大唐西域記 10.38

10.38

城東據山有弗婆勢羅（唐言東山）僧伽藍，城西據山有阿伐羅勢羅（唐言西山）僧伽藍，此國先王為佛建焉。奠川通徑，疏崖峙閣，長廊步簷，枕巖接岫，靈神警衛，聖賢遊息。自佛寂滅，千年之內，每歲有千凡夫僧同入安居，其解安居日，皆證羅漢，以神通力凌虛而去；千年之後，凡、聖同居；自百餘年，無復僧侶，而山神易形，或作豺狼，或為猨狖，驚恐行人，以故空荒，閴無僧眾。

He hollowed the valley, made a road, opened the mountain crags, constructed pavilions and long (or, lateral) galleries; wide chambers supported the heights and connected the caverns. The divine spirits respectfully defended (this place); both saints and sages wandered here and reposed. During the thousand years following the Nirvana of Buddha, every year there were a thousand laymen and priests who dwelt here together during the rainy season. When the time was expired, all who had reached the condition of Arhats mounted into the air and fled away. After the thousand years the laymen and saints dwelt together; but for the last hundred years there have been no priests (dwelling here) in consequence of the spirit of the mountain changing his shape, and appearing sometimes as a wolf, sometimes as a monkey, and frightening the disciples; for this reason the place has become deserted and wild, with no priests to dwell there.

This country is about 6000 li in circuit, and the capital is some 40 li round. The soil is rich and fertile, and is regularly cultivated, affording abundant harvests. There is much desert country, and the towns are thinly populated. The climate is hot. The complexion of the people is a yellowish black, and they are by nature fierce and impulsive. They greatly esteem learning. The convents (sanghârâmas) are numerous, but are mostly deserted and ruined; of those preserved there are about twenty, with 1000 or so priests. They all study the law of the Great Vehicle. There are 100 Deva temples, and the people who frequent them are numerous and of different beliefs. To the east of the capital (the city] bordering on (leaning against] a mountain is a convent called the Purvasilâ (Fo-p'o-shi-lo-seng). To the west of the city leaning against (maintained by] a mountain is a convent called Avarasilâ. These were (or, this was) built by a former king to do honour to (for the sake of] Buddha.