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Buddha； certainly requires to be understood in the highest sense。 I am
content myself to wait for further information on these and other points； as
the result of prolonged and careful research。
Dr。 Rhys Davids has kindly read the proofs of the Translation and
Notes； and I most certainly thank him for doing so； for his many valuable
corrections in the Notes； and for other suggestions which I have received
from him。 I may not always think on various points exactly as he does； but
I am not more forward than he is to say with Horace；
〃Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri。〃
I have referred above； and also in the Introduction； to the Corean text
of Fa…hien's narrative； which I received from Mr。 Nanjio。 It is on the whole
so much superior to the better…known texts； that I determined to attempt to
reproduce it at the end of the little volume； so far as our resources here in
Oxford would permit。 To do so has not been an easy task。 The two fonts of
Chinese types in the Clarendon Press were prepared primarily for printing
the translation of our Sacred Scriptures； and then extended so as to be
available for printing also the Confucian Classics； but the Buddhist work
necessarily requires many types not found in them； while many other
characters in the Corean recension are peculiar in their forms； and some
are what Chinese dictionaries denominate 〃vulgar。〃 That we have
succeeded so well as we have done is owing chiefly to the intelligence；
ingenuity； and untiring attention of Mr。 J。 C。 Pembrey； the Oriental Reader。
The pictures that have been introduced were taken from a superb
edition of a History of Buddha； republished recently at Hang…chau in
Cheh…kiang； and profusely illustrated in the best style of Chinese art。 I am
indebted for the use of it to the Rev。 J。 H。 Sedgwick； University Chinese
Scholar。
James Legge。
Oxford： June； 1886。
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… Page 6…
A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
＇ PICTURE： SKETCH MAP OF FA…HIEN'S TRAVELS ＇
The accompanying Sketch…Map； taken in connexion with the notes on
the different places in the Narrative； will give the reader a sufficiently
accurate knowledge of Fa…hien's route。
There is no difficulty in laying it down after he crossed the Indus from
east to west into the Punjab； all the principal places； at which he touched
or rested； having been determined by Cunningham and other Indian
geographers and archaeologists。 Most of the places from Ch'ang… an to
Bannu have also been identified。 Woo…e has been put down as near Kutcha；
or Kuldja； in 43d 25s N。； 81d 15s E。 The country of K'ieh…ch'a was
probably Ladak； but I am inclined to think that the place where the
traveller crossed the Indus and entered it must have been further east than
Skardo。 A doubt is intimated on page 24 as to the identification of T'o…leih
with Darada； but Greenough's 〃Physical and Geological Sketch…Map of
British India〃 shows 〃Dardu Proper；〃 all lying on the east of the Indus；
exactly in the position where the Narrative would lead us to place it。 The
point at which Fa…hien recrossed the Indus into Udyana on the west of it is
unknown。 Takshasila； which he visited； was no doubt on the west of the
river； and has been incorrectly accepted as the Taxila of Arrian in the
Punjab。 It should be written Takshasira； of which the Chinese
phonetisation will allow；see a note of Beal in his 〃Buddhist Records of
the Western World；〃 i。 138。
We must suppose that Fa…hien went on from Nan…king to Ch'ang…an；
but the Narrative does not record the fact of his doing so。
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… Page 7…
A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
INTRODUCTION
Life of Fa…Hien； Genuineness and Integrity of the Text of his Narrative；
Number of the Adherents of Buddhism。
1。 Nothing of great importance is known about Fa…hien in addition to
what may be gathered from his own record of his travels。 I have read the
accounts of him in the 〃Memoirs of Eminent Monks；〃 compiled in A。D。
519； and a later work； the 〃Memoirs of Marvellous Monks；〃 by the third
emperor of the Ming dynasty （A。D。 1403…1424）； which； however； is nearly
all borrowed from the other； and all in them that has an appearance of
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