大唐西域記 1.26

1.26

會場西北渡河，至阿奢理貳伽藍（唐言奇特）。庭宇顯敞，佛像工飾。僧徒肅穆，精勤匪怠，並是耆艾宿德，碩學高才，遠方俊彥，慕義至止。國王、大臣、士、庶、豪右，四事供養，久而彌敬。聞諸先志曰：昔此國先王，崇敬三寶，將欲遊方，觀禮聖迹，乃命母弟，攝知留事。其弟受命，竊自割勢，防未萌也。封之金函，持以上王。王曰：「斯何謂也？」對曰：「迴駕之日，乃可開發。」即付執事，隨軍掌護。王之還也，果有搆禍者，曰：「王令監國，婬亂中宮。」王聞震怒，欲置嚴刑。弟曰：「不敢逃責，願開金函。」王遂發而視之，乃斷勢也。曰：「斯何異物？欲何發明？」對曰：「王昔遊方，命知留事，懼有讒禍，割勢自明。今果有徵，願垂照覽。」王深驚異，情愛彌隆，出入後庭，無所禁礙。王弟於後，行遇一夫，擁五百牛，欲事形腐。見而惟念，引類增懷：「我今形虧，豈非宿業？」即以財寶，贖此群牛。以慈善力，男形漸具。以形具故，遂不入宮。王怪而問之，乃陳其始末。王以為奇特也，遂建伽藍，式旌美迹，傳芳後葉。

The younger brother having received such orders, mutilated himself in order to prevent any evil risings (of passion). He enclosed the mutilated parts in a golden casket, and laid it before the king. 'What is this?' inquired the king. In reply he said, 'On the day of your majesty's return home, I pray you open it and see.' The king gave it to the manager of his affairs, who intrusted the casket to a portion of the king's bodyguard to keep. And now, in the end, there were certain mischief-making people who said, 'The king's deputy, in his absence, has been debauching himself in the inner rooms of the women.' The king hearing this, was very angry, and would have subjected his brother to cruel punishment. The brother said, 'I dare not flee from punishment, but I pray you open the golden casket.' The king accordingly opened it, and saw that it contained a mutilated member. Seeing it, he said, 'What strange thing is this, and what does it signify?' Replying, the brother said, 'Formerly, when the king proposed to go abroad, he ordered me to undertake the affairs of the government. Fearing the slanderous reports that might arise, I mutilated myself. You now have the proof of my foresight. Let the king look benignantly on me.' The king was filled with the deepest reverence and strangely moved with affection; in consequence, he permitted him free ingress and egress throughout his palace.

In all the convents there are highly adorned images of Buddha, decorated with precious substances and covered with silken stuffs. These they carry (on stated occasions) in idol-cars, which they call the "procession of images." On these occasions the people flock by thousands to the place of assembly. On the fifteenth and last day of the month the king of the country and his ministers always consult together respecting affairs of state, and after taking counsel of the chief priests, they publish their decrees. To the north-west of the meeting-place we cross a river and arrive at a convent called 'O-she-li-ni. The hall of this temple is open and spacious. The image of Buddha is beautifully carved. The disciples (religious) are grave and decorous and very diligent in their duties; rude and rough (men) come here together; the aged priests are learned and of great talent, and so from distant spots the most eminent men who desire to acquire just principles come here and fix their abode. The king and his ministers and the great men of the realm offer to these priests the four sorts of provision, and their celebrity spreads farther and farther. The old records say: "A former king of this country worshipped the 'three precious' ones. Wishing to pay homage to the sacred relics of the outer world, he intrusted the affairs of the empire to his younger brother on the mother's side.

"After this it happened that the younger brother, going abroad, met by the way a herdsman who was arranging to geld five hundred oxen. On seeing this, he gave himself to reflection, and taking himself as an example of what they were to suffer, he was moved with increased compassion, (and said), 'Are not my present sufferings the consequence of my conduct in some former condition of life?' He forthwith desired with money and precious [jewels] to redeem this herd of oxen. In consequence of [this act] of love, he recovered by degrees from mutilation, and on this account he ceased to enter the apartments of the women. The king, filled with wonder, asked him the reason of this, and having heard the matter from beginning to end, esteemed him more than ever, and built for his residence the monastery on the place of the mutilated form. reason of this, and having heard the matter from beginning to end, looked on him as a 'prodigy' (khi-teh), and from this circumstance the convent took its name, which he built to honour the conduct of his brother and perpetuate his name." After quitting this country and going about 600 li to the west, traversing a small sandy desert, we come to the country of Poh-luh-kia.