SHÂ-CHE. LEGEND OF BUDDHA’S DANTA-KÂSHṬHA.
Going on from this to the south-east for three yojanas, they came to
the great kingdom of Shâ-che.[1] As you go out of the city of Shâ-che
by the southern gate, on the east of the road (is the place) where
Buddha, after he had chewed his willow branch,[2] stuck it in the
ground, when it forthwith grew up seven cubits, (at which height it
remained) neither increasing nor diminishing. The Brahmâns with their
contrary doctrines[3] became angry and jealous. Sometimes they cut the
tree down, sometimes they plucked it up, and cast it to a distance,
but it grew again on the same spot as at first. Here also is the place
where the four Buddhas walked and sat, and at which a tope was built
that is still existing.
NOTES
[1] Shâ-che should probably be Shâ-khe, making Cunningham’s
identification of the name with the present Saket still more likely.
The change of 祗 into 祇 is slight; and, indeed, the Khang-hsî
dictionary thinks the two characters should be but one and the same.
[2] This was, no doubt, what was called the danta-kâshṭha, or ‘dental
wood,’ mostly a bit of the ficus Indicus or banyan tree, which the
monk chews every morning to cleanse his teeth, and for the purpose of
health generally. The Chinese, not having the banyan, have used, or
at least Fâ-hien used, Yang (楊, the general name for the willow)
instead of it.
[3] Are two classes of opponents, or only one, intended here, so that
we should read ‘all the unbelievers and Brahmâns,’ or ‘heretics
and Brahmâns?’ I think the Brahmâns were also ‘the unbelievers’ and
‘heretics,’ having 外道, views and ways outside of, and opposed to,
Buddha’s.