~On the Way Returning to Patna~
Fâ-Hien returned from here towards Pâtaliputtra, keeping along the
course of the Ganges and descending in the direction of the west. After
going ten yojanas he found a vihâra, named "The Wilderness"--a place
where Buddha had dwelt, and where there are monks now.
Pursuing the same course, and going still to the west, he arrived, after
twelve yojanas, at the city of Vârânasî in the kingdom of Kâsî. Rather
more than ten li to the northeast of the city, he found the vihâra in
the park of "The rishi's Deer-wild." [1] In this park there formerly
resided a Pratyeka Buddha, with whom the deer were regularly in the
habit of stopping for the night. When the World-honored one was about to
attain to perfect Wisdom, the devas sang in the sky, "The son of king
Suddhodana, having quitted his family and studied the Path of Wisdom,
will now in seven days become Buddha." The Pratyeka Buddha heard their
words, and immediately attained to nirvâna; and hence this place was
named "The Park of the rishi's Deer-wild." After the World-honored one
had attained to perfect Wisdom, men built the vihâra in it.
Buddha wished to convert Kaundinya and his four companions; but they,
being aware of his intention, said to one another, "This Sramana Gotama
[2] for six years continued in the practice of painful austerities,
eating daily only a single hemp-seed, and one grain of rice, without
attaining to the Path of Wisdom; how much less will he do so now that he
has entered again among men, and is giving the reins to the indulgence
of his body, his speech, and his thoughts! What has he to do with the Path
of Wisdom? To-day, when he comes to us, let us be on our guard not to
speak with him." At the places where the five men all rose up, and
respectfully saluted Buddha, when he came to them; where, sixty paces
north from this, he sat with his face to the east, and first turned the
wheel of the Law, converting Kaundinya and the four others; where,
twenty paces further to the north, he delivered his prophecy concerning
Maitreya; and where, at a distance of fifty paces to the south, the
dragon Elâpattra asked him, "When shall I get free from this nâga
body?"--at all these places topes were reared, and are still existing.
In the park there are two monasteries, in both of which there are monks
residing.
When you go northwest from the vihâra of the Deer-wild park for thirteen
yojanas, there is a kingdom named Kausâmbi. Its vihâra is named
Ghochiravana--a place where Buddha formerly resided. Now, as of old,
there is a company of monks there, most of whom are students of the
hînayâna.
East from this, when you have travelled eight yojanas, is the place
where Buddha converted the evil demon. There, and where he walked in
meditation and sat at the place which was his regular abode, there have
been topes erected. There is also a monastery, which may contain more
than a hundred monks.
[Footnote 1: "The rishi," says Eitel, "is a man whose bodily frame has
undergone a certain transformation by dint of meditation and asceticism,
so that he is, for an indefinite period, exempt from decrepitude, age,
and death. As this period is believed to extend far beyond the usual
duration of human life, such persons are called, and popularly believed
to be, immortals." Rishis are divided into various classes; and
rishi-ism is spoken of as a seventh path of transrotation, and rishis
are referred to as the seventh class of sentient beings.]
[Footnote 2: This is the only instance in Fâ-hien's text where the
Bodhisattva or Buddha is called by the surname "Gotama." For the most
part our traveller uses Buddha as a proper name, though it properly
means "The Enlightened." He uses also the combinations "Sâkya Buddha,"
which means "The Buddha of the Sâkya tribe," and "Sâkyamuni," which
means "The Sâkya sage." This last is the most common designation of the
Buddha in China. Among other Buddhistic peoples "Gotama" and "Gotama
Buddha" are the more frequent designations.]