~King Asoka's Spirit-built Palace and Halls~
Having crossed the river, and descended south for a yojana, the
travellers came to the town of Pâtaliputtra [1], in the kingdom of
Magadha, the city where king Asoka ruled. The royal palace and halls
in the midst of the city, which exist now as of old, were all made by
spirits which he employed, and which piled up the stones, reared the
walls and gates, and executed the elegant carving and inlaid
sculpture-work--in a way which no human hands of this world could
accomplish.
King Asoka had a younger brother who had attained to be an Arhat, and
resided on Gridhra-kûta hill, finding his delight in solitude and quiet.
The king, who sincerely reverenced him, wished and begged him to come
and live in his family, where he could supply all his wants. The other,
however, through his delight in the stillness of the mountain, was
unwilling to accept the invitation, on which the king said to him, "Only
accept my invitation, and I will make a hill for you inside the city."
Accordingly, he provided the materials of a feast, called to him the
spirits, and announced to them, "Tomorrow you will all receive my
invitation; but as there are no mats for you to sit on, let each one
bring his own seat." Next day the spirits came, each one bringing with
him a great rock, like a wall, four or five paces square, for a seat.
When their sitting was over, the king made them form a hill with the
large stones piled on one another, and also at the foot of the hill,
with five large square stones, to make an apartment, which might be more
than thirty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and more than ten cubits
high.
In this city there had resided a great Brahman, named Râdha-sâmi, a
professor of the mahâyâna, of clear discernment and much wisdom, who
understood everything, living by himself in spotless purity. The king of
the country honored and reverenced him, and served him as his teacher.
If he went to inquire for and greet him, the king did not presume to sit
down alongside of him; and if, in his love and reverence, he took hold
of his hand, as soon as he let it go, the Brahman made haste to pour
water on it and wash it. He might be more than fifty years old, and all
the kingdom looked up to him. By means of this one man, the Law of
Buddha was widely made-known, and the followers of other doctrines did
not find it in their power to persecute the body of monks in any way.
By the side of the tope of Asoka, there has been made a mahâyâna
monastery, very grand and beautiful; there is also a hînayâna one; the
two together containing six hundred or seven hundred monks. The rules of
demeanor and the scholastic arrangements in them are worthy of
observation.
Shamans of the highest virtue from all quarters, and students, inquirers
wishing to find out truth and the grounds of it, all resort to these
monasteries. There also resides in this monastery a Brahman teacher,
whose name also is Mañjusrî, whom the Shamans of greatest virtue in
the kingdom, and the mahâyâna Bhikshus honor and look up to.
The cities and towns of this country are the greatest of all in the
Middle Kingdom. The inhabitants are rich and prosperous, and vie with
one another in the practice of benevolence and righteousness. Every year
on the eighth day of the second month they celebrate a procession of
images. They make a four-wheeled car, and on it erect a structure of
five stories by means of bamboos tied together. This is supported by a
king-post, with poles and lances slanting from it, and is rather more
than twenty cubits high, having the shape of a tope. White and silk-like
cloth of hair is wrapped all round it, which is then painted in various
colors. They make figures of devas, with gold, silver, and lapis lazuli
grandly blended and having silken streamers and canopies hung out over
them. On the four sides are niches, with a Buddha seated in each, and a
Bodhisattva standing in attendance on him. There may be twenty cars, all
grand and imposing, but each one different from the others. On the day
mentioned, the monks and laity within the borders all come together;
they have singers and skilful musicians: they say their devotions with
flowers and incense. The Brahmans come and invite the Buddhas to enter
the city. These do so in order, and remain two nights in it. All through
the night they keep lamps burning, have skilful music, and present
offerings. This is the practice in all the other kingdoms as well. The
Heads of the Vaisya families in them establish in the cities houses for
dispensing charity and medicines. All the poor and destitute in the
country, orphans, widowers, and childless men, maimed people and
cripples, and all who are diseased, go to those houses, and are provided
with every kind of help, and doctors examine their diseases. They get
the food and medicines which their cases require, and are made to feel
at ease; and when they are better, they go away of themselves.
When king Asoka destroyed the seven topes, intending to make eighty-four
thousand, the first which he made was the great tope, more than three li
to the south of this city. In front of this there is a footprint of
Buddha, where a vihara has been built. The door of it faces the north,
and on the south of it there is a stone pillar, fourteen or fifteen
cubits in circumference, and more than thirty cubits high, on which
there is an inscription, saying, "Asoka gave the Jambudvipa to the
general body of all the monks, and then redeemed it from them with
money. This he did three times." North from the tope three hundred or
four hundred paces, king Asoka built the city of Ne-le. In it there is a
stone pillar, which also is more than thirty feet high, with a lion on
the top of it. On the pillar there is an inscription recording the
things which led to the building of Ne-le, with the number of the year,
the day, and the month.
[Footnote 1: The modern Patna. The Sanscrit name means "The city of
flowers." It is the Indian Florence.]