Fa-hsien had now been many years away from his own land of Han; the people he had had to deal with were all inhabitants of strange countries; the mountains, the streams, plants, and trees on which his eyes had lighted were not those of old days; moreover, those who had travelled with him were separated from him— some having remained behind in these countries, others having died. Now, beholding only his own shadow, he was constantly sad at heart; and when suddenly, by the side of this jade image, he saw a merchant make offering of a white silk fan from China, his feelings overcame him and his eyes filled with tears.

A former king of this country had sent an envoy to Central India to get seeds of the Bô tree, which he planted alongside of the Hall of Buddha, and from which a tree grew up to a height of two hundred feet. As this tree bent over towards the south-east, the king feared it would fall, and therefore placed a prop of eight or nine spans in circumference to support it. Where the tree and prop met, the tree shot out; and the shoot, piercing the prop, went right through it to the ground and took root, growing to about four spans in circumference. Although the prop was split through, it still encircles the shoot and has not been taken away. At the foot of the tree a shrine has been built, with the image of Buddha seated inside, an object of ceaseless worship to ecclesiastics and laymen.

In the city, too, a shrine has been built to receive a tooth of Buddha's, both the above being made from the seven preciosities.

The king scrupulously observes the rites of Brahma, and the religious sentiments of the people inside the city are also firmly established. Ever since this country has been under civilized government, it has known neither famine nor rebellion. In the treasury of the priests there are many precious stones and priceless pearls. When the present king went in to see this treasury, the sight of these pearls made him envious, and he wanted to carry them off by force. At the end of three days he came to his senses; and going to visit the priests, he knocked his head on the ground before them in repentance of his former transgression. "I desire you priests," he said, "to make a regulation that from this time forth your king shall not be permitted to enter this treasury, but that any religious mendicant of full forty years' standing may be allowed to enter."

In this city there are many elders of the Buddhist laity; the dwellings of the headmerchants are very grand; and the side-streets and main thoroughfares are level and well kept. At all points where four roads meet there are chapels for preaching the Faith; and on the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth of each month a lofty dais is arranged, where ecclesiastics and laymen come together from all quarters to hear

the Faith expounded. The people of the country say that there are between fifty and sixty thousand priests altogether, all of whom get their food from a common stock. The king separately provides within the city a common stock for five or six thousand more; and those who want food take their own bowls and go to fetch it, returning with them filled according to the capacity of each.

Buddha's Tooth is regularly brought out in the middle of the third moon. Ten days previously the king causes a large elephant to be splendidly caparisoned, and a man who speaks well to be dressed up in royal robes and mounted on the elephant. This man will beat a drum and proclaim in a loud voice, "The Bôdhisatva during three immeasurable aeons practised selfmortification and did not spare his person or his life; he gave up his country, his wife, and his child; he gouged out his eyes to give to a fellowcreature; he cut off his flesh to ransom a dove, and his head to give as alms; he flung his body to a hungry tigress, stinting neither his marrow nor his brains. Thus in various ways he suffered for the benefit of living creatures, and so he became a Buddha, tarrying on earth forty-nine years, preaching the Faith and converting sinners, giving rest to the weary and salvation to those who had not been saved. When his relations with living creatures had been fulfilled, he passed away. Since his entry into Nirvâna,

fourteen hundred and ninety-seven years ago, the Eye of the world has been put out, and all living creatures have sorely grieved. Now, ten days hence Buddha's Tooth will be brought forth and be taken to the shrine of the No-Fear Mountain. Let all those ecclesiastics and laymen of this country who wish to lay up happiness for themselves, help to level the roads, decorate the streets, and prepare flowers, incense, and implements of worship."

When these words have been recited, the king then proceeds to make on both sides of the road representations of the five hundred different forms in which the Bôdhisatva successively appeared; for instance as prince Sudâna, or as a flash of lightning, as the king of elephants, as a stag, or as a horse. These representations are all beautifully painted and have a life-like appearance. The Tooth is then brought out and passes along the central street, receiving homage of offerings as it goes by. Arriving at the Hall of Buddha in the shrine of the No-Fear Mountain, ecclesiastics and laymen flock together in crowds, burn incense, light lamps, and perform the various ceremonies of the Faith, day and night without ceasing. After ninety days have elapsed, the Tooth is returned to the shrine in the city. On fast-days this shrine is opened for worship according to the Faith.

Forty li to the east of the No-Fear shrine, there is the sacred mountain, Mihintale, with a

shrine on it called Bhadrika, in which there are about two thousand priests. Among them is a Shaman, the Reverend Dharmagupta, whom all the people of this country respect and look up to. He has dwelt in a stone cell for more than forty years; and by constant exercise of kindness of heart he has succeeded in so influencing snakes and rats that they will live together in the same cell without hurting one another.

Seven li to the south of the city there is a shrine called the Great Shrine, with three thousand resident priests. Among them was one reverend Shaman, so pure in his conduct as regards the Disciplines that all suspected him of being a Lo-han. When he was at the point of death, the king came to look into the matter; and when, in accordance with the rules of the Faith, he had assembled the priests, he asked, "Has this religious mendicant become a Lohan?" The priests at once told the truth and replied, “He is a Lo-han." When he was dead the king accordingly buried him with the ceremonial due to a Lo-han, as laid down in the Canon.

Four or five li to the east of the shrine a great pile of wood was collected, over thirty feet square and of about the same height. Sandalwood, garoo wood (lign-aloes), and all kinds of scented woods were placed at the top, and at the four sides steps were made. Over it was spread clean white cashmere which surrounded