大唐西域記 8.10

8.10

窣堵波側不遠，精舍中有大石，如來所履，雙迹猶存，其長尺有八寸，廣餘六寸矣。兩迹俱有輪相，十指皆帶花文，魚形映起，光明時照。昔者如來將取寂滅，北趣拘尸那城，南顧摩揭陀國，蹈此石上，告阿難曰：「吾今最後留此足迹，將入寂滅，顧摩揭陀也。百歲之後，有無憂王命世君臨，建都此地，匡護三寶，役使百神。」及無憂王之嗣位也，遷都築邑，掩周迹石，既近宮城，恒親供養。後諸國王競欲舉歸，石雖不大，眾莫能轉。近者設賞迦王毀壞佛法，遂即石所，欲滅聖迹，鑿已還平，文彩如故，於是捐棄殑伽河流，尋復本處。其側窣堵波，即過去四佛坐及經行遺迹之所。

By the side of the stūpa, and not far from it, in a vihāra, is a great stone on which Tathāgata walked. There is still the impression of both his feet on it, about eighteen inches long and six inches broad; both the right and left impress have the circle-sign, and the ten toes are all fringed with figures of flowers (or flower scrolls) and forms of fishes, which glisten brightly in the light (morning light). In old time, Tathāgata, being about to attain Nirvāṇa, was going northward to Kuśinagara, when turning round to the south and looking back at Magadha, he stood upon this stone and said to Ānanda, "Now for the very last time I leave this foot-impression, being about to attain Nirvāṇa, and looking at Magadha. A hundred years hence there shall be a King Aśōka; he shall build here his capital and establish his court; he shall protect the three religious treasures and command the genii." When Aśōka (Wu-yau) had ascended the throne, he changed his capital and built this town; he enclosed the stone with the impression; and as it was near the royal precinct, he paid it constant personal worship. Afterwards the kings of the neighbourhood wished to carry it off to their own country; but although the stone is not large, they could not move it at all.

Lately Saśāṅka-rāja, when he was overthrowing and destroying the law of Buddha, forthwith came to the place where that stone is, for the purpose of destroying the sacred marks. Having broken it into pieces, it came whole again, and the ornamental figures as before; then he flung it into the river Ganges, but it came back to its old place. By the side of the stone is a stūpa, which marks the place where the four past Buddhas walked and sat down, the traces of which still remain. By the side of the vihāra which contains the traces of Buddha, and not far from it, is a great stone pillar about thirty feet high, with a mutilated inscription on it. This, however, is the principal part of it, viz., "Aśoka-rāja with a firm principle of faith has thrice bestowed Jambudvīpa as a religious offering on Buddha, the Dharma, and the assembly, and thrice he has redeemed it with his jewels and treasure; and this is the record thereof." Such is the purport of the record.