them to appear as if formed
into a single bowl； appearing at the upper rim as if placed one within the
other。〃 See the account more correctly given in the 〃Buddhist Birth
Stories；〃 p。 110。
＇11＇ Compare the narrative in Luke's Gospel； xxi。 1…4。
＇12＇ See chapter viii。
＇13＇ This； no doubt； should be Hwuy…ying。 King was at this time ill in
Nagara； and indeed afterwards he dies in crossing the Little Snowy
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Mountains； but all the texts make him die twice。 The confounding of the
two names has been pointed out by Chinese critics。
＇14＇ 〃Came to his end；〃 i。e。； according to the text； 〃proved the
impermanence and uncertainty；〃 namely； of human life。 See Williams'
Dictionary under ｛。｝。 The phraseology is wholly Buddhistic。
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CHAPTER XIII
NAGARA。 FESTIVAL OF BUDDHA'S SKULL…BONE。 OTHER
RELICS； AND HIS SHADOW。
Going west for sixteen yojanas；＇1＇ he came to the city He…lo＇2＇ in the
borders of the country of Nagara； where there is the flat…bone of Buddha's
skull； deposited in a vihara＇3＇ adorned all over with gold… leaf and the
seven sacred substances。 The king of the country； revering and honouring
the bone； and anxious lest it should be stolen away； has selected eight
individuals； representing the great families in the kingdom； and
committing to each a seal； with which he should seal （its shrine） and guard
（the relic）。 At early dawn these eight men come； and after each has
inspected his seal； they open the door。 This done； they wash their hands
with scented water and bring out the bone； which they place outside the
vihara； on a lofty platform； where it is supported on a round pedestal of the
seven precious substances； and covered with a bell of /lapis lazuli/； both
adorned with rows of pearls。 Its colour is of a yellowish white； and it
forms an imperfect circle twelve inches round；＇4＇ curving upwards to the
centre。 Every day； after it has been brought forth； the keepers of the vihara
ascend a high gallery； where they beat great drums； blow conchs； and
clash their copper cymbals。 When the king hears them； he goes to the
vihara； and makes his offerings of flowers and incense。 When he has done
this； he （and his attendants） in order； one after another； （raise the bone）；
place it （for a moment） on the top of their heads；＇5＇ and then depart； going
out by the door on the west as they entered by that on the east。 The king
every morning makes his offerings and performs his worship； and
afterwards gives audience on the business of his government。 The chiefs
of the Vaisyas＇6＇ also make their offerings before they attend to their
family affairs。 Every day it is so； and there is no remissness in the
observance of the custom。 When all the offerings are over； they replace the
bone in the vihara； where there is a vimoksha tope；＇7＇ o