大唐西域記 5.37

5.37

大施場東合流口，日數百人自溺而死。彼俗以為欲求生天，當於此處絕粒自沈，沐浴中流，罪垢消滅。是以異國遠方，相趁萃止，七日斷食，然後絕命。至於山猨、野鹿，群遊水濱，或濯流而返，或絕食而死。當戒日王之大施也，有一獼猴，居河之濱，獨在樹下屏迹絕食，經數日後自餓而死。故諸外道修苦行者，於河中立高柱，日將旦也，便即昇之，一手一足執柱端，躡傍杙，一手一足虛懸外申，臨空不屈，延頸張目，視日右轉，逮乎曛暮，方乃下焉。若此者，其徒數十，冀斯勤苦，出離生死，或數十年未嘗懈息。

To the east of this charity ground, between the two rivers, every day there are many hundreds of thousands of people who bathe themselves. The people of this country consider that whoever bathes in this river washes away all his sins, and that whoever dies in it is to be born in heaven. ought to fast to a grain of rice, and then drown himself in the waters. By bathing in this water (they say) all the pollution of sin is washed away and destroyed; therefore from various quarters and distant regions people come here together and rest. During seven days they abstain from food, and afterwards end their lives. And even the monkeys and mountain stags assemble here in the neighbourhood of the river, and some of them bathe and depart, others fast and die. On one occasion when Siladitya-raja distributed the alms in charity, there was a monkey who lived apart by the river-side under a tree. He also abstained from food in private, and after some days he died on that account from want.

The heretics who practise asceticism have raised a high column in the middle of the river; when the sun is about to go down they immediately climb up the pillar; then clinging on to the pillar with one hand and one foot, they wonderfully hold themselves out with one foot and one arm; and so they keep themselves stretched out in the air with their eyes fixed on the sun, and their heads turning with it to the right as it sets. When the evening has darkened, then they come down. There are many dozens of ascetics who practise this rite. They hope by these means to escape from birth and death, and many continue to practise this ordeal through several decades of years. Going from this country south-west, we enter into a great forest infested with savage beasts and wild elephants, which congregate in numbers and molest travellers, so that unless in large numbers it is difficult (dangerous) to pass this way. Going 500 li or so, we come to the country Kiau-shang-mi (Kausambi). This country is about 6000 li in circuit, and the capital about 30 li. The land is famous for its productiveness; the increase is very wonderful. Rice and sugar-canes are plentiful. The climate is very hot, the manners of the people hard and rough. They cultivate learning and are very earnest in their religious life and in virtue. There are ten sanghârâmas, all in ruins and deserted; the priests are about 300; they study the Little Vehicle. There are fifty Deva temples, and the number of heretics is enormous.