大唐西域記 6.42

6.42

窣堵波側有一清池，龍每出遊，變形蛇服，右旋宛轉，繞窣堵波，野象群行，採花以散，冥力警察，初無間替。昔無憂王之分建窣堵波也，七國所建，咸已開發，至於此國，方欲興功，而此池龍恐見陵奪，乃變作婆羅門，前叩象曰：「大王情流佛法，廣樹福田，敢請紆駕，降臨我宅。」王曰：「爾家安在，為近遠乎？」婆羅門曰：「我，此池之龍王也。承大王欲建勝福，敢來請謁。」王受其請，遂入龍宮。坐久之，龍進曰：「我惟惡業，受此龍身，供養舍利，冀消罪咎，願王躬往，觀而禮敬。」無憂王見已，懼然謂曰：「凡諸供養之具，非人間所有也。」龍曰：「若然者，願無廢毀。」無憂王自度力非其疇，遂不開發。出池之所，今有封記。

I venture to ask you to detain your carriage awhile and condescend to visit my dwelling." The king replied, "And where is your dwelling? is it near at hand?" The Brahman said, "I am the Naga king of this lake. As I have heard that the great king desires to build a superior field of merit, I have ventured to ask you to visit my abode." The king, receiving this invitation, immediately entered the dragon precinct, and sitting there for some time, the Naga advanced towards him and said, "Because of my evil karma I have received this Naga body; by religious service to these sariras of Buddha I desire to atone for and efface my guilt. Oh, that the king would himself go and inspect (the stupa, or, the relics) with a view to worship. Asoka-raja having seen (the character of the place), was filled with fear, and said, "All these appliances for worship are unlike anything seen amongst men." The Naga said, "If it be so, would that the king would not attempt to destroy the stupa!" The king, seeing that he could not measure his power with that of the Naga, did not attempt to open the stupa (to take out the relics). At the spot where the dragon came out of the lake is an inscription to the above effect.

The kingdom of Lan-mo has been waste and desolate for many years. There is no account of its extent. The towns are decayed and the inhabitants few. To the south-east of the old capital (town) there is a brick stūpa, in height less than 100 feet. Formerly, after the Nirvāṇa of Tathāgata, a previous king of this country having got a share of the śarīras of his body, returned home with them, and to honour these relics he built (this stūpa). Miraculous signs are here displayed, and a divine light from time to time shines around. By the side of the stūpa is a clear lake (tank). A dragon at certain periods comes forth and walks here, and changing his form and snake-like exterior, marches round the stūpa, turning to the right to pay it honour. The wild elephants come in herds, gather flowers, and scatter them here. Impelled by a mysterious power, they have continued to offer this service from the first till now. In former days, when Aśoka-rāja, dividing the relics, built stūpas, having opened the stūpas built by the kings of the seven countries, he proceeded to travel to this country, and put his hand to the work (viz., of opening this stūpa); the dragon, apprehending the desecration of the place, changed himself into the form of a Brahman, and going in front, he bowed down before the elephant and said, "Maharaja! your feelings are well affected to the law of Buddha, and you have largely planted (good seed) in the field of religious merit.