The Travels of Fa-hsien (399-414 A.D.): Or Record of the Buddhistic Kingdoms |
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Common terms and phrases
according appear asked attained became become belonging Bôdhisatva body bowl Brahmans brought Buddha Buddhist built called carry caused cave China Chinese crossed disciples Disciplines distance dragon dynasty east elephant entered existence Fa-hsien facing Faith feet in height fifty five flowers four further Garden gate gave give gold Greater ground hand heaven hundred incense India inhabitants journeyed kinds king Kingdoms land later Lesser Vehicle live Lo-han mendicant merchants middle monastery month mountain Narrative night obtained offerings once original paces pagoda passed period pilgrims arrived Precious present priests raised reached Record religion religious remained replied retreat returned river road rock saying seven Shamans shrine side stone Thou thousand took travelling tree Trinity twenty various wished yôjanas
Popular passages
Page 21 - In this country they do not keep pigs or fowls, there are no dealings in cattle, no butchers' shops or distilleries in their market-places.
Page 21 - Those who want to go away, may go; those who want to stop, may stop. The king in his administration uses no corporal punishments; criminals are merely fined according to the gravity of their offences. Even for a second attempt at rebellion the punishment is only the loss of the right hand.
Page 48 - all poor or helpless patients suffering from all kinds of infirmities. They are well taken care of, and a doctor attends them ; food and medicine being supplied according to their wants. Thus they are made quite comfortable, and when they are well, they may go away...
Page 67 - Buddha came to this country *, 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 2, the two being fifteen yojanas apart.
Page 54 - After (he had proceeded) fifteen paces, 500 green birds came flying towards him, went round him thrice, and disappeared. The Bodhisattva went forward to the patra tree, placed the kus"a grass at the foot of it, and sat down with his face to the east. Then...
Page 67 - ... originally inhabited by human beings, but only by devils and dragons, with whom the merchants of the neighbouring countries traded by barter. At the time of the barter the devils did not appear, but set out their valuables with the prices attached. The merchants then gave goods according to the 66 prices marked and took away the goods they wanted. And from the merchants going backwards and forwards and some stopping there, the attractions of the place became widely known, and people went thither...
Page 5 - Bodhisatvas and devas (Brahman demigods) following behind. These are all beautifully carved in gold and silver and are suspended in the air. When the images are one hundred paces from the city gate, the king takes off his cap of State and puts on new clothes ; walking barefoot and holding flowers and incense in his hands, with attendants on each side, he proceeds out of the gate. On meeting the images, he bows his head down to the ground, scatters the flowers and burns the incense.
Page 5 - In this country there are fourteen large monasteries, without counting the smaller ones. Beginning on the first day of the fourth moon, the main thoroughfares inside the city are swept and watered, and the side-streets are decorated. Over the city gate they stretch a large awning with all kinds of ornamentation, under which the king and queen and Court ladies take their places.
Page v - For Fa-hsien, the hero of this adventure and the recorder of his own travels, practically walked from Central China across the desert of Gobi, over the Hindu Kush, and through India down to the mouth of the Hoogly, where he took ship and returned by sea, after manifold hairbreadth escapes, to China, bringing with him what he went forth to secure — books of the Buddhist Canon and images of Buddhist deities.
Page 76 - Sanskrit, he took passage on board a large merchant- vessel, on which there were over two hundred souls, and astern of which there was a smaller vessel in tow, in case of accident at sea and destruction of the big vessel.