大唐西域記 11.23

11.23

國東境有大山，疊嶺連障，重巒絕巘。爰有伽藍，基于幽谷，高堂邃宇，疏崖枕峯，重閣層臺，背巖面𭐋，阿折羅（唐言所行）阿羅漢所建。羅漢，西印度人也，其母既終，觀生何趣，見於此國受女人身，羅漢遂來至此，將欲導化，隨機攝受。入里乞食，至母生家，女子持食來施，乳便流汁，親屬既見，以為不祥。羅漢說本因緣，女子便證聖果。羅漢感生育之恩，懷業緣之致，將酬厚德，建此伽藍。

Within and without the capital are five stupas to mark the spots where the four past Buddhas walked and sat. They were built by Asoka-raja. There are, besides these, other stupas made of brick or stone, so many that it would be difficult to name them all. Not far to the south of the city is a sangharama in which is a stone image of Kwan-tsz'-tsai Bodhisattva. Its spiritual powers extend (far and wide), so that many of those who have secretly prayed to it have obtained their wishes. On the eastern frontier of the country is a great mountain with towering crags and a continuous stretch of piled-up rocks and scarped precipice. In this there is a sangharama constructed, in a dark valley. Its lofty halls and deep side-aisles stretch through the (or open into the) face of the rocks. Storey above storey they are backed by the crag and face the valley (watercourse). This convent was built by the Arhat Achara (O-che-lo). This Arhat was a man of Western India. His mother having died, he looked to see in what condition she was re-born. He saw that she had received a woman's body in this kingdom. The Arhat accordingly came here with a view to convert her, according to her capabilities of receiving the truth. Having entered a village to beg food, he came to the house where his mother had been born. A young girl came forth with food to give him. At this moment the milk came from her breasts and trickled down.

Her friends having seen this considered it an unlucky sign, but the Arhat recounted the history of her birth. The girl thus attained the holy fruit (of Arhatship). The Arhat, moved with gratitude for her who had borne and cherished him, and remembering the end of such (good) works, from a desire to requite her, built this sanghârâma. The great vihâra of the convent is about 100 feet or so in height; in the middle is a stone figure of Buddha about 70 feet or so high. Above it is a stone canopy of seven stages, towering upwards apparently without support. The space between each canopy is about three feet. According to the old report, this is held in its place by the force of the vow of the Arhat. They also say it is by the force of his miraculous powers; others say by the virtue of some magical compound; but no trustworthy account has yet explained the reason of the wonder. On the four sides of the vihâra, on the stone walls, are painted different scenes in the life of Tathâgata's preparatory life as a Bodhisattva: the wondrous signs of good fortune which attended his acquirement of the holy fruit (of a Buddha), and the spiritual manifestations accompanying his Nirvana. These scenes have been cut out with the greatest accuracy and fineness. On the outside of the gate of the sanghdrdma, on the north and south side, at the right hand and the left, there is a stone elephant. The common report says that sometimes these elephants utter a great cry and the earth shakes throughout.