[1]_Aryavarman_, a man of Sinlo (_Corea_), left Chang’an A.D. 638. He
set out with a view to recover the true teaching and to adore the
sacred relics. He dwelt in the Nalanda Temple, copying out many
Sutras. He had left the eastern borders of Corea and now bathed in
the Dragon pool of Nalanda. Here he died, aged seventy odd years.
_Hwui-nieh_, a Corean, set out for India 638 A.D., arrived at the
Nalanda Temple and there studied the sacred books and reverenced the
holy traces. I-tsing found some writing he had left in the temple,
where also he had left his Sanskrit MSS. The priests said he died
the same year, about sixty years of age.
_Hiuen Ta’i_, a doctor of the law, a Corean, called by the Sanskrit
name of Sarvajñanadeva. In the year _Yung-hwei_ (650 A.D.) he went
by the Tibetan road through Nepal to Mid-India; he there worshipped
the relics at the Bodhi Tree. Afterwards going to the Tukhara
country, he met Taou-hi, with whom he returned to the Tahsio Temple
(Mahabodhi). Afterwards he returned to China, and was not heard of
again.
_Hiuen-hau_, a doctor of the law, a Corean, went with Hiuen-chiu, in
the middle of the _Chengkwan_ period, to India, and reaching the
Tahsio Temple, he died there.
Two priests of Corea, names unknown, started from Chang’an by the
southern sea-route and came to Sribhoja. They died in the country of
_Po-lu-sse_, to the westward (the western portion of Sumatra).
_Hwui Lun_, a Corean, otherwise called Prajñavarma, came by sea from
his own country to _Fuchau_, and proceeded thence to Chang’an.
Following after the priest _Hiuen-chiu_, he reached the West, and
during ten years dwelt in the Amravat country and in the Sin-ché
Temple (north of the Ganges). Passing through the eastern frontiers,
and thence proceeding northward he came to the Tu-ho-lo (_Tukhâra_)
Temple. Beal: _Life of Hiouen-Tsiang_, pp. xxix-xxx, xxxvi.
[2]Jones in his admirable discussion of the Eunjin miriok makes an
interesting suggestion regarding its location:
But the special interest these facts have for us in connection
with the great Buddha lies in the fact that it may have been here
that Buddhism itself first entered Pakche. Buddhism was a foreign
importation, being sent to the peninsular kingdoms by the Eastern
Tsin dynasty of China (A.D. 317-19) and effecting an entrance
almost simultaneously at two points—in the north into Koguryu and
in the south into Pakche. Of this latter event the native
historians tell us:—“In the year A.D. 384 the barbarian monk
Maranant’a came from Tsin. King Chip-yu accorded him a most
courteous and ceremonious reception and Buddhism was established
as the national religion.” We do not know at what point the
monk-missionary landed, but it is not so unlikely that he may have
come to this well-known port, and that one day among the ships
making up that inextricable mass of masts and rudders at Si-jin
there may have come the imperial junk of Tsin bearing “the
barbarian monk Maranant’a” with his images, incense, bells, books
and vestments to plant in Korea that cult which was to dominate
the people for a thousand years, thus landing close to the place
where in later years the greatest monument that Buddhism possesses
was to stand. And two hundred years later (A.D. 552) there
probably embarked from this port that band of Pakche priests sent
by their king to carry to the mikado of Japan the golden images of
Buddha and the triad of precious ones, the sutras and sacred
books, and to give the faith of Buddhism to the Sun-rise Empire.
And it is said that these relics exist to this day and are
preserved in the city of Nagano in Japan. Colossal Buddha: p. 62.
[3]It occurs in the inscription regarding the Seoul pagoda and is
particularly interesting as a contemporary description of a temple
of remarkable splendor.
Reckoning up the number of pillars supporting the building they
were found to exceed 300. The Hall of the Buddha stood up high in
the center, and the inscription board above was written _Taikwang
myung jun_, “Great light glorious palace.” To the left was the
_Sun Tang_ or study hall, while to the right was the _Oon-chip_ or
assembly hall. The gate was marked _Chak-kwang Moon_, Hidden Light
and the outer gate was called _Panya_ or Likeness gate. Beyond
this again was the _Hai-tal Moon_. There was a bell-pavilion also
which was called the _Pup-noi-kak_, Kiosk of Buddha’s Thunder. The
kitchen was named _Hyang-juk_, Kitchen House. There was a pond on
the east side, where lotus flowers were planted; and on the west
was a garden-park where flowers and trees grew. Behind the
_Cheung-jun_ palace the sacred books were in keeping, and this
house was called _Hai-Jang Chun_ or Sea Covering Hall. Also a
pagoda was built of thirteen stories called _sul-to-pa_, Buddhist
pagoda. Within it were placed the accumulated sari and the newly
translated Wun-gak sutra. The palaces, halls, studies,
guest-rooms, stores, kitchens, outhouses, had each their
particular place. The whole was magnificent and well constructed,
and the ornaments were lavish, imposing, beautiful, all in keeping
and fair to see. Its equal was nowhere to be found. Also the
drums, gongs, etc., necessary for the service, and other useful
implements were abundantly provided for. Gale: _Pagoda_, p. 10.
[4]Gale finds that the history of the erection of the Seoul pagoda was
originally inscribed upon the turtle-borne slab that accompanies it.
Of the pagoda itself, he says: